Contradictory Claims of William Branham
Claim
God alone is eternal:
“God alone is eternal, and
because He lives, we live
with Him.” (Church Age, Book, p. 135-2)
Contradictory Claim
Man is just as eternal:
“And man’s just as eternal as his Creator, because he was made from eternity.”
(“Hebrews Chapter Five And Six,” 9/8/57M, 175-57)
The Bible States
The eternal God:
“The eternal God is thy
refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms”
(Dt. 33:27)
Claim
Jesus and the Father was
the selfsame person:
“Jesus and the Father was
the selfsame person, …” ("Q and A on the Seals,"
3/24/63, Seals, page 520)
Contradictory Claim
Jesus cannot be His Own Father, the Holy Ghost was His Father:
“How can Jesus be His Own
Father? See? So it knocks
that out.” "Questions And Answers On The Seals,"
3/24/63, Seals, page 484.
“The Bible said, "The Holy
Ghost was his Father."”
"Q And A," 5/15/54, COD,
page 183, par. 208.
The Bible States
Jesus and the Father are one.
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
Claim
Hell is a ceaseless
punishing Eternity:
“To die without Christ is to
go to a devil’s hell and a
ceaseless punishing
Eternity, but to accept
Jesus Christ and to be
borned again of His Spirit is
Life Eternal to everyone
who will believe it.”
“Believest Thou This,”
9/6/53, E-99)
Contradictory Claim
I deny that the unbeliever goes to an eternal hell:
“It no doubt will cause people to comment on my strange doctrine. But I stand here on the authority of the Word of God and deny that
the unbeliever goes to an
eternal hell and burns there
eternally.” “Church Age Book”, pp. 133-134.
The Bible States
Hell is eternal damnation:
“But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in
danger of eternal damnation.” (Mark 3:29)
Claim
The heathen is designated
for eternal hell:
“The heathen is a deaf ear,
marked, designated for
eternal hell, to burn in the
fires of torment forever and
ever.” “Mark of the Beast”
7/15/56, E-38.
Contradictory Claim
You would be surprised at
the men who believed that:
“Eternal life means heaven,
and eternal punishment
means hell. You would be
surprised at the men who
have been exalted as
theologians that believed that.” “Church Age Book”, p.135.
The Bible States
The fire of hell is not quenched:
“It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
(Mark 9:47-48)
Claim
Hell is eternal:
“He’ll say, "You workers of
iniquity, depart from me, I
don’t even know you. Go into eternal hell that’s been
prepared for the Devil and
his angels."” "Leadership,"
12/7/65, V-7, N-7, page
195, sermon page 37,
paragraph 264.
Contradictory Claim
Hell is not eternal:
“They may burn for a hundred million years in punishment but, finally, they have to come to an end; to be extinct,
altogether.” "Questions and Answers on Hebrews, Part I," 9/25/57, COD, page 248, paragraph 230.
The Bible States
Hell is an everlasting fire and punishment:
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and
his angels: And these shall
go away into everlasting
punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal.”
(Matthew 25:41,46)
Claim
I am God’s prophet:
“How about the lady on the
stretcher there? All right
lady. I want you to look this
way. I want you to believe
that I am God’s prophet.”
("As I was with Moses",5/3/51)
“Every spirit in here is under my control now through Jesus Christ. That’s right. That’s true. If you’ll believe me to be God’s prophet at this time, there’ll not be a feeble one among you.” ("God’s Provided
Way," 12/01/53)
Contradictory Claim
I don’t say I’m a prophet:
“I have not called myself a
prophet. You done that.”
("Oneness," 2/11/62, V-10, N-2, page 38, paragraph 232)
“I don’t say I’m a prophet.
Nobody hears me say that;”
("Q And A On The Seals,"
3/24/63, page 491, paragraph 6, The Revelation of the Seven Seals, [Seals], 1981)
“People has called me a prophet. I don't call myself no prophet, because I'd be daresn't to say that.”
“Marriage and Divorce” (65-0221M).
The Bible States
An uncertain sound:
“For if the trumpet give an
uncertain sound, who
shall prepare himself to the
battle?
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:8, 32, 33)
Claim
I am God’s prophet:
“In order that you might
know that I am God’s
prophet; you don’t belong to
this church, but you do
belong to a church, and
that’s Christian Science. Is
that right -- is that right?
