Fake Miracles

 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Revelations 2:2 (New International Version)

Introduction

As suggested in my research blog on Betel Church (see home page) there is a possibility that the gold cloud was a hoax. This then raises further questions of who could have done this, why did they do it and how could it have been done. In regards the first question ‘who’, assuming this to be a hoax, there is no certainty that the leaders or even some of the leaders were involved. It could have just been a prank from an individual working alone. In this case the reason such individual could be so successful is because of the expectations in miracles these leaders of this church possess. Without knowing the layout of the church air-condition system there is no sure way to confirm or deny such allegation. Another possible option is that the leaders or some of the leaders arranged this deception. This is not an outrageous proposition since from my own research on other charismatic churches, I have identified cases were I am certain beyond doubt that these leaders knowingly faking miracles. The two cases I identified were W.V. Grant and Guillermo Maldonado. To see my detailed research notes on these two church leaders see below. In the case of W.V. Grant, I am trusting in the accuracy of the investigation carried out by Derren Brown, who due to his own personal motivations may have been an unreliable witness, but in regards Maldonado, my conclusion is based on the video evidence alone. Because Maldonado is from a South American culture, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that calling magic tricks the power of God is acceptable practice, in much the same way western parents fool their children that they received a visit from Santa Claws on Christmas Eve. For all I know their people may have known it was a trick and were just enjoyed being wondered in the same way people enjoy a good magic show. Even so I think that any blatant deception from leaders is not acceptable and this could result in a betrayal and loss of faith from their followers if they were ever caught out. From listening to many sermons from speakers at Bethel Church I would be less lenient on them than on Maldonado, only because I know that they are serious of their claim that God performs miracles - it is what they preach!

W. V. Grant knows everyone's name

The video link below is part of a reality television show called Derren Brown - Miracles for sale, where Derren Brown the English illusionist and mentalist secretly films a faith healer W. V. Grant. At the time of writing this full show was available for viewing on YouTube. Having the expertise in the art of illusion, Derren Brown was familiar with the kind of techniques Grant was using; suspecting he was using the personal information on the contact card handed out before the service. To test this theory Brown's producer David fill out a false name on his contact card, a test that identified Grant as a fraud.

ScepticaTV. (2011, April 28). Derren Brown - Miracles for Sale (Full). Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/iuP5uOI7Xwc?t=54m12s

Apostle Guillermo Maldonado and Dionny Baez show magician's illusion not miracles

1.  Maldonado holds the glass the changes clear water to pink.
This can be seen on YouTube in the following link: Turns water into wine:

Nephtali1981. (2013 August 18). Counterfit Fire: Gold Dust, Guillermo Maldonado, Bethel, Dionny Baez, Miracle Gems & More. Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/ywfrfmgImEU?t=5m18s

 This video sequence by Nephtali1981 (see his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nephtali1981channel) has been edited from a number of video clips he has sourced on YouTube. Unfortunately I was not able to locate the original clip on the water into wine illusion, although I did locate the clip on the gold dust which was included in his sequence. I agree with Nephtali1981 that Baez used a chemistry trick to change clear water in to pink water. I agree for three reasons, firstly because these was liquid in the receiving glass, secondly because of the accompany performance of screaming and music, but my main reason is because this is a well known chemistry trick. See the YouTube video below that shows how this is done.
  
About.com. (2012 November 2). How to turn water into wine. Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/ou0Jy9jmq5k {link failed}


2. Gold dust appears in Maldonado's hands.

Ivan Rivera. (2010 April 6). Manifestacion de ORO con Guillermo Maldonadoy Dionny Baez. Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/cbAFR6bqPLs {Link Failed}

What make me skeptical about this miracle is the performance mode. Maldonado stands there with closed hands like the assistant of a magic show and not unlike a magic show the conditions are well controlled.


3. Gold appears in oil shaken by Maldonado

ANATEMASLGDBGMCL1. (2010 July 16). FRAUDE GUILLERMO MALDONADO Y DIONNY BAEZ (brillantina en el aceite). Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube:  http://youtu.be/9Y_QFf0eHpE?t=1m26s {Link Failed}

This YouTube video sequence like that of made by Nephtali1981 is an exposition intended to expose Maldonado using live online video footage and accompanying notes. I am unable to read these notes since they are not written in English, however I am only interested in the video evidence.  What I find in this clip is the same performance mode and controlled environment, however in this trick there is one other important factor; the appeal to peoples natural greed for money. Baez says on the video "God says whatever you touch will become gold because of my glory"

One possible way this could have been done

Bass Drop. (2014 August 31). DJ Fresh - Gold Dust (Flux Pavilion Remix) (Sem Copyright).
Retrieved October 16, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/TRq9hnOGvaE


Other similar YouTube clips that expose Maldonado's deception

ALIMENTO PARA EL ALMA (2011 July 12). GUILLERMO MALDONADO A MINISTRY OF DECEPTION. Retrieved October 7, 2014 from YouTube: http://youtu.be/-J03-MreOpg {Link Failed}