Why I Left the Message by Jennifer Hamilton - Revision history

Admin at 05:44, 19 January 2016

2016-01-19T05:44:16Z

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	~~[[Category: Unfinished articles]]~~
	[[Category:Testimonies]]		[[Category:Testimonies]]

Admin: /* Conclusion */

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Conclusion

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	=Conclusion=		=Conclusion=

	I still remember my first service ~~I went to~~ at the non-Message church my husband and I now attend. I expected to find the absence of God. I expected to only glean “nuggets” of truth from the sermon and to “spit out the pits”. Instead, I found His beautiful presence. God was there! I found love and joy. The pastor spoke from the heart, rebuked in love, and encouraged with scriptures. There was outreach to the lost souls of the community. They fed the hungry and poor. They opened their doors to the hurt and broken. They extended grace, not judgement. I then realized what the “fruit” of a Believer would look like. They are Christ-like, being a friend and a light to the sinner as Jesus was. Not standing off with a passive approach ~~that~~ if a sinner is “seed” they’ll come to us with questions.		I still remember my first service at the non-Message church my husband and I now attend. I expected to find the absence of God. I expected to only glean “nuggets” of truth from the sermon and to “spit out the pits”. Instead, I found His beautiful presence. '''God was there!''' I found love and joy. The pastor spoke from the heart, rebuked in love, and encouraged with scriptures. There was outreach to the lost souls of the community. They fed the hungry and poor. They opened their doors to the hurt and broken. They extended grace, not judgement. '''I then realized what the “fruit” of a Believer would look like.''' They are Christ-like, being a friend and a light to the sinner as Jesus was. Not standing off with a passive approach - if a sinner is “seed”, they’ll come to us with questions.

	Since leaving the Message, I have been shunned, mocked, and de-Christianized by some Message Believers. But, instead of falling away from God as so many believe, I’ve found a deeper relationship with Christ than I ever have had before. I’ve fallen back in love with my Bible, which has become a new Book to me. I have found healing for hurts that I have experienced in my life. I’ve discovered that it’s only God’s grace and His grace alone that saves and redeems me and fills me with His spirit. Thank you Jesus! I am such a broken human mess that could never be deserving of Him without the sacrifice of His son for my sins. I didn’t receive salvation or the Holy Ghost because I believed the words of William Branham, but because they are a gift from God to every soul on earth who will accept that Jesus died for their sins. My prayer is that each one would search for truth as God commands us and be blessed beyond measure! If you are searching your scriptures and also have questions, I would love to meet with you!		Since leaving the Message, I have been shunned, mocked, and de-Christianized by some Message Believers. But, instead of falling away from God as so many message followers believe, I’ve found a deeper relationship with Christ than I ever have had before. '''I’ve fallen back in love with my Bible, which has become a new Book to me.''' I have found healing for hurts that I have experienced in my life. I’ve discovered that it’s only God’s grace and His grace alone that saves and redeems me and fills me with His spirit. Thank you Jesus! I am such a broken human mess that could never be deserving of Him without the sacrifice of His son for my sins. I didn’t receive salvation or the Holy Ghost because I believed the words of William Branham, but because they are a gift from God to every soul on earth who will accept that Jesus died for their sins. '''My prayer is that each one would search for truth as God commands us and be blessed beyond measure! If you are searching your scriptures and also have questions, I would love to meet with you!'''

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Admin: /* Definition of modesty */

2016-01-08T22:45:45Z

Definition of modesty

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	===Definition of modesty===		===Definition of modesty===
			William Branham taught that women should wear modest dresses and that God requires clothing-styles to be separate between the genders.

	~~Women wearing modest dresses and that God requires clothing-styles in separation of genders~~		:1. The Bible outlines feminine modesty as follows:

	~~a. The Bible outlines feminine modesty as~~: “women should adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with elaborate hair arrangement or gold or pearls or expensive clothing” 1 Tim 2:9. At this time of scripture, and when Deut 22:5 was written, men and women both wore the same type of garment, a long tunic to the knees or lower and a mantle to cover the head. From a distance, men and women would look exactly the same. Modesty in the New Testament is outlined as sensibly and not gaudy or expensive which might make others around you feel inferior.		::''“women should adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with elaborate hair arrangement or gold or pearls or expensive clothing”<ref>1 Tim 2:9</ref>.

