vc318

I heard this on my local news today and I had to post it here:

The Man Who Claims To Be Jesus
Followers Claim Doral Man is God On Earth
Jose Luis deJesus Claims There Is No Heaven, No Hell
Followers Believe All Other Religions Must Be Destroyed
Image

Ileana Varela
Reporting

(CBS4 News) DORAL: His name is Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda; his followers call him everything from apostle to Dad, or simply Jesus Christ Man. De Jesus Miranda himself believes he's the living incarnation of Jesus Christ Man, the second coming of Christ.A follower of his believes He is God, he is God. She also lavishes him with money and gifts. "I don't have one Rolex, de Jesus Miranda said, I have 3 because they want to give it to me. It's like that woman that came to Jesus with the expensive perfume and put it on his feet. He didn�t reject it, so when someone gives me a watch or a gift, I receive it. I like them too, they're nice." This self-proclaimed Son of God is a 60 year old former heroin addict and convict. The divorced father of 4 was born in Puerto Rico and now lives in South Florida with his second wife. From a warehouse in Doral, near Miami, he presides over the "Creciendo en Gracia" or Growing in Grace Ministry which he also calls God's Government On Earth. As any other head of state, he is protected by a security detail that mimics the U.S. Secret Service. In an interview with the self-proclaimed Messiah, CBS4's Ileana Varela asked de Jesus if he was able to do some of the things Jesus Christ did like performing miracles, healing the sick and walking on water. De Jesus said not necessarily. "My life is my church and what I'm doing worldwide, he said. What De Jesus is doing at more than 300 centers in Central and South America, Cuba and the U.S. is preaching a message of "freedom to indulge" because according to this modern messiah, there is no sin, no devil and no hell to pay. De Jesus says, "It doesn't exist. The devil was destroyed two thousand years ago."It is music to the ears of his followers, mostly Hispanic men and women who believe they are God's chosen people, predestined for salvation no matter what they do on earth. They also believe all other faiths are false and must be destroyed, from Catholics to Baptists and Jehovah's witnesses. His followers have organized marches at which they destroy religious books and symbols. They also have a campaign aimed at disrupting other religious gatherings, sometimes with violent consequences.
What disturbs me is that he fits into the typical mold of a cult leader, total complete submission to his authority," FIU Religion professor, Daniel Alvarez said. Alvarez has a Masters Degree in Theology from Harvard Divinity School, and is among those who fear "Creciendo en Gracia" has the makings of a destructive cult."He destroyed my family," said former member Regina Albarracin, who left the church about 5 years ago. Her husband soon followed but their son Alvaro remained to become one of the ministry's biggest financial backers, donating more than $1 million to the church. Alvaro is not alone; many others have set up businesses in de Jesus' name that pour cash into the ministry.
"I know were going to be running the whole world," de Jesus said. A web entrepreneur and self made millionaire, Alvaro Albarracin left his wife and children for the man he calls Jesus. He has since remarried to another church member and rarely speaks to his parents who insist he's been brainwashed by the man "they" certainly don't call Jesus. His mother, Regina Albarracin said, "You think he's Jesus Christ? No he's the devil. You think he's the devil? Yes that's him." Regina Albarracin is afraid for her son's soul, and Professor Alvarez says she should be. Most of these movements, he says, self destruct sooner or later."Lots of broken lives, lot of spiritual and emotional and psychological debris that will be strew on the path of the gentleman," Alvarez said, "and the fallout will be inestimable for the lives of these people who get caught up in this kind of movement. Unfazed by the criticism, de Jesus continues to plan for the role he believes he is destined to play on the world's stage. "I will be president of the biggest government that this earth has experienced," promised de Jesus.


I'm pretty sure I'm asking for it by starting this thread but it just really irked me. What do you guys think about it?

Lain

For the record, you shouldn't have thrown the remote at your TV. You should've tossed your TV out the window. I'm pretty sure you can afford a new TV and a window

But anywho, we have a lot of people that proclaim to be the savior. There are articles about this sort of thing all right...Sun, Globe, and Weekly World News

vc318

Hi angel! My dear, sweet co-mod! No, I didn't throw my remote control at the t.v. - I was just thinking about it! I had to laugh when this guy mentioned he owned 3 Rolex's and a BMW. Sure, I can imagine Jesus really walking around ghetto-fabulous here on Earth.

Lain

Yes...fancy meeting you at the News board

The article reminds me of Joan of Arcadia for some odd reason. You know, Jesus appearing in many different kinds of forms?

quaist

Well, when Jesus lived, nobody believed his story either...

...but this man rather sounds like a brainwasher than Jesus. Jesus wouldn't have worn a rolex, he was simply dressed and moderate. He wouldn't accept his followers destroying their families. Also he wouldn't disagree with the bible.

Lain

^ ^ It could be, huh? Who knows. It might turn out to be just as how Jim Jones has done it

quaist

You mean the mass suicide? I hope not!

Then it would be totally proven that it wasn't Jesus...

The frightening thing about such stories is that those cult leaders have too much might and authority over their "followers".

