The Houston Photograph: Difference between revisions

Line 32: Line 32:
George J. Lacy's report did not comment on whether the source of the light was natural (i.e. electric indoor lighting) or supernatural. While newspaper articles about the Coliseum around that time show that there were flood lights in the building (including photographs of a concert by the Beatles), George J. Lacy's report does not indicate anything about the source of the light.   
George J. Lacy's report did not comment on whether the source of the light was natural (i.e. electric indoor lighting) or supernatural. While newspaper articles about the Coliseum around that time show that there were flood lights in the building (including photographs of a concert by the Beatles), George J. Lacy's report does not indicate anything about the source of the light.   


Some observers note that if the pillar of fire was directly over William Branham's shoulder, it would have cast light on top of his head and the pulpit. Instead, the top of his head is not lit and the light appears to be from a source beyond William Branham.  These observers state that if the light was not from indoor lighting, it may have been the result of the flash from the camera reflecting off a metal pole or beam in the background. [[Image:Houston basketball light.jpg|left]]  
Some observers note that if the pillar of fire was directly over William Branham's shoulder, it would have cast light on top of his head and the pulpit. Instead, the top of his head is not lit and the light appears to be from a source beyond William Branham.  The most likely explanation for this is that the light is actually one of the indoor floodlight banks that was used in the Sam Houston Coliseum.  These observers state that if the light was not from indoor lighting, it may have been the result of the flash from the camera reflecting off a metal pole or beam in the background. [[Image:Houston basketball light.jpg|left]]  


==A Better Explanation?==
==A Better Explanation?==
Line 42: Line 42:
==The Light Struck the Lens==
==The Light Struck the Lens==


If, as George J. Lacy confirmed in his report on the photograph that light struck the negative, then it is hard to understand how no one else in the auditorium saw the light above William Branham's head.  But if the light was, in fact, a bank of floodlights then light did pass through the lens and did strike the negative.  The reason no one noticed the "pillar of fire" was that they all saw it for what it really was - one of the flood lights in the Sam Houston Coliseum.
If, as George J. Lacy confirmed in his report on the photograph that light struck the negative, then it is hard to understand how no one else in the auditorium saw the light above William Branham's head.  But if the light was, in fact, a bank of floodlights then light did pass through the lens and did strike the negative.  The reason no one noticed the "pillar of fire" was that they all saw it for what it really was - one of the flood lights in the Sam Houston Coliseum.  It must also be appreciated that the picture of the basketball players is from 1969, almost 20 years after the photograph of William Branham was taken.  It is likely that the lighting for a church gathering would have been set up completely different from that of a basketball game and also likely that the light fixtures would have been completely different 20 years earlier.


==Report by George J. Lacy==
==Report by George J. Lacy==