The Heaven’s Gates Mass suicide, was an incident where a group of people began following a man who believed he was a “direct descendent of Jesus”. Marshal Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, after he had a near-death experience to which he said he had a vision that they were the “chosen two.” Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich) This was a religion based on aliens of UFO’s to which they were above human existence. They coerced people to believe that the world would be “recycled and refurbished” and that their human bodies were simply “vessels to aid their journey.” They were supposed to share everything “communally” and led “ascetic” lifestyles, not giving into any worldly pleasures. Balch, D’angelo, Lalich) They even urged men to castration, to deal better with suppressing indulgences.
When the mass suicide actually went underway, this group “died in three groups over three days.” (Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich) Applewhite claimed suicide was the “only ways for their souls to board the space craft to heaven.” The group on this day ingested a mixture or “arsenic and cyanide.” Afterwards, other ingested a mixture of food, “Phenobarbital, and vodka, and then plastic bags over their heads” for faster death. They were said to have been found with the same amount of money on them, and wearing the same clothes, all reading “Heaven’s Gate Away Team”.
(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
What were the rational behind the motives of this man, merely his visions he had during a near death experience? All of a sudden he was the descendent of Jesus and there were UFO’’s and aliens responsible with transporting all human being to Heaven’s Gates? To the average person this would seem like quite a far-fetched and unimaginable theory to even consider. So what were the rational of the people that followed such influences? Why so far as to be convinced into taking their lives solely with the belief extra terrestrials will come and set them free? It is one this to live life with ascetic and away from lively pleasures but in this particular case there’s a strong line between belief systems and fiction, to the thinking, reasoning mind of a normal and moral person. Thus again showing how influence can affect and change actions, responses and beliefs or otherwise normal thinking persons. “They were found tucked in bunk-beds, similarly dressed, covered in purple clothes.”(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
I drew my own depiction of the event as well as a link for real photos of the found events.
The Heaven’s Gates Mass suicide, was an incident where a group of people began following a man who believed he was a “direct descendent of Jesus”. Marshal Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, after he had a near-death experience to which he said he had a vision that they were the “chosen two.” Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich) This was a religion based on aliens of UFO’s to which they were above human existence. They coerced people to believe that the world would be “recycled and refurbished” and that their human bodies were simply “vessels to aid their journey.” They were supposed to share everything “communally” and led “ascetic” lifestyles, not giving into any worldly pleasures. Balch, D’angelo, Lalich) They even urged men to castration, to deal better with suppressing indulgences.
When the mass suicide actually went underway, this group “died in three groups over three days.” (Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich) Applewhite claimed suicide was the “only ways for their souls to board the space craft to heaven.” The group on this day ingested a mixture or “arsenic and cyanide.” Afterwards, other ingested a mixture of food, “Phenobarbital, and vodka, and then plastic bags over their heads” for faster death. They were said to have been found with the same amount of money on them, and wearing the same clothes, all reading “Heaven’s Gate Away Team”.
(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
What were the rational behind the motives of this man, merely his visions he had during a near death experience? All of a sudden he was the descendent of Jesus and there were UFO’’s and aliens responsible with transporting all human being to Heaven’s Gates? To the average person this would seem like quite a far-fetched and unimaginable theory to even consider. So what were the rational of the people that followed such influences? Why so far as to be convinced into taking their lives solely with the belief extra terrestrials will come and set them free? It is one this to live life with ascetic and away from lively pleasures but in this particular case there’s a strong line between belief systems and fiction, to the thinking, reasoning mind of a normal and moral person. Thus again showing how influence can affect and change actions, responses and beliefs or otherwise normal thinking persons. “They were found tucked in bunk-beds, similarly dressed, covered in purple clothes.”(Balch, D’Angelo, Lalich)
I drew my own depiction of the event, as well as a link for real photos of the found events.
Facts
Where: “mansion, located at 18241 Colina Norte, in San Diego– Rancho Santa Fe”
When: “March, 24-26 1997”
How: “ingestion of arsenic and cyanide. Arsenic and cyanide, Phenobarbital, vodka, and asphyxiation.”
Known For: “death of actress Nichelle Nichol’s brother Tom Nichols”
Death Toll: “39, people between ages 26-73”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven's_Gate_(religious_group)
- Lalich, Janja, Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults. University of California Press, 2004. ISBN 0-520-23194-5. 329 pp.
- Investigative Reports: Inside Heaven's Gate
- Balch, Robert W., "Waiting for the ships: disillusionment and revitalization of faith in Bo and Peep's UFO cult," In James R. Lewis, ed. The Gods have Landed: New Religions from Other Worlds,
- DiAngelo,
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