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The Misogyny of William Branham: Difference between revisions
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William Branham taught that: | William Branham taught that: | ||
* | *parents should beat their daughters if they ever went sunbathing | ||
* | *men should beat their wives if they ever smoked or wore clothes that he considered were immodest. | ||
* | *Christians should approach women wearing makeup and call them "Miss Dogmeat". | ||
*The only place for a woman was in the kitchen. | |||
==William Branham's comments about his deceased daughter== | |||
[[Image:Picture of Sharon Rose Branham.jpg|thumb|rught|250px]] | |||
It is both sad and disturbing that William Branham thought God would take his little girl [Sharon] so she wouldn't end up being a 'modern girl'. | |||
:''When the Son of God shines His righteousness upon the earth, then will my little Sharon Rose rise, then when I embrace her in my arms, say, "Darling baby, God knowed best. He knowed I had no way to take care of you. He knowed what was best. Maybe you'd have got out here in some of these roadhouses, or something, and been like some of the modern girls. He took you. I know where you are now, sweetheart: with Mommy.'' (52-0720A) | |||
It's obvious William Branham was biased against girls because of his father's behavior: | |||
:''I was more or less bashful, and you might think this strange, but I really didn't like ladies. I haven't… Didn't like the girls at all. Because, my father, they'd go down on the river where they drink and everything, and I'd see women come up there, married women, their husbands not with them, and see how untrue they could act. I said, "If that's the way they are, I never want nothing to do with any of them." And I made my mind, that I wasn't going to never be married, never have anything to do with women, I was going to be a trapper. I love hunting and trapping. (51-0722A) | |||
William Branham not only had a distorted view of women, he also had a distorted view of God. It's a pity he suffered such a disconnect from the true nature of God. | |||
=What the Bible says= | =What the Bible says= | ||
The Bible is very clear on the position of women. | |||
==What is a "help meet"?== | |||
In Genesis 2:18, this new creation which man needs is called a helper (Hebrew - ʿēzer), which is masculine in gender, though here it is a term for woman. Any suggestion that this particular word denotes one who has only an associate or subordinate status to a senior member is refuted by the fact that most frequently this same word describes Yahweh’s relationship to Israel. He is Israel’s help(er) because he is the stronger one (see, Exod. 18:4; Deut. 33:7, 26, 29; Ps. 33:20; 115:9–11; 124:8; 146:5; etc.). The Septuagint translation of the word refers to help “from a stronger one, in no way needing help.” The word is used less frequently for human helpers, and even here, the helper is one appealed to because of superior military strength (Isa. 30:5) or superior size (Ps. 121:1). Thus, the woman in Gen. 2 delivers or saves man from his solitude.<ref>Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1–17, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990), 175–176.</ref> | |||
==The view of the New Testament== | |||
Paul states that in Christ Jesus we are all children of God through faith: | |||
:''There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. <ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ga 3:28–29.</ref> | |||
The three dual categories represent the most far-reaching distinctions of ancient society and seem to have been deliberately chosen with an eye to the threefold prayer for which a pious male Jew daily thanked God: '''that he was not made a Gentile, a slave or a woman''' — categories of people debarred from certain religious privileges. It is noteworthy that in the third grouping, the words used are not the customary terms for man and woman but the more technical terms denoting male and female, thus indicating that what is in view is the general relationship between the sexes and not the specific relationship between husband and wife. <ref>Ronald Y. K. Fung, The Epistle to the Galatians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988), 175–176.</ref> | |||
It goes without saying that the road to the elimination of such divisions for the first Christians was rocky and full of pitfalls. Paul describes one example in Galatians 2:11–14, and the Judaizers were seeking to fight against this essential point of the gospel. Peter had troubles elsewhere (Acts 10:1–11:18), but eventually the church of Jerusalem was willing to say that “God has granted even [note this term!] the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). | |||
We need to observe that Paul wrote these words in a historical and social context that clearly believed in the inferiority of women. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote, for example: “''The woman, says the law, is in all things inferior to the man''”<ref>Against Apion, 2.201</ref>. Why else would Paul point to “neither male nor female” as his third pair of things that have been abolished in Christ? | |||
This principle of inferiority worked itself out in many ways. Women were talked about in rude and condescending ways; they were not to be taught the law; they were to tend to their children; they were not considered reliable witnesses in court; they may have even sat in seats separate from men in synagogues. | |||
