By Genevieve Serra
Daily Voice Reporter
A former atheist says he has been forced to rethink his religious views after Jesus' image appeared to him twice.
A year later, the man who is a university scientist has decided to finally speak about his experience because he wants others who have had similar life-changing experiences to come forward.
The 48-year-old man, who asked not to be named or photographed, says that he found an image of Jesus on the cross on his favourite steel cup a year ago.
And now, a year later to the day, Jesus' image has appeared on a second mug after he drank a cup of coffee.
On the evening before the first sighting, the man says he had just finished watching a religious documentary on TV and had given an ultimatum to God while sipping tea from his favourite mug.
"It was 11.30pm on a Sunday," he recalls.
"I had switched the television off and I said: 'Give me a sign, show me something, I know I am arrogant'.
"Then I said: 'Talk to me, show me' and then I went to sleep."
The next morning, the man says he woke up and noticed the strange image as he went to wash his mug.
Even a year later, it is easy to see why the man was so struck by the picture - the brownish-coloured stain clearly shows the crown and head of Jesus, slightly titled, with his arms stretched out wide and his feet together.
"I didn't wake up in the middle of the night in a state of insanity and do this," the man says.
"I want to ask 'why me?' This was not made by a human hand."
On a second occasion this year, the man says Jesus' face appeared on a white coffee mug.
"It was the second time I demanded a sign after placing the other mug back in the cupboard in disbelief," he says.
"I saw the face of Jesus with the crown and it was not a dead Jesus but one who was alive with his eyes open."
Now the man says he is desperately searching for answers from all religious sectors and experts.
"I know I have a soul which I cherish and I know I must be careful of what I say," he says.
"I plead with anyone to examine the mugs and explain how the pictures were formed."
Father Mike Williams, an Anglican Catholic Priest in Lansdowne, has come out to support the man's claims.
"He brought me the mug and it was a picture I have been seeing since I was a little boy," he says.
"The face of Jesus was at the number six station of the cross.
"It is Veronica who wipes the face of Jesus and the picture of the face is on her sleeve."
Father Mike says he has no doubt God chose the man for a reason.
"God reveals himself in mysterious ways to those who have not believed at all," he says.
"There have been various manifestations of this in different parts of the world."
Father Mike says God uses visions like these to bring people closer and not to scare them away.
"We feel this will bring people closer to God, to turn away from the evil," he says.
"I personally find that he is neither mentally deranged nor spiritually impaired."
The man says the images have changed him from a non-believer into someone moving closer to God every day.
"I am not a Christian, and I've never read the Bible," he says.
"But I have started moving closer to God every day."
This is not the first time a Daily Voice reader has had a brush with the Lord on a common household item.
In April, Delft woman Jennifer Davids, 44, believed the image of Jesus appeared on her bedroom cupboard just before Easter.
She told the Daily Voice her husband Ivan bought the cupboards long ago but she never noticed the special image.
In March 2005, Remona Petersen of Lavender Hill claimed she saw an image of Jesus in her bathroom window pane.
And two years ago, Cape Flats butcher Mohammed Sataar claimed Allah's name appeared in various pieces of meat he cut. - Daily Voice