Yes, sir. I seen you in
a Christian Science reading
room; that’s the reason I
knowed you belonged to it,
or was there.” "God Testifying Of His Gifts," 7/13/52E, E-59.
Contradictory Claim
I do not regard myself to be a prophet of the Lord:
“I do not regard myself to be a prophet of the Lord. I – I haven’t that honor. I believe that the Lord has used me in little special things to help maybe lay a foundation for a prophet that will come.” "Taking Sides with Jesus," 6/1/62, V-3A, N-10, sermon page 15, paragraph 2.
The Bible States
Many false prophets are gone out into the world:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1-5)
Claim
I never preached anything I had to take back:
“I never preached anything
in my life under inspiration I had to take back, ‘cause I don’t depend on my own understanding.” "Oneness," 2/11/62, V-10, N-2, sermon page 16-87.
Contradictory Claim
1977 ought to terminate the world systems:
“So I repeat, I sincerely
believe and maintain as a
private student of the Word,
along with Divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium.” “Church Age Book” page 322.
The Bible States
No man knows the day and hour and it is not for you to know the times or the seasons:
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)
“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:7)
Claim
Adam brought death:
“Now, of course, when
Adam fell to death, he
brought death upon
all creation.” ("The Breach," 3/17/63, Seals, page 82)
Contradictory Claim
Caused by a woman:
“Now we find out, death was caused. Death is the cause of sin of the woman, come through the woman and not the man. By her way of living her life, and by her, all death comes.” “Marriage And Divorce” (65-0221M).
“Every sin that ever was on
the earth was caused by a
woman.” Ibid.
The Bible States
By one man:
“Wherefore, as by one man
sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned:”
(Rom. 5:12)
Claim
Cain was the son of Satan:
“I think that Cain was the
son of Satan. I know you
disagree with that, my own
church does.” ("Questions and Answers," 1/3/54, COD page 79)
Contradictory Claim
I never said that:
“Would you please explain
your theory that Eve
conceived Cain of the devil?”
I never said that; I said Eve
conceived Cain of the serpent. ("Questions and Answers," 6/28/59, COD page 398-173)
The Bible States
Cain - the son of Adam and from the Lord:
“And Adam knew Eve his
wife; and she conceived,
and bare Cain, and said, I
have gotten a man from the LORD.” (Genesis 4:1)
Claim
The woman received her seed by God's enemy through sexual intercourse and also by God:
“I’ll put enmity between your seed and the serpent’s
seed." See? Now, she
doesn’t have a seed.
Therefore, how she got this
seed was Satan’s seed. Cain
was Satan’s son. She had no
seed, so she received it
through sexual intercourse. And when she did it, it was given to her by God's enemy. And then, when God gave her a Seed, It had no sex at all into It. ”
“Questions And Answers #3” (64-0830M).
Contradictory Claim
The woman received her seed, not through sexual intercourse, but only by God and creation:
“But He said, "I'll put enmity between your Seed..." Now, she didn't have any seed, she never did have, so, she had to receive a Seed from some way. God gave her a Seed, not by sexual intercourse, but by creation. . . .But she received a Seed. What was it? God Himself. "He was the beginning of the creation of God."” “The Future Home of the Heavenly Bridegroom and the Earthly Bride” (64-0802).
The Bible States
Between thy seed and her
seed:
“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, … And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14,15)
Note: Other than Genesis 3:14, 15 above, the Bible does not contain any other reference to Eve's "seed."
Claim
Whichever way you're baptized doesn't matter:
“I don’t care if you was not
baptized at all, if you was
baptized in the name of "the
Rose of Sharon, the Lily of
the Valley, and the
Morning Star," that wouldn’t have . . . that’d be just as good as "Father, Son, Holy Ghost." …. Now, if you’re baptized in the name of "Father, Son, Holy Ghost, . . . feel like that’s all right, amen. If it’s a good answer to God towards a good conscience to God, amen. Go right ahead, see.” "Q And A On Hebrews, Part I," 9/25/57, COD pp. 254-255, para. 288-289.