	~~b. If Deuteronomy~~ 22:5 ~~says that “the woman should not wear that which pertained unto a man…for all that do so are abomination unto~~ the ~~LORD thy God” KJV~~, ~~then why stop at pants for~~ a ~~woman? Every garment would need~~ to ~~be researched. Ties were uniform for teachers in~~ the ~~earlier centuries, stockings~~ and ~~hosiery were first worn by men, t-shirts were military undershirts designed in~~ the ~~1920s, hoodies, baseball caps, tennis shoes, etc~~. ~~Where~~ would ~~it end? BUT,~~ the ~~KJV is very different from the translated Hebrew for that verse~~. ~~The word pertaineth in “that which pertaineth” is translated from the Hebrew word “keliy” which means “article, utensil, vessel” which in other scriptures~~ in the ~~old testament, “keliy”~~ is ~~translated into “weapon, armor,~~ or ~~instrument”. The word “man” in this specific scripture is from the Hebrew word, “geber”,~~ which means “Strong man or warrior”. One of the pagan temples in Moses’ day required women to dress up as warriors to enter the temple, which better defines the Hebrew translation that a “woman should not put on the armor of a warrior… for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God”.		:At this time of scripture, and when Deut 22:5 was written, men and women both wore the same type of garment, a long tunic to the knees or lower and a mantle to cover the head. From a distance, men and women would look exactly the same. Modesty in the New Testament is outlined as sensibly and not gaudy or expensive which might make others around you feel inferior.

	c. When God made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is recorded that God made them “kethoneth”, which in Hebrew means “a long shirt-like garment”; they were not gender-specific clothing styles		:2. If Deuteronomy 22:5 says that “''the woman should not wear that which pertained unto a man…for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God''” (KJV), then why stop at pants for a woman? Every garment would need to be researched. Ties were uniform for teachers in the earlier centuries, stockings and hosiery were first worn by men, t-shirts were military undershirts designed in the 1920s, hoodies, baseball caps, tennis shoes, etc. Where would it end? BUT, the KJV is very different from the ancient Hebrew for that verse. The word "pertaineth" in “that which pertaineth” is translated from the Hebrew word “keliy” which means “article, utensil, vessel” which in other scriptures in the old testament, “keliy” is translated into “weapon, armor, or instrument”. The word “man” in this specific scripture is from the Hebrew word, “geber”, which means “Strong man or warrior”. One of the pagan temples in Moses’ day required women to dress up as warriors to enter the temple, which better defines the Hebrew translation that a “woman should not put on the armor of a warrior for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God”.

			:3. When God made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is recorded that God made them “kethoneth”, which in Hebrew means “a long shirt-like garment”; they were not gender-specific clothing styles.

	===Sinful behavior - Dancing, playing cards, secular music, drinking wine, etc.===		===Sinful behavior - Dancing, playing cards, secular music, drinking wine, etc.===

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2016-01-08T22:41:24Z

Men not wearing shorts

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	===Men not wearing shorts===		===Men not wearing shorts===
	~~There~~ are pictures of Bro Branham (to the right) and (the image above) his son wearing shorts		William Branham taught that men should not wear shorts:

			:''A man put on them little old sissy-looking shorts, and get out here, I don't think there is much man to him. He is the biggest sissy I know of.<ref>William Branham, 65-0829 - Satan's Eden, para. 141</ref>

			However, there are pictures of Bro. Branham (to the right) and (the image above) his son wearing shorts.

	===Definition of modesty===		===Definition of modesty===

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Women not cutting their hair

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	#many times that women shouldn’t cut their hair ‘at all’.		#many times that women shouldn’t cut their hair ‘at all’.

