SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 2010
EMPEROR EMMANUEL A DANGEROUS DOOMSDAY CULT "If our God tells us to go to hell, we will ready [sic] to do that too, because we follow what God tells us." From a blog by a member of the Emperor Emmanuel cult. A detailed report on this cult was put together with inputs from many committed Catholics to whom this ministry expresses its heartfelt thanks. They also made it possible for this writer to gain entry to the retreat that was conducted at Muriyad from July 21 to 28, 2010. While the detailed report is accessible at: http://ephesians511.net/docs/EMPEROR_EMMANUEL_DANGEROUS_DOOMSDAY_CULT.doc, this summary will provide general information and present an outline of some of the cult’s activities and main teachings. NOTE: In respect of the detailed report, if one intends to take a printout, that report will make sense to the reader only if the printout is in colour. When one reads the report, one will understand the reason for my suggestion. If any of the information, which is gathered from various news sources, enquiries by email and personal observation, is factually incorrect, or if my comments in the detailed report are theologically wrong, please bringing them to my attention. Emperor Emmanuel is a charismaticstyle, rabidly antiCatholic 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 who joined the cult a few months ago. They have no authority to teach or to discuss any of the cult’s teachings with retreatants. The Aluva seminarians’ investigation of the cult, published in Vazhithettunna Vishwasam, a part of which is translated into English in my detailed report, is available at http://www.4shared.com/document/ZTEAj_yT/Vazhithettunna_Viswasam.html. There are some minor differences and contradictions between their findings and mine and even with the information copied from various blogs and from letters to this ministry, and the reason for this could be that Ponnara’s teachings are themselves inconsistent, contradictory, incomplete and confusing. A threestorey 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. Jesus is already come on earth in the flesh, born of a virgin. His name is Emmanuel and not Jesus. 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 king of Genesis 14, is the Holy Spirit. The Blessed Virgin Mary, or Holy Mother as they call her, is coeternal with the Father and was present at the creation of the world. Ponnara teaches that Mary is to be worshipped. To a large extent, it is the cult’s Mariology that lulls Catholics into a false sense of security until it is too late for them to realise that have been indoctrinated with a false gospel. The other ruse is the Catholic façade that the cult maintains. 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.