Cult Rules: The Legalistic System Behind William Branham’s Teaching

[1] Branham, William. 1959, Dec 19. Questions And Answers On The Holy Ghost. "Brother Branham, I think television is a curse to the world. What do you think about it? Well, ever who wrote it, I'm going to agree with you. They have made it a curse to the world. It could be a blessing to the world, but they've made it a curse. Anything like that, my dear people, is what you look at yourself. If television is a curse, then the newspaper is a curse, then the radio is a curse, and many time the telephone is. See, see, see, see? It's what you make out of it. But being that the brother said the other night, that there's hardly any programs on the television any more; that's too much money. A poor preachers that preaches the Full Gospel can't afford a program on the television."

[2] Branham, William. 1959, Dec 19. Questions And Answers On The Holy Ghost.

[3] Branham, William. 1958, Mar 9. The Handwriting On The Wall. "And this fellow with his wine bottle up, drinking, having a big time, he said, "Just a minute. All you all, listen to me. Turn your radios on now. " The vulgar, dirty, filthy things that's permitted, uncensored programs... When did it start? Look back through the history. It started back there in the days of Clara Bow. And with this scheming, ungodly Texan, went out there and made these women's underneath clothes that made them look sexy... And this begin the first vulgar song, they let pass, was about the ladies rolling down their stockings and showing their pretty knees. They've got by with that. And now it's uncensored: they can say and do what they want to. The devil's took the thing without firing a shot. That's right. What do you think them Hollywood prostitutes in hell today would do if they could return? They'd make it different. But their influence upon the world, has set the world in a flame of corruption."

[4] Branham, William. 1955, Jul 24. Enticing Spirits. "Like I said the other night about the hog, about the sinner. You can't blame... A sinner's a sinner; don't try to reform him. Don't try to tell him this, that, or the other. He's a sinner to begin with. He's a pig to begin with. He don't know no different. If he goes to the movies, and he goes on Sunday, and he goes to ball games, and he does all these things; he's a sinner to begin with. His nature's like a hog. The old hog stick his nose down in the manure pile and eat all the grains out of it and everything. Well, that's - he is a hog. You can't blame him; he's a hog. That's the way with sinners. But when you go and call yourself a Christian and stick your nose in with him, then you're no better than he is; but you're worse, "Come out from among them. " Let go of the world."

[5] Branham, William. 1961, Feb 15. Thou Son Of David, Have Mercy On Me. "Now, but today with all of our modern convenience, and instead of reading the Bible to her children, will turn the television on and let them look at something that's not even fit for them to look at. Now, that's right. That's right. And another thing, we'll give them these little ol' comic books, and little ol' story books off of the... some drugstore mantle that oughtn't to even be sold to make … make kindling wood out of, or fire out of. And yet we poke all that kind of stuff down our children's neck."

[6] Branham, William. 1956, Jul 28. Making the Valley Full of Ditches. "And now, tonight is a bad night, Saturday night. This is the devil's night, you know, the one when the devil gets on the highways and all the booze joints and all the liquor running crowd, all the low-down, hoe down, boogie-woogie, and rock-and-roll, and all that rolling and rocking tonight. Hundreds will die."

[7] Branham, William. 1958, Sep 28. The Serpent's Seed. "And you women, putting on these little old pants and things, and wearing them out here, little old (What is it you call them?) knickerbockers... Or what is it? What is that, sisters? No, no, it's not shorts, it's that - got the long legs in them: pedal pushers and overalls, dungarees... Go and they said, "This is for the ladies. " I said, "No, you're mistaken. Ladies don't wear them things: women might, but ladies don't. " That's right. The Bible said it's an abomination for a woman to put on a garment... And for a man to put on a garment that pertains to a woman... And men is becoming more sissified every day, and women is becoming more masculine. What's the matter? (We're going to find out in a few minutes by the Bible. ) women ain't women no more."

[8] Branham, William. 1958, Sep 28. The Serpent's Seed.

[9] Branham, William. 1957, Mar 25. The Lamb And The Dove . "Here the other night I went to a Pentecostal meeting, and the women out on the platform with earrings, looked like the devil had done put a saddle on them and used them for a stirrup, hanging up and down the place, and dancing, their little old dress on that looked like she'd been poured in there, so tight the skin was on the outside; and you mean to tell me that's Christianity?"

