The Right to Remain Silent

That's the right that should be exercised by this J. d. J. Miranda character. Nuts like these are great at getting publicity. I guess I'm giving him a little more, but I can't help it, I'm a sucker for kookiness.

A former heroin addict who was briefly imprisoned as a youth in his native Puerto Rico, Miranda, 60, talks openly in a video on his website about how he loved cocaine and dreamed of working in a Colombian drug lab.

He has the number 666 identifying the Antichrist tattooed on his arm but says he is Jesus Christ reborn on earth, arguing Saint Paul's teachings show this is what Antichrist means.

He says other priests are "faggots", and makes fun of Holy Week customs in Latin America, calling heavy statues of Jesus that Catholics parade though streets "little dolls".

The story reminds me forcibly of Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood in which a deranged man named Hazel Motes starts a church called "The Church of Christ Without Christ". It just shows how unimportant sound theology or even non-contradiction is for the ol' cult of personality business model. Viz:

In one video, the leader of the Growing in Grace church, sporting slicked hair, tailored suits and gold chains, rolls up his sleeves to reveal the number 666 tattooed on his forearm.

Hundreds of followers have now tattooed themselves with the number saying it is a symbol of love and not the sign of Satan. They say there is no devil, no hell and no such thing as sin.

The ministry has no formal membership system, but church representatives say his television audience numbers in the millions, bringing multimillion-dollar donations.

Some of his more generous followers have given him businesses, luxury cars, jewels and opulent houses in Houston and Miami Beach.

The "no sin, no hell" thing does represent great short-term marketing. I seem to remember that financial support for the original Christ didn't include large property deeds or businesses, but He reportedly didn't wear pants either. Hopefully Miranda's next stunt will be to attempt death and resurrection. We wish him to be at least partially successful in that endeavor.