José Luis De Jesus Miranda. He's Puerto Rican. He's 59. He pastors and leads a "global ministry" with world headquarters in a Miami warehouse. He runs a massage parlor and a Brazilian restaurant at Dolphin Mall. His ministry boasts a 24 hour spanish language satelitte channel, 300 congregations, and 32 education centers. And, he also happens to be God. What?!!?!?
The people following this dude must be smoking crack. This Jesus Christ wannabe has cast aside his white horse in favor of an armored 7 series BMW. Rather than chilling with his twelve disciple, Miami Herald says, he is surrounded by bullet-proof vest wearing bouncers.
Apparently, his revelation that he is Jesus Cristo did not happen all at once. In 1988, he claimed to be the reincarnated Apostle Paul. In the 90's, he announced that he was the "Other," some kind of super-spiritual being. And, for the past several years, he has announced himself as God. Miranda says he does "not need to go into a prayer room to pray," afterall he says, "who am I going to pray to?"
The people that answer the phones at Creciendo en Gracia seem nice and well meaning as they will repeat the standard cultish mantras regarding the deity of Miranda. According to the Miami New Times article, his people "pump their fists in the air and chant, "Dad-dy, Dad-dy" as De Jesus ambles onto the stage."
So, what are the benefits of following this Puerto Rican Jesus?! Sin is abolished. You are free to live however you like. I guess that's an atractive religous dogma to espouse. I could write and laugh (have already done plenty of laughing) all day. But, I'll spare you all. I just had to share a little bit of lunacy from my part of the world. Now, hopefully, I won't attract any protests by their goon squads that have recently been deployed to disrupt church gatherings in the area.

Technorati Tags: Miranda - Cults - Creciendo en Gracia - Growing in Grace - Miami Herald - Miami New Times
Related aricle:
Why Apostle Jose Luis De Jesús Miranda can't be Jesus Christ
Miami: Meet the Brown Jesus
Recent Comments