[10] Branham, William. 1958, Mar 9. The Handwriting On The Wall. "And this begin the first vulgar song, they let pass, was about the ladies rolling down their stockings and showing their pretty knees. They've got by with that. And now it's uncensored: they can say and do what they want to. The devil's took the thing without firing a shot. That's right. What do you think them Hollywood prostitutes in hell today would do if they could return? They'd make it different. But their influence upon the world, has set the world in a flame of corruption."

[11] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 11. Why I'm Against Organized Religion. "Now, if you … if you didn't have any hair, and … and you wanted to wear some hair, it'd be all right, but, wear one that looked like human. And if you didn't have any fingernails, and … and you wanted to get some fingernails, don't get them like hulls off of navy beans, get … get real fingernails. If you haven't got any of these things, it's all right. If you haven't got any teeth, get you some if they make you some, get them. But don't pull your God-given teeth out just because they're a little crooked, and they're good teeth, to get some. Don't dye your hair, or something, and look like something that come out of some mire somewhere. Don't! If you're colorless, and you want to make yourself look like you got some color, it's all right, I imagine. But don't make yourself look like Jezebel, like a barn somewhere being painted."

[12] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 11. Why I'm Against Organized Religion.

[13] Branham, William. 1964, Aug 23. Questions And Answers 1. "I have more honor for a woman like that than I do some of these women that put a little old strap under them to throw theirself out: don't even look like a human being. They got a purpose in doing that; that's sexy, ungodly. A woman wear ever so many clothes and try to make herself look like something she isn't... I... Why, women ain't - ain't actually that way; it's some kind of Hollywood stuff. And the devil spirit get on them women to make them try to attract attention of men through sex. A woman's breast was given her for the baby to nurse. That's exactly right. The woman's right in the primitive line, but she's lined right. I have more respect for that, for that woman like that, 'cause she... That's the way her mother raised her; that's the way... They - they never - don't pay any attention to it. The baby nursed right out like the Madonna picture that you'd see. And if people would only get their minds set like that, it would be different."

[14] Branham, William. 1955, Sep 11. The Unwelcomed Christ. "Yes, ladies, you can take and go out here, and just fix all up, and wear the best of clothes. You can go to the best of churches. You get all fixed up, and have your hair manicured, or ever what you call it, and wear the big high-heeled shoes, and paint all up like a circus, and go down to the church, and say, "I'm just as good as they are. " Oh, you miserable, blind wretch. You don't know that you're lost. Yeah. You think 'cause you got a change of clothes... And, mister, 'cause you can ride in a good car today, and got a good job, and the boss pats you on the back, you think you've got everything made. You shun church. You wouldn't go to a place where they went to the altar and prayed. You're ashamed that your neighbors would see you. You poor hypocrite, don't you know you're lost? You don't want Jesus. You ain't got no room for Him."

[15] Branham, William. 1956, Oct 3. Painted Face Jezebel. "Now, it ain't paint, and scissors that cuts your hair that bothers you. It's that spirit in you that makes you go get it. That's what it is. Max Factor could make all of it he wanted to and lay it over there, and if you was a Christian you'd never touch it. I mean if you was baptized with the Holy Ghost and living where you ought to live (That's right. ), and your pastor preach the truth and let you know about it. You wouldn't even care a bit. How could you sell old button shoes down on the street today, them high laced up shoes which have got more leather in them than a dozen pair of these little things that you pay twenty five dollars for? A little strap across the toe and a big old red painted toenail sticking out like that, and the heels flopping around through the rain, and you go down the street like that. That's right. That's right. But you couldn't sell that old fashion shoe because you don't want it; you done seen Martha Susianna out yonder wear some other kind. See? You want to dress like her. You don't want that dress that hangs loose. You want that one's like you're poured into it, because that you seen Susie on the television and the radio and in the magazine."

[16] Branham, William. 1956, Oct 3. Painted Face Jezebel.

[17] Branham, William. 1956, Oct 3. Painted Face Jezebel.

[18] Branham, William. 1956, Jan 22. The Junction Time. "Today you got too much Hollywood evangelism, some little sissified guy with manicured hair, and stand up to a bunch of women with earrings hanging down like the devil's stirrups, and enough paint on their face to paint a barn, and bobbed hair, and every... That used to be a sin among you Holiness people. What happened? You did run well. The Bible still says it's a sin."

