List of Issues with the Message: Difference between revisions

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    {|style="width:100%; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
    {{URGENT}}
    |'''''Announcing the [http://offtheshelf.life OFF THE SHELF] podcast<br>When a follower of William Branham's message has a difficult question, particularly where William Branham and the Bible appear to be in disagreement, it is common to hear message ministers advise them to put it "on the shelf".<br>
    Join co-hosts Rod Bergen and Bryan Lynch as they pull some of these issues "off the shelf" and examine what it means to be a true follower of Jesus in the context of scripture and the message of William Branham.<br>
    Click [http://offtheshelf.life here]
    |}
    [[Image:Answers small.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
    [[Image:Answers small.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
    This page summarizes virtually all of the research we have conducted since 2005 with respect to William Branham and his message.  Click on any of the questions or colored links to read further details on the issue.


    =What is the motivation for this website?=
    This page is a '''master list of all of the issues that have come to our attention in respect to William Branham and his message'''.  It summarizes, in the form of a list of questions, virtually all of the research we have conducted since 2004 with respect to William Branham.'''  Click on any of the questions or colored links''' to read further details on the issue.


    A number of years ago, we received a sincere question in an email regarding the message of William Branham.  We diligently tried to answer the question. 
    =The List of Questions=


    Paul considered those that searched scripture to prove things true to be more noble than those that did not:
    The purpose of this list is to provide a short concise summary of all known issues that can be used as a quick reference guide when discussing any concerns relating to William Branham, his message or those that follow him.  Our aim is to provide a detailed explanation for each issue, as well as our detailed research.  To the extent that the specific question does not link to anything, it simply means we have not had the time to research the issue as yet.


    :''The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.  Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ac 17:10–11.</ref>
    ===Our request & promise===


    The research we did to try answer to the question raised even more questions, '''so we set about to prove that the message was correct and that William Branham was a true prophet of God'''.  The ongoing results of our research raised even more questions. We spent several years researching these issues which in turn raised even more questions.
    Please let us know of any factual errors on our website, either [[Contact information|by email]] or by [https://www.facebook.com/BelieveTheSign a message to us on our Facebook page].  If you provide us with evidence, we will correct any errors as quickly as possible.


    ==What happened next...==
    Some followers of William Branham have suggested that it is wrong to highlight these issues.  However, we believe it is not only right but that we are [[Are we wrong to highlight the problems with William Branham and his message?|required to tell people the information we have found.]]
    Our biggest problem was that '''no one in our church''' was prepared to sincerely consider our questions and try to answer them.  We talked to many well known ministers that also followed William Branham, but they didn't have any answers either.  A few of the more honest ministers actually admitted that we had stumbled onto some questions that they couldn't answer (at least in a way that reflected positively on William Branham).  So we kept searching for answers.


    What was important to us was the Bible and it has always been our sincere desire to follow Christ regardless of the cost.  That is more important to us than family, friends or work.  Our questions were driven by our desire to know Jesus Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.
    If you do disagree with anything on this website, we would request that you '''[[A Scriptural Challenge to Followers of William Branham|please prove us wrong]]'''.  Honestly, we don't want this website to contain any incorrect information.  However, to date, we have only received a couple such requests and corrected the errors as soon as they were reported to us.


    ==What does the Bible say about sincere questions?==
    ==Did any of William Branham's visions or prophecies fail?==
     
    [[Reason and the Message#Jesus' reaction to someone who questioned him|What did Jesus say about asking questions?]]
     
    The Book of Acts contains numerous examples of Paul reasoning with the Jews in their synagogues about the Messiah. Paul was dealing with tough questions being put to him by Jews that did not believe the message of Christ.
     
    When someone comes to us with a tough question, how are we supposed to respond?
     
    :''But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and '''be ready always to give an answer to every man''' that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear...<ref>1 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV)</ref>
     
     
    :''...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, '''always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you''', yet with gentleness and reverence...<ref>1 Peter 3:15-16 (NASB)</ref>
     
     
    :''Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And '''if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it'''.  But do this in a gentle and respectful way.<ref>1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT)</ref>
     
    I am not sure why those in our church did not seem to believe or practice this verse, but we have found this attitude through out the message - message believers refuse to answer, or even discuss, our questions in an open and honest manner.
     
    This page consists of our list of questions.  Each question contains a link which, if you click on, will take you to our detailed research on the specific issue.
     
    ===How did Jesus deal with questions arising out of doubt?===
     
    There was a person in the Bible that thought that Jesus was the messiah but later on he began to have some doubt.
     
    How did Jesus deal with this man's doubt?
     
    Here is the story about John the Baptist from Luke 7:18- 23:
     
    :''John’s disciples told him about all these things.  Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”  When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”  At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.  So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” <ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 7:18–23.</ref>
     
    Jesus did not say, "How could you doubt me, John?"  He did not condemn John for doubting.  What he did was point to the evidence and to tell John's followers to go back to him and tell John the Baptist what they saw.
     
    Jesus did not condemn doubt and he simply pointed to the evidence.
     
    ==Fear not==
     
    If you are a message believer, the list below is frightening.  You may get angry.  Some have become physically ill.  They are going to raise a lot of questions.  '''But please just take your time.'''  Think about the questions that we are asking and the facts that we are presenting (click on the highlighted text to go to the specific research on an issue).
     
    We are not expecting you to believe anything just because we are saying it.  But '''what we have done is to provide all of the facts, quotes and references necessary to back up all of our research and observations'''.  Study these things out for yourself.  If you can find any errors in our research, we will change the information on our website - [[Contact information|please, just let us know about it]].
     
    To the extent anyone in the message has sought to provide us with an explanation for, or specific solution to, a  problem or concern that we have raised, we have listed these in the discussion of the issue.  There have not been a lot of explanations to date that have been sent to us, and most of them are easily identified as being the product of [[Cognitive Dissonance]] (if you don't know what that is, please click on the link).
     
    Finally, don't be afraid.  The opposite of love is [[If you need help#If you are afraid|not hate, but fear]].  If you have [[How to Deal with Doubt|doubts, they need to be resolved]], and the only way to do that is to find out the truth.  We wished that we had known these things years ago.  And we are presenting them here so that you don't have to spend the years researching these issues that we did.
     
    {|style="width:100%; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
    |''There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, '''because fear has to do with punishment'''. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love. 4:19 We love because he loved us first.'' (1 John 4:18-19)<ref>Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), 1 Jn 4:18–19.</ref>
    |}
    <br>
     
    ==Our Promise==
     
    The following is a '''master list of all of the issues and problems that have been raised by us and others in respect to William Branham and his message'''. 
     
    The purpose of this list is to provide a short concise summary of all known issues that can be used as a quick reference guide when discussing these concerns.  Our aim is to provide a detailed explanation for each problem, and the research we have uncovered, when you click on them.  To the extent that the specific problem does not link to anything, it simply means we have not had the time to research the issue as yet.
     
    '''OUR PROMISE''' - [[A Scriptural Challenge to Followers of William Branham|If you are aware of any errors/problems/concerns with information on this list or in the related articles on our website]], please let us know [[Contact information|by email]] or by [https://www.facebook.com/BelieveTheSign a message to us on our Facebook page].  We will correct any factual errors as quickly as possible.
     