Lain

Yes, Jim Jones was the one responsible for the mass suicide with the Koolaid

vc318

Some still don't.


I definitely agree. This man is sick and has alot of nerve to be walking around claiming he's Jesus. The real Jesus doesn't go around around destroying families and accepting wealthy gifts. Just as you said, he was simple and moderate. He was (and is) a king and lived amongst the poor. I don't recall anyone carrying him around on a golden calf and such. He even washed the feets of his disciples just to show us that if he - Jesus Christ - can do something that vile then why can't we lay our lives down to helping others in the same way, you know? Some nerve. Seriously.

MickeyJr3000

Crazy man. It's sad that people actually believe him. What "Jesus" reincarnation would say everything that Jesus DIDN'T say in his teachings 2000 years ago?

And of COURSE, he must be Jesus if his name has de Jesus in it

Lain

Actually, especially in South America, Jesus (pronunced hey-soos) is actually a common name. I think.,..

S.A.S.H.A.

He seemed a great man, but I wouldn't have believed his story, either.

It is in any Spanish-speaking country in North & South America, and of course in Spain. I loathe how it's pronounced hey-ZEUS in English, though. heh-SOOS, people!

Sasha

Lain

Call upon the Greek God Thanks for the head's up.

Moderate Bill

Is that such a bad thing? What's wrong with other faiths that don't worship Jesus? How would you react if I said to you "If only you worshipped the Buddah" or "It's a shame that you don't follow the teachings of Mohammed." Wouldn't you be insulted? I would be implying that your faith was inferior or just plain wrong.

I know you're strong in your faith, but that doesn't make it a fundamental truth. I can't think of a single religion that's more valid than any other.

As for disagreeing with the Bible, I think he just might. Let's think of the historical Jesus that may/may not have existed and may/may not have been divine. Here's a couple of points off the top of my head:

1) he was a radical Jewish rabbi. He already disagreed with certain long-held traditions, and wasn't happy with religious institutions that had become corrupt. What do you think he'd have to say about some of the atrocities that people called Christians have done in his name? Or groups like Jews for Jesus? Jesus argued that most of the 10 commandments were obselete. He claimed that there were only 2: "love thy neighbour" and "Love god above all others". The other commandments fell into either category, making them redundant. He didn't mention any clauses or subsections; just Love. When I see someone waving a Leviticus sign -- usually accompanied by a derogatory word -- I don't see any love. i don't think he'd be none too happy with the way things worked out.

2) Most of the gospels were written down after a few hundred years of oral history. Some new testament stories have been judged to be fictional by theologists (example: "let he who is without sin..." is thought to be a fabrication.) Perhaps he'd take one look at the new testament and gawk at some of the things that people have claimed he said/stood for.

No religion has been flowers and unicorn kisses over the years, no matter how much tolerance they claim to preach.

As for this manipulative fellow, he's simply taking advantage of people who are desperate for something to believe in. We all are. Look at the Scientologists.

MickeyJr3000

Thanks for clearing that up for me, I didn't know the name Jesus was really popular these days. Mind you, Jesus's Hebrew name, "Yeshu" is probably common to. Okay, maybe I haven't seen it but it is short-form for "Yeshuah" which is Joshua in English.

As for believing in Jesus's story, well, I say it is understandable that some do not believe his story, even though there are a lot of people, millions of people who do believe. As Bill said, there are a lot of challenges one can use against the texts, the gospels and the overall belief system that is the foundation of Christianity and Catholicism.

And the same goes for many religious texts-of any religion...you can 'find' fault in their foundation...because you obviously believe your own system and inherently choose to find fault in others to reassure yourself you are on the right path to your own search for spiritual meaning.

Anyway, that said, this guy is still a cult leader. I think in this point in time, anyway, the basic religions of the world are already set up, have their own grounded foundations in history, culture, and religious text, and there's not much room for new "G-d's" or religions. New 'movements' these days are focused less on a higher being since secularism is on the rise...we idolize human beings as human beings...

Anyway, those are my thoughts. No point in someone coming and claiming 'I am G-d". Besides, in like, most to every movement I can think of, the person who ended up being idolized was not seeking such attention in the first place. Jesus was preaching his ideologies of life...he wasn't going around saying "I am G-d" or "G-d is my literal, biological father". That guy who started buddhism, I believe he was there to preach a new way of living, a way to help people. I doubt he expected statues of himself all over the place, yet here we are. Most of the time, and correct me if I'm wrong, a person who ends up being the religious figure of a religion does not seek to be worshipped, to be given presents of rolex watches. They are going around, preaching their message to the people, of how to be better people, of how to be spiritual, of how to be good and not sin. More of a 'power to the people' approach...more of a teacher, not a G-d figure. It is usually the PEOPLE, the FOLLOWERS, who put the leader on the pedestal.

In every story I have heard, of someone saying "I am G-d," or "I am Jesus reincarnated," "I am the Messiah," it was a hoax.

And this guy claiming he wants to be president of the entire world? He's seeking power. Control. Not exactly what any religious leaders I know were aiming for.