'666' Preachers Brother Calls Him a Phony

CBS-4, Miami/March 16, 2007
By Eliott Rodriguez

First he called himself Jesus Christ, then he said he was the anti-christ. Now his own brother is calling the controversial head of a South Florida church something else -- a cult leader.

Carlos de Jesus Miranda says his brother, Jose de Jesus Miranda, is a phoney, and that his followers are being brainwashed into tattooing themselves and giving money to a slick salesman, who has become a very wealthy man.

According to most churchgoers, the number 666 represents the "mark of the beast" or the "devils number", but according to preacher Jose de Jesus Miranda, it's his number because he's the anti-christ, even though six months ago he called himself Christ.

De Jesus preaches that there is no devil and no sin, therefore his followers can indulge in all they want.

"He's not a Christian church or a Christian pastor," says Carlos de Jesus Miranda. "He doesn't adhere to any of the fundamentals of the Christian church."

Carlos de Jesus Miranda, Jose's brother, is also a pastor. He told CBS-4's Eliott Rodriguez during a taping of 4 Sunday Morning that Jose is nothing more than a salesman and cult leader with a less than stellar background.

"He was addicted to heroin and the lord saved him and then we all became Christians," said Carlos.

When asked by CBS-4's Eliott Rodriguez if he thinks his brother is a phony, Carlos responded "I would say so."

Carlos spoke out against his brother in hopes that his brothers followers will realize his preaching's only making him rich.

"I told him he knows he is not Christ and he knows he is not the antichrist," said Carlos.

Carlos de Jesus Miranda says that while he disagrees with what his brother is doing, the two are on generally good terms and that he does not consider his brother to be a dangerous person.