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[1]Mrs. White's extensive writing, often regarded as evidence of divine guidance, is a characteristic behavior of partial-complex seizures. [2] Since it is the patient's own brain that is "short circuiting" and producing the illusion or hallucination, the content is frequently manifestations of previously stored information or is given meaning based on the content of the patient's consciousness. Since the patients who have partial-complex seizures tend to be religious, the hallucinations frequently have a religious significance to them.
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There is no one individual entirely responsible for the development of the Seventh-day Adventist church, but there is no question that Ellen G. White was the one most influential person during the time of its formation. Not unlike Herbert W. Armstrong's wife Loma, one wonders if there would be a Seventh-day Adventist church today if not for Mrs. White. Her 100,000 pages of writing continue to be an authority for the Adventist church second only to the Bible. [1] Seeing the Bible through the writings ofMrs. White has resulted in some of the unique doctrines held by the Adventist church. Mrs. White claimed to be a "messenger of God" and the church accepted her as a "prophet of God" and continues to believe that God gave her specific instructions and guidance through her visions. [2] It was the
supernatural nature of these visions" that was one of the most
significant early evidences that she was being used by God as a
prophet, and it is these same events that continue to be evidence of
her inspiration |
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[1] Halley, H. H., Halley's Bible Handbook, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1978) p688
[2] That Branham was Elijah the Prophet
[4] Branham, W. M., An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages (Jeffersonville, Indiana: WBEA, 1965) p321
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William Branham You can say Branham was the light at the beginning of the tunnel for Pentecostal healing and miracle meetings. Its no wonder Oral Roberts, Copeland, Hinn and many others look to his ministry for inspiration. William Marrion Branham was born April 6, 1909 in the mountains of Kentucky. He was the first of nine children. His father was a logger and their first home was a dirt floor log cabin. Branham was told by his mother that his birth was accompanied by a supernatural sign. He was born in the predawn morning. He was told that when the small window of the cabin was opened, that a light stood in the opening. From his early childhood Branham claimed to have supernatural experiences including prophetic visions. He recalled that in his early childhood, while walking home from getting water from the creek, he heard the voice of the Angel of the Lord who told him 'never to drink, smoke or defile his body, for there would be a work for him when he got older. (Relate to Ellen White's light vision.) Like Herbert Armstrong, Branham was a poorly educated man and had no formal
Bible
education. His ministry was proclaimed with alleged supernatural
manifestations and empowered by a spirit being. Along with some other Bible
commentators, Branham, like Armstrong, believed that the seven churches described in The book of
Revelation, chapters two and three represent seven historical
ages of the Christian church, from its beginning to the present time. [1] Branham thought he was Elijah the Prophet. [2] On December 18, 1965 William Branham and his family (all except his daughter Rebekah) were returning to Jeffersonville, Indiana from Tucson, Arizona for the Christmas holidays. About three miles east of Friona, Texas (about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Amarillo on U.S. Highway 60), just after dark a car traveling west in the eastbound lane, struck Branham's car head-on. The driver of the car was intoxicated and died at the scene, as did the other front seat passenger. Newspapers reported that Branham was buried four months later after his followers waited until Easter Sunday, believing he would rise from the dead. Rev. Peary Green, of the Branham ministry, was quoted as saying he "believe[s] Rev. Branham will return to life" and that the services were also delayed to wait for Branham's wife to recover to attend.. William Branham's body was left in a sealed casket in a Tuscon funeral home during that period. About 700 followers waited as he was thought to rise from the dead, but he didn't. He was subsequently buried. |
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[1] "Spirituality and religion in epilepsy"
[2] When
fanaticism
and religion are mixed, we have a
very potent and dangerous brew that can sustain itself for centuries
unlike non-religious fanaticisms.
Religion is based on the
psychological weakness of all humans. The idea that there is a god,
which is assumed to be the unknown power in the universe makes the
human mind paranoid because of our fear of the unknown. And this
paranoia drives humans to do anything to propitiate this unknown
power that is assumed to exist. This is what transforms this weakness
of our human mind into a sickness.
[3] Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web,
[4] Questioning HWA's Death Diagnosis
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Loma & Herbert Armstrong The dream of Loma Armstrong and the "work" that Herbert was to do, eventually led to the formation of the Armstrong family business. Loma's dream: After the failure of many business schemes by Herbert, Loma Armstrong had become acquainted with an elderly neighbor lady, Mrs. Ora Runcorn. She was convinced by this Adventist friend that all Sunday churches were wrong about not keeping Saturday as the Sabbath. The year was 1926, and the influence of Ora Runcorn on Loma was to be the beginning of a fruitless work that would ruin the lives of tens of thousands. This "work" was later to be know as the Radio Church of God and from there, the Worldwide Church of God. This religious fanaticism of Loma Armstrong had reawakened a forgotten interest in her husband Herbert. [2] Where Herbert failed in business, Loma succeeded. Loma Armstrong had founded the family business. Armstrong-ism. Herbert Armstrong was a poorly educated man and had no formal Bible education, however he began to see how easily religion could be used to bring in millions of dollars. Over the years, Loma and Herbert saw that the winning formula for a successful business was in the marketing. Utilizing fear, guilt, uniqueness of the group psychology, they marched forward constructing an empire that would rake in more cash than Billy Graham and Oral Roberts combined. The Armstrong's used deceptive recruiting tactics by giving away magazines for free, leaving the receiver feeling obligated to the group. In time, the recipients of these books and magazines were recruited into the Armstrong church or became co-workers, donating their money and time. Even when Herbert wasn't lying, he would use facts, emphasizing facts, quietly ignore facts, in a way that would enable him to gain control over peoples minds. This grooming is called "undue influence."
In time dissenters began to question the doctrines of the Armstrong's. Rather than honestly and intelligently debating their critics, the Armstrong's and many of the church hireling's resort to labeling them as evil or stupid, using name-calling, slander, condescending put-downs, personal slurs, accusations of bad motives, and casting aspersions on the critic's intelligence or sanity. Loma Armstrong who came up with Petra as the place of safety, [3] dies on April 15th, 1967 of bowel obstruction. Herbert Armstrong dies under suspicious
circumstances. [4] The
respected British paper The Guardian, had this to say about Herbert Armstrong: And that folks is "The Rest of the Story." |
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