Quote# 87266
ST. CATHARINES, ONT. — Doris Rosado watches her teenage daughters, Ninette and Kiara Mongrut, get the numbers “666” tattooed on their wrists, beaming with pride. The number typically conjures up biblical symbolism tied to the Antichrist, but this St. Catharines, Ont., family belongs to a obscure Christian sect for which “666” is a positive symbol of their group’s messianic leader.
“They wanted to do it,” Ms. Rosado, 45, said at the St. Catharines tattoo parlour where her daughters were inked. “But now it’s more important because we’re counting down… I’m so proud.”
For this family, and other members of Growing in Grace International, these tattoos are a way of demonstrating their faith as true believers of Jose de Luis de Jesus — who they fervently believe is the second coming of Jesus Christ — before a day of reckoning they believe will wipe out most of humanity.
The group, which they say has branches in five Canadian cities and members in more than 130 countries, believes that on June 30 (or July 1 across the international dateline), their Texas-based leader and his followers will be transformed, said Alex Poessy, the group’s bishop in Canada.
To spread the word, Growing in Grace put up billboards in Toronto this week featuring Mr. de Jesus.
“That day, the body of Jose de Luis de Jesus, who is a human like you and me, his flesh is going to be immortal…. He’s going to be living forever. And that will happen to him, but also his followers.”
But, said Mr. Poessy: “All those that are not believers are going to be destroyed.”
Growing in Grace International is not the first to prognosticate that the so-called end of the world will come this year. The Mayan calendar famously picks Dec. 21, 2012.
But Mr. de Jesus also predicts that the “transformation” will endow him, and his loyal followers, with superpowers, such as the ability to fly and walk through walls, said Axel Cooley, the bishop’s daughter.
“[We can] run and not get tired. Go through fire and not get burned…. I could be talking to you right now, and then I could go through that wall. So, you’ll know there is a difference,” Cooley said.
Alex Poessy / Axel Cooley,
National Post 61 Comments [5/10/2012 3:29:03 AM]
Fundie Index: 61
Submitted By: Grigori Yefimovich
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#1400979
DaMidnighter
I bet July 1st will be a pretty amusing day to be around these people. Lots of banging into walls. For various reasons.
5/10/2012 3:37:11 AM
#1400986
Table Rock
Go ahead and draft your press release now for why nothing happened in July.
5/10/2012 3:48:20 AM
#1400992
Leighton Buzzard
Five bucks says Senor de Jesus is fucking half the women in his cult.
5/10/2012 3:58:00 AM
#1400997
Lizuka
See you on July 2nd, fellas.
5/10/2012 4:10:09 AM
#1401007
Amadaun
Wow. Daring claims.
So I'm getting a sort of low-level Superman crossed with Kitty Pride? I mean, I'd just say Martian Manhunter, but he's allergic to fire, not immune to it.
Those poor young women are going to have a hard time living the rest of their lives normally after sincerely believing this at that age. How do you cope with the disappointment of not getting superpowers?
...the journalist definitely put 'Mr. de Jesus' to be tongue-in-cheek, and it worked.
5/10/2012 4:19:54 AM
#1401019
Tatch
I always wonder what goes through these peoples minds when their predictions NEVER, EVER comes true. And they never fucking stop believing. I mean, How? When they wake up on July 2 without superpowers, how are they going to rationalize that?
"Oh, I DO have powers, I just haven't figured out how to use them yet."
5/10/2012 4:38:08 AM
#1401029
Mister Spak
5/10/2012 5:04:04 AM
#1401031
Brendan Rizzo
At least they aren't American? That's reassuring, I guess. Of course, if they WERE American, half of the Bible Belt would be supporting him. If "Mr. de Jesus" were a US citizen, he'd have no problem getting the Republican nomination.
5/10/2012 5:05:52 AM
#1401032
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Get out of my province!
5/10/2012 5:07:06 AM
#1401040
Draken
@Leighton Buzzard: Nobody fucks with the Jesus!
5/10/2012 5:37:37 AM
#1401045
A White Dude With AIDS
This guy is fucking insane... WTF he's gonna be Nightcrawler?
5/10/2012 5:41:44 AM
#1401046
D Laurier
Oh fuck... We have them here too...
5/10/2012 5:41:54 AM
#1401049
tmarcl
I don't know whether to laugh or cry, really.
5/10/2012 5:43:13 AM
#1401063
Atheissimo
Yeah, all the other cults in the history of ever have been wrong.
But your cult is right, trust me. I've got a good feeling about you guys.
5/10/2012 6:02:27 AM
#1401078
Doubting Thomas
The group ... believes that on June 30 (or July 1 across the international dateline), their Texas-based leader and his followers will be transformed, said Alex Poessy, the group’s bishop in Canada.
To spread the word, Growing in Grace put up billboards in Toronto this week featuring Mr. de Jesus.
Apparently they didn't learn anything from Harold Camping and his followers.
5/10/2012 6:23:44 AM
#1401079
Dr.Shrinker
@ Doubting Thomas
They never do
5/10/2012 6:26:13 AM
#1401114
Horsefeathers
Don't these people ever learn?
5/10/2012 7:23:58 AM
#1401121
gaijinlaw
@Amadaun
How do you cope with the disappointment of not getting superpowers?
One day at a time. *sigh*
5/10/2012 7:41:16 AM
#1401124
John_in_Oz
Somehow..., reminds me of this:
5/10/2012 7:42:36 AM
#1401128
Joe Mama
Yet another wacko cult leader makes bizarre predictions which fail to come true, yet his followers still believe in him, part 2,342,561,256.
5/10/2012 7:46:57 AM
#1401135
Thinking Allowed
Odd, but not fundie in the slightest.
5/10/2012 7:55:38 AM
#1401148
Mayhem
On the plus, side, when the girls realize how batshit insane their parents and cult-leader are, they still have those cool "666" tattoos for when they go to rock concerts.
Also,
"“[We can] run and not get tired. Go through fire and not get burned…."
Meh. All you have to do is complete the Taxi and Fire Engine missions in Vice City for that. They're tedious, but worth it.
5/10/2012 8:25:01 AM
#1401153
Noneofyourbusiness
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Antichrist.
5/10/2012 8:51:34 AM
#1401158
Chris
This is SO METAL.
5/10/2012 9:01:44 AM
#1401161
Berny
Should be a fun Canada Day this year in St. Catherines. Maybe their neighbour would be good enough to post pictures of their reaction when they try to fly and can't achieve lift-off.
5/10/2012 9:07:19 AM
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