	#it was okay for the girls to cut their bangs. His daughter was 24 years old when he mentioned her in this. (64-0830)		#it was okay for the girls to cut their bangs. His daughter was 24 years old when he mentioned her in this. (64-0830)

	#in a "Questions and Answers" session that he had no scripture to back up that women couldn’t trim their hair. (64-0830)		#in a "Questions and Answers" session that he had no scripture to back up that women couldn’t trim their hair. (64-0830)

	#a man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her hair. (53-0729)		#a man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her hair. (53-0729)
	[[Image:Rebekah's bangs.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right]]		[[Image:Rebekah's bangs.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right]]

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2016-01-08T22:29:56Z

Women not cutting their hair

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	===Women not cutting their hair===		===Women not cutting their hair===

	There are quotes back and forth from Bro Braham on the issue of women cutting their hair. ~~The~~ quote ~~read that ‘Thus~~ saith the Lord, a man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her ~~hair’ was when I began~~ researching what exactly Bro Branham and the Bible said about the issue. Bro Branham said:		There are quotes back and forth from Bro Braham on the issue of women cutting their hair. Hearing the quote: ‘''Thus saith the Lord, a man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her hair''’ started me researching what exactly Bro Branham and the Bible said about the issue. Bro Branham said:

	1. women shouldn’t cut their hair ‘at all’ ~~many times~~		#many times that women shouldn’t cut their hair ‘at all’.

	~~2. That~~ it was okay for the girls to cut their bangs ~~(his~~ daughter was 24 years old when he mentioned her in this), 64-0830		#it was okay for the girls to cut their bangs. His daughter was 24 years old when he mentioned her in this. (64-0830)

	3. Questions and ~~answers~~ session ~~where he said~~ he had no scripture to back up that women couldn’t trim their hair. 64-0830		#in a "Questions and Answers" session that he had no scripture to back up that women couldn’t trim their hair. (64-0830)

	~~4. A~~ man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her hair 53-0729		#a man has the right to divorce his wife if she cuts her hair. (53-0729)
			[[Image:Rebekah's bangs.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right]]
			There are also photographs of Bro Branham’s wife and girls with bangs and trimmed hair (see photo on right).

	5. ~~There is also photographs~~ of ~~Bro Branham’s wife and girls with bangs and trimmed~~ hair.~~[[Image~~:~~Rebekah's bangs.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right]]~~		So I started studying hair and women in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 11 used the Greek word of “cutting close to the head” as something women shouldn’t do. They were just commanded to have long hair, not long ‘uncut’ hair. The only scripture for not cutting the hair ‘at all’ was the Nazarite vow in the Old Testament (Numbers 6:1-21) in which:

			#It was for a season of time
			#It was for both men and women
	So I started studying hair and women in the Bible, and 1 Cor 11 used the Greek word of “cutting close to the head” as something women shouldn’t do. They were just commanded to have long hair, not long ‘uncut’ hair. The only scripture for not cutting the hair ‘at all’ was the Nazarite vow in the Old Testament (Numbers 6:1-21) in which:		#They wouldn’t cut their hair at all during their season of time
			#Would not drink any juice or eat from grapes
	1. It was for a season of time		#They would not be around any dead person, even deceased family
			#After the season of the Nazarite vow is over, they would shave their heads and offer a sacrifice at the temple
	2. It was for both men and women

	3. They wouldn’t cut their hair at all during their season of time

	4. Would not drink any juice or eat from grapes

	5. They would not be around any dead person, even deceased family

	6. After the season of the Nazarite vow is over, they would shave their heads and offer a sacrifice at the temple

	The question in my heart was, “Why would something that wasn’t in scripture, and something that Bro Branham went from one extreme (allowing divorcement over to it) to another (okay to trim) become such a huge doctrine in the Message?”		The question in my heart was, “Why would something that wasn’t in scripture, and something that Bro Branham went from one extreme (allowing divorcement over to it) to another (okay to trim) become such a huge doctrine in the Message?”

	[[Image:What Happens in South Africa STAYS in South Africa.png\|thumb\|250px\|right]]		[[Image:What Happens in South Africa STAYS in South Africa.png\|thumb\|250px\|right]]

	===Men not wearing shorts===		===Men not wearing shorts===
	There are pictures of Bro Branham (to the right) and (the image above) his son wearing shorts		There are pictures of Bro Branham (to the right) and (the image above) his son wearing shorts

Admin: /* The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message */

2016-01-08T22:06:07Z

The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message

Admin: /* The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message */

2016-01-08T21:55:51Z

The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message

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	For me, signs and wonders are not Biblical vindication for a “true” prophet because false prophets will also have signs and wonders (Matt 24:24, Mark 13:22). The 2 events that were supposed to vindicate Bro Branham as a “fore-runner to Christ’s second coming” and a “revelator” of the Bible were:		For me, signs and wonders are not Biblical vindication for a “true” prophet because false prophets will also have signs and wonders (Matt 24:24, Mark 13:22). The 2 events that were supposed to vindicate Bro Branham as a “fore-runner to Christ’s second coming” and a “revelator” of the Bible were:

	#God’s voice at the river when Bro Branham was baptizing the 17th person in August of 1933 on the Ohio River (he mentioned 3,000-10,000 were on the shore watching it and that it was printed in newspapers all over the country). The only article found says just 14 were baptized and no mention of a light.		#[[1933 Ohio River Experience\|God’s voice at the river when Bro Branham was baptizing the 17th person in August of 1933 on the Ohio River]] (he mentioned 3,000-10,000 were on the shore watching it and that it was printed in newspapers all over the country). The only article found says just 14 were baptized and no mention of a light.
	#The angels’ visitation to Bro Branham at the Canyon to give him the 7 Seals and the Cloud appearing as they ascended. (The Cloud happened a week later when Bro Branham was in a different state AND the story changes every time he tells it (number of angels, the cloud appearing when the angles came or when they left. He also says that he was given the revelation of the Seals from an angel, when in fact his sermons are nearly word-for-word from Clarence Larkin).		#[[The Cause of the Cloud\|The angels’ visitation to Bro Branham at the Canyon to give him the 7 Seals and the Cloud appearing as they ascended.]] (The Cloud happened a week later when Bro Branham was in a different state AND the story changes every time he tells it (number of angels, the cloud appearing when the angles came or when they left. He also says that he was given the revelation of the Seals from an angel, when in fact his sermons are nearly word-for-word from Clarence Larkin).

	Unfortunately, studying the Messages only makes the story unravel until I finally had to give it to God and admit that there was little truth or honesty found at all.		Unfortunately, studying the Messages only makes the story unravel until I finally had to give it to God and admit that there was little truth or honesty found at all.

Admin: /* The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message */

2016-01-08T21:52:34Z

The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message

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	==The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message==		==The Jesus-Plus Teaching of the Message==

	The Jesus that the Message points to is not reachable without going through Bro. Branham’s message first~~; only~~ through Bro. Branham can we be introduced to Christ, like the story of Eliezer with Rebecca and Isaac. But the Bible teaches us differently:		The Jesus that the Message points to is not reachable without going through Bro. Branham’s message first. Only through Bro. Branham can we be introduced to Christ, like the story of Eliezer with Rebecca and Isaac. But the Bible teaches us differently:

	:John 14:6: ''“Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”''		:John 14:6: ''“Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”''

Admin: /* Definition of modesty */

2016-01-08T21:29:28Z

Definition of modesty

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	c. When God made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is recorded that God made them “kethoneth”, which in Hebrew means “a long shirt-like garment”; they were not gender-specific clothing styles		c. When God made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is recorded that God made them “kethoneth”, which in Hebrew means “a long shirt-like garment”; they were not gender-specific clothing styles

	D. Dancing, playing cards, secular music, drinking wine, etc : All personal convictions taught by the prophet, not commandments of scripture (even though dancing, gambling, secular music, drinking wine, etc is found in scripture). We are each called to a PERSONAL walk with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in our own convictions of the ‘gray’ areas, not someone else’s. And not to judge each other, preach at each other, or condemn each other based on our personal convictions. This is specifically spelled out in Romans 14, even to the point of naming those who live legalistic as being “weak in the faith”. Mark 7:8 and Matt 15:6 “You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men; you have set aside the Word of God, making it of no effect” God help us!		===Sinful behavior - Dancing, playing cards, secular music, drinking wine, etc.===

			All personal convictions taught by the prophet, not commandments of scripture (even though dancing, gambling, secular music, drinking wine, etc is found in scripture). We are each called to a PERSONAL walk with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in our own convictions of the ‘gray’ areas, not someone else’s. And not to judge each other, preach at each other, or condemn each other based on our personal convictions. This is specifically spelled out in Romans 14, even to the point of naming those who live legalistic as being “weak in the faith”. Mark 7:8 and Matt 15:6 “You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men; you have set aside the Word of God, making it of no effect” God help us!

