Was William Branham Honest: Difference between revisions

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-:''“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”'' ― Friedrich Nietzsche
+:'''''“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”''''' - Friedrich Nietzsche
-For those who have been in the message for long, to question the honesty of William Branham appears almost blasphemous.  But the Bible says that we are to discern all things and, in particular, those that claim to be prophets are to be judged (1 Cor 2:15, 1 Cor 14:29).
+For those who have been in the message for long, to question the honesty of William Branham appears almost blasphemous.  But the Bible says that we are to discern all things and, in particular, those that claim to be prophets are to be judged (1 Cor 2:15, 1 Cor 14:29) and those in leadership in the church are held to a high standard (Titus 1:6-8, 1 Tim. 3:2-9).
-:''“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”'' ― Mark Twain
+:'''''“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”''''' ― Mark Twain
-=Problems with William Branham's Credibility=
+=Questions regarding William Branham's Honesty=
-{|style="width:800px; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
+'''A person making things up tries to make himself look good. But someone trying to honor the one who sent him sticks to the facts and doesn’t tamper with reality.'''<ref>Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Jn 7:18.</ref>
-|''We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.'' ~ 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)
-|-
-|}
-Was William Branham honest?  If he can be shown to have distorted the truth or if his stories are constantly changing over time such that they vary significantly from their first telling, this would cast doubt on virtually everything that he said.  The following list contains issues that raise questions regarding his honesty and truthfulness. Some of these concerns have only recently come to light but they are now sufficient in number that they should raise genuine concern on the part of anyone who is a follower of William Branham.
-==The Death of Charles Branham==
+{{Credibility Questions}}
-<mediaplayer width='800' height='600'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raWhgy6649o</mediaplayer>
+=The Biblical standard=
-William Branham said that he did not receive a proper education because he had to leave school as a young man to care for his siblings as a result of his father’s untimely death.
+Proverbs 14:5 states:
-[[Image:CharlesBranham.JPG|right|thumb|350px|Death Certificate for Charles Branham]]
-Here are the ages of the Branham children at the time of Charles’ death:
-#William - (Married to Hope and had two children at the time of Charles’ death) - 27-29 years old depending on his birth date.
+:''A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Pr 14:5.</ref>
-#Edward - Deceased. Had he been living, he would have been 27.
-#Melvin - 26. (Married to Ruth and living at 805 7th St with Charles and Ella)
-#Edgar - 22.
-#Jesse - 20.
-#Charles Jr. - Deceased. Would have been 15.
-#Henry - 14.
-#Howard - 13.
-#Donald - 9.
-#Delores - 7.
-Based on newspaper reports and Charles Branham's death certificate, he was 53 years old at the time of his passing after fighting an illness for 10 months.
+'''If''' William Branham told lies, that would make him a false witness, according to the Bible.
-William Branham was also married at the time of his father's passing.  While his stories on the tapes make it sound like his brother, father, wife, and daughter all died within two weeks of each other, the actual timeline is as follows:
+Revelation 3:14 tells us:
-*William Branham’s brother Charles died in an accident on August 5, 1935.
+:''And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God...<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 3:14.</ref>
-*Billy Paul Branham was born to William and Hope on September 13, 1935
-*Sharon Rose Branham was born to William and Hope on October 27, 1936.
-*William Branham’s father Charles passed away for real on November 30, 1936.
-So two children were born to William and Hope between his brother's passing and his father's passing.  Hope and Sharon Rose both passed away in July 1937.
+'''Could William Branham be the messenger to the Laodicean church if he was not honest?  If he was a false witness?'''
-====Quotes of William Branham about his father's passing====
-:''First thing, I lost my daddy. I run over to the house to see him, picked him up in my arms like that, he looked up at me like that, he smiled. A doctor had give him a dose of medicine that killed him. '''One overdose of strychnine for his heart, and it killed him.''' ‘Course, there’s nothing said about that. The undertaker covers up the doctor’s mistakes many times. Nothing I got against doctors, but I say there’s nothing said about that.<ref>50-0200</ref>
-[[Image:Charles Branham obituary.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Charles Branham's obituary]]
-:''And my daddy, just before he left, he–he–he called for me. He’d been… He’d… Poor old fellow, I hate to say this. It just kills me to say it here; he died hungry. That’s right. '''My daddy died hungry. And he… It was during the time of the depression. We work–couldn’t work, and couldn’t find nothing to work, and he was sickly''', and we was just barely making on it, just–just dividing what we could divide. But I know he was hungry, ‘cause we hadn’t eaten since the day before. <ref>51-0415</ref>
-:''My father died early, '''fifty-two, with a heart attack.''' <ref>51-0501</ref>
-:'''''When I was a boy, my father died. I had ten children to take care of,''' and I had to work and support my mother and the children. Then since the Lord has sent me out, why, I have–haven’t had a chance.” (53-1129)
-:'''''My father died young.” I said, “I had to work and take care of ten children.” And I said, “I–I didn’t get much education, just the seventh grade.”''''' <ref>55-0807</ref>
