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Joseph Coleman and the Seven Thunders: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Seven Thunders church.png|thumb|right|250px]] | [[Image:Seven Thunders church.png|thumb|right|250px]] | ||
Joseph C. Coleman (06/27/1927 - 01/05/2012) was ordained at the Branham Tabernacle on July 7, 1963. He is best known for being the founder of the "Seven Thunders" sub-cult within [[The Message|the message]]. He was the pastor of the Local Christian Assembly Church in New York | Joseph C. Coleman (06/27/1927 - 01/05/2012) was ordained at the Branham Tabernacle on July 7, 1963. He is best known for being the founder of the "Seven Thunders" sub-cult within [[The Message|the message]]. He was the pastor of the Local Christian Assembly Church on 70th Avenue in Forest Hills, New York (Queens) for over 45 years. | ||
Joe Coleman was revered by his followers as an apostle. | Joe Coleman was revered by his followers as an apostle. | ||
Nathaniel Gueco is | Nathaniel Gueco is now the senior pastor of the Local Christian Assembly Church in New York City. however, it is generally acknowledged that leadership of the movement now resides in Kevin Blewett and David Musgrove. | ||
=The Seven Thunders doctrine= | =Joseph Coleman= | ||
Joseph Coleman taught that William Branham was a prophet but that he was the true "Echo" of the prophet. He was the only follower who could correctly interpret William Branham's message. In 1974, Coleman claimed to have received the revelation of the Seven Thunders from an angel. This created separation from other followers of the message. Coleman told his followers that they were special, the cream of the crop, who had been chosen to receive this revelation, which Coleman also referred to as the "Inspiration." | |||
Coleman's followers revered him as the perfect man, as someone whose love for others was Christ-like. However, like other cult leaders, he controlled his followers with fear. He was known to humiliate his followers by telling of their sins from the pulpit. Those who questioned him were forced to publicly apologize. Defectors were banned - even family members were not allowed to associate with them. | |||
After Coleman suffered a stroke while preaching in 2000, Jesse Robledo, Coleman's son-in-law and associate pastor, became responsible for leading the church. But he fell out with Coleman and was ex-communicated. | |||
According to the FBI, in 2005, five leaders in the church (Joseph Jonathan Coleman (Joseph Coleman's son), Isaac Ovid, Aaron Riddle, Timothy Smith, and Robert Riddle) created Jadis Capital, which, in turn, started two hedge funds, the Logos Multi-Strategy I, LP, and the Donum Fund, LP, in February 2005 and August 2005, respectively. These five individuals marketed the funds to prospective investors, including members of Coleman's church, and collected approximately $9.3 million in investments in the Logos Fund and approximately $3 million in investments in the Donum Fund. <ref>See https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/newyork/press-releases/2009/nyfo041409.htm</ref> | |||
In early 2010, each of the five individuals pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.<ref>See https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-ovid</ref> | |||
According to news reports, instead of using the raised capital to support the funds, the five co-conspirators used it to purchase lavish gifts, pay the inflated operating and payroll costs of the company and to satisfy debts incurred by Ovid prior to starting Jadis. The gifts included expensive foreign travel, jewelry, clothing, meals and luxury cars, including a $200,000 Bentley.<ref>Seehttps://www.qchron.com/editions/central/queens-ponzi-schemer-waits-to-begin-prison-bid/article_617df015-06ba-5744-871f-4581fd0c904d.html</ref>. Coleman's son was released from prison September 28, 2012. | |||
In 2010, a young man from Montreal, Quebec, contacted Coleman about a vision that foretold Coleman being healed. Throughout 2011, the young man told how Coleman would be healed and transformed into a 21-year-old. During the process, Coleman refused medical treatment. Finally, in late 2011, Coleman was taken to the hospital where he died in January 2012. | |||
==The Seven Thunders doctrine== | |||
Joseph Coleman focused on the meaning of the seven thunders of Revelation 10: | Joseph Coleman focused on the meaning of the seven thunders of Revelation 10: | ||