His birth name is Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, but he claims to have had God come to him in a dream and tell him that he is Jesus the man. But if he is Jesus man has he changed since the last trip. Many of his followers lavish him with gifts and money.
“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.”
There are further hints that perhaps this man is nothing more than… well a really self absorbed… man. The 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.
His radical ideas closely follow another biblical character. With his promise to be “president of the biggest government that this earth has experienced” many of his followers have received the tattoo 666 on their bodies.
Naturally De jesus Miranda suspects that there are those out to do him harm, which is why, as any other head of state, he is protected by a security detail that mimics the U.S. Secret Service. Didn’t Jesus raise from the dead before? If this man was Jesus wouldn’t he be able to do it again?
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.”
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.
Yet not everyone is lining up for De jesus’ autograph. Not everyone is a fan of the movement. “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.
The New Jesus’ Vices:
Hard Liquor (”Jesus drank wine because he didn’t have Dewar’s,” De jesus defends)
Surrounds himself with beautiful women despite being married
Has several $11,000 Rolexes
Drives a BMW
$130,000 a year salary but gets gifts in sums larger than 1 million every year.
His new watch costs nearly what he makes without gifts in a year.
He claimed in 1998 to be Paul reincarnate but soon switched it over to be the man Jesus.
But still what are his radical teachings that make him so popular. De Jesus teaches that the Devil has been destroyed, and that Hell does not exist. Nevertheless, he claims there are two classes of people: those who reject his message and are therefore predestined, and those who accept his word as true. The latter are saved and cannot lose their salvation. Hence they are allowed to indulge in sin.
They claim the name of God and say they follow the bible as the source but the revelations made to De Jesus to guide them. I really wish I was making this up but it is real and his movement is real. I want to make fun of it because it is so transparently false but people are actually falling for this. It is sad above all things.
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