Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda was a Puerto Rican preacher who founded a controversial religious movement called Creciendo en Gracia (Growing in Grace) in the late 20th century. He made several controversial claims, including that he was the second coming of Jesus Christ and the Antichrist.
Early Life and Background
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1946. Not much is known about his early life, but reports indicate he grew up in poverty and had a troubled childhood. As a young man in his 20s in New York City, he became involved with heroin addiction and petty crimes. After a heroin overdose, Miranda reported having a spiritual experience that led him to convert to Christianity.
He returned to Puerto Rico and joined an evangelical church, where he became interested in ministering. However, his unconventional views led to expulsion from several churches. This led Miranda to start his own church, originally called Creciendo en Gracia, in 1976.
Teachings and Beliefs
As Creciendo en Gracia grew over the decades, Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda began teaching several highly controversial doctrines that diverged from mainstream Christianity. These included:
– Claiming that he was the second coming of Jesus Christ and the Antichrist. Miranda taught that he was reincarnating Jesus in the flesh. He also claimed to be the Antichrist mentioned in the Bible, sent to undo traditional Christianity.
– Denying the existence of sin and declaring it irrelevant. Miranda rejected the concept of sin and instead taught that once people believed in him, sin no longer mattered.
– Rejecting the Trinity doctrine and disregarding the role of the Holy Spirit. His teachings focused almost exclusively on the role of Jesus Christ.
– Denying the existence of the devil or any evil spiritual forces. Miranda rejected the existence of Satan, demons, and evil spirits as mere superstitions.
– Teaching that there was no obligation to follow the Ten Commandments or any moral laws. Miranda believed his followers were not subject to any moral commandments or obligations.
– Claiming the King James Bible was the Antichrist and only his own Bible interpretations were valid. He published his own version called “The Government of God.”
– Preaching a health and wealth prosperity gospel. Miranda taught that faith in him would bring health, wealth, and prosperity.
– Advocating “baptism in his name” instead of the traditional Trinitarian baptismal formula. His followers would be baptized in the name of Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda instead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
As can be seen, Miranda’s teachings were highly divergent from orthodox Christianity and considered heretical by mainstream Christian denominations. The movement was considered a cult of personality built around Miranda himself.
Ministry and Followers
By the 1990s, Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda had renamed his Puerto Rico-based ministry to Creciendo en Gracia (Growing in Grace) and expanded it into an international movement with followers in the United States, Canada, and various Latin American countries.
Estimates of the group’s members ranged from 200,000 to 2 million worldwide. Most of the followers came from Miranda’s home country of Puerto Rico, as well as Hispanic communities in the US and Latin America.
The group reportedly required loyal followers to mark “666” on their bodies as a sign of allegiance to Miranda, who claimed to be the Antichrist. The “666” branding was considered mandatory to prove devotion to Miranda and his teachings.
Creciendo en Gracia held large gatherings in major venues like university arenas and hotel ballrooms. Miranda would preach fiery, animated sermons to crowds of thousands. These events featured live bands playing upbeat Christian music to work the crowd into an emotional frenzy.
The organization brought in millions of dollars in donations and revenue. Miranda lived lavishly off church funds, owning luxury vehicles, expensive jewelry, and several large properties. He was often flanked by armed bodyguards for protection.
Controversies
As Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda’s ministry grew, it became embroiled in various controversies and media scandals:
– In the late 1990s, Miranda was briefly imprisoned in Miami on charges of domestic violence and resisting arrest. He served about 18 months in jail.
– In 2006, Miranda made international headlines by claiming to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. This event at a large gathering in Miami was covered widely.
– Miranda was criticized for exploiting followers financially by emphasizing tithing and donations to the church. He amassed personal wealth from church revenues.
– Former members spoke out about cult-like practices within Miranda’s group, such as cutoffs from family, mandatory tattoos/brandings, and more. Not all members appeared to be followers willingly.
– In 2008, an inside look by CNN revealed some of the group’s controversial practices and showed Miranda preaching angry, judgmental sermons against traditional Christianity.
– Mainstream Christian apologists published articles and spoke out widely against Miranda’s teachings and controversial claims about being Jesus returned. Some labeled the group an end-times cult led by a false prophet.
Despite the scandals and controversies, Miranda maintained a core group of devoted followers up until his death in 2013. The organization continues on, though in smaller form, under new leadership.
Death
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda died unexpectedly on August 8, 2013 at the age of 66. According to the church, Miranda passed away due to natural causes after succumbing to health issues. However, the exact cause of death was not revealed publicly.
Miranda’s remaining devotees insist he is still alive, and compare reports of his death to those of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. They continue believing Miranda is the second coming of Christ and deny his physical death.
The church continues operating under the leadership of Miranda’s wife, Ana Luisa de Jesus Miranda. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda’s elaborate tomb sits prominently within one of the group’s seminary buildings bearing the “666” symbol.
Analysis and Legacy
In analyzing the life and ministry of Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, a few key points emerge:
– Miranda represents one of the more bizarre and controversial religious figures to emerge in modern Christianity. His proclamation to be the second coming of Jesus gained significant notoriety and media coverage.
– His teachings were unorthodox and divergent from mainstream Christianity, containing many concepts labeled heretical. The movement exhibited many classic signs of being a personality cult.
– Miranda was a charismatic, compelling speaker who amassed a large following among lower income Hispanic communities, though exact membership numbers are disputed.
– Controversial practices like requiring “666” markings and intense focus on donations led to criticism of exploitation and greed, despite Miranda’s teachings about grace and wealth.
– Allegations of fraud, legal issues, family separation, and more point to the church having potentially exploitative and abusive elements, though Miranda maintained loyal followers until his death.
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda lived an unconventional life full of strange contradictions. His claim of being the second coming of Christ ensures his ministry will be remembered as one of the more bizarre footnotes in modern religious history. Though considerably smaller, his movement continues on in his absence.