Introduction
Throughout history, there have been fake people who said they were gods, whether they were lying, trying to get power, or were deluded. Followers have been drawn to these so-called gods, they have caused trouble, and they have left their mark on history. Let’s look at the lives of 10 fake people who said they were god.
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Fake People Claimed to be God
1. Jim Jones
In 1978, a lot of people in the religious cult known as the Peoples Temple killed themselves, which was started by Jim Jones. Jones told his followers he was the Messiah and forced them to be devoted to him, which led more than 900 of them to their deaths.
2. David Koresh
David Koresh, whose real name was Vernon Wayne Howell, was the leader of the Branch Davidians. These people thought that Koresh was the last prophet. Koresh’s end-of-the-world teachings and a standoff with police in Waco, Texas, led to a violent siege in 1993, in which many of his followers died.
3. Sun Myung Moon
To start the Unification Church, also called the Moonies, Sun Myung Moon said he was the second coming of Christ. Moon’s teachings and large following caused a lot of debate and scrutiny, but he stuck to his claims that he was divine until his death in 2012.
4. Marshall Applewhite
Marshall Applewhite helped to start the Heaven’s Gate cult, which believed that UFOs could bring people salvation from other worlds. Applewhite persuaded his followers that he was an alien, and in 1997, he led a large group of them to kill themselves in order to reach a higher level of existence.
5. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
The founder of the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who said he was the Messiah that was promised in many religious texts. Ahmad’s claims caused a lot of trouble in the Muslim community and led to the creation of a new religious group.
6. Alan John Miller
The sixth person is Alan John Miller, who goes by the name AJ Miller and says he is Jesus Christ reborn. He is in charge of the Divine Truth movement in Australia. Miller’s followers think he is divine and follow what he says about love, spirituality, and changing yourself.
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7. Yahweh Ben Yahweh
Aulon Mitchell Jr., who went by the name Yahweh Ben Yahweh, started the racist religious group Nation of Yahweh. Yahweh said he was the son of God and told his followers to worship him as the Messiah. Yahweh was locked up in the 1990s because of the group’s illegal activities.
8. Claude Vorilhon
Claude Vorilhon, better known as Rael, started the Raelian movement, which thinks that aliens created humans. It is said that Vorilhon has met these beings and that he is their representative on Earth.
9. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, who went by the name “Jesus Christ Man,” said he was both Jesus Christ and the Antichrist in a new body. Before he died in 2013, Miranda built up a large following and started the Growing in Grace International Ministry.
10. Guru Maharaj Ji (Prem Rawat)
People became aware of Guru Maharaj Ji, whose real name was Prem Rawat, in the 1970s as a spiritual leader who said he was the “Perfect Master.” People who were looking for spiritual enlightenment were drawn to Rawat’s teachings, which were mostly about inner peace and self-realization.
From end-of-the-world cults to new religious movements, these people represent a wide range of beliefs and movements. Their claims of being gods have caused a lot of trouble and tragedy, but they are also good examples of how dangerous blind faith and manipulation can be.
Conclusion
These 10 fake people’s stories about how they said they were god show how complicated beliefs are and how power works in religious movements. Some people might think these people are crazy or dishonest, but their effect on their followers and on society as a whole can’t be ignored.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Did any of these self-proclaimed gods have a significant following?
- Yes, many of them amassed large followings, ranging from hundreds to thousands of devoted followers.
- What motivated these individuals to claim they are divine beings?
- Motivations varied, but common factors include a desire for power, influence, and control over others.
- Were there any legal repercussions for these individuals?
- Some faced legal challenges, such as criminal charges for fraud, abuse, or other offenses related to their leadership of religious movements.