But this was not true in the early church. Women were at times given positions of leadership (for example, Phoebe in Rom. 16:1–2 and the story of Priscilla in Acts 18). | |||
So it was inferiority of women working itself out in religious communities that Paul opposes with this statement “neither male nor female.” In the same way that there was to be no cultural/racial distinctions and no social status prejudices, there was to be no sexual prejudice. For those who are in Christ, antagonisms, criticisms, snide remarks, subtle insinuations, and overt prejudices such as espoused by William Branham must end, for in him male and female are one. I believe that, as is the case with slavery, so with women, Paul provides an agenda that would take years for the church and society to implement properly and honorably before God.<ref>Scot McKnight, Galatians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), 201–203.</ref> | |||
=Quotes of William Branham= | =Quotes of William Branham= | ||
< | Following are a few quotes which show William Branham's misogynistic view of women. | ||
==William Branham was like Elijah== | |||
''But I can remember when my father’s still up there running, I had to be out there with water and stuff, see young ladies that wasn’t over seventeen, eighteen years old, up there with men my age now, drunk. And they’d have to sober them up and give them black coffee, to get home to cook their husband’s supper. Oh, something like that, I said, “I…” This was my remark then,''' “They’re not worth a good clean bullet to kill them with it.”''' That’s right. '''And I hated women.''' That’s right. And I just have to watch every move now, to keep from still thinking the same thing.<ref>William Branham, 59-0419A - My Life Story, para. 87</ref> | |||
''Take his…take the nature of Elijah. Look at Elijah; see what he was. What was he when he come in John’s time? He hated denominations: “You Pharisees, don’t think to say within yourself, ‘We have Abraham to our Father,’ because God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.” So did Elijah. '''Both of them hated women''', or, immoral women, and things doing wrong. Look at Elijah with Jezebel. Look at John the Baptist with Herodias. See? Both wilderness men, loved the woods, and outside. Come right out of the bushes and send forth a Message. He will come on the scene one of these days.<ref>William Branham, 61-0210 - Abraham's Covenant Confirmed, para. 39</ref> | |||
'''''He will also hate fancy women!''' Elijah did: Jezebel. Is that right? John did: Herodias. Both them prophets, the Spirit, the same Spirit. They hated the denominational world, the church world. '''They hated, also, fancy, no-good women.''' They…Something in their spirit cried out against the thing! Jezebel was after Elijah’s head and was going to cut it off; and she also had John’s head cut off, Herodias did. Both of them!<ref>William Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 94</ref> | |||
''Now we find out, and in this message, Isaiah 40:3 also vindicated John. He said, “A voice of one, a prophet, crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.’” The church did not believe him, for he was not of their group. That prophet was raised out of a wilderness, come up knowing no one. He had the very Spirit on him that Elijah had: he was a man of the wilderness, '''he hated immoral women'''.<ref>William Branham, 65-1206 - Modern Events Are Made Clear By Prophecy, para. 222</ref> | |||
==Women have an extra rib?== | ==Women have an extra rib?== | ||
'''''Question: Did God make men and women, of Genesis 2:18-21?''' | William Branham taught incorrectly that women have one more rib than men as a result of how God made the first woman. This is, of course, scientifically incorrect. | ||
:'''''Question: Did God make men and women, of Genesis 2:18-21?''' | |||
'''''No'''. I—I… as—as you'll see here, 2:18-21 now, notice: And the LORD God said, It—It is not good that… man should be alone; I will make him an '''help mate''' for him. And out of the ground the LORD… formed every beast… and so forth. Now, God made Eve from Adam's side. The woman has one more rib today in the anatomy, the make-up than man does, because a rib was taken from Adam's body. Adam had already been made and was living, and was lonesome, and then God said, "It's not good that man should live alone."<ref>William Branham, 53-0729 - Questions And Answers On Genesis, para. 96</ref> | :'''''No'''. I—I… as—as you'll see here, 2:18-21 now, notice: And the LORD God said, It—It is not good that… man should be alone; I will make him an '''help mate''' for him. And out of the ground the LORD… formed every beast… and so forth. Now, God made Eve from Adam's side. The woman has one more rib today in the anatomy, the make-up than man does, because a rib was taken from Adam's body. Adam had already been made and was living, and was lonesome, and then God said, "It's not good that man should live alone."<ref>William Branham, 53-0729 - Questions And Answers On Genesis, para. 96</ref> | ||
==Encouraged the beating of women== | ==Encouraged the beating of women== | ||
