Sen. Marco Rubio (R) took issue this past weekend with the David Smiley, the Miami Herald’s political reporter, over the headline he used in his story about the King Jesus Church and it’s “Apostle.." which will host President Donald Trump’s evangelical rally this upcoming weekend.
“Trump picks Miami megachurch with pastor who speaks in tongues for evangelical event,” read the story’s headline.
Falling short of calling Smiley a “Fake News” reporter, Rubio stated that “the people who write these things look down on those who attend these churches,” and apparently directly addressing Smiley by stating,” that’s why they don’t believe what you report & why they support those who fight back against you.”
“Look at this headline,” stated Rubio “ The people who write these things look down on those who attend these churches & mock them as simpletons & weirdos. The targets of this condescension notice. That’s why they don’t believe what you report & why they support those who fight back against you.”
Smiley responded to Rubio’s tweet with a simple, “Shame on us for pointing our interesting and factual things.”
Headlines are used to grab attention, and this one by Smiley was no different.
“Apostle” Guillermo Maldonado, the pastor in question, does speak in tongues, so he says.
According to an opinion he wrote for his church’s website, Maldonado states his case.
“It is a supernatural ability to speak a language that you do not know nor have studied. It is a spiritual and supernatural phenomenon,” said Maldonado “You’ll never understand it. You cannot learn this in a school, it is given by the spirit. Above the jurisdiction of reason. But the Holy Spirit gives you the understanding.”
Maldonado also claims to have brought people back from the dead.
According to a Local 10 News report, Maldonado has raised the dead and taught others to do the same.
"She was in the morgue, and she prayed for an hour," Maldonado said on a religious talk show. "And, an hour later, her daughter came back to life. This happens a lot for people."
Believe what you want, but speaking in tongues is pretty “interesting.”
