Jesus Christ, man

The Cavalier Daily ^ | January 19, 2007 | Andrea Arango

[Alex Murphy]

HE WEARS gold Rolexes and diamond-studded rings. He owns mansions, luxurious cars and, according to his daughter/accountant, received a salary (not counting gifts) of $136,000 in 2005. No, he isn't a highly-paid working man. He's simply Jesus Christ Man.

Jose Luis De Jesús Miranda, a 60-year-old Puerto Rican ex-convict and former heroin addict, has followers in over 20 countries, including the United States. The question isn't why he's doing it -- as De Jesús said in an NBC interview, "Everyone should be rich," -- the question is why are people actually listening to him? The man is leading a cult, one that preys on the most universal and important of beliefs to human beings: religion. It is brainwashing at its most fundamental, but, disguised as religion, his movement is unstoppable.

De Jesús, who preaches that there is no sin, no hell and no devil, diverges greatly from common Christian beliefs and repeatedly states in his sermons that not even the Pope knows the truth like he does.

Jesus Christ Man, however, is far from consistent in his speeches. His teachings, and for that matter, his life, are full of contradictions, beginning surprisingly, with the issue of his own identity. When De Jesús founded Creciendo en Gracia (Growing in Grace) in a Miami warehouse some 20 years ago, he claimed a few hundred followers. As both his movement and reputation grew, so did his title. In 1988, according to the Miami Herald, he announced he was the reincarnation of the Apostle Paul. In 1999, he dubbed himself "the Other," a sort of spiritual demi-god who would pave the way for Christ's second coming. It wasn't until 2004 when he proclaimed himself to be Jesus Christ and the sole interpreter of the gospel.

[Responsibility2nd]

Nice. I kept reading this article looking for a reference to huge stockpiles of weapons.

And Kool-aid. Lots of Kool-aid.

[bremenboy]

And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.