Friday, September 4, 2020

Cult Watch: Emperor Emmanuel Church

 

            Naïve Christians, especially from the Roman Catholic Church, are being lured into joining the Emperor Emmanuel Church. This group is located at Muriyad in Thrissur district of Kerala state, India. It is also known as ‘Zion.’

            Is Emperor Emmanuel Church a cult? Let us examine a few facts.

About

            Zion or Emperor Emmanuel Church is significantly established. They exist in India and other countries.

            This excerpt is from their website:1

Zion is the little flock that believes that Jesus Christ has come again in flesh, his true name is Emmanuel and that he will transfigure and take them to the Eternal City in the New Earth…Zion believes that God the Father will come to visit them and when He comes, they will become like Him and so they eagerly wait for Him…Emperor Emmanuel Church is located at Muriyad in Thrissur district of Kerala state, India. This Church consists of 80 local fellowships in Kerala as well as other states such as Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Puducherry, etc. Emperor Emmanuel has overseas fellowships in places like Australia, the UK, the USA, Ireland, Italy and the Gulf countries such as Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, etc.

            Zion was pioneered by Mr. Roy Joseph aka Joseph Ponnara. (Emphasis Mine).

            Catholic apologist, Michael Prabhu has published pertinent information about Zion on his website. This excerpt provides significant details about Joseph Ponnara:2

Emperor Emmanuel is a charismatic-style, rabidly anti-Catholic doomsday cult whose centre is in Muriyad, near Irinjalakuda in Kerala. It is also known as "Zion". Its founder and leader is one Joseph Ponnara, a former drawing teacher in a school in Erattayar where he was active in the Catholic charismatic renewal. He started his activities in Thodupuzha in Kerala in 2000, calling his centre the "Embassy of Emperor Emmanuel", before moving to Muriyad in 2005 and renaming it "Zion".

Apparently, he lacks an academic background, theological formation as well as Biblical scholarship. His knowledge of English is insufficient for him to preach in any language other than Malayalam, so he depends on a translator. His only credentials are his personal interpretations of Scripture and what he claims are revelations from the Father and the Holy Mother [Mary]. Of course, he claims having discernment and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Ponnara is the cult’s sole preacher and teacher. Two priests have joined the cult. One, the elderly Fr. Joseph Ayyankoil, left the Vincentians [which runs the retreat centre at Potta and the Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor, both of which are situated just a few minutes drive from "Zion"] in 2005. The other is a young Irinjalakuda diocesan priest Fr. Roby…

A three-storey concrete Noah’s ark is under construction at "Zion". Here, they are preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus.

But this Jesus is not the Jesus that other Christians know. Neither is the Second Coming the one that either Catholics or the fundamentalist Protestants teach.

Cultish Characteristics

            A closer observation of Zion through a cursory reading of their own website reveals the following cultish characteristics:

            A. Zion proclaims a “New Jesus” – a Jesus who has already come to earth for the second time, “Zion is a community that believes in Jesus Christ who took flesh from Holy Mother, was born two thousand years ago, preached the Kingdom of God, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and who procured forgiveness of sin for the children of God. Having received the salvation he gave 2000 years ago, this flock called Zion waits for him as a savior. Zion is the little flock that believes that Jesus Christ has come again in flesh, his true name is Emmanuel and that he will transfigure and take them to the Eternal City in the New Earth.” (Emphasis Mine).3

            In another article on their website entitled “Jesus Christ: The Savior,” Zion teaches, “Behold, Jesus Christ has come again in flesh on this earth now! Today, he is called by the Name Emmanuel, the only Name of the Son of God that God revealed to Prophet Isaiah more than 2700 years ago. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and his Glorious Manifestation are not one and the same event, but two distinct events. Even though both these events take place in the End Times, there is a time gap between these two events. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is his Coming in flesh from Heaven to this earth in the End Times. But the Glorious Manifestation of Emmanuel is the revelation of the Son of God in all glory after living on this earth for a period of time.

            We are now living in the time period between the Second Coming and Glorious Manifestation of the Son of God, Emmanuel.” (Emphasis Mine).4

            B. Zion has a non-biblical source of authority. In an article about Jesus on Zion’s website, Zion alludes to the non-biblical authority, “This article is not based on worldly knowledge or any human philosophy or thought. Instead, it is solely based on the knowledge that comes from faith and Divine Wisdom.” (Emphasis Mine).5

            C. Zion rejects all churches subscribing to historical biblical Christianity when it teaches that all churches will be destroyed, “Emmanuel, the Son of God, is Going to Annihilate all Churches (1 Cor. 15/24)”6

            D. Zion subscribes to a new interpretation of the Bible.

            For instance, 1 Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” (RSV).

            Zion interprets this verse as the destruction of all churches subscribing to historical biblical Christianity. This is an incorrect interpretation of this verse.

            The correct and contextual interpretation of this verse is that Christ would destroy all rule, authority, and power that opposes HIM.

            Interestingly, by teaching a new Jesus, Zion stands opposed to the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Thus, when Christ would destroy everything that opposes HIM, HE would also destroy Zion (but HE would not destroy the churches subscribing to Historic Christianity). Sadly, the adherents of Zion do not understand this stark truth.  

            Intriguingly, Zion’s own website reveals these Cultish characteristics. 

Belief

            Michael Prabhu reports that Zion believes and teaches the following:7

1. Jesus has already come on earth in the flesh, born of a virgin. His name is Emmanuel and not Jesus.

2. The name of the Father is Jesus. The Father has a physical body of flesh and blood. So, too, does the Holy Spirit. Melchizedek, the priest, and the king of Genesis 14 is the Holy Spirit.

3. The Blessed Virgin Mary, or Holy Mother as they call her, is co-eternal with the Father and was present at the creation of the world. Ponnara taught that Mary is to be worshipped.

4. While not attempting to hide the fact that they are not Catholic, and while teaching that the Catholic Church is the agent of Satan, they say the rosary, hear people’s private confessions, and celebrate Mass among other things. However, all of these are very different from what Catholics are familiar with.

5. The cult’s followers believe that the end of the world is imminent, that Jesus is already here and so are some of the prophets of the Old Testament, that they will turn up at "Zion", the Father will be there too, that only a pre-ordained 144,000 will be saved from annihilation, and that the 144,000 will only be those who accept the "Zion" gospel preached by Ponnara who is apparently, though he doesn’t say it in so many words, one of those prophets.

Conclusion

            Is Emperor Emmanuel Church a cult?

            This post offers adequate information with which you can arrive at your own conclusion.

            Their own website reveals stark cultish characteristics [about Zion]. Their beliefs, if what’s documented is factual, are also cultish.

            So, beware!

Endnotes:

1https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=about_content

2http://www.ephesians-511.net/results.php?q=joseph+ponnara (A word document in this website search entitled “EMPEROR EMMANUEL A DANGEROUS DOOMSDAY CULT” offers this information.)

3https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=about_content

4https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=temp_four_content&id=291

5Ibid.

6https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=temp_four_content&id=123

7http://www.ephesians-511.net/results.php?q=joseph+ponnara (A word document in this website search entitled “EMPEROR EMMANUEL A DANGEROUS DOOMSDAY CULT” offers this information.)

Websites last accessed on 4th September 2020.


1 comment:

Raul dhule said...

Thank you for the information bro