    =Was William Branham really a prophet?=


    The scriptural test of a prophet is clear as outlined by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:
    The scriptural test of a prophet is clear as outlined by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:


    :''But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.  Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the LORD?’—18:22 whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”<ref>Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Dt 18:20–22.</ref>
    :''But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.  Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the LORD?’ — whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”<ref>Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Dt 18:20–22.</ref>


    While at first we found this almost impossible to believe, '''we have been unable to locate a single unambiguous prophecy that was made in advance in a public forum (on tape) and that was later clearly fulfilled.'''  However, there are numerous examples of visions that were made publicly which failed (were not fulfilled) and prophecies that changed drastically over time.  If you click on the individual lines below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.
    While at first we found this almost impossible to believe, '''we have been unable to locate a single unambiguous prophecy that was made in advance in a public forum (on tape) and that was later clearly fulfilled.'''  However, there are numerous examples of visions that were made publicly which failed (were not fulfilled) and prophecies that changed drastically over time.  If you click on the individual lines below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.
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    '''How can William Branham be a true prophet of God if he failed the test of Deut 18:20-22?'''
    '''How can William Branham be a true prophet of God if he failed the test of Deut 18:20-22?'''


    #[[Proof of the Prophetic|Did William Branham make any '''REAL''' prophecies?]] '''(We can't find any ''before the fact'' prophecies on any tape!)'''
    {{Prophetic Questions}}
    #[[The Municipal Bridge Vision|Why did William Branham say that the municipal bridge vision was fulfilled when it clearly wasn't?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[The Brown Bear Vision|Why did William Branham say "Thus Saith The Lord" that he would shoot a large brown bear, when he didn't?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[The Vision of the Meetings in South Africa|Why did the vision that William Branham had of the meetings in south Africa fail to be fulfilled?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #'''[[Prophecy#William Branham's SevenNine Visions of 1933|The <strike>Seven</strike> Ten Prophecies of 1933]]'''
    ##[[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Why did William Branham prophecy that America would start World War 2?]] '''(Prophecy Changed/Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Mussolini invades Ethiopia|Was Mussloni's invasion of Ethiopia really his last invasion?]] '''(Prophecy Changed/Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Hitler and WWII|Why did William Branham's prophecy of Hitler change over time?]]  '''(Prophecy Changed)'''
    ##[[Russia and the three ...isms|Did Facism, Nazisim and Communism really unite into Communism?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[The Egg-shaped Car|Did the prophecy of egg-shaped come from William Branham's visit to the 1933 World's Fair?]] '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Driverless Cars|Was William Branham's prophecy of a driverless car based on a Disney TV program?]] '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Morality|Are women really going to wear a fig leaf apron and go topless?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Women's Suffrage|Did women elect the wrong person or was it the men's vote?]]  '''("After the Fact" Prophecy/Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[Rise of a Woman in America|Why did William Branham state that the prophecy of the rise of the cruel woman in America was already fulfilled?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    ##[[America in Ashes|Why did William Branham change his prophecy of the destruction of America?]] '''(Prophecy Changed)'''
    #[[Destruction of Los Angeles|Why is Los Angeles still above water if Billy Paul is an old man?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[The Seventh Angel is on the Earth at Christ's Coming|Was William Branham's death before the Rapture a failed prophecy?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Racial Violence in America|Why did William Branham state that Martin Luther King, Jr. would cause the death of millions, when this didn't happen?]]  '''(Not a prophecy)'''
    #[[The Marilyn Monroe Vision|Was William Branham's vision of Marilyn Monroe's death accurate?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Prophecy of the Cloud|Why did William Branham change the vision of the angels appearing?]] '''(Prophecy Changed)'''
    #[[1977|Why did William Branham predict that the USA would be destroyed by 1977?]]  '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Nikita Khrushchev|Was the meeting of Nikita Khrushchev and Dwight Eisenhower the fulfillment of Daniel chapter 2?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Destruction of the Vatican|Will Russia destroy the Vatican?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Man and the moon|Why did William Branham say that man would never land on the moon... but the communists might?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[World Council of Churches|Was the prophecy of the World Council of Churches accurate?]] '''(Failed Prophecy)'''
    #[[Plum and Apple Trees|If the vision of the Plum and Apple Trees was from God, why did William Branham change his mind about it in 1965?]] '''(Prophecy Changed)'''
    #[[The Alaska Earthquake|Was the prophecy of the 1964 Alaska earthquake made after the fact?]] '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    #[[Third Pull|What is the Third Pull?  Was it prophetic?]] '''(too vague to qualify as a bona fide prophecy)'''
    #[[New Albany Prophecy|Did William Branham really prophecy where he would live?]] '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    #[[Ohio River flood of 1937|Why did William Branham mention the Ohio river flood years before he told of his prophecy without saying anything about it?]] '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    #[[Florida under water|Is Florida going under as well?]] '''(Ambiguous prophecy)'''
    #[[Did William Branham prophesy his own death?]] '''(This was not a prophecy)'''
    #[[Heavenly Vision|Why did William Branham's original commissioning vision disappear?]] '''(This vision was abandoned by William Branham)'''
    #[[Was the birth of Joseph Branham foretold]]?  '''(Ambiguous prophecy)'''
    #[[The Death of Florence Shakarian|Was the death of Florence Shakarian prophesied before she died?]] '''(Ambiguous prophecy)'''
    #[[Santa Rosa prophecy about William Branham|Was William Branham's ministry foretold in a Santa Rosa church?]]  '''("After the Fact" Prophecy)'''
    #[[What if William Branham was a Prophet?]]


    =Was William Branham Honest?=
    ==Was William Branham Credible?==


    :'''If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.''' - ''Mark Twain''
    :'''If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.''' - ''Mark Twain''
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    William Branham portrayed himself as a simple, honest, uneducated man who was sent from God as a prophet to fore-run the second coming of Christ.  However, many of the stories that he told have been proven to be untrue and many of the doctrines that he said he received directly from God were, in fact, plagiarized from other ministers.  If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.
    William Branham portrayed himself as a simple, honest, uneducated man who was sent from God as a prophet to fore-run the second coming of Christ.  However, many of the stories that he told have been proven to be untrue and many of the doctrines that he said he received directly from God were, in fact, plagiarized from other ministers.  If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.