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''When I was a little, bitty, ol' boy, up there, I'd see them women come up there on the road, and their… know their husband was out working, them up there with some guy, drunk; on the side of the road, and they'd walk them up and down the road, sober them up enough to get them home, cook their husband's supper. I said they ain't worth a clean bullet to go through them. That's right. I said they're lower than animals, would do a thing like that. And I… When I was seventeen, eighteen years old, I'd see a—a girl coming down the street, I'd cross over on the other side, I said, "That stinking viper." See? And I would have been a real hater, but when I received God in my heart, God let me know that He's got some jewels out there, He's got some real ladies. They'll not all defile themselves like that; thank God for that.ref>William Branham, 60-1209 - The Sardisean Church Age, para. 1537</ref> | ''When I was a little, bitty, ol' boy, up there, I'd see them women come up there on the road, and their… know their husband was out working, them up there with some guy, drunk; on the side of the road, and they'd walk them up and down the road, sober them up enough to get them home, cook their husband's supper. I said they ain't worth a clean bullet to go through them. That's right. I said they're lower than animals, would do a thing like that. And I… When I was seventeen, eighteen years old, I'd see a—a girl coming down the street, I'd cross over on the other side, I said, "That stinking viper." See? And I would have been a real hater, but when I received God in my heart, God let me know that He's got some jewels out there, He's got some real ladies. They'll not all defile themselves like that; thank God for that.<ref>William Branham, 60-1209 - The Sardisean Church Age, para. 1537</ref> | ||
==Women belong in the kitchen== | ==Women belong in the kitchen== | ||
''I predicted that women would keep demoralizing and the nation would keep falling, and they'd keep hanging to mother, or like mother like that, till they become, a woman become an idol. And after a while, that America would be ruled by a woman. Mark it and see if it's not right. A woman will take the place of a President or something, of great, some high power in America. When… I say this with respect, ladies. '''When a woman gets out of the kitchen, she's out of her place.''' That's right. That's where she belongs. '''Outside of that, she has no place.''' And now, I'm not hard on them, but I just tell what's the Truth and what the Bible. Used to be the man was the head of the house, but that was in Bible days. He isn't no more. He's the puppet, or he's the—or the babysitter or something. And now… No, they want to take care of a dog, practice birth control, and pack a little old dog around in their arms all the time, so you can run around all night.<ref>William Branham, 56-0513 - Teaching On Moses, para. 22</ref> | |||
''Today, women is so brassy! Every… Their husband can't even talk. They got to stick right out there, a cigarette in their hand, a pair of shorts on, doing all the talking. How a perverted race of people, she's got to be chief cook and bottle washer, everything else! '''When she leaves the kitchen, she leaves her place of duty, right, as a mother.''' Now we find out, women then stayed back and behaved theirself, acted like ladies, their head was the one who did the decisions and things. | |||
''And you try to let some man tell his wife; she say, "I'll give you to understand right now!" [Brother Branham blows—Ed.] blowing that smoke out of her mouth, looking such, how the hideous looks. I never seen such! And you can imagine out there, and stand there watch that person, discern that spirit in there, and them things; and maybe singing in a choir in some church. Oh, such a day that we're living! No wonder we're at that day! I—'''I hope you can catch through the lines what I'm meaning.'''<ref>William Branham, 62-0706 - Jehovah-Jireh #2, para. 111-113</ref> | |||
''When a woman gets from behind the table in the kitchen, in the house, taking care of her own little ministry God give her, her babies, she's out of the will of God. Put her in a pulpit, she's out of the will of God. There's no Scripture for a woman preacher. I want some man to stand and tell me that, look me in the face. There's no such a thing. That, Pentecost is the grassroots of that stuff. Never was! Adam was first formed, and then Eve. Adam was not deceived. But, yet, you do it. And you see where you got yourself? Way out here on a limb, that, you can't come back on now. But there you go. That's it. That's the world. That's what you want. That's what you want. That's what you got. See?"<ref>Branham, 63-0412M - The World Is Falling Apart</ref> | ''When a woman gets from behind the table in the kitchen, in the house, taking care of her own little ministry God give her, her babies, she's out of the will of God. Put her in a pulpit, she's out of the will of God. There's no Scripture for a woman preacher. I want some man to stand and tell me that, look me in the face. There's no such a thing. That, Pentecost is the grassroots of that stuff. Never was! Adam was first formed, and then Eve. Adam was not deceived. But, yet, you do it. And you see where you got yourself? Way out here on a limb, that, you can't come back on now. But there you go. That's it. That's the world. That's what you want. That's what you want. That's what you got. See?"<ref>Branham, 63-0412M - The World Is Falling Apart</ref> | ||