|
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, but the results of our research raised a lot more questions. We spent several years researching these issues which in turn only raised more questions.
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 does the Bible say about sincere 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...[1]
- ...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...[2]
- 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.[3]
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.
Our list of questions
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 - If you are aware of any errors/problems/concerns that are not on this list, please let us know by email or by a message to us on our Facebook page. We will correct any factual errors as quickly as possible.
Step One - Take a deep breath
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 - 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 not hate, but fear. If you have 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.
Problems with Prophecies
General Credibility Issues
Doctrinal/Biblical Issues
- Twisted Theology
- Lazy Theology
- Three holy words of the Bible
- His reasons for rejecting of Eternal Sonship
- The difference in meaning of Eternal vs. Everlasting
- Sex was not in God's original plan
- Woman was designed by Satan
- Water baptism
- The Godhead
- The Serpent's Seed
- Matthew 17:11
- The Fulfillment of Malachi 4:5
- Did God leave Jesus Christ when He was on the cross?
- What is the meaning of "begotten"?
- WMB's view of what Three Persons means in the context of the doctrine of the Trinity.
- Why did William Branham misrepresent the Church's historical view of the Trinity?
- Enoch being the seventh from Adam is proof of the Serpent Seed doctrine
- Michael the Archangel
- Reading between the lines
- God only deals with one prophet at a time
- Noah started building the ark after he saw Enoch go in a Rapture
- Enoch was a type of the wise virgin, and Noah was a type of the foolish virgin
- The Importance of a Seven-Lettered Name
- Illegitimate children cannot be part of the rapture.
- "That which is perfect has come"
- The Evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing the message
- One of the chief mysteries of the last days is to receive Holy Spirit without sensation
- Christians that were required to believe Satanic doctrine
- Tithing
- Why did William Branham teach the Godhead according to Emmanuel Swedenborg
- Can't use tithes to build a church
- God's three Bibles
- For a person to be qualified for the ministry, they have to marry a virgin.
- Mixed Race Marriages.
- For a women to have long hair is not good enough; it must be uncut (i.e. no trimming of split ends).
- If your wife cuts her hair, you can divorce her.
- God doesn't hear the prayer of a woman that has cut her hair.
- A man can remarry after divorce but a woman can't
- Capernaum is under the sea
- Necromancy – WMB talked to his dead wife/daughter “contact dead spirit in the world of the dead”. The talk with Hope & Sharon and the chair in heaven that will never be taken away.
- The worship of the angel – WMB fell face down before the angel – Why does the angel not rebuke him? He just vanishes
- The Pyramid and Zodiac doctrines
- Major Prophets were never to be judged. WMB reckoned himself in this group - What to do when he speaks error? Accept it anyhow?
- Destruction of Los Angeles#Pearry Green's Testimony - Billy Paul won’t be an old man before ‘sharks swim’ through LA (That BP has himself affirmed this)
- Jesus never said he was the Son of God, always the Son of Man. (Any serious need to teach this?)
- “You can have the baptism of the Holy Ghost every hour in your life, and still be lost and go to hell.” 65-1207 LEADERSHIP. (Did he use the word ‘baptism’ in a different context? Possibly referring to the anointing that could fall on anyone?)
- John never wept because there was no one worthy to open the book- he was weeping for joy.
- “Gifts and callings are without repentance. “ – was his interpretation an ‘innocent’ one? Or simply a ‘private interpretation’?
- Meaning of El Shaddai. According to WMB it means “the breasted GOD.” – Possible sacrilege?
- Prayer cards, were they really needed in prayer? (Any evidence that it served more than just control the crowds?)
- Seventy Weeks of Daniel – Seven years remaining or 3½years. (Was he referring to the prophetic ministry that is meant to take 3½ years only when he reverted to that teaching?)
- He married his brothers/sisters and remarried them after divorce.
- Speaking in tongues. This is no more seen. (It was a promise by Christ and was manifested in the early church) – where did this “Mystery of receiving the Holy Ghost without sensation” come from.
- The legalistic message dress code
- Adding to scripture is a serious error. Is Intentional illustration (joining dots) considered an addition?
- “Wheresoever the carcase is, there the eagles will gather” – is this ‘carcase’ “Christ the word” really?
- His statement that you can join a Masonic lodge as long as you remain a Christian. (???)
- What was this issue of “revise them a little” on old prophecies? (Retelling constantly changes)
- CAB version of 1977 prediction is seriously out of place. Was there any real need to mention dates in reference to the return of Christ?
- Did his uninformed comments on scientific matters indicate an underlying problem? “Man has one rib less”, “man will never get to the moon”, “The earth is square”, “The sun stood still”, “The lowest form of life is a frog”. Etc
- Irenaeus was a Catholic Bishop. How he ended up as one of the church messenger, given WMBs stand on the cahtolic church defies logic.
Other Issues Relating to William Branham's Message
- Kenneth Hagin's Prophecy
- The sun revolves around the earth
- Enoch built the Great Pyramid
- The Earth has four corners
- Women have one less rib than men
Doctrinal/Biblical Issues Taught by Message Churches
These doctrines were not specifically taught 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).
- ALL message churches place the words of William Branham above or at least equal to the Bible.
- The use of red herring arguments when Failed Prophecies are pointed out (see video)
- The doctrine of progressive revelation
- Acts 3:21
- 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
- The KJV is the only inspired translation of the Bible.
- "programs" are of the devil, so no-one does anything to help others through the church.
- 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
Message believers don't believe these WMB teachings
There are a few things that William Braham taught that followers of William Branham simply do not believe in any practical sense.
References
- ↑ 1 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV)
- ↑ 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NASB)
- ↑ 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT)
Navigation
|