Posted on 02/18/2007 7:30:33 PM PST by freedomdefender
A retired Air Force officer who now spends his days authoring books on Christianity has posted an online collection of recordings he believes captures voices and music of God's angels in heaven.
Angelic statue in Lommel, Belgium (photo: Jan Schiphorst, used with permission)
"I have four specific recordings of angels singing in church settings," Jim Bramlett of Lake Mary, Fla., told WND. "It happened supernaturally. There's no other explanation. It's either from God or from the devil, and I don't think the devil is in the business of worshipping Jesus. That is not in his job description."
Bramlett, 76, collected the tapes from various sources in recent years, and has now put them on his ChoicesForLiving website, where readers can click on several links to listen to three recordings made in the U.S., and one from China.
The Feb. 6, 1996, recording at the Greater Grace World Outreach Church in Baltimore, Md., starts off with a woman playing a piano, and gradually, accompanying voices are heard in the background. Bramlett described them as "beautiful voices of beings who were not in the service."
Jim Bramlett
"I have the full tape with the pastor discussing the situation with the congregation, and about 25 people gave testimony to hearing the voices. They were all in awe at what had happened."
Another recording took place at the Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland, Fla., and features a 10-minute, sustained sound after a call to praise by a minister.
"They seem to lift the praise of the congregation to a totally new and awesome level, and it just goes on and on. The intensity and consistency are clearly supernatural and beyond the ability of the congregation," explains Bramlett, a former vice president at the Christian Broadcasting Network where he spent nine years.
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A woman who says she and her husband were at the Lakeland service wrote Bramlett to vouch for the authenticity of what took place:
"The tape of the Florida meeting was exactly like the way it sounds. Glenn and I were there during those meetings, and if it wasn't this one then there is another tape of a meeting where [the phenomenon] happened again. The one we were in went on and on and stopped abruptly. Silence for about a minute then a male voice sang out 'Glooooory' and several women's voices from different directions echoed 'Gloooooory' in perfect harmony, and the praise and worship started up all over again."
Perhaps the most stunning of all the recordings is thought to be from a church in Kansas City, where there is not only an audible chorus of "Hallelujah" – meaning "praise God" – but also the voice of a male soloist who purportedly was not present. The lyrics of the mysterious solo were transcribed as follows:
Hallelujah, breathe it all across the land Everybody's singing at the Lord's command All the saints and the angels up in glory wait to hear the news of Jesus and his children as they're coming through. Though he doesn't have it on tape, Wayne Warmack of Greater Works Ministries in Rogers, Ark., says he and his wife, Sandy, personally heard angelic voices during a Passover celebration last April at a lakeside retreat center near Marianna, Fla.
"I began to distinctly hear wordless voices in perfect harmony with us, that were clearly not coming from me or Sandy, or the other 20 or so people present in the room. They sort of drifted in and out of my hearing while I struggled to maintain my composure and continue the song," Warmack said. "If you've ever heard that sound, it leaves you a different person than when you came in. I can't describe it. There's just no way to describe it. It is definitely heard with more than just the physical ears."
But not everyone is joining the chorus of hallelujahs.
Steven Novella
Dr. Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine and president of the New England Skeptical Society, analyzed the electronic voice phenomenon, or EVP, at WND's request.
"The fatal problem with this entire type of evidence is that there is no way to validate or invalidate the source of sound on a recording. Therefore it has no discriminating value," Novella said. "Personal testimony is not reliable as evidence and is not acceptable scientifically. Choosing to have faith in the persons making the angel-voice claims is no different than just having faith in angels in the first place, so the recordings don't get you anywhere."
Novella discussed some of the specific claims made by Bramlett and others who suggest the source of the sound is supernatural:
"There seems to be no doubt they are angelic voices." They sound like human voices to me. This is just a bold assertion without supporting argument or evidence.
" ... about 25 people gave testimony to hearing the voices. They were all in awe at what had happened." Not uncommon for a congregation of believers sharing a common belief and being swept into an emotional fervor by an experienced preacher. Not exactly dispassionate testimony.
"I have had this tape for several years but I recently found a cleaner version of it on the Internet, preceded by an explanation. I do not know the identity of the narrator." This reminds of the "Jesus in the clouds" picture that keeps cropping up. When the same piece of evidence keeps coming up in different contexts and situations, that strongly suggests fraud. Also, the angels in this recording were playing bass guitar and horn, and at one point broke into a pretty funky beat. It's actually pretty laughable. Also, it was noted that the angel voices were not noticed until the recording was played back, so nothing was heard during the recording. This is a red flag for a recording artifact. The simplest explanation is that the recording was made over a prior recording of a choir singing with accompanying music, and they heard the two recordings superimposed when they played it back.
So, bottom line, these are all worthless as evidence. They are being offered uncritically by people who already believe, are not questioning the angel claims, and who are committing some logical fallacies.
"I think his explanations are nonsense," responded Bramlett.
"Over the years, I have found there are negative skeptics and cynics out there on every subject. It is easy to find them. They are so predictable, and they typically reject anything supernatural. They have to, because to admit it would be tantamount to admitting to a God to whom they are accountable. They cannot permit that. It is as simple as that. Biblically speaking, you could say they are spiritually dead and they think everything must have a natural, material explanation."
The concept of supernatural beings called angels has a strong basis in Scripture. In the King James Version of the Bible, the word "angel" is found 201 times in 192 verses, while "angels" occurs 94 times in 92 verses.
At least two are named – Michael and Gabriel – and the New Testament describes a galactic conflict involving angels at war with each other.
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels (Revelation 12:7)
The Bible also records numerous instances of angels appearing to humans and even having discussions with them.