[19] Branham, William. 1956, Aug 5. The Church And Its Condition . "We've called ourselves the lamb of God. The women and the man, together, has begin to act everything but like lambs of God. You look at them going down the street, with short, bobbed hair, curlicues all in their hair. And a few years ago, you call…you, they…you couldn't have hired them to do that. And then you wonder why is it the church is in the condition it is. Is because you've took the nature of a wolf or a goat, instead of keeping the meek gentleness. And you say, "That's my privilege, Brother Branham." I know it's your privilege. 'Barbers cut hair. And as long as the barber will cut hair, ain't I got a right?' That's right, that's your American privilege. But are you willing to give it up, to be a lamb? Are you willing to submit yourself?"

[20] Branham, William. 1956, Aug 5. The Church And Its Condition .

[21] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 4. Blasphemous Names. "But when you pull out your real good teeth, because they're just not as bright as they should be, then you done wrong. If you've got red hair, and you want black, and you go down here and color it black, just because; you done wrong. Yeah, I think so. But the main thing… There's no Scripture for that."

[22] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 4. Blasphemous Names.

[23] Branham, William. 1962, Jun 28. A Greater Than Solomon Is Here. "Christians do that too. What a shame. We're not supposed to pattern after Hollywood. Hollywood shines with brightness. But while Hollywood shines in - in brightness and glamour, the Gospel glows with humility. There's a difference between shining and glowing. And the church is beginning to shine with polished scholars, and education, biggest church, and So-and-so. And our full Gospel people's getting right in that same trend. It's a shame. Glowing with humility, and Christ."

[24] Branham, William. 1965, Aug 29. Satan's Eden. "Now she has got her Adam to wearing her underneath clothes. A man put on them little old sissy-looking shorts, and get out here, I don't think there is much man to him. He is the biggest sissy I know of. See? See, she has got her perverted Adam to act like she, see, wearing her underneath clothes. She seen what she could do out yonder when she took off all of her clothes but her underneath ones. That's the shorts. Course, that's the woman's underneath clothes, and here her Adam is wearing them now. Which, according to God's original Word, 'Is an abomination for a woman to put on a garment that pertains to a man, and a man to put on a garment pertains to a woman,' from the original Word. Think of it!"

[25] Branham, William. 1964, Jan 12. Shalom. "There seems to be something among man. Man don't seem to be, have that masculine touch that he used to have. Women don't have that feminish touch she used to have. You take man today, man don't seem to be burly like they used to be. It's all some sort of a... They want to wear suede shoes with purple, and - and they want to act like Women. Now that is true. It seems to be, more or less, like a perversion."

[26] Branham, William. 1960, Dec 9. The Sardisean Church Age. "And He don't want a man with great big sideburns hanging down like this, and then, like a duck setting on the back of his head like that. He wants him to look like a man."

[27] Branham, William. 1965, Aug 1. The God Of This Evil Age. "Then listen, man, you bunch of rickies! If you were born to be a man, then act like a man. These bangs hanging down in your face, and curled up like some sex appeal, why, you perverted generation of snakes! What's the matter with you, anyhow?"

[28] Branham, William. 1963, Jun 23. The Flashing Red Light Of The Sign Of His Coming. "A few years ago, look where man has got to, in his body. Look where he's got to, by the things he's done. Science is constantly trying to make a better food, hybrid corn, and - and hybrid tomatoes, hybrid beef, when the stuff's no good at all. It's killing the people, and they don't realize it. Why, in a few more years, they'll be nothing but just a - a bunch like a jellyfish."

[29] Branham, William. 1963, Jul 31. There Is Only One Way Provided By God For Anything. "When I heard that egg situation the other day, I went back in my book where the Lord spoke to me in 1931, and there I had written in my book, "In the last days, warn the people not to eat eggs or live in a valley. " And, see, not know what fallout and things would be, see, but yet the Lord forewarned that, way back thirty years ago, see, "Not to live in a valley, in the last days," and, "Don't eat eggs," everything will be poisoned. See? And that's just what's happened. Now imagine that, thirty something years ago."

