Malindi Cult Teaching William Branham's Martyr Theology

We are still analyzing the information coming in out of Kenya concerning Paul Mackenzie's "Malinda Cult" mass suicide. Details found in the news media give us many clues as to what happened when a group of people radicalized using William Branham's "Message" theology decided to starve their families to "go and meet Jesus". According to recent reports, the children were starved first, women second, and then the men. Evidence suggests that not all children were willing, and there are marks on the bodies that appear to be strangulation.

News media has presented several photographs of William Branham's "Message" books published by Spoken Word Publications in Jeffersonville and distributed by Voice of God Recordings of Jeffersonville, which is where we are currently focusing our attention. The cult was apparently forbidden to speak English, and some of the books are English copies of the sermons of William Branham. If the news reports are correct, only Mackenzie would have had access to those sermons, so we began focusing on the books that Spoken Word Publications printed in Swahili.

One book of interest is the sermon in Swahili, "Unyakuo". This is William Branham's sermon, "The Rapture", preached in December of 1965 shortly before his death. In this sermon, William Branham makes several statements describing his thoughts on being a martyr. In one statement, Branham said that Jesus was the "keystone" between the Old and New Testament by dying first, then rapture. In other statements, Branham warns his listeners that "no one wants to die", but that some among them would be caught unexpectedly with the "Mark of the Beast", and then focused his attention on why the people had to "die in martyrdom".

We do not yet have the full analysis of these sermons, but to say the least, it is concerning. News reports suggest that many of the people were radicalized before Mackenzie took over the church, and assuming Mackenzie was preaching Branham's martyrdom theology, it is the same deadly cocktail of bad theology that turned Jim Jones and Peoples Temple on the trajectory heading to the Jonestown Massacre.

Stay tuned to william-branham.org for more updates as we continue through the investigation of this tragic event.

QUOTES BY WILLIAM BRANHAM:

Keystone by Dying:

Branham, William. 1965, December 4. The Rapture (65-1204). "Jesus, being the Keystone, now, He bare record. See? He was the Keystone between the Old and New Testament, 'cause He had to first die and then rapture. He died; come to life and walked around here with us; and then was raptured up. Because, He was the Keystone that tied the two together. After His resurrection and rapture…Look. After He did that, and proved that, the Old Testament there. We all know Enoch was translated. We know Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind, that right, in a chariot of Fire. And Jesus died, buried, rose up and lived here on earth, and then was raptured up, the Keystone. There is three, to bear record. Is that right?"

Die in Martyrdom:

Branham, William. 1965, December 4. The Rapture (65-1204). "Now, just think. The first place, if that minister would have thought, when they put that vinegar and gall in His mouth, He spit it out. He did not take it, at the first place. See? Just scoffers rising! Another thing, how did this Jesus of Nazareth, how did His life fit every prophecy of the Old Testament? How could it been? It couldn't have been without it been ordained of God. His life fit every prophecy of the Old Testament. Another thing, if those disciples had faked Him like that, why did each one of them die in martyrdom? And even apostle Peter said, 'Turn my head upside down. I'm not worthy to die like Him.' How they took Andrew and turned him sideways on the cross. They, every one, sealed their testimony in their own blood. They believed Him and loved Him, and gave their lives for Him. If He was a faker, how would they ever done that? See? The spiritual application, the people don't get it."

No One Wants to Die:

Branham, William. 1965, December 4. The Rapture (65-1204). "People, no one wants to die. No one wants to—to be lost. Let me tell you. Whatever you do…I don't care how well you go to church, and how loyal you are to church. That's fine; nothing against that. You should go to church. You do that. Keep on going to church. But, whatever, just throw away your traditions, and move right on up into Christ. Cause, it's going to sound one of these days, and you're going to be caught with the mark of the beast on you, and not know what it is until it's too late. That's exactly right."