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I read a recent article on the Herald News about a nun named Julie Vieira; and she blogs daily about her beliefs, life, and politics (much like this blog but I don’t blog daily).
The Herald News asked her a question that I really thought was very powerful and I would like to share with you.
“Q: Is it difficult to write about the war in Iraq when you have a religious president who says he is guided by a higher power?
People have always used religion as a way to justify their action and to justify their vision. Personally, to me, it bothers me in the sense that it kind of gives God a bad name. For those of us that think war in Iraq isn’t a good thing, to somehow baptize it by saying it’s part of God’s plan, does not make me feel good…”
For my view on the president, it’s very hard for me to believe that Bush says to himself, “W.W.J.D.?” – its more like “W.W.G.W.B.D.?” Someone who is truly guided by the Holy Spirit would not lie to his people; only someone who is guided solely on politics would. The more time passes by our eyes, I think we can come to realize new meanings in what the Bible says; for this subject matter, Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “Not Everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…”
Some time ago I was very curious about the recent news on Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda. So I checked in youtube.com (because it has such a wide variety of videos) and I finally saw a CNN report of this man claiming that he was the second coming of Jesus Christ. I’m a doubter about the whole thing, because the Bible says in Acts 1:11, “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” The Bible clearly says in Matthew 24:30 that Jesus will come back from heaven by a cloud and call his chosen people right away, so that they will not endure the sufferings of the last days.
Many cult believers might respond to me saying, “oh, but Jesus went to earth in flesh and will come back in flesh as a child and a new creature, because Jesus spoke in parables” Once again people misinterpret the timing and place when and where Jesus spoke a parable. Jesus spoke in parables to his disciples and along with all the other people (in the temples or outside the temples) who were curious what Jesus had to say; but when Jesus spoke to his disciples he didn’t want to hide the knowledge from them, he would say, “I tell you the truth…” In Matthew 24:35, Jesus explains the signs of the end of age to his disciples and he said in verse 2, “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Throughout the whole chapter, Jesus spoke to his disciples not in parables; he made his message clear about the signs of the end of age by saying, “I tell you the truth…”
CNN video “Greater than Jesus”
FOX News
Pretty scary huh? This so called “Jesus” made me so mad! So in return, I’m going to lay out all his statements and respond to it.
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda said the following statements • “I can’t die” • “The true gospel is found in the letters of Paul” • “I am Man Christ Jesus” • “We don’t believe in sin, we don’t believe in the devil, we don’t believe in that such a place like hell” • The commandments of God are, “Only good for the society but not for the kingdom of God” • “He said, ‘I will appear for the second time without relationship to sin.’ I do greater things than Jesus of Nazareth.” • When his followers get wild he said, “Sometimes it gets out of hand because of the other people….they get wild, not us.”
Now it’s my turn • If Miranda can not die even if someone tried to kill him, why does he have nine bodyguards? • Now he said the truth is found in the letters of Paul. So why does he cite other gospels, verses, and letters if according to him, these gospels are false? I will further explain in the other bullets. • “I am Man Christ Jesus.” Well the real Jesus says in Matthew 24:23 “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.” Now, Miranda might say to me, “But those gospels are not true; only the letters of Paul.” Okay then, I will play by your rules. • “We don’t believe in sin, we don’t believe in the devil, we don’t believe in that such a place like hell.” This is a very easy statement to tackle, and I will do it in Paul’s letters. 1. Sin - Galatians 5:16 “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 2. Devil – Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s scheme.” 3. Hell – Honestly, there isn’t a verse that has the word “hell” in Paul’s letters, but if he believed in a devil, then he must have believed that the devil belongs in a place. Also, I will use Galatians 5:16 again, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious… I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” If these people do not live according to God’s rule, then where will they go? • Now if the commandments of God are only good for the society, and not for the people of God, then why do Paul and every other apostles stress the issue to have faith and good deeds? Romans 6:13, “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” • “I will appear for the second time without relationship to sin. I do greater things than Jesus of Nazareth.” You are the second coming Christ? Give us a break! The scriptures say that he will come down from heaven. You are greater than Jesus? For it is written in John 13:16, “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” Jesus never said he was greater than his Father, even when they were one in the same. Miranda said that he is greater than Jesus – this is not Christ-like. If Miranda had revelations from Jesus that he was unified with him, he wouldn’t say that he was greater than his master. Also, in Romans 5:6, Paul says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, nothing is greater than the love and sacrifice that Jesus did for us upon that cross. For his blood brought light into our souls and thus we can be free and live joyfully in Christ Jesus. • When his followers become violent, he said, “Sometimes it gets out of hand because of the other people….they get wild, not us.” No matter which side has the fault, true children of God will not persecute people in violent matters, or any other matter that will offend God.
“Destructive religious cults are about fear, about control, about deception, about manipulation, and about making the leader wealthy and not about serving the down toddle and the poor” says cult expert Steve Hassan. It is truly amazing how someone can proclaim themselves God or a prophet and gain so many follows in an instant. I take the example of the recent news, Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, because he has truly mastered the art of twisting scriptures so that the teachings he has proclaim to be true may blind many people in believing he is Jesus.
About 100,000 believers would just about give anything to this man; for example, businesses, all their earnings, their houses, and the most valuable of all - their heart, mind, and strength. They ask you to give up everything you cherish such as you’re family, and friends; because of this outcome families have divided amongst each other. There has been many testimonies of how wives have lost their husbands, husbands losing their wives, children going against their parents, and friendships being broken into pieces; it has damaged everyone who has been involved in these cults.
Instead of preaching love, cult groups preach separation amongst themselves and falsehood.
On Feb.18th Sunday morning, my brother in Christ Juan Carlos told me that Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda influenced the Growing in Grace congregation to get a tattoo - number of the beast “666.” I was shocked...
Miranda preaches that he is the Antichrist
CNN video "666"
The videos are self-explanatory, and may God have mercy on them. How far will one man go to deceive so many people?
You see, many cult groups claim to have the absolute truth. The biggest mistake that anyone can do is to accept what they say and not researching or questioning these cult groups or any other faith before accepting the faith as “truth”. The world continues to fall into scams; a constant repetition of different doctrines to allure believers and unbelievers to deception and leaving them disappointed in the end. The world will repeat this cycle if they lack the knowledge of scriptures and history. But one can avoid deception and falsehood if one stop and think about it – very simple. As the philosopher Socrates said, “the unexamined life in not worth living.” In better words for this subject matter, the unexamined history and scripture interpretations are not worth following.
Just to add, Romans 6:15 says, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!”
For my view on the president, it’s very hard for me to believe that Bush says to himself, “W.W.J.D.?” – its more like “W.W.G.W.B.D.?” Someone who is truly guided by the Holy Spirit would not lie to his people; only someone who is guided solely on politics would. The more time passes by our eyes, I think we can come to realize new meanings in what the Bible says; for this subject matter, Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “Not Everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…” 