    #[[1933 Ohio River Experience|Did anyone hear the voice on the Ohio River in 1933?]]
    {{Credibility Questions}}
    #[[The Cloud|Why did William Branham say that he was under the cloud when they took its picture, when he clearly wasn't?]]
    #[[Bible saved from the flood|Was William Branham's Bible saved miraculously in the 1937 flood?]]
    #[[The Man from Windsor|Why did the story of the man from Windsor change so drastically over time?]]
    #[[Plagiarism|Why did William Branham say that he received his revelations from God when he took many of his doctrines from other men?]]
    #Why did William Branham change the story of [[Congressman Upshaw]]'s healing?
    #[[Roy Davis|When did William Branham embrace Pentecostalism?]]
    #Was [[Donny Morton]] really healed?
    #[[William Branham speaks in tongues|Did William Branham speak in an unknown tongue that a Finnish woman understood?]]
    #[[Was William Branham Honest|Was it reasonable for William Branham to blame his poor grammar on his dad?]]
    #Did William Branham prayer for [[King George VI|King George VI and was he really healed?]]
    #[[Kari Holma|Did William Branham raise a boy from the dead in Finland?]]
    #Who was [[Hope Branham's Nurse]]?
    #Was [[Florence Nightingale]] the granddaughter of the original Florence Nightingale?
    #[[The Pillar of Fire|Did the Pillar of Fire really appear above William Branham's head in Houston?  Why did other pictures from that evening appear in the newspaper, when he said his picture was the only one that turned out?]]
    #[[Proposing to Hope Brumbach|Was William Branham truthful about asking Hope's parents for her hand in marriage?]]
    #[[William Branham's Double Standard#William Branham in Shorts|If only sissies wear shorts, why did William Branham wear them?]]
    #[[Leo Mercer|How could William Branham have allowed Leo Mercer to be part of his ministry?]]
    #[[An Uncertain Sound|Did William Branham claim to be a prophet?]]
    #[[The Nazarite Birth|Was William Branham born under a Nazarite Vow?]]
    #[[Discernment errors|Was William Branham's discernment 100% accurate?]]
    #[[Guessing the disease|Was William Branham's ministry always 100%?]]
    #[[The Mystery of the Empty Cornerstone|What was in the cornerstone of Branham Tabernacle?]]
    #[[William Branham's Travels|Did William Branham travel around the world seven times?]]
    #[[Billy Paul Branham|Why was William Branham dishonest about his son's first marriage?]]
    #[[Prophecy of the Cloud|Why was the vision of the five angels changed to a vision of seven angels?]]
    #[[Rattlesnake Mesa|Why did William Branham say that he was at Sunset Mountain when he was actually at Rattlesnake Mesa?]]
    #Why did William Branham make up [[The Story of the Pyramid Box|the story of the Pyramid Box]]?
    #[[Different Stories|Why did William Branham's stories change so radically over time?]]
    #[[The Perfect Man|Was William Branham really the first fruits of spiritual maturity?  The perfect man?]]
    #[[The Houston Photograph|Was the photo from Houston supernatural or just the out of focus picture of a flood light?]]
    #[[The Amber Light|Did William Branham see an amber light?]]
    #[[Jim Jones|Did William Branham help to launch the ministry of Jim Jones?]]
    #Was Marshal [[Matt Dillon]] from Gunsmoke a real person?
    #[[Is Joseph Branham a prophet?]]
    #Was there a [[Mormon prophecy about William Branham]]?
    #[[Prophecy: Danny Henry|Danny Henry message]]
    #[[William Branham's View of Himself|How did William Branham view himself?]]
    #[[William Branham and Money|Was William Branham a wealthy man when he died?]]
    #[[William Branham Speaking as God|If God spoke through William Branham, why did he mess up?]]
    #[[William Branham's Double Standard#William Branham the Hunter|If it was wrong to kill animals for sport, why did William Branham do it?]]
    #[[William Branham's Double Standard#William Branham at the Theatre|Why did William Branham deny that he went to movies 3 weeks after admitting that he did?]]
    #[[William Branham's Double Standard#William Branham, sold out for a Cadillac|Why did William Branham criticize those who drove Cadillac's when he owned one?]]
    #[[William Branham's Double Standard#Trimmed Hair & Short Skirts in the Branham Family|Why did William Branham criticize women that cut their hair and wore short skirts, when his own family did?]]
    #[[Arvel Mosier|What actually happened to Hattie Wright's boys?]]
    #[[William Branham on Suicide#Inaccuracies about William Cowper's death|Why did William Branham say he went to William Cowper's grave when he didn't?]]
    #[[William Branham on Suicide#Inaccuracies about William Cowper's death|Why did William Branham say William Cowper committed suicide when he died of heart failure?]]
    #[[William Branham on Suicide#Stephen Foster|Why did William Branham state the Stephen Foster committed suicide, when this is not true?]]
    #Was there really a connection between [[The Pope and the Lunar Eclipse|the Pope visiting israel in 1964 and the lunar eclipse that preceded his visit?]]


    =Are William Branham's teachings in agreement with the Bible?=
    ==Are William Branham's teachings in agreement with the Bible?==


    If you study the message, you will find that William Branham departed significantly from the plain meaning of scripture in many things that he taught.  If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.
    If you study the message, you will find that William Branham departed significantly from the plain meaning of scripture in many things that he taught.  If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.