The angel Gabriel appears to the virgin Mary in 1898's 'The Annunciation' by Pennsylvania artist Henry Ossawa Tanner
The 19th chapter of Genesis indicates two angels helped rescue Lot and his family from the ancient city of Sodom; Luke 1:26 shows the angel Gabriel being dispatched by God to the town of Nazareth to inform Mary she would miraculously become pregnant with Jesus; and Hebrews 13:2 reminds people to "entertain strangers," since some strangers might actually be angels.
Bramlett believes angels are still making appearances in our modern day, and he documents several purported instances on his website.
"Some say that true reality is spiritual, not physical," he said. "The supernatural breaks through [into our dimension], and it's exciting when it does."
Stuff from the 17th century would be even more alien to the original Christians than our stuff would be to people from the 17th century. Belting out Latin to the accompaniment of bizarre musical instruments would be just as strange to them as belting out English to the accompaniment of bizarre musical instruments.
Either way, it's all a matter of taste and collective effervescence. Some people have religious experiences with older hymns, some people with newer hymns, and some people with the Backstreet Boys. God is curiously silent on the matter of "old" hymns vs. "new" hymns. In His infinite mercy, he even allowed the Backstreet Boys to prosper for some time.
No, I'm not condemning the music of any indigenous people.
I didn't mean to imply you were...I was using them as an example of the different types of worship in the world. We all have our own taste in music...but to call one type muck..to me is a condemnation of God's worship. So it isn't your cup of tea...well to be honest I prefer more worshipful music myself. It is my style..the way God made me to worship Him. But I cannot condemn or judge another person's way of worshiping our God. He wired and made them in a different way...they enjoy the loud music...I believe God does too.
God created music....all its forms...I believe His intention was to be worshiped in all forms of music...unfortunately some music (ex. rock n roll) has been perverted by the evil one and twisted to bring him glory....but I also believe God is a jealous God and wants the rock n roll loud music back..he wants it to be used as it was intended..to worship him. So satan stole it for a little while...I see nothing wrong with the church taking back what has been stolen and honoring and worshiping the Lord with it. Satan thinks he owns everything down here...but he doesn't ..God does...and that includes all the drums and basses, cymbals and electric guitars...the Bible talks about a day when the whole earth will worship Him in spirit and in truth...whole meaning ALL.....everything in it...even the rock and roll.
It's too bad your church has so few young people....our is brimming over with them....(I am one of the older generation there...51). Maybe the bigger question would be..why aren't they there? Music is such an important part of the youth scene...it just stands to reason that you can attract them by using something what is attractive to them....you speak their language...missionaries to Russia aren't going to speak to the natives there in spanish...it doesn't make sense....you can't draw a wayward teen with gregorian chants either....makes even less sense. The youth are the future of the church...if we don't attract them now..they will be harder to get later once they are set in their ways.
Missing corporate worship is a sad thing...so much happens during ours that it is hard to miss out on it..and yes we have guitars and drums...Up until a year and a half ago I was a worship leader in our church...taking a break from it for now...but I miss it alot....nothing better than getting caught up in the Spirit and singing songs to him. Maybe you can find another body with a worship team more to your liking...you are missing out on so much when you don't worship with the body.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!
It never said it has to sound good . . .
I believe in Angels too...~P~
I am so grateful to you for posting that link to the movie. I had heard of it but knew nothing about whether it was good or not. The trailer has made me weep. Thank you. I'll be in the theater on February 23.
That would be Hell, to me.
But, listening to "beautiful old hymns" probably would, too, unless they were given a terrific new arrangement like Michael W. Smith's Crown Him with Many Crowns
Maybe as a musician (for which I am one) I can relate better to that line. On the John Tesh "Red Rocks" DVD, he talks about how the song reminds him to keep the praise worship music pure. Not no "make it" his own, but to sing it to the Lord in spirit. I suppose too many musicians are in it for the self rather than for Him.
SO I can see where a congregant would wonder, "What have I made it, and what is it?" Some people turn that line internally as a way of examining their consciences (for we have all sinned.....).
At a recent confirmation service for 120 teenage and adult candidiates our musicians set the tone with bongoes, guitars and a particularly lively snare drum solo. (Barf-o-rama time...) The musicians seek "relevance" while the congregation seeks spiritual renewal.
I have a tortilla with an image of some woman that looks like Ellen DeGeneris.
It don't sing, though.
That's probably a good thing.
No, but we haven't ruled out the possibility that the author is a pinhead.
Don't think I'd be too keen on an Ellen DeGeneris taco. (Shudder)
There is a modern song I love. It's been a long time since we heard it in our church and I don't recall the title, but its chorus is,
There is a Fountain
Who is a King
Victorious Warrior, Creator of all things,
My rock, my shelter, my very own,
Blessed Redeemer Who reigns upon the throne!
It sounds triumphant. I sing it myself around the house.
That's nice; but I prefer:
"There is a fountain, filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains."
It may not suit our modern sensibilities; but Christianity IS about the Blood of Jesus Christ; and many of our modern songs try to keep that fact under wraps, I'm afraid.
I prefer yours as well--I was just remarking that there are some of the new songs that have merit as well.
Shouldn't they be focusing on Spring Training?
I read about Daniel dancing "with all his might" for God and think the music in heaven is going to be unstoppable, better-than-we-can-currently-imagine joyful music, next-level Earth Wind & Fire jams of eternal funky praise.
With that kind of a holier than thou attitude, you might not have to worry about leaving. You may not get there. Won't you feel funny if that's the kind of music played in Heaven? LOL!
I've been to many churches and have listened to it all. It's not about the music. It's about the Worship! The condition of a man's heart. Our love for God. That is what God looks at. :o)
It doesn't have to sound good, but it has to be godly and God-centered, as well as probe the depths of God's character.
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