	=Conclusion=		=Conclusion=

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	I had to stop making excuses. Other discrepancies I found:		I had to stop making excuses. Other discrepancies I found:

	:'''Lack of fulfilled prophecies.''' Not one prophecy that has “come to pass” was given before the fact. All prophecies he gave have changed over time, he changed with current events of his day, or they can’t be confirmed.		:'''[[Proof of the Prophetic\|Lack of fulfilled prophecies.]]''' Not one prophecy that has “come to pass” was given before the fact. All prophecies he gave have changed over time, he changed with current events of his day, or they can’t be confirmed.

	:'''~~Rev~~ 10:7''' is future tense for the subsequent chapter~~, as~~ the 7th angel doesn’t come to earth or ‘sound his trumpet’ until AFTER the 2 witnesses appear to Israel (Rev 11).		:'''[[Revelation 10:7]]''' is future tense for the subsequent chapter - the 7th angel doesn’t come to earth or ‘sound his trumpet’ until AFTER the 2 witnesses appear to Israel (Rev 11).

	:'''He changed his date of birth''' in his own handwriting from April 6, 1908 on his 1st marriage certificate to April 8th, 1909 on his second marriage certificate to follow his claim on being born under the planetary alignment.		:'''He changed his date of birth''' in his own handwriting from April 6, 1908 on his 1st marriage certificate to April 8th, 1909 on his second marriage certificate to follow his claim on being born under the planetary alignment.
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	:'''He gives 4 different locations/times for his conversion''': a Baptist church, a coal shed, a converted bar room, and a hospital		:'''He gives 4 different locations/times for his conversion''': a Baptist church, a coal shed, a converted bar room, and a hospital

	:He stated that the reason he quit school was because his father died and he was needed to take care of his siblings. Yet, his father’s death certificate places William Branham at 27 years old at his time of death.		:He stated that '''[[Was William Branham Honest#The Death of Charles Branham\|the reason he quit school was because his father died]]''' and he was needed to take care of his siblings. Yet, his father’s death certificate places William Branham at 27 years old at his time of death.

	:Time discrepancies of related events that according to records were months/years apart and could have never happened together (for example: his wife dying during the Ohio River Flood. Her and Sharon Rose’s death certificate shows the time of death 5 months after the Ohio flood. William Branham tells the story that he was out helping victims in the flood by boat when he got the call that she was passing.)		:'''Time discrepancies''' of related events that according to records were months/years apart and could have never happened together (for example: '''[[The death of Hope Branham\|his wife dying during the Ohio River Flood]]'''. Her and Sharon Rose’s death certificate shows the time of death 5 months after the Ohio flood. William Branham tells the story that he was out helping victims in the flood by boat when he got the call that she was passing.)

	:His claim on when he joined the Pentecostal movement and the timeline of the Branham Tabernacle. He says that he didn’t join the Pentecostals because of his 1st mother-in-law until after Hope’s death. Yet, Hope’s obituary states that she belonged to the Pentecostal Tabernacle at the time of her death. The city directory before she died prints William Branham as the pastor of that church.		:'''[[Roy Davis\|His claim on when he joined the Pentecostal movement and the timeline of the Branham Tabernacle]].''' He says that he didn’t join the Pentecostals because of his 1st mother-in-law until after Hope’s death. Yet, Hope’s obituary states that she belonged to the Pentecostal Tabernacle at the time of her death. The city directory before she died prints William Branham as the pastor of that church.

	:He changed what original scriptures meant to place himself in authority (Matthew 17:11, ~~Mal~~ 4:5, ~~Matt~~ 24:28, ~~Zech~~ 14:7, ~~Rev~~ 10:7, 1 John 1:7)		:'''He changed what original scriptures meant''' to place himself in authority ([[Matthew 17:11]], [[The Fulfillment of Malachi 4:5\|Malachi 4:5]], [[Matthew 24:28]], [[Zechariah 14:7]], [[Revelation 10:7]],[[1 John 1:7]])

	:He preached a works-based faith to prove election by God		:He preached a [[Mixing Law and Grace\|'''works-based faith''' to prove election by God]].

	:He taught many doctrines on the KJV, which has been proven misleading from some of the original Hebrew interpretations. If he received doctrines from God, the doctrines would have remained the same as the original thought of God despite ~~bad~~ translations.		:He taught many doctrines on the KJV, which has been proven misleading from some of the original Hebrew interpretations. If he received doctrines from God, the doctrines would have remained the same as the original thought of God, despite incorrect or dated translations.

	==Traditions of Men==		==Traditions of Men==