GARLAND, Texas: God failed to materialise here yesterday as prophesied by Taiwan cult leader Chen Hon-Ming – who quickly changed his prediction.

Instead of witnessing a divine manifestation, said the silver-haired 42-year-old former college professor, everyone present had become God.

"You yourself are Gods," Chen told the 60 cult members, 80 journalists and some 20 neighbors at a two-hour event in front of his house in this quiet Dallas suburb.

Police had cordoned off the street, allowing only accredited journalists to enter, including two people dressed as aliens sent by a Dallas rock radio station.

The UFO cult leader had repeatedly prophesied that on March 31, God would appear in Chen's form, clone himself 100,000 times and shake hands with everyone present.

When God – who had also failed to show up for a Chen-predicted Channel 18 live broadcast at midnight March 24 – did not oblige, Chen asked each person present to shake his own hands. - AFP