Latest revision as of 20:12, 4 April 2020

William Branham, his message and the followers of his message are not without controversy. The important issue with controversy is to determine which issues are valid concerns and which issues at not significant.

The following list comprises issues which we feel are valid concerns. This is not an inclusive list but we have tried to list everything that we are aware of. If there is anything that you feel should be dealt with on this page or information that will bring greater accuracy or clarity to this information, please contact us.

Why Are These Controversies Showing Up Now?

There are a number of factors that have allowed research to be carried out now that was incredibly difficult only a few years ago. These include things such as:

word and phrase search functionality for the Bible on the internet (do a search for "in the name of"--- very informative, particularly the OT scriptures).
word and phrase search functionality for the message AND an affordable way for all households to access all of the message.
multiple researchers who have published articles/books/videos showing issues with the message (it's much harder to ignore or discredit a multitude of voices). This has caused other people to add to the research, increasing the amount of objective information on the message.
google (search engines used to be MUCH harder to use
email (instant communication)
unlimited long distance (remember the days of itemized telephone bills?)
Skype (some people are much easier to get to know when you see their faces than when you merely read their typed words).
the perspective of time - we can see the fruits of the Message movement over time.

External Controversies

The Hagin Prophecy

Did Kenneth Hagin and Anna Schrader predict William Branham’s death in 1964? This question is addressed in the article on the Hagin Prophecy.

Controversies Relating Directly to William Branham

Visions that were Unfulfilled, Incorrect or Changed Over Time

The problem with unfulfilled visions is that they are directly in conflict with Deut. 18:21–22 which states:

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Cognitive dissonance is a condition in followers of William Branham. This psychological condition shows itself in a number of manifestations, including the develoopment of the The Returned Ministry Sect as a means of dealing with unfulfilled prophecies and visions..

The Credibility of William Branham

Are the stories that William Branham told true and factual? Do they hold up under scrutiny? Is he believable?

If not, then this has a significant impact on everything that he stated in his sermons. Here are some issues that need to be considered in determining whether he was credible.

Plagiarism
The Cloud
Prophecy of the Cloud
Rattlesnake Mesa
When did William Branham embrace Pentecostalism?
The Explanation for His Poor Grammar
The Voice on the Ohio River in 1933
The Man from Windsor
Changes to Congressman Upshaw's story
The Donny Morton story
The story of King George VI
William Branham messes up as God speaks through him
God moved the rock that Moses stood on to the Arizona desert in 1964

Doctrinal Controversies/Questions

Doctrinal issues directly relating to William Branham's teachings are detailed on our page - Doctrines

Controversies Relating to Followers of the Message

The Doctrine of Progressive Revelation

What is the doctrine of Progressive Revelation? Is it supportable from scripture?

The Credibility of Message Ministers

A number of message ministers have been plagued by scandal. Here is a message minister that is know for embellishing stories to the point where they are no longer true. Sound familiar?

Sects within the Message

The followers of the message of William Branham are not a united group. There are varying interpretations which have formed into sub-sects or denominations within the message. These subgroups have little or nothing to do with anyone in other message subgroups. Some of these sects would be considered Christian in a broad sense while others can only be considered cultic and Christian in name only as their beliefs have significantly departed from those of the Bible in critical areas.

The underlying theme of most of these subgroups is very similar to that of the message itself - if you do not believe the "special revelation" that the specific subgroup holds, then you are not part of the "true bride" and you will not participate in the rapture. Those outside of a subgroup are viewed by the members of that subgroup as "foolish virgins" or "pentecostals", a derogatory term used by many followers of the message.

Returned Ministry - Believing that William Branham will return to fulfill those visions that remained unfulfilled at his death
Josephism - Believing that Joseph Branham is a prophet carrying on the works of his father.
Christ Branham or Diety - Believing that William Branham was God in flesh.
Jospeh Diety - Believing that Joseph Branham is God in flesh.
The Seven Thunders - followers of Joseph Coleman
Vaylism - followers of Lee Vayle

Additionally, there are a number of individual churches that espouse the message but would be considered cultic or cult-like because of their Sociopathic Leadership. These would include:

Cloverdale Bibleway, Surrey, BC, Canada
Golden Dawn Tabernacle, Tucson, AZ, USA
Word of Life Tabernacle, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Footnotes