    #[[Christians that were required to believe Satanic doctrine|Why did William Branham teach that some Christians were  required to believe Satanic doctrine to be saved?]]
    {{Doctrinal Questions}}
    #[[Elijah and Elisha did pray|Elijah and Elisha prayed.  So why did William Branham say they didn't?]]
    #Why did William Branham disagree with the doctrine or [[The Clarity of Scripture|the clarity of scripture]], a long held doctrine of the church?
    #[[Revelation 10:7|William Branham believed he was the fulfillment of Revelation 10:7.  Was he correct?]]
    #[[Did God change Saul's name to Paul?]]
    #[[The Prophet and The Eagle|William Branham taught that eagles typed prophets in the Bible.  Where is this found in scripture?]]
    #[[Marriage and Divorce|William Branham believed that if a wife cuts her hair, her husband divorce her.  Does the Bible teach this?]]
    #[[Marriage and Divorce|William Branham believed that a man can remarry after divorce but a woman can't.  Why did william Branham preach something that neither Jesus or Paul did?]]
    #[[THUS SAITH THE LORD|Were there any times when William Branham's "Thus Saith The Lord" actually failed?]]
    #[[King Saul - The Peoples' Choice?|Why did William Branham disagree with the Bible and teach that the people chose Saul as King of Israel?]]
    #[[Three holy words|What are the three holy words of the Bible that William Branham spoke of?]]
    #[[Prophets that ministered at the same time|Why did William Branham say that 2 major prophets were never on the scene at the same time when the Bible doesn't teach that?]]
    #[[Q&A on the Godhead#Did God leave Jesus Christ on the cross?|William Branham said that God left Jesus when He was on the cross.  Does the Bible teach this?]]
    #[[William Branham and the Zodiac|Does God really have '''THREE Bibles''' as William Branham taught?]]
    #[[Temporary Salvation|If you don't feel saved, are you still a Christian?]]
    #[[Twisted Theology#Lilies work hard|How hard do lilies work?]]
    #[[Twisted Theology#John Wept for Joy|Did John weep for joy or because no one was worthy?]]
    #[[Women were designed by Satan|Were women really designed by Satan?]]
    #[[Can you lose your healing?]]
    #[[Enoch and Noah#The Seventh from Adam|Was Enoch the seventh from Adam]]?  Is this proof of the Serpent Seed doctrine?
    #[[Are Christians considered amateur gods?]]
    #[[Michael the Archangel|Is Jesus Christ the same as Michael the Archangel?]]
    #[[Reading between the lines|Does the Bible say that we have to "read between the lines"?]]
    #[[Enoch and Noah|Noah started building the ark after he saw Enoch go in a Rapture]]
    #[[Enoch and Noah|Was Enoch a type of the wise virgin, and Noah a type of the foolish virgin?]]
    #[[The Fulfillment of Malachi 4:5|Was William Branham the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5?]]
    #[[The Importance of a Seven-Lettered Name|Is the spelling of William Branham's name of spiritual significance?]]
    #[[Illegitimate children]] cannot be part of the rapture.
    #[[Reason and Faith|Should Christians "cast down reasoning"?]]
    #[[Can the Holy Spirit abandon you?]]
    #[[Love is corrective|How nice do you have to be to people that disagree with you doctrinally?]]
    #[[Justification, Sanctification, and the Holy Spirit|Is salvation something that you earn?]]
    #[[Long Hair or Uncut Hair|Does long hair mean uncut (i.e. no trimming of split ends) for women?]]
    #[[Long Hair or Uncut Hair|Does God hear the prayer of a woman that has cut her hair]]?
    #[[Grounds for Divorce in the Message|Can a man get a divorce for any reason?]]
    #[[The Midwives of Egypt|Were the midwives in Egypt actually witches?]]
    #[[Hierarchy in Heaven|Is your admission to heaven conditional on William Branham's judgment?]]
    #[[Are There Women Angels?]]
    #[[Matthew 27:46|Did Jesus die screaming for help, crying for mercy because He was separated from God?]]
    #[[Mixing Law and Grace|William Branham mixed law and grace.  Is that a problem?]]
    #[[Water baptism|Was William Branham's understanding of water baptism historically correct?]]
    #[[John 18:6|When Jesus died on the cross, did God leave him?  Did he simply die as a man?]]
    #[[The Godhead|Did William Branham simply copy Emmanual Swedenborg's teaching on the Godhead?]]
    #[[The Serpent's Seed|Does the Bible really teach that the serpent had sex with Eve?]]
    #[[Amos 3:3|Can any two walk together unless they be agreed?  Did William Branham understand Amos 3:3?]]
    #[[Amos 3:7|Was William Branham's understanding of Amos 3:7 correct?]]
    #[[1 John 1:7‎‎]]
    #[[Fallen From Grace|What did William Branham teach happened when someone "fell from grace"?]]
    #[[The Sin in the Wilderness|Were the Israelites that died in the wilderness eternally lost?]]
    #Was William Branham guilty of [[Theological Trespassing]]?
    #Did William Branham's teaching on [[The Token|the Token]] agree with Paul's teaching on the subject?
    #[[Ephesians 4:30|When is a person sealed by the Holy Spirit?]]
    #[[Matthew 17:11|Is a gentile Elijah prophesied in the Bible?]]
    #[[Matthew 24:28|Does the message teach the correct interpretation of Matthew 24:28?]]
    #[[Destruction of Los Angeles#Pearry Green's Testimony|Is Billy Paul an old man?  And if he is, why aren't sharks swimming through Los Angeles?]]
    #The evidence of [[The Baptism of the Holy Spirit|the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing in William Branham]]
    #[[Luke 17:30|Did William Branham reveal the Son of Man?]]
    #[[John 16:13|Does the Holy Spirit lead people into the message?]]
    #[[Seventh Seal|If the seventh seal was silent, how did William Branham know what it meant?]]
    #[[Isaiah 9:6]]
    #[[Zechariah 14:7]]
    #[[Was William Branham a racist?|Are biracial marriages unscriptural]]?
    #[[Abraham and Sarah|What was God's reaction to Sarah laughing?]]
    #[[The Body of Christ|Does the Bible teach there are two tiers of Christians?]]
    #[[The Message#Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?|Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?]]
    #[[Eternal Sonship|If the Son is not eternal, can the Father be eternal?]]
    #Is there a difference in the meaning of [[Q&A on the Godhead#Eternal vs. Everlasting|Eternal vs. Everlasting]]
    #[[Sex was not in God's original plan|If sex was not in God's original plan, how come he made us as sexual beings?]]
    #[[Gifts and callings are without repentance|Are people born with spiritual gifts as William Branham taught?]]
    #[[Q&A on the Godhead#What is the meaning of "begotten"?|What is the meaning of "begotten"?]]
    #[[Three Persons|Does the Christian church actually teach that there are three gods in the Trinity?]]
    #Did William Branham misrepresent [[The Trinity|the Church's historical view of the Trinity]]?
    #[[Tithing|Is tithing required in the New Testament?]]
    #[[Destruction of Los Angeles|Is Capernaum under the sea?]]
    #[[The Message Dress Code|Is the message dress code in the Bible?]]
    #[[Legalism|How many rules do I have to keep in order to get to heaven?]]
    #[[That which is perfect is come|Has "that which is perfect" come?]]
    #What is the actual meaning of [[El Shaddai]]?
    #What was [[The Sign of the Messiah]]?
    #[[William Branham and the future|Was William Branham's view of the future biblical?]]
    #[[William Branham's View of Himself|How did William Branham view himself?]]
    #[[Jehovah|Does God only have seven compound names?]]
    #[[The Two Witnesses of Revelation 11|Who are the two witnesses of Revelation 11]]?
    #Why do we need William Branham's message when [[The Sufficiency of Scripture|scripture is sufficient?]]
    #[[A New Thing|Is the message "stale" manna?]]
    #[[Alcohol|William Branham and Alcohol]]
    #[[Can you tell if someone has the Holy Spirit?]]
    #[[William Branham on Suicide#Saul didn't commit suicide|Why did William Branham say that Saul did not commit suicide, when the Bible says he did?]]
    #How could [[Open-toed shoes|open-toed shoes]] be immoral if virtually everyone in the Bible wore them?
     
    =Other strange, bizarre, or false beliefs of William Branham=
     
    William Branham believed, and taught, some outrageous things that people should accept as the truth.  Here are a few of these bizarre teachings:
     
    #[[William Branham and the Freemasons|Why was there a Pentagram clearly displayed on the front of the Branham Tabernacle?]]
    #[[Plum and Apple Trees#Trinitarian Christians|Are Christians that believe the doctrine of the Trinity lost?]]
    #[[William Branham and Flying Saucers|Are UFO's actually investigating angels?]]
    #[[The Rock Where Moses Stood|Did God moved the rock that Moses stood on to the Arizona desert in 1964?]]
    #[[William Branham's understanding of astronomy|Does the sun revolve around the earth]]
    #[[William Branham and the Pyramids#Who built the pyramids?|Who built the Pyramids?]]
    #[[William Branham and the Pyramids#The pyramids couldn't be built today|The Pyramids couldn't be built today.]] 
    #[[William Branham and the Pyramids#Did the Great Pyramid ever have a capstone?|The Great Pyramid never had a capstone]].
    #[[William Branham and the Pyramids#Do the pyramids cast a shadow?|The Pyramids don't cast a shadow.]]
    #[[The earth is square|Did you know that the earth is square?]]
    #[[William Branham and biology|Do women have one less rib than men?]]
    #[[Wrong statements|What other strange things did William Branham believe?]]
     
