Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?

Miss Faith, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Mar 19, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Over the years there have been many claims by many men to be the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The waters have been fairly calm, until recently when a Reverend in Miami has decided to stake this claim. The Rev. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda preaches to the Growing in Grace Ministry in Miami, Florida. He boasts to having approximately 100,000 flock member in the United States and Latin America.

According to the Associated Press, the good Reverend also has 335 education centers, 200 pastors, 287 radio programs, and a 24-hour Spanish language TV network that reaches approximately 2-million homes.

"I am the Second Coming of Christ, that messiah they've been waiting for," de Jesus has said.

Just last month, the Reverend was in the news when some of the parishioners in Miami, Florida decided to go to a local tattoo parlor and brand themselves with a '666". Normally, the symbol of "666" is seen in the Book of Revelation as the sign of the Antichrist. However, the Reverend and his followers have adopted the set of numbers as their connection to a "new gospel". This new gospel is supposedly one without Satan or sin.

The Reverend had recently preached on the subject of the Antichrist stating the all Growing in Grace members are Antichrists since they "reject mainstream Christianity's lies and promotion of guilt".

The good Reverend, who is a former heroin addict, displays expensive jewelry, clothing, and cars while some of the members of the church give up to half of their earning to "Jesus". Most of the members of his flock are Hispanic and some think the Reverend is using his heritage to take advantage of these people.

So how does something like this happen? "People are credulous," said the Rev. Lowell Streiker, a California-based United Church of Christ minister.

Streiker, who has counseled cult members and their families, has also counseled former member of the People's Temple. They were a famous church in 1978 that was comprised of numerous members and lead by the Reverend Jim Jones. Jones, who was big into drugs, performed a mass murder/suicide in South America in 78, thus claiming the lives of approximately 900 parishioners.

Normally, those that claim they are Christ tend to be very confident and charismatic, and also know their Bible verses of Christ's second coming inside and out. They use this information to get people to see them as somewhat of a prophetic figure. They also tend to speak of divine inspiration such as in De Jesus' case where he has said he has been visited by both Jesus and angels.

Most people that follow a cult come to believe the information given by the Reverend because the message he is giving is constant. They tend to make such fantastic claims and then spin it to where these fantasies seem to be more of a reality. Streiker has stated that some of these members tend to be "disillusioned with their former churches", mostly because "the hypocrisy they see in leaders who preach morality, then sleep with the church organist or steal from the offering plate."

The church that is headed by De Jesus also has a website which prominently shows a picture of the good Reverend and his rather large diamond and gold ring, watch, and expensive suit. He hosts a live webcast on Wednesdays and has also been featured on local and national news agencies.

*Sources*

-The Columbus Dispatch Online. URL: http://columbusdispatch.com/news/religion/faith-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/03/16/20070316-C2-00.html . Jesse Leavenworth, the Hartford Courant. (2007 Mar16).

-Growing in Grace Website. URL: http://www.cegenglish.com/ .

Published by Miss Faith

Miss Faith is a full time student and she is currently working with About.com as the Guide to Makeup. She has finished her Bachelor's Degree in Intelligence Studies, as well as an Associate's Degree in CIS/N... View profile

Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?

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