Women’s clothing is a favorite pig to roast in the Message. Some preachers, like one “Brother Ron” who frequented youth camps in the early 2000s, would deliberately play the crowd for laughs by mimicking women applying nail polish or mascara. We were supposed to infer from his exaggerated performance that the women who spent time doing those things were vain and superficial. We were told that we believers should be spending our time on better, holier things – like learning... Read more
I decided that, lacking time to write in-depth blog entries, I’m going to refocus my efforts on shorter posts and, with luck, keep my blog updated more often. That said, I have been thinking lately about misfortune and our human tendency to believe, despite all evidence, that the world is fair and that suffering is our fault. We all know it doesn’t work that way. We say life isn’t fair. It’s a cliche. That doesn’t mean, though, that when trouble... Read more
I received an email today from Nathan Rivera, a former believer who was born and raised in the Message. He has written a book titled A Logical Refutation of Branham’s Message, which you can download and read as a PDF. Nathan also has a blog which can be reached here: http://branhamrefutation.blogspot.com/ I have read Nathan’s book and highly recommend it. He has conducted research into several of Branham’s claims to divine revelation and supernatural power. One of the very interesting... Read more
The internet is abuzz with the fact that tomorrow is evidently going to be the last day on mortal sod for God’s elect. According to Harold Camping, president of Christian broadcast network Family Radio, the world is unequivocally going to end on May 21, 2011, and the destruction of the unbelievers will be complete by October 21, when a massive fireball engulfs the earth. Check out this video synopsis: If you grew up in the Message, like me, you can... Read more
What makes people believe the Message? What makes them keep believing even when it’s become a hurtful force in their lives? I’m not a utilitarian or especially persuaded by rational-choice theory when it is applied to religion, so I don’t think that people need to “get something out of” their faith in tangible ways in order to believe it. Faith doesn’t need to make us happy or produce desirable outcomes in our lives for us to be persuaded that it’s... Read more
This post is forthcoming on No Longer Quivering. As followers of God’s final prophet and members of the elect Bride of Christ, we made a lot of promises in God’s name. We promised safety to a world we presumed was in its death throes, ready to face tribulation, destruction and ultimate renewal. We promised healing, hope and happiness to those who accepted God’s provided way of escape. We promised individuals that their broken families would be restored, that their financial... Read more
William Branham told a lot of stories to illustrate his points. I suspect that he did this in imitation of Jesus, actually. It’s not a bad thing. Storytelling is a great way to get your point to stick in the minds of your listeners, especially when it’s a group of mixed ages. When stories purport to be historical, though, it’s worth revisiting them to see whether the facts line up with the interpretation. Otherwise we run into gross misunderstandings like... Read more
Another installment of my (Sierra’s) story is now posted at No Longer Quivering: Daughter of the Patriarchy – The Shift This one deals with the sense of fear and loss I felt during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, at which time I (and most of my church) was sure the world was ending. Read more
It has been rumored that some of William Branham’s unsavory doctrines stemmed from a personal connection with the Ku Klux Klan. Such rumors are based on a misreading of Branham’s central doctrine, the Serpent’s Seed. According to the doctrine, Eve had sexual intercourse with an upright mammalian “serpent” and produced Cain, the son of Satan, followed by Abel and later Seth, the sons of Adam and therefore God. The belief that these two “bloodlines” are visible in today’s racial categories... Read more
My friends at No Longer Quivering and I are frequently accused of unforgiveness. The blog Steadfast Daughters was deliberately set up to accuse Hillary MacFarland and other “Quivering Daughters” like myself of holding bitter grudges against our parents and churches for the abuse we suffered. The two most common denunciations we receive, actually, are these: “We’re not all like that. You’re overreacting.” “You’re bitter and angry. You’re just selfish and hate your church. You’re just blaming others for your own... Read more
The Phoenix and Olive Branch
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