    ==William Branham's often contradictory teachings==


    William Branham often contradicted himself, both in his biographical stories but also in his preaching.  Here are a few examples:
    ==Strange, bizarre, or contradictory beliefs of William Branham==


    *[[An Uncertain Sound|I am God's prophet... I never said I was a prophet.]]
    {{Strange Teachings}}
    *[[How many will be saved?|Millions will be saved... or maybe only 50.]]
    *[[Are you going to the wrong church?|Don't leave your church... No!  Leave your church now!]]
    *[[Can you tell if someone has the Holy Spirit?|You can't tell if someone has the Holy Spirit... Yes you can!  Only people that beleive me have the Holy Spirit!]]
    *[[Did he blow the horn?|Did William Branham blow his horn... or not?]]
    *[[The confused teachings of William Branham|Other confused teachings of William Branham]]


    =Other Issues Relating to William Branham's Message=
    ==Other Issues Relating to William Branham's Message==


    #[[Hagin Prophecy|Kenneth Hagin's Prophecy]]
    #[[Hagin Prophecy|Kenneth Hagin's Prophecy]]
    #[[The Vision of the Pentecostal Kitten|The Vision of the Message Kitten]]
    #[[Why didn't people correct William Branham?]]
    #Our review of Owen Jorgensen's biography - ''[[Supernatural: The Life of William Branham‎]]''
    #Our review of Owen Jorgensen's biography - ''[[Supernatural: The Life of William Branham‎]]''
    #Our response to [[A Biographer Answers Critics of William Branham|Owen Jorgensen's defense of William Branham]]
    #Our response to [[A Biographer Answers Critics of William Branham|Owen Jorgensen's defense of William Branham]]
    Line 327: Line 70:
    #[[Joseph Branham]]
    #[[Joseph Branham]]


    =False Doctrine Taught by Message Churches=
    ==False Doctrine and Misinformation Taught by Message Churches==


    These doctrines may not have been taught directly by William Branham (or at least we have not found quotes yet) but are widely held by Message ministers/believers and are taught in a variety of message churches (please note that they may not be found in all message churches).   
    These doctrines may not have been taught directly by William Branham (or at least we have not found quotes yet) but are widely held by Message ministers/believers and are taught in a variety of message churches (please note that they may not be found in all message churches).   


    #[[Is the Message a Cult?#William Branham's message > the Bible|ALL message churches place the words of William Branham above or at least equal to the Bible]].
    #[[Is the Message a Cult?#William Branham's message > the Bible|ALL message churches place the words of William Branham above or at least equal to the Bible]].
    #Excuses for the failure of the Municipal Bridge vision - [[The Municipal Bridge Vision#The men drowned in concrete|The sixteen men drowned in concrete]]
    #The use of red herring arguments when [[Failed Prophecies]] are pointed out (see video)
    #The use of red herring arguments when [[Failed Prophecies]] are pointed out (see video)
    #[[The Message|The message]] is Jesus Christ.
    #[[The Message|The message]] is Jesus Christ.
    Line 341: Line 85:
    #[[Acts 3:21]]
    #[[Acts 3:21]]
    #[[Anti-Intellectualism]]
    #[[Anti-Intellectualism]]
    #[[Spiritual Idolatry]]
    #[["Blind Faith"]]
    #[["Blind Faith"]]
    #[[Logic and the Message]]
    #[[Logic and the Message]]
    Line 347: Line 92:
    #[[The Rules of the Message]]
    #[[The Rules of the Message]]
    #Are [[Blood Moons]] of importance today?
    #Are [[Blood Moons]] of importance today?
    #If you don't believe the message, you are not going in the rapture.
    #Only ministers can handle the Word.
    #Your Pastor will take you through.
    #The Message is our Absolute.  In other words - ''William Branham said it, I believe it, that settles it.''
    #The Pastor is our Absolute or Your Pastor in his Office is always right.
    #Diminishing the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ of two thousand years ago, as a result of Promoting the Jesus Christ of Today.
    #The focus on the message, removes the focus from the Bible.
    #Rapturing Faith in on the Tapes.
    #Don't question. Don't argue. Don't Debate. Don't Discuss. Just give them a message book.
    #If they're Seed...
    #The church is the wife, the husband is the pastor
    #"programs" are of the devil, so message churches do nothing to help the poor.
    #Missions are for people overseas, not the homeless down the street.
    #It's OK to preach against other churches who don't have the mighty revelation.
    #Deacons are glorified ushers and no longer redistribute wealth to the poor.
    #There's no higher order to reveal the Word than a prophet. The following is a quote of Luke Gibson - ''that is an elementary teaching in this message and a close look at the scriptures will declare God always reveals His Word by prophets (Amos 3:7)''.
    #Education is of the devil... but I know more than other Christians.
    #Everyone outside the message is foolish virgin
    #Legalistic teachings related to [[The Celebration of Christmas]]
    #Legalistic teachings related to [[The Celebration of Christmas]]
    #People have made Jesus into a super man.  Message believers are the sons of God and ultimately, don't need Jesus to be the sacrifice.


    =Other issues related to message churches=
    ==Other issues related to message churches==


    #[[Message Urban Legends|'''Urban legends''' of the message]]
    #[[Message Urban Legends|'''Urban legends''' of the message]]
    #[[The Status of Message Believers|What is the spiritual status of message believers]]?
    #[[Questions and Answers with a Message Minister|Q&A with a message minister]]
    #[[Bethel Tabernacle|An open letter to Jason Watkins]]
    #[[Bethel Tabernacle|An open letter to Jason Watkins]]


    =But Message believers reject these teachings=
    ==But Message believers reject these teachings==


    There are a few things that William Branham taught that followers of William Branham simply do not believe in any practical sense.
    There are a few things that William Branham taught that followers of William Branham simply do not believe in any practical sense.


    #[[The Message is Greater than the Bible|Is the message a cult?]]
    #[[The Importance of a Right Spirit]]
    #[[The Importance of a Right Spirit]]
    #[[Draw a bigger circle]]
    #[[Draw a bigger circle]]
    #The vision of the [[Plum and Apple Trees]]
    #The vision of the [[Plum and Apple Trees]]


    =Now what?=
    =Now what?  Where do I go from here?=


    [[A Synopsis of the Message|If you have honestly looked at these questions and the research provided in our analysis of each issue]], you must question whether William Branham was a true prophet of God.
    [[A Synopsis of the Message|If you have honestly looked at these questions and the research provided in our analysis of each issue]], you must question whether William Branham was a true prophet of God.
    Line 387: Line 116:
    To help those who are now confronted with these issues and wonder what the next course of action should be we would recommend the following links:
    To help those who are now confronted with these issues and wonder what the next course of action should be we would recommend the following links:


    #Listen to the [http://offtheshelf.life Off The Shelf] podcast!
    #[[What should we believe?#What church should we go to?|Were should I go to church?  Aren't denominations of the devil?]]
    #[[What should we believe?|So what should I believe now?]]
    #[[How to help those in the message|How do I help people who are still in the message?]]  Do I tell them the message is wrong or is there a better way?  [[How to help those in the message|How do I interact with my spouse/family member/friend]] who is still in the message?
    #[[Reason and the Message#Jesus' reaction to someone who questioned him|What did Jesus say about asking questions?]]
    #[[Reason and the Message#Jesus' reaction to someone who questioned him|What did Jesus say about asking questions?]]
    #Should we abandon Christianity?  Does it still make sense to follow Jesus after leaving the message?
    ##[[Is belief in God rational?]]
    ##[[Is the New Testament historically reliable?]]
    #[[Testimonies of Former Followers]]
    #[[Here we stand, corrected|'''You are not alone!!!''']]
    #[[Here we stand, corrected|'''You are not alone!!!''']]
    #Further research on William Branham - [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message]]
    #Further research on William Branham - [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message]]
    Line 394: Line 131:
    #If you are looking for non-message sources to help you grow spiritually - [[Resources that have helped us]]
    #If you are looking for non-message sources to help you grow spiritually - [[Resources that have helped us]]
    #[[If you need help]]
    #[[If you need help]]
    #[[What should we believe?|So what should I believe?]]
    #[[BelieveTheSign:What We Believe|What we believe]]
    #If you want to ask us a question, you can [[Contact information|email us]].
    #If you want to ask us a question, you can [[Contact information|email us]].


