Man Presumed Dead Who Claimed to Be 'Immortal Jesus Christ' Resurfaces With Video Denying Death Rumors
The leader of the 666 cult movement Growing in Grace, and self-proclaimed Jesus Christ, Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, appeared in a video released last week to clarify rumors about his death that spread throughout the Internet last month when his ex-wife confirmed his passing through a video, alleging that he had died from cancer in a Texas hospital.
Miranda, who also claims to be immortal and the antichrist, is known for demanding his followers to get "666" tattooed on their hands as a sign that they believe in him.
According to his ex-wife, Josefina Torres, Miranda died from liver cirrhosis on Aug. 8, and in her video, which has since been taken down, she said to have been informed of his death through former members of Miranda's church.
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"I feel better than ever, healthier than ever, I feel perfectly fine," Miranda said in his video, which was recorded in Texas. "People began to talk about my death like irrational animals all the way from Spain to Central and South America, to other parts of the world."
At the time of his ex-wife's revealed confession, Miranda did not make a public appearance to debunk her allegations, but instead his Florida-based church, Growing in Grace, rejected the news on his behalf.
Furthermore, a church leader addressed the international media during a service gathering to inform the public that Miranda was still alive while encouraging the audience to continue believing the Bible, which speaks the "truth" about Miranda, according to his followers.
During Miranda's video, he also took several jabs at the media, calling all news outlets who "gave into the rumors," irresponsible.
"Many wept and many laughed at the news. But that's no surprise because the media does this just to get a few cents and ratings," Miranda said.
However, Torres alleged that his church was keeping mum about his passing because her ex-husband's cult movement is a "business" that she claimed makes a profit from "naive followers."
"They're keeping shut because they want to continue fabricating lies while taking pieces of the Bible to impart their false doctrine onto their followers since they make money off of them," Torres said. "They're just afraid to be embarrassed by admitting his death because the 'great transformation' that they preach about is false."
The great transformation, according to Miranda, is a belief based on his teachings that declare that at some point, he will become immortal along with his followers and as a result, they "shall not see death."
During his video, Miranda also threatens the media, saying that "lawyers are ready" to take legal action while assuring that "all I have to do is push a button." In addition, he also emphasized that "he is not seeking monetary gain," as Torres had claimed.
"You all have made fun of me and this cannot pass without being correct," Miranda said, in his direct address to the media. "So if you participated in this, get ready to make excuses. In fact, we don't need an apology from you because we are forgiving because we understand that you are made of trash, dirt and a material that won't inherit the kingdom of heaven but, you will have to pay for this."
He also assured that he is still Jesus Christ in the form of a physical man.
"I am not a false Christ as many say, I am 100 percent because the scriptures talks about me that I am. In fact, the ones who affirm who I am is the church, which is the maximum authority. They found out who I was although I tried to initially hide it."
The video ends with him making repetitive threats to the media while blessing his followers who have been faithful to his beliefs.
Miranda, who has an international following, mostly in Latin American countries, claimed his conversion in which he became Jesus Christ and the antichrist occurred in 1973 when two angels descended upon him and suddenly transformed his body and mind.
