Divine Truth

Divine Truth

Alan John Miller and Mary Luck presenting a Divine Truth seminar in 2013
Region Australia
Founder Alan John Miller (known as "Jesus")
Origin 2007
Wilkesdale, Queensland, Australia
Official website www.divinetruth.com

Divine Truth is a spiritual or new religious movement [1] based in Australia. The church[2] was started in 2007 by spiritual teacher Alan John Miller, also known as A.J., who claims to be Jesus of Nazareth through reincarnation. Miller formerly was an elder in the Jehovah's Witnesses and ran a computer business.

In 2007, Miller purchased a 16 hectare property at Wilkesdale, Queensland, Australia. In 2009, Divine Truth followers purchased another 240ha property with plans to build "learning centres" and a visiting centre for international visitors. It is estimated that up to 40 more followers have since moved to Wilkesdale which is located near Kingaroy.[3][4]

Miller's spiritualist teachings about Divine Love, Divine Truth, Spiritual Spheres, The Hells, and the Law of Attraction appear earlier from James E Padgett (1852-1923),[5][6][7][8] and the prayer for divine love on Miller's website appeared in Padgett's writings in 1916.[9][10] However, a Padgett website has posted numerous objections in denial of Miller's claim to be Jesus, and some of his teachings.[11]

Leadership

Miller, the spiritual leader of Divine Truth, claims to have realized he was Jesus Christ over a one-week period. Miller claims to remember nearly everything that has happened over the past 2000 years, including his crucifixion. When questioned about whether he could speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, he said, "It can be spoken. Not now I can't."[12] Miller goes on to say that he has met Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Gandhi, Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the afterlife. In a seven-minute interview which aired on A Current Affair, Miller went on to claim Divine Truth as God's truth and as the "absolute truth of the universe".[13]

Miller has stated that he does not know all truth and that no one but God knows all truth.

His partner, Mary Suzanne Luck, claims to know she is the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene,[3] although she had no knowledge of her 1st-century self before meeting Miller.

On the British magazine-programme This Morning on 15 July 2015 Miller claimed that in the 1st century as Jesus he was in a state of "at-one-ment" with God and thus God could perform miracles through him; in his present "incarnation" he is not yet at that stage of development and thus cannot perform miracles. He only became at one with God at the age of 31 in the first century. In his present (2015) "incarnation" he only started accepting he was Jesus at the age of 40 (although he said he has had memories of being Jesus since he was 2).[14]

When asked by Eamonn Holmes what his message to the world is Miller responded that there are two forms of love, the love that flows from the individual to another (natural love) and then there is God's Love (Divine Love). God's love can enter a person and has the power to transform a person. Miller stated that he encourages people to engage this process by asking God for His love and then to notice the changes that will occur once a person receives this love and their ability to share this love with others. Miller claims he communicates with God not through words but that God communicates through Her Love and this is how he also discovers God's Truth, a process open to all people, all God's children. [14]

Earth changes prediction

Miller has expressed the opinion that at some time in the future, perhaps as early as 2012, a series of Earth changes could occur, potentially resulting in Australia's east and west coasts being wiped out.

Miller also stated in 2011:

There's the movie 2012 right? Everyone I suggest you see it, everyone. A lot of the events portrayed in the movie are kind of similar to the events that will be occurring.[15]

Accusations of cultism

Alan John Miller denies allegations of cult-like behavior on his website and YouTube FAQ channel, saying he does not desire worship, power or control over people, which is what cults do, according to his definitions.[16] He is quoted as saying: "Just because I am saying I am Jesus, doesn't automatically make me a cult leader."[17] However, Helen Pomery, spokeswoman for the Cult Awareness and Information Centre said, "The moment someone becomes God or God's voice on Earth, it gives them another level of authority to enforce submission to them."[3]

It should be noted, however, that Mr Miller does not claim that he is God, or God's voice on Earth. He consistently states that he is just another human, equal to all other humans in God's eyes.[18]

Miller refutes these allegations, stating that many people doubted Jesus the first time around: "All we do is present seminars and answer people's questions. I still for the life of me can't quite understand where the cult thing has come from. There were lots of people in the first century who didn't believe I was the Messiah and were offended by what I said - and in fact I died at the hands of some of them. Unfortunately they didn't learn love either and my suggestion is, even if you don't believe I am Jesus, at least learn how to love."[19]

References

  1. "Divine Truth FAQ" (PDF). Are you setting up a new religion?. Divine Truth. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  2. 'Australian IT worker believes he is Jesus' - Daily Mail - 30 May 2013
  3. 1 2 3 "Jesus and Mary cult followers buy up land around Kingaroy". The Courier-Mail. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  4. "Reincarnation couple in cult friction". The Courier-Mail. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  5. "James E Padgett". ThePadgettMessages.org. 2013. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  6. "Angelic Messages of Divine Truth". Divine Love. 2000. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  7. "Spiritual Spheres". Divine Love. 2000–2001. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  8. "Alan John Miller, The Jesus Cult". aj-miller.com. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  9. "The Prayer for Divine Love". Foundation Church of the new Birth. December 2, 1916. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  10. "The Prayer for Divine Love". AJ Miller. Retrieved 15 Oct 2013.
  11. "A. J. Miller - is he a reincarnated "Jesus"?". New-Birth.net. 2013. Retrieved 16 Oct 2013.
  12. "Concerns voiced for friends and family in religious cult". The Courier-Mail. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  13. "The second Coming?". A Current Affair. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  14. 1 2 Man Claims to be Jesus on This Morning - This Morning - 15 July 2015 - available on YouTube
  15. "Aussie messiah questioned". A Current Affair. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  16. Divine Truth FAQ - "How would you define a cult?" http://divinetruth.com/PDF/FAQ/Cults/20121113%20Cults%20S01Q13.pdf Retrieved 28-7-2014
  17. Divine Truth FAQ - "Are you a cult leader?" http://divinetruth.com/PDF/FAQ/Cults/20121113%20Cults%20S01Q14.pdf Retrieved 28-7-2014
  18. Divine Truth FAQ - "Are you claiming that you are God?"https://www.divinetruth.com/www/en/pdf/FAQ/JesusIdentity/20121030%20Jesus%20Identity%20S01Q03.pdf Retrieved 01-11-2015
  19. 'AJ Miller: I am Australian Jesus, Follow me' - International Business Times - 29 May 2013

External links

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