“Now, whichever way you’re baptized, that doesn’t matter to me. ("Q and A," 5/15/54)
Contradictory Claim
Only baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is acceptable:
“You got a prophet that says
you should be baptized in the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it’s a false prophet….THUS SAITH THE LORD, the baptism using the title of Father, Son, Holy Ghost is false. THUS SAITH THE LORD, I command every one
of you here, on tape that
hasn’t been baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ, be
baptized again in the Name
of Jesus Christ.” ("A True Sign That’s Over-looked,"
11/12/61, V-6, N-2, sermon
page 29, par. 154, 157)
“I command you to be
baptized over again in the
name of Jesus Christ if you
haven’t done it.” ("Q and A," 6/28/59, COD page 405-198)
The Bible States
Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19)
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)
Claim
Saved without the Holy
Ghost:
“If a person dies without the
baptism of the Holy Ghost,
will he be lost? No sir.” (“Q & A, Image Of The Beast,” 5/15/54, COD, N-4, page 198, original question)
Contradictory Claim
Lost, with the Holy Ghost
baptism:
“"I got the baptism of the Holy Ghost; I’m going to heaven." That don’t mean one thing that you’re going to heaven. No, sir. You can have the baptism of the Holy Ghost every hour in your life, and still be lost and go to hell.”
(“Leadership,” 12/7/65, V-7, N-7, sermon paragraph 162)
The Bible States
If God's Spirit dwells in you , God will quicken your mortal bodies:
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by is Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11)
Claim
Each of us is a creator:
“And then if we only knew,
that each one of us in a –
an amateur way is a
creator. ("When Love
Projects," 2/18/56)
“He can speak into
existence. Why, he’s a
creator himself.” "Simplicity," 3/17/1963, Seals, page 62.
Contradictory Claim
We’re not a creator:
“We’re not a creator, but we
can pervert. ("At Kadesh
Barnea," 5/27/56)
The Bible States
Man to till the ground:
“And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and
there was not a man to till
the ground.” (Genesis 2:5)
Claim
Mary was the mother of Jesus:
“And if God made the mother of Jesus Christ go up there to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost 'fore she could go to heaven, you'll never get there anything shorter than that.” ("Israel And The Church #3," 3/17/53)
“So Jesus then, when He came, He was a Man born of a virgin birth. His mother was Mary; His Father was Jehovah God. You believe that? And then in that body God dwelled.” ("Gifts And Callings Are Without Repentance,"
March, 1950)
“Standing by the tomb, stood His dear mother, weeping.” ("Testimony"
05/09/51)
“No man on this earth was His father. He had a mother, and the mother was a virgin, virgin Mary, a girl about eighteen years old.” ("Law Or Grace"
10/06/54)
“Mary said, in Luke 1:52, when she was anointed with the Spirit, the Holy Ghost upon her, she said, “He has exalted them of low degree.” Mary said that, the mother of Jesus, said, “He has exalted those of low degree.” ("Why It Had To Be Shepherd" 12/21/64)
Contradictory Claim
Mary was not the mother of Jesus:
“He didn’t have to say, 'Mary, you loan Me an egg, I want to make a body so I can dwell in it.' God the Creator spoke, and she was a mother right then. She wasn’t a mother, she was just a woman bearing His Seed. That’s right. Remember, she was not Jesus’ mother. The world said so. Find me one place in Scripture ever He called her mother. Now come back to the Word. 'Mother of God,' shame one you. See?” ("Oneness," 02/11/62)
“Mary, mother of God”? Find out, a twelve-year-old Boy, of her own son, had to set her in order. There’s not one time in the Bible where Jesus ever called Mary His “mother.” She wasn’t His mother. How could she be a mother of God? She was only a womb that He used to come to the earth, to be manifested to the earth, through the womb. There’s nothing to her at all, not one Scripture ever said “mother.” ("Shalom"
1/12/64)
“Notice how infallible the Word is. Mary and Joseph…Now to you, my dear Catholic friends, that said Mary was the mother of God. Mary wasn’t even the mother of Jesus, let alone being the mother of God.” ("Shalom" 01/19/64)
The Bible States
Mary was the mother of Jesus:
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary
was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:18)
into the house, they saw the young child with Mary hismother, and fell down, and
when they had opened
their treasures, they
gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)
“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;” (Mark 2:34)
Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy
mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto
his own home.” (John 19:25-27)
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the
mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” (Acts 1:14)