    Latest revision as of 16:20, 12 September 2022

    Click on headings to expand them, or links to go to specific articles.
    Click here if you have questions, need help, or just want someone to talk to.
    Answers small.jpg

    This page is a master list of all of the issues that have come to our attention in respect to William Branham and his message. It summarizes, in the form of a list of questions, virtually all of the research we have conducted since 2004 with respect to William Branham. Click on any of the questions or colored links to read further details on the issue.

    The List of Questions

    The purpose of this list is to provide a short concise summary of all known issues that can be used as a quick reference guide when discussing any concerns relating to William Branham, his message or those that follow him. Our aim is to provide a detailed explanation for each issue, as well as our detailed research. To the extent that the specific question does not link to anything, it simply means we have not had the time to research the issue as yet.

    Our request & promise

    Please let us know of any factual errors on our website, either by email or by a message to us on our Facebook page. If you provide us with evidence, we will correct any errors as quickly as possible.

    Some followers of William Branham have suggested that it is wrong to highlight these issues. However, we believe it is not only right but that we are required to tell people the information we have found.

    If you do disagree with anything on this website, we would request that you please prove us wrong. Honestly, we don't want this website to contain any incorrect information. However, to date, we have only received a couple such requests and corrected the errors as soon as they were reported to us.

    Did any of William Branham's visions or prophecies fail?

    The scriptural test of a prophet is clear as outlined by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:

    But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the LORD?’ — whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”[1]

    While at first we found this almost impossible to believe, we have been unable to locate a single unambiguous prophecy that was made in advance in a public forum (on tape) and that was later clearly fulfilled. However, there are numerous examples of visions that were made publicly which failed (were not fulfilled) and prophecies that changed drastically over time. If you click on the individual lines below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.

    How can William Branham be a true prophet of God if he failed the test of Deut 18:20-22?

    Here is a list of questions related to William Branham's visions and prophecies. Please click on the link in each question to go to an article containing a detailed analysis of the issue:

    1. Did "Thus Saith The Lord" fail Donny Morton? (Failed Thus Saith The Lord?)
    2. Did "Thus Saith The Lord" fail Agnes Shippy (Failed Thus Saith The Lord?)
    3. Did William Branham make any REAL prophecies? (Why can't we find any before the fact prophecies!)
    4. Why did William Branham say that the municipal bridge vision was fulfilled when it clearly wasn't? (Failed Prophecy?)
    5. Why did William Branham say "Thus Saith The Lord" that he would shoot a large brown bear, when he didn't? (Failed Prophecy?)
    6. Why did the vision that William Branham had of the meetings in South Africa fail to be fulfilled? (Failed Prophecy?)
    7. If the vision of the Plum and Apple Trees was from God, why did William Branham change his mind about it in 1965? (Prophecy Changed?)
    8. The Prophetic Visions of 1933
      1. Why did William Branham prophecy that America would start World War 2? (Prophecy Changed/Failed Prophecy?)
      2. Was Mussloni's invasion of Ethiopia really his last invasion? (Prophecy Changed/Failed Prophecy?)
      3. Why did William Branham's prophecy of Hitler change over time? (Prophecy Changed?)
      4. Did Facism, Nazisim and Communism really unite into Communism? (Failed Prophecy?)
      5. Did the prophecy of egg-shaped cars come from William Branham's visit to the 1933 World's Fair? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
      6. Was William Branham's prophecy of a driverless car based on a Disney TV program? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
      7. Are women really going to wear a fig leaf apron and go topless? (Failed Prophecy?)
      8. Did women elect the wrong person or was it the men's vote? ("After the Fact" Prophecy/Failed Prophecy?)
      9. Why did William Branham state that the prophecy of the rise of the cruel woman in America was already fulfilled? (Failed Prophecy?)
      10. Why did William Branham change his prophecy of the destruction of America? (Prophecy Changed?)
    9. Why is Los Angeles still above water if Billy Paul is an old man? (Failed Prophecy?)
    10. Did William Branham prophesy the election of Kamala Harris? (Vague Prophecy?)
    11. Why did William Branham predict the Catholic church would never apologize when they did? (Failed Prophecy?)
    12. Did William Branham predict his own death? (Prophecy about William Branham?)
    13. Will the Roman Catholic church take over the world monetary system? (False Prophecy?)
    14. The Tent Vision (Failed Prophecy?)
    15. What did William Branham prophesy about Billy Graham? Did the prophecy come to pass? (Failed Prophecy or a Lie?)
    16. Was William Branham's death before the Rapture a failed prophecy? (Failed Prophecy?)
    17. Why did William Branham state that Martin Luther King, Jr. would cause the death of millions, when this didn't happen? (Not a prophecy?)
    18. Was William Branham's vision of Marilyn Monroe's death accurate? (Failed Prophecy?)
    19. Why did William Branham change the vision of the angels appearing? (Prophecy Changed?)
    20. Why did William Branham predict that the USA would be destroyed by 1977? (Failed Prophecy?)
    21. Was the meeting of Nikita Khrushchev and Dwight Eisenhower the fulfillment of Daniel chapter 2? (Failed Prophecy?)
    22. Will Russia destroy the Vatican? (Failed Prophecy?)
    23. Why did William Branham say that man would never land on the moon... but the communists might? (Failed Prophecy?)
    24. Was the prophecy of the World Council of Churches accurate? (Failed Prophecy?)
    25. Did William Branham ever pray for "kings, monarchs, potentates, and great men of the world." (Failed Prophecy?)
    26. Was the prophecy of the 1964 Alaska earthquake made after the fact? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
    27. What is the Third Pull? Was it prophetic? (Vague Prophecy?)
    28. Did William Branham really prophecy where he would live? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
    29. Why did William Branham mention the Ohio river flood years before he told of his prophecy without saying anything about it? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
    30. Is Florida going under as well? (Ambiguous prophecy?)
    31. Did William Branham prophesy his own death? (Not a prophecy?)
    32. Why did William Branham's original commissioning vision disappear? (Vision abandoned by William Branham?)
    33. Was the birth of Joseph Branham foretold? (Ambiguous prophecy?)
    34. Was the death of Florence Shakarian prophesied before she died? (Ambiguous prophecy?)
    35. Was William Branham's ministry foretold in a Santa Rosa church? ("After the Fact" Prophecy?)
    36. Were Dead Raised in William Branham's Ministry?
    37. Q&A with a message minister relating to William Branham's prophetic ministry
    38. What if William Branham was a Prophet?

    If you have a question regarding William Branham's prophetic ministry that is not listed above, please contact us by clicking here.

    Was William Branham Credible?

    If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything. - Mark Twain

    The Bible plainly tells us what is expected of Christian leaders:

    An elder must be blameless...[2]
    For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work...[3]
    The overseer then must be above reproach...[4]
    And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.[5]

    William Branham portrayed himself as a simple, honest, uneducated man who was sent from God as a prophet to fore-run the second coming of Christ. However, many of the stories that he told have been proven to be untrue and many of the doctrines that he said he received directly from God were, in fact, plagiarized from other ministers. If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.

