Question 12 (ABM) - A Biblical Perspective on William Branham's Lies: Difference between revisions

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=Question 12 (ABM) - A Biblical Perspective on William Branham's Lies=

I would like to present the biblical perspective on your view and would welcome your comments.

:In looking at what the Old Testament says about lying, the following is from a paper entitled, "Lies by Prophets and Other Lies in the Hebrew Bible” by Yael Shemesh, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel:

::The biblical narrator also takes a favorable view of fraud when the object is some religious goal in keeping with the general outlook of the Bible. An example is Jehu’s lying to the worshippers of Baal, which is aimed at killing all the prophets of Baal and eradicating his worship from the country (2 Kgs. 10:18–28). In one case we even find God twisting the truth in order to preserve amicable relations between Abraham and Sarah and to prevent Abraham’s feelings from being hurt. Upon overhearing the prediction that she was about to become pregnant, Sarah laughs, “Now that I am withered, am I to have enjoyment— with my husband so old?” (Gen. 18:12); God, however, quotes her in Abraham’s hearing as having said, “Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?” (Gen. 18:13), making no reference to Abraham’s inadequacy. This episode was used by the Sages of the Talmud as a proof-text showing that it is permitted to deviate from the strict line of truth in order to establish peace (BT Yeb. 65b; BT B.M. 87a).

:Again, the following are some comments on the issue from a paper entitled, "Lies by Prophets and Other Lies in the Hebrew Bible” by Yael Shemesh, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel:

There are other examples that we could refer to but, I think the examples above allow us to draw some conclusions.

:(1) In contrast to those theologians and philosophers who reject any kind of lying under any circumstances, from the perspective of the Jewish scholar quoted above, the Old Testament recognizes that certain situations justify and even require deceptive measures. This is true even regarding God’s prophets.  Nevertheless, the Bible avoids ascribing outright, undisguised falsehood to God or to the prophets (and on occasion is equally reticent in regard to other positive figures).

Those who practice lying in an effort to make God look better are to be CONDEMNED.  Thus William Branham’s conduct is that unbecoming of a man of God.   

   

We have shown repeated examples of William Branham lying over the pulpit and we will provide more.  This repeated pattern of unbiblical behaviour must be addressed from a biblical perspective.  These were not mere exaggerations or embellishments.  They go far beyond that.  If a child were to tell the tales that William Branham did, they would simply be described as “lies”.

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