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-William Branham, his message and the followers of his message are not without controversy.
+William Branham, his message and the followers of his message are not without controversy.  The important issue with controversy is to determine which issues are valid concerns and which issues at not significant.
-The following is not an inclusive list and, if there is something that you feel should be dealt with on this page or information that will bring greater accuracy or clarity to this information, please contact us.
+The following list comprises issues which we feel are valid concerns.  This is not an inclusive list but we have tried to list everything that we are aware of.  If there is anything that you feel should be dealt with on this page or information that will bring greater accuracy or clarity to this information, please [[Contact information|contact us]].
-=External Controversies=
+==Why Are These Controversies Showing Up Now?==
-==The Hagin Prophecy==
+There are a number of factors that have allowed research to be carried out now that was incredibly difficult only a few years ago.  These include things such as:
+#word and phrase search functionality for the Bible on the internet (do a search for "in the name of"--- very informative, particularly the OT scriptures).
+#word and phrase search functionality for the message AND an affordable way for all households to access all of the message.
+#multiple researchers who have published articles/books/videos showing issues with the message (it's much harder to ignore or discredit a multitude of voices).  This has caused other people to add to the research, increasing the amount of objective information on the message.
+#google (search engines used to be MUCH harder to use
+#email (instant communication)
+#unlimited long distance (remember the days of itemized telephone bills?)
+#Skype (some people are much easier to get to know when you see their faces than when you merely read their typed words).
+#the perspective of time - we can see the fruits of the Message movement over time.
+==External Controversies==
+===The Hagin Prophecy===
 Did Kenneth Hagin and Anna Schrader predict William Branham’s death in 1964?  This question is addressed in the article on the [[Hagin Prophecy]].
-=Controversies Relating Directly to William Branham=
+==Controversies Relating Directly to William Branham==
-==Visions that were Unfulfilled, Incorrect or Changed Over Time==
+===Visions that were Unfulfilled, Incorrect or Changed Over Time===
+*[[Proof of the Prophetic]]
 *[[The Municipal Bridge Vision]]
 *[[The Vision of the Meetings in South Africa]]
-*The Brown Bear
+*[[The Brown Bear Vision]]
+*[[1933 Ohio River Experience|The Voice on the Ohio River in 1933]]
 *[[Prophecy|The 1933 Prophecies]]
-*The Marilyn Monroe vision
+**[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
-*The Tent Vision
+**[[Mussolini invades Ethiopia]]
+**[[Hitler and WWII]]
+**[[Russia and the three ...isms]]
+**[[Driverless Cars]]
+**[[Morality]]
+**[[Rise of a Woman in America]]
+**[[America in Ashes]]
+*[[Rattlesnake Mesa]]
+*[[Destruction of Los Angeles]]
+*[[Heavenly Vision]]
+*[[The Pillar of Fire]]
+*[[The Marilyn Monroe Vision]]
+*[[The Tent Vision]]
+The problem with unfulfilled visions is that they are directly in conflict with Deut. 18:21–22 which states:
+:''And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.''
-===Cause of the Return Ministry Sect?===
+[[Cognitive Dissonance|Cognitive dissonance]] is a condition in followers of William Branham.  This psychological condition shows itself in a number of manifestations, including the develoopment of the [[The Returned Ministry Sect]] as a means of dealing with unfulfilled prophecies and visions..
-''And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.'' (Dt 18:21–22)
+===The Credibility of William Branham===
-''He said here was the test of a prophet: if a prophet prophesied, and that what he said come to pass, then hear him. But if it don't come to pass, then God hasn't spoke. That's all. So don't--don't fear him. That's right. "If there be one among you who's spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord God, will make myself known unto him in visions, speak to him in dreams. And if it comes to pass, then I--that's Me speaking." Sure, God ain't going to lie. You know He can't lie there's nothing in Him to lie. He's the Fountain of all purity, all truth, is God. So it can't be a lie come from God. He's perfect, pure.''  (The Signs of His Coming, April 7 1962)
+Are the stories that William Branham told true and factual?  Do they hold up under scrutiny?  Is he believable?
-If there were prophecies or visions which William Branham told that did not come to pass, what is the effect?  How many false visions or prophecies is a prophet allowed?
+If not, then this has a significant impact on everything that he stated in his sermons.  Here are some issues that need to be considered in determining whether he was credible.