    The following is our list of questions related to William Branham's honesty and credibility. Please click on the link to go to a detailed discussion of the question:

    1. Did William Branham visit the graves of Muhammad, Buddha, and Confucius?
    2. Did William Branham visit the Vatican and see the inscription "VICARIVS FILII DEI" above the throne of the Pope?
    3. Did William Branham lie about his prophecy regarding Billy Graham?
    4. Did anyone hear the voice on the Ohio River in 1933?
    5. Did William Branham see a mother eagle carry her babies on her wings?
    6. Why did William Branham say that he was under the cloud when they took its picture, when he clearly wasn't?
    7. Did William Branham travel around the world seven times?
    8. Was William Branham's Bible saved miraculously in the 1937 flood?
    9. Why did the story of the man from Windsor change so drastically over time?
    10. Why did William Branham say that he received his revelations from God when he took many of his doctrines from other men?
    11. Why did William Branham change the story of Congressman Upshaw's healing?
    12. When did William Branham embrace Pentecostalism?
    13. Was Donny Morton really healed?
    14. Did William Branham speak in an unknown tongue that a Finnish woman understood?
    15. Was it reasonable for William Branham to blame his poor grammar on his dad?
    16. Did William Branham prayer for King George VI and was he really healed?
    17. Did William Branham raise a boy from the dead in Finland?
    18. Who was Hope Branham's Nurse?
    19. Was Florence Nightingale the granddaughter of the original Florence Nightingale?
    20. Did the Pillar of Fire really appear above William Branham's head in Houston? Why did other pictures from that evening appear in the newspaper, when he said his picture was the only one that turned out?
    21. Was William Branham truthful about asking Hope's parents for her hand in marriage?
    22. If only sissies wear shorts, why did William Branham wear them?
    23. How could William Branham have allowed Leo Mercer to be part of his ministry?
    24. Did William Branham claim to be a prophet?
    25. Was William Branham born under a Nazarite Vow?
    26. Was William Branham's discernment 100% accurate?
    27. Was William Branham's ministry always 100%?
    28. What was in the cornerstone of Branham Tabernacle?
    29. Why was William Branham dishonest about his son's first marriage?
    30. Why was the vision of the five angels changed to a vision of seven angels?
    31. Why did William Branham say that he was at Sunset Mountain when he was actually at Rattlesnake Mesa?
    32. Why did William Branham make up the story of the Pyramid Box?
    33. Why did William Branham's stories change so radically over time?
    34. Was William Branham really the first fruits of spiritual maturity? The perfect man?
    35. Was the photo from Houston supernatural or just the out of focus picture of a flood light?
    36. Did William Branham see an amber light?
    37. Did William Branham help to launch the ministry of Jim Jones?
    38. Was Marshal Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke a real person?
    39. Is Joseph Branham a prophet?
    40. Was there a Mormon prophecy about William Branham?
    41. Did Danny Henry's prophecy take place?
    42. How did William Branham view himself?
    43. Was William Branham a wealthy man when he died?
    44. If God spoke through William Branham, why did he mess up?
    45. If it was wrong to kill animals for sport, why did William Branham do it?
    46. Why did William Branham deny that he went to movies 3 weeks after admitting that he did?
    47. Why did William Branham criticize those who drove Cadillac's when he owned one?
    48. Why did William Branham criticize women that cut their hair and wore short skirts, when his own family did?
    49. What actually happened to Hattie Wright's boys?
    50. Why did William Branham say he went to William Cowper's grave when he didn't?
    51. Why did William Branham say William Cowper committed suicide when he died of heart failure?
    52. Why did William Branham state the Stephen Foster committed suicide, when this is not true?
    53. Was there really a connection between the Pope visiting israel in 1964 and the lunar eclipse that preceded his visit?
    54. Q&A with a message minister relating to William Branham's credibility

    Are William Branham's teachings in agreement with the Bible?

    If you study the message, you will find that William Branham departed significantly from the plain meaning of scripture in many things that he taught. If you click on the individual items below, they will take you to a detailed explanation of each issue.

    The following is a list of questions that we have attempted to answer regarding the teachings of William Branham. Please click on the link to go to a detailed discussion of the question:

    1. Did William Branham's teaching on the Seven Seals come from the angel of God?
    2. Can a wedding engagement be broken?
    3. Was Adam first created as a "spirit being" or is this Mormon doctrine?
    4. Was Time Created as a Result of Sin?
    5. Who got naked first? Adam or Eve?
    6. Why did William Branham teach that some Christians were required to believe Satanic doctrine to be saved?
    7. Elijah and Elisha prayed. Why did William Branham say they didn't?
    8. Why did William Branham disagree with the doctrine of the clarity of scripture, a long held doctrine of the church?
    9. William Branham believed he was the fulfillment of Revelation 10:7. Was he correct?
    10. Did God change Saul's name to Paul?
    11. William Branham taught that eagles typed prophets in the Bible. Where is this found in scripture?
    12. William Branham believed that if a wife cuts her hair, her husband can divorce her. Does the Bible teach this?
    13. William Branham believed that a man can remarry after divorce but a woman can't. Why did william Branham preach something that neither Jesus or Paul did?
    14. Should 100% of the tithes go to the pastor?
    15. Are pastors today the same as priests in the Old Testament?
    16. Are ministers required to marry a virgin?
    17. Did William Branham approve of polygamy?
    18. Were there any times when William Branham's "Thus Saith The Lord" actually failed?
    19. Why did William Branham disagree with the Bible and teach that the people chose Saul as King of Israel?
    20. What are the three holy words of the Bible that William Branham spoke of?
    21. Why did William Branham say that 2 major prophets were never on the scene at the same time when the Bible doesn't teach that?
    22. William Branham said that God left Jesus when He was on the cross. Does the Bible teach this?
    23. Does God really have THREE Bibles as William Branham taught?
    24. If you don't feel saved, are you still a Christian?
    25. How hard do lilies work?
    26. Did John weep for joy or because no one was worthy?
    27. Were women really designed by Satan?
    28. Can you lose your healing?
    29. Was Enoch the seventh from Adam? Is this proof of the Serpent Seed doctrine?
    30. Is the harlot in the Book of Revelation the Roman Catholic Church?
    31. Are Christians considered amateur gods?
    32. Is Jesus Christ the same as Michael the Archangel?
    33. Does the Bible say that we have to "read between the lines"?
    34. Noah started building the ark after he saw Enoch go in a Rapture
    35. Was Enoch a type of the wise virgin, and Noah a type of the foolish virgin?
    36. Was William Branham the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5?
    37. Is the spelling of William Branham's name of spiritual significance?
    38. Illegitimate children cannot be part of the rapture.
    39. Should Christians "cast down reasoning"?
    40. Can the Holy Spirit abandon you?
    41. How nice do you have to be to people that disagree with you doctrinally?
    42. Is salvation something that you earn?
    43. Does long hair mean uncut (i.e. no trimming of split ends) for women?
    44. Does God hear the prayer of a woman that has cut her hair?
    45. Can a man get a divorce for any reason?
    46. Were the midwives in Egypt actually witches?
    47. Is your admission to heaven conditional on William Branham's judgment?
    48. Are There Women Angels?
    49. Did Jesus die screaming for help, crying for mercy because He was separated from God?
    50. William Branham mixed law and grace. Is that a problem?
    51. Was William Branham's understanding of water baptism historically correct?
    52. When Jesus died on the cross, did God leave him? Did he simply die as a man?
    53. Did William Branham simply copy Emmanual Swedenborg's teaching on the Godhead?
    54. Does the Bible really teach that the serpent had sex with Eve?
    55. Can any two walk together unless they be agreed? Did William Branham understand Amos 3:3?
    56. Was William Branham's understanding of Amos 3:7 correct?
    57. 1 John 1:7‎‎
    58. What did William Branham teach happened when someone "fell from grace"?
    59. Were the Israelites that died in the wilderness eternally lost?
    60. Was William Branham guilty of Theological Trespassing?
    61. Did William Branham's teaching on the Token agree with Paul's teaching on the subject?
    62. When is a person sealed by the Holy Spirit?
    63. Is a gentile Elijah prophesied in the Bible?
    64. Does the message teach the correct interpretation of Matthew 24:28?
    65. Is Billy Paul an old man? And if he is, why aren't sharks swimming through Los Angeles?
    66. The evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing in William Branham
    67. Did William Branham reveal the Son of Man?
    68. Does the Holy Spirit lead people into the message?
    69. If the seventh seal was silent, how did William Branham know what it meant?
    70. Isaiah 9:6
    71. Zechariah 14:7
    72. Revelation 16:13
    73. Are biracial marriages unscriptural?
    74. What was God's reaction to Sarah laughing?
    75. Does the Bible teach there are two tiers of Christians?
    76. Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?
    77. If the Son is not eternal, can the Father be eternal?
    78. Is there a difference in the meaning of Eternal vs. Everlasting
    79. If sex was not in God's original plan, how come he made us as sexual beings?
    80. Are people born with spiritual gifts as William Branham taught?
    81. What is the meaning of "begotten"?
    82. Does the Christian church actually teach that there are three gods in the Trinity?
    83. Did William Branham misrepresent the Church's historical view of the Trinity?
    84. Is tithing required in the New Testament?
    85. Is Capernaum under the sea?
    86. How many rules do I have to keep in order to get to heaven?
    87. Is it a sin for a woman to wear pants?
    88. Is the message dress code in the Bible?
    89. Has "that which is perfect" come?
    90. What is the actual meaning of El Shaddai?
    91. What was The Sign of the Messiah?
    92. Was William Branham's view of the future biblical?
    93. How did William Branham view himself?
    94. Does God only have seven compound names?
    95. Who are the two witnesses of Revelation 11?
    96. Why do we need William Branham's message when scripture is sufficient?
    97. Is the message "stale" manna?
    98. William Branham and Alcohol
    99. Can you tell if someone has the Holy Spirit?
    100. Why did William Branham say that Saul did not commit suicide, when the Bible says he did?
    101. How could open-toed shoes be immoral if virtually everyone in the Bible wore them?
    102. Q&A with a message minister relating to William Branham's doctrine