-:''I said, “Yes, sir, that’s right.” I said–I said, “I know my grammar’s awful.” I said, ”I’m sorry about that.” I said, “I was raised in a family of ten, and I was the oldest. And my daddy died, and I had to take care of ten children, and my mother…” I said, “I didn’t get a chance to get an education.”<ref>55-1001</ref>
-:''My poor old dad that died on my arm...'''I was a single man.''' <ref>55-1119</ref>
-:''But my father died at fifty-two; '''drinking killed him.'''<ref>56-0122</ref>
-:''And seeing dad come down the street with Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Kelly’s house over there crying with his old black hat in his hand… In a few days later holding him in my arms as he was dying… I stood there and watched the old rocking chair without anyone in it, begin to rock back and forth as Ruth, my sister-in-law, was going to meet God.''”<ref>57-0120</ref>
-:''What do you think about Him? Your daddy died about a–two weeks ago in your arms. A doctor killed him with a dose of medicine.” Said, “Your brother, less than a month ago...Said, “There lays your wife down here in the morgue. And now, He’s taking your baby out of your arms.” Said, “You still love Him?”<ref>57-0519</ref>
-:''Some time ago, there was a–a fellow at Fort Wayne, Indiana, said to me, he said, “Brother Branham…” And he was behind the stage at the Fort Wayne Gospel Tabernacle. He said, “It’s a shame, your grammar.” I said, “I know it’s awful.” I said, “I didn’t get an education, there’s ten of us children. And dad died, and I had to take care of the other nine.”<ref>59-0414</ref>
-:''Brother, my daddy died drinking." <ref>59-1122</ref>
-:''The next one to go was dad, went in a heart attack, died in my arms. I committed his soul to God: went suddenly, quick.<ref>61-1105</ref>
+=Problems with William Branham's Credibility=
+{|style="width:100%; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
+|''We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.'' ~ 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)
+|-
+|}
+Was William Branham honest?  If he can be shown to have distorted the truth or if his stories are constantly changing over time such that they vary significantly from their first telling, this would cast doubt on virtually everything that he said.  The following list contains issues that raise questions regarding his honesty and truthfulness. Some of these concerns have only recently come to light but they are now sufficient in number that they should raise genuine concern on the part of anyone who is a follower of William Branham.
 ==[[Congressman Upshaw]]==
@@ Line 81: / Line 41: @@
 There is a heartbreaking story that is familiar to all followers of William Branham. Bro. Branham first encountered Pentecostal people at a convention in Mishawaka, Indiana. While he was drawn to them and was invited to speak in their churches, he refused to join with them because he listened to his mother-in-law instead of God.  And, as a result, his wife and daughter died as a direct result of his disobedience to God.
-[[File:1935PenTabAd.png|200px|thumb|right|Pre-1937 Ad for Pentecostal Tabernacle]]
+[[Image:1935PenTabAd.png|200px|thumb|right|Pre-1937 Ad for Pentecostal Tabernacle]]
 But, is this the truth?
@@ Line 105: / Line 65: @@
 On December 23, 1962, William Branham relates [[Prophecy of the Cloud|a vision in which he sees five angels in a constellation]].  One week later, he changed the number to seven.  Why?
 <br>
-{|style="width:800px; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
+{|style="width:100%; background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center;"
 |''Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.'' ~ Ephesians 4:25
 |-
@@ Line 117: / Line 77: @@
 :''It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying. These people know only too well how to use falsehood for the basest purposes."<ref>Adolf Hitler</ref>
-=Video Transcript=
+=Conclusion=
-Did William Branham embellish the stories he told, or do his stories accurately represent the events as they happened?
-Let’s look at just one story – here Bro. Branham explains the origins of his hillbilly English…
-:''He said, "Why, the people that you speak before," said, "you ought to be ashamed of that grammar."
-:''I said, "I am, but it doesn't do me any good. I just don't know no better."
-:''And he said... "Well," he said...
-:''I said, "When I was a boy, my father died. I had ten children to take care of, and I had to work and support my mother and the children. Then since the Lord has sent me out, why, I have--haven't had a chance."  (November 29, 1953 – The Faith that was once delivered).
-It’s very clear that his poor English was from a lack of education, which was a direct result of his father passing away when he was a child.
-Or is it?  Let’s look at the facts…
-William Branham said that his father died at the age of 52:
+If you try to say that William Branham was a true and faithful witness, then you aren't following Jesus.  And if you are following Jesus, then you can't follow William Branham. It's one or the other.
-:''But my father died at fifty-two; drinking killed him.''(January 22, 1956, Junction of Time)
+{{Bottom of Page}}
+[[Category:Honesty and Credibility]]
-And William Branham said that he was born when his father was 18 years old:
-:''...Daddy was eighteen years old; mama was fifteen when I was born, just children.'' (April 15, 1951, Life Story).
-So if William Branham was born when his father was 18, then he was 34 years old when his father died at the age of 52 in 1943.
-Let’s call a spade a spade: William Branham did not have poor English because his father died when he was a child.  It’s just not true.
-So why did William Branham feel it necessary to invent the story that he was a boy when his Dad died?
-Was it to make people feel sorry for him?  Or do you feel that he was being completely honest with this?  If he wasn’t honest regarding his childhood, how do we know he was honest about other things?
-And Please don’t get mad at us, we are just letting you know what he said.
-=References=
-<References/>
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