Another Korihor

Okay, maybe a lot of people here have heard about this already. But it completely blew my mind. You've gotta see it to believe it.

Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, a 60-year-old man from Puerto Rico, is currenly claiming to be Jesus Christ. His early years were spent steeped in heroin addiction and other malingencies. At one point he claimed to be the risen apostle Paul.

Then, according to his story, Christ appeared to him and "merged" with him. Now he is "Christ", come to earth for the second coming. He has created a satellite show and broadcast his message all over the world.

The message? That he is Christ, and that there is no longer any sin. Yeah--you read that right. He is saying that there's no such thing as sin anymore. He preaches that since the Bible clearly states that he died on the cross to take sin away, there is no need of "repentance", and therefore there's no such thing as sin--and in addition, he claims that he is fulfilling the scriptural prophecy that in Christ's second coming sin would be done away with.

Who'd buy this? You'd be surprised--and by how literally. Last year, his "ministry" recieved donations of about $1.4 million dollars--just in the U.S. alone. He uses most of the money on his broadcasting program, but he also spends it on luxurious cars, diamond-studded rings, a Rolex watch, and many other things (probably, in addition, paying his bodyguards). He has millions of followers all around the world who claim that he is indeed "Christ Jesus" and has come back. He tells his many followers to protest against other faiths because of their "lies", even going as far as destroying and burning scriptural canon of other churches. Oh...I forgot to mention...he claims he cannot die. You know, and then people called Joseph Smith mad!

Well, what do you guys think? Yeah, he's obviously another nutcase, but what does this say about the state of affairs in the world? What would one say to one's kids about something like this? It's got Korihor written all over it. If it's not proof of the Book of Mormon and the last days, then I have no idea what else does.

For those who want visual aid, check out this CNN five-minute report and interview, this FOX five-minute interview with a church member, or read this Newsweek two-page article