[30] Branham, William. 1960, Nov 13. Condemnation By Representation. "But they hybrid the church like they did the chicken, like they did the mule, like they did everything else: hybreeding it, making it different, breeding in the world, the things of the world, basketball games, and soup suppers, and … and bunco games, and all kinds of things of the world."

[31] Branham, William. 1959, Aug 14. As I Thought On My Ways. "And you've neglected it for the washtub, for a job out yonder in a factory somewhere. Some of you women that ought to be home with your kids, reading the Bible to them. You got a job out yonder to make a extra dollar. Shame on you. God gave you a job; that's raise them children. Teach them the things of God. It's the truth. Think on your ways, woman. What will them dollars do? They'll ring like Judas Iscariot's did. Think on your ways and turn your foot to His testimonies, unto His Blood, unto His grace, unto His offer. "As I thought on my ways," said David, "I turned my feet to thy testimony. " Sure. Think on your ways as you go."

[32] Branham, William. 1959, Aug 14. As I Thought On My Ways.

[33] Branham, William. 1953, Jun 7. The Ministry Of Christ. "Now listen, this is my afternoon to be with the Lord here in the - in the services. I just say what He tells me to say. But it's a sad day, when they created wash machines and dishwashers and everything, they give the women all this time to lay around barrooms and things, and drink, and smoke cigarettes, and run out over the country. That's right. Come busybody, idlers, plenty of time, nothing to do. It'd be better if you had the scrub brush and back in the wash with these kind of wash machines, the way my mother used to do it. That's right."

[34] Branham, William. 1953, Jul 29. Questions And Answers On Genesis. "It used to be that women was so feminish till men would go to talking to them and they'd blush. Huh. What is blushing anyhow? I haven't seen it in so long I wouldn't even know what it was if some woman blushed. They haven't got any of that dignity any more, all that there fine feminish spirit. They're just... They can... They'll wear clothes like a man, cut their hair like a man, smoke like a man, drink like a man, cuss like a man, vote like a man, work like a man, so, become rough, burly. Oh, my. That shows where you've got to."

[35] Branham, William. 1953, Jul 29. Questions And Answers On Genesis.

[36] Branham, William. 1960, Dec 11. The Ten Virgins And The Hundred And Forty Four Thousand Jews. "Like they got women on the police forces, out on the streets. That's a disgrace to the American flag, to put them mothers out there on the street. And tens of thousands of men without a job! Why, it's a woman's nation, it's a woman's place, a woman will take over. It's woman-worship. It's that Catholic dogmatic spirit, worshipping a woman for a god. Here's that just... It's just sitting right, don't you see the setup? There's nothing that God could have give a man any sweeter than a wife, a real wife. But when she gets anything beyond that, she's - she's out. That's exactly right. God never intend women to work in any of these places and to do them kind of things like that. These women, you're... they're to have children and raise their children. They're all little preachers, every one of them, but they have their own pastoral at home with their kiddies, bringing up their children. All right."

[37] Branham, William. 1960, Dec 18. The Uncertain Sound. "Women, with all kind of a-a-a ladies' societies, and making blankets, and going together, and telling jokes, and having suppers and soup suppers to pay the pastor, and so-forth like that, 'And never able to come to the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ exists today in the Power of His resurrection, in the Holy Ghost.'"

[38] Branham, William. 1960, Dec 18. The Uncertain Sound.

[39] Branham, William. 1953, Dec 4. At Thy Word. "I took the little baby to one side, and asked the parents the secret, that they were doing in the line of birth control, and things that wasn't right. So I talked to them privately.

[40] Branham, William. 1956, Feb 18. The Worst Sinner In The City. "And the Bible rights gives any man a right to leave and divorce and leave his wife, that'll cut her hair. That's the Bible. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD."

[41] Branham, William. 1961, Feb 26. Jehovah Jireh. "They have to raise them on a bottle with cow's milk. They take the nicotine, and if they do they become a neurotic like Ricky and Elvises out here, you know, running up and down, just neurotic. That's exactly the way the... Your kids named that, change his name. See? Now, it spiritually speaking means Judas."

[42] Branham, William. 1961, Feb 26. Jehovah Jireh.

[43] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 4. Blasphemous Names. "But when you pull out your real good teeth, because they're just not as bright as they should be, then you done wrong. If you've got red hair, and you want black, and you go down here and color it black, just because; you done wrong."