    Strange, bizarre, or contradictory beliefs of William Branham

    William Branham believed, and taught, a number of things that appeared to be quite bizarre:

    1. Why was there a Pentagram clearly displayed on the front of the Branham Tabernacle?
    2. Are Christians that believe the doctrine of the Trinity lost?
    3. Are UFO's actually investigating angels?
    4. Did God moved the rock that Moses stood on to the Arizona desert in 1964?
    5. Who built the Pyramids?
    6. The Pyramids couldn't be built today.
    7. The Great Pyramid never had a capstone.
    8. The Pyramids don't cast a shadow.
    9. Did you know that the earth is square?
    10. Do men have one less rib than women?
    11. What other strange things did William Branham believe?

    In other places, William Branham contradicted himself, both in his biographical stories but also in his preaching. Here are a few examples:

    1. I am God's prophet... I never said I was a prophet.
    2. Millions will be saved... or maybe only 50.
    3. Don't leave your church... No! Leave your church now!
    4. You can't tell if someone has the Holy Spirit... Yes you can! Only people that believe me have the Holy Spirit!
    5. Did William Branham blow his horn... or not?
    6. Other confused teachings of William Branham

    Other Issues Relating to William Branham's Message

    1. Kenneth Hagin's Prophecy
    2. The Vision of the Message Kitten
    3. Why didn't people correct William Branham?
    4. Our review of Owen Jorgensen's biography - Supernatural: The Life of William Branham‎
    5. Our response to Owen Jorgensen's defense of William Branham
    6. An Open Letter to Owen Jorgensen by Luca Freeman
    7. Who is Voice of God Recordings and how much money do they have?
    8. Why is there so much "bad fruit" in the message?
    9. Billy Paul Branham
    10. Joseph Branham

    False Doctrine and Misinformation Taught by Message Churches

    These doctrines may not have been taught directly by William Branham (or at least we have not found quotes yet) but are widely held by Message ministers/believers and are taught in a variety of message churches (please note that they may not be found in all message churches).

    1. ALL message churches place the words of William Branham above or at least equal to the Bible.
    2. Excuses for the failure of the Municipal Bridge vision - The sixteen men drowned in concrete
    3. The use of red herring arguments when Failed Prophecies are pointed out (see video)
    4. The message is Jesus Christ.
    5. Access to the blood can only be achieve through the message of the hour
    6. The doctrine of progressive revelation
    7. The heretical teachings of Lee Vayle
    8. True stories from message churches
    9. Luke 20:4-8
    10. Acts 3:21
    11. Anti-Intellectualism
    12. Spiritual Idolatry
    13. "Blind Faith"
    14. Logic and the Message
    15. Thinking is discouraged
    16. The KJV is the only inspired translation of the Bible.
    17. The Rules of the Message
    18. Are Blood Moons of importance today?
    19. Legalistic teachings related to The Celebration of Christmas

    Other issues related to message churches

    1. Urban legends of the message
    2. What is the spiritual status of message believers?
    3. Q&A with a message minister
    4. An open letter to Jason Watkins

    But Message believers reject these teachings

    There are a few things that William Branham taught that followers of William Branham simply do not believe in any practical sense.

    1. Is the message a cult?
    2. The Importance of a Right Spirit
    3. Draw a bigger circle
    4. The vision of the Plum and Apple Trees

    Now what? Where do I go from here?

    If you have honestly looked at these questions and the research provided in our analysis of each issue, you must question whether William Branham was a true prophet of God.

    To help those who are now confronted with these issues and wonder what the next course of action should be we would recommend the following links:

    1. Listen to the Off The Shelf podcast!
    2. Were should I go to church? Aren't denominations of the devil?
    3. So what should I believe now?
    4. How do I help people who are still in the message? Do I tell them the message is wrong or is there a better way? How do I interact with my spouse/family member/friend who is still in the message?
    5. What did Jesus say about asking questions?
    6. Should we abandon Christianity? Does it still make sense to follow Jesus after leaving the message?
      1. Is belief in God rational?
      2. Is the New Testament historically reliable?
    7. Testimonies of Former Followers
    8. You are not alone!!!
    9. Further research on William Branham - Research Sources for William Branham and His Message
    10. A video commentary on Christian cults
    11. Can we judge William Branham?
    12. If you are looking for non-message sources to help you grow spiritually - Resources that have helped us
    13. If you need help
    14. What we believe
    15. If you want to ask us a question, you can email us.

    We sincerely pray that this information has helped you on your spiritual journey. May the Holy Spirit lead you into the truth of Jesus Christ!

    Shalom!


    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Dt 18:20–22.
    2. ↑ Titus 1:6 (NET)
    3. ↑ Titus 1:7 (NET)
    4. ↑ 1 Timothy 3:2 (NET)
    5. ↑ 1 Timothy 3:10 (NET)


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