-Some followers of William Branham's message admit that there are visions that were left unfulfilled at the time of his death.  However, that are not prepared to admit that William Branham was not a true prophet.  Their method of dealing with the unfulfilled visions is to hold to a doctrine that William Branham will return from the dead prior to the rapture to fulfill all of the visions that remain unfulfilled.  Of course, there is no scriptural basis for this and demonstrates the true power of [[Cognitive Dissonance|cognitive dissonance]] in message believers.  They are prepared to ignore the clear instructions in Deuteronomy 22:18 because of their firm belief that William Branham was a true prophet.
+*[[Plagiarism]]
+*[[The Cloud]]
+*[[Prophecy of the Cloud]]
+*[[Rattlesnake Mesa]]
+*[[Roy Davis|When did William Branham embrace Pentecostalism?]]
+*[[Was William Branham Honest|The Explanation for His Poor Grammar]]
+*[[1933 Ohio River Experience|The Voice on the Ohio River in 1933]]
+*[[The Man from Windsor]]
+*Changes to [[Congressman Upshaw]]'s story
+*The [[Donny Morton]] story
+*The story of [[King George VI]]
+*[[William Branham Speaking as God|William Branham messes up as God speaks through him]]
+*[[The Rock Where Moses Stood|God moved the rock that Moses stood on to the Arizona desert in 1964]]
-=Doctrinal Controversies/Questions=
+==Doctrinal Controversies/Questions==
-Doctrinal issues directly relating to William Branham's teachings are detailed on our page - [[Doctrinal Issues]]
+Doctrinal issues directly relating to William Branham's teachings are detailed on our page - [[Doctrines]]
-=Controversies Relating to Followers of the Message=
+==Controversies Relating to Followers of the Message==
-==The Doctrine of Progressive Revelation==
+===The Doctrine of Progressive Revelation===
 What is the doctrine of [[Progressive Revelation]]?  Is it supportable from scripture?
-==Sects within the Message==
+===The Credibility of Message Ministers===
-The followers of the message of William Branham are not a united group.  There are varying interpretations which have formed into sub-sects or denominations within the message.  These subgroups have little or nothing to do with anyone in other message subgroups.  The underlying theme of most of these subgroups is very similar to that of the message itself - if you do not believe the "special revelation" that the specific subgroup holds, then you are not part of the "true bride" and you will not be part of the rapture.  Those outside of a subgroup are viewed by the members of that subgroup as "foolish virgins" or "pentecostals", a derogatory term used by those in the message.
+A number of message ministers have been plagued by scandal.  Here is a [[Edward Byskal|message minister that is know for embellishing stories to the point where they are no longer true]].  Sound familiar?
+===Sects within the Message===
-*Return Ministry - Believing that William Branham will return to fulfill those visions that remained unfulfilled at his death
+The followers of the message of William Branham are not a united group.  There are varying interpretations which have formed into sub-sects or denominations within the message.  These subgroups have little or nothing to do with anyone in other message subgroups.  Some of these sects would be considered Christian in a broad sense while others can only be considered cultic and Christian in name only as their beliefs have significantly departed from those of the Bible in critical areas.
+The underlying theme of most of these subgroups is very similar to that of the message itself - if you do not believe the "special revelation" that the specific subgroup holds, then you are not part of the "true bride" and you will not participate in the rapture.  Those outside of a subgroup are viewed by the members of that subgroup as "foolish virgins" or "pentecostals", a derogatory term used by many followers of the message.
+*[[The Returned Ministry Sect|Returned Ministry]] - Believing that William Branham will return to fulfill those visions that remained unfulfilled at his death
 *Josephism - Believing that Joseph Branham is a prophet carrying on the works of his father.
-*Diety - Believing that William Branham was God in flesh.
+*Christ Branham or Diety - Believing that William Branham was God in flesh.
+*Jospeh Diety - Believing that Joseph Branham is God in flesh.
 *The Seven Thunders - followers of Joseph Coleman
-*Vaylism - followers of Lee Vayle, some of these have gone of on a separate tangent, such as the followers of Terry Sproule in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (who originally were followers of Lee Vayle).
+*[[Vaylism]] - followers of Lee Vayle
+Additionally, there are a number of individual churches that espouse the message but would be considered cultic or cult-like because of their [[Sociopathic Leadership]].  These would include:
+*Cloverdale Bibleway, Surrey, BC, Canada
+*[[Golden Dawn Tabernacle]], Tucson, AZ, USA
+*Word of Life Tabernacle, Edmonton, AB, Canada
+{{Bottom of Page}}
+[[Category:Doctrines]]
+[[Category:Legalism]]
+[[Category:Plagiarism]]
+[[Category:William Branham pointing to himself]]
+[[Category:Critical analysis of William Branham‏‎]]
+[[Category:The Message]]
+[[Category:Visions]]
+[[Category:Prophecies]]
+[[Category:Prophecies about William Branham‏‎]]
+[[Category:Honesty and Credibility]]
+[[Category:Stories that dramatically changed over time]]
+[[Category:Research]]