[44] Branham, William. 1962, Nov 4. Blasphemous Names.

[45] Branham, William. 1955, Apr 3. Fellowship By Redemption. "Not a church that practice "free love" and all these ungodly things, and goes to baseball games"

[46] Branham, William. 1961, Mar 15. An Uncertain Sound. "Oh, how you just go to the modern home today. Look what it is. Papa, he has to hurry down to the pool room. The boys are playing pool or they're bowling or something, him and ma. Sister's at the canteen, somewhere, or out some rock-and-roll party. Junior's got the hot rod, out seeing how many he can run down. And that's about home life. And the Bible? Oh, it's a great Book, but It's put in a drawer somewhere until pastor comes in or somebody. And we just don't have the home life we used to have. It's a... Home life is so uncertain."

[47] Branham, William. 1961, Mar 19. Jezebel Religion. "Now, I can expect these sinful people like now, that call themselves sports, out here in the bowling game. One of my kids would start towards a bowling alley, I'd run him out of the country (uh-huh). Call that sport; that's not sports. What's this... If you want to be right, get right with God. True."

[48] Branham, William. 1955, Apr 10. Proof Of His Resurrection. "'A little while and the world will see Me no more,'" that's the unbeliever. They're out to ball games and swimmings, and so forth. They'll never see Him."

[49] Branham, William. 1956, Nov 25. A Blushing Prophet. "I ask for mercy for us being so dilatory concerning the things of the Kingdom. I ask that You'll pardon us of our sins and take away our - our - our transgressions. And forgive us for being so stupid of the... ?... How we have come short. How we have taken bodily exercise. How we have done things that we ought not to have done. How we have sinned before You".

[50] Branham, William. 1961, Jan 22. As The Eagle Stirs Her Nest. "'We're going to have a bunco game in the basement.'" That little… Bingo, that's what it is, bingo. I just… I don't know them kind of names. All right. What is bunco? Is it? Maybe I was wrong. Bingo (See?), ever what it is. Anyhow, "We're going to have that." That little eagle couldn't understand that. That wasn't the thing he'd been eating. It didn't fit him just right. Did you feel that way when you was out there? Boy, I did. My goodness. The stuff stunk to me. Calling yourself Christians?"

[51] Branham, William. 1961, Jan 22. As The Eagle Stirs Her Nest.

[52] Branham, William. 1959, Apr 24. Hear Ye Him. "People say, 'Yes, I'm a Christian. I believe in Divine healing,' and then act different. Say, 'I'm a Christian,' go out and put on them kind of clothes. Say, 'I'm a Christian,' and act - go out and smoke cigarettes, and shoot dice, and do all these other kind of things. Shame on you. That's a... I - I - I'm not a... I love you. But, brother, I'd rather give you just a little correction now, than when I come to the judgment, you say, 'Brother Branham, I'm so glad you done it. ' It's too late then. What we need is a love and respect for God and for His people. No matter what they belong to, the denomination, as long as they're brothers they're brothers. We need a love for one another. And love will contact when nothing else will do it."

[53] Branham, William. 1956, Sep 2. The Handwriting On The Wall . "Look at the modern American home. You know where, pop, where's he at? He's down to the barroom, having a social drink with the neighbor. Where is mom at? Well, she's down at the stitch-and-sew party, playing cards. Where is Junior at? In his hot rod, out racing on the streets, dragging with everybody; with a girl wrapped in one arm, and a cigarette in the other. Where is sis at? She is down at the canteen, doing a rock-and-roll, out all night with a bunch of soldiers, with everything she can run with. That's a modern American home. Brother, the handwriting is on the wall. Right! "'Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.'" And great men has crossed this nation, Billy Graham, Jack Schuler, Oral Roberts, and them, preaching the unadulterated Gospel of the Lord Jesus. And people has laughed at It and made fun of It, and turned It down, flatly."

[54] Branham, William. 1956, Sep 2. The Handwriting On The Wall.

[55] Branham, William. 1956, Sep 2. The Handwriting On The Wall .

[56] Branham, William. 1954, Aug 14. The Unconditional Covenant That God Made With The People . "Those things, such as dancing, and card parties, and playing, and bobbing your hair, and painting your lips, and manicuring your face, and all that thing, is the attributes of unbelief."

[57] Branham, William. 1955, Jul 24. Enticing Spirits . "All these here trying to get rid of cigarettes, and little social drinks, and little parties, and selfish things; God, stimulate their heart with the Holy Ghost in such a way that those things won't have any desire no more."

[58] Branham, William. 1951, Oct 3. Believest Thou This? "I said, 'If my girl ever stretches herself out like that, she's going to get a sun tanning, but it is going to be Charlie Branham's son, give her a tan with a barrel slat and bring her home'"

[59] Branham, William. 1963, Jan 20. The Voice Of God In This Last Days. "They invented a little thing called, the kids used to call the "hula-hoop," hula-hoop, or something. And if you ever noticed the vulgarity and things that follow that lot, in the little children. That's not right."

[60] Branham, William. 1965, Feb 17. A Man Running From The Presence Of The Lord . "Now, I go to church and-and see the pastor get up there and announce that there-there is going to be a-a swimming bee. All the women in these bathing suits, they're all going out there. They're going to have a contest; these women, swimming. And they're going to have a-a party of some sort, and they're going to fry up a lot of-of chicken, and play bunco, and-and all these things like that. To me, that takes the genuine sincerity out of Christianity; just get by with anything."

[61] Branham, William. 1962, Jun 3. The End Time Evangelism. "So this fellow said to me, "That would not work today. That's against the sanitation rule, health rules. " And then that same man take his family, wife and all those children down there to that swimming pool where all those women and men, and in that water at times of the month that they shouldn't be in, and all that. They never go into the restrooms sometimes, and…and all them dirty bodies and filth in there, and them spurting it through their mouth, and eyes, and things like that. And then say that Jesus spitting on the ground and making a man to see!"

[62] Branham, William. 1957, Jun 30. Thirsting For Life. "Why don't a man kiss a man, woman kiss a woman, in the lips? Because it don't cross the glands. Children is born by crossing glands. So it's almost a public adultery again, everywhere. Look on the screens and everything you see, a - a slobbering and a - a carrying on. No wonder immorality is on the - is on the incline! How can they do it, and spurring themselves all up by kissing those women in the mouth, knowing that that's adultery! God won't forgive it unless you repent."

[63] Branham, William. 1960, Nov 13. Condemnation By Representation. "Hybreeding, hybreeding, oh, how terrible, hybreeding. They hybreed the people. New York, the big molding pot. I've got hundreds of precious colored friends that's borned again Christians. But on this line of segregations and things they're talking about, hybreeding the people. What, tell me what fine cultured, fine Christian colored woman would want her baby to be a mulatto by a white man? No, sir. It's not right. What white woman would want her baby to be a mulatto by a colored man? God made us what we are. Let's stay what God made us; I believe it's right."

[64] Branham, William. 1963, Dec 14. - Why Little Bethlehem. "But, remember, what ever what day it might be, we still doesn't take away the sacredness of what its supposed to be. Where Satan has robbed us of this, has made a great commercial, and Santa Claus stole all of the worship. And it's become a-a day like Easter, like bunny rabbits and pink ducks. And-and then what's that got to do with Easter? What's that got to do with the resurrection of Christ?"

[65] Branham, William. 1960, Dec 25. God's Wrapped Gift. "What's any more of a myth than Santa Claus? Never was such a thing. Telling children lies, you'll be responsible for it at the Day of the Judgment."

[66] Branham, William. 1959, Mar 1. Strait Is The Gate. "Belong to church, deacons in the church, pious as they could be. Why, you think they'd buy gasoline on Sunday? No. But on Monday do something that's dirty and rotten and low-down. God dwells in the heart, not in outward, it's something comes from the heart"

[67] Branham, William. 1963, Jul 31. There Is Only One Way Provided By God For Anything. "When I heard that egg situation the other day, I went back in my book where the Lord spoke to me in 1931, and there I had written in my book, "In the last days, warn the people not to eat eggs or live in a valley. " And, see, not know what fallout and things would be, see, but yet the Lord forewarned that, way back thirty years ago, see, "Not to live in a valley, in the last days," and, "Don't eat eggs," everything will be poisoned. See? And that's just what's happened. Now imagine that, thirty something years ago."