Posted: 19:30 June 14, 2007
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Perhaps no aspect of the UFO paradigm has had so serious a negative impact on the UFO community than the UFO cult phenomenon. Even though it was not the worst tragedy to hit the UFO field, the Heaven’s Gate suicides had the most lasting impact and are instantly associated with the mistaken concept that UFO believers are on the fringe of reality.
For those not aware of the incident, it hit the headlines in March of 1997. The cult leader of the Heaven’s Gate group, Marshall Applewhite, had deceived 40 of his followers into believing that a UFO was riding in the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet, then passing near Earth. His brainwashing had convinced the others that by taking their own lives they could ascend to the craft, reach a higher spiritual level, and be taken away from the devastation about to befall Earth.
The victims were found in a multi-million dollar mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, an exclusive community north of San Diego. Twenty-one women and eighteen men, aged 26 to 72, were all found lying face-up on cots and beds throughout the mansion, covered with triangular purple shrouds, all sporting buzz cuts and dressed alike, with their hands to their sides. Investigating officers said it appeared, “as if they had simply fallen asleep”. A 40th member committed suicide at later date.
Heaven’s Gate – The Sequel
Unfortunately, no lessons were learned by the survivors of this death cult and, in a macabre twist to this horror story, new members have joined them and the cult is attempting a revival. Boldly proclaiming their return in a website ironically titled “Heaven’s Gate Lives: Apocalypse Now”, they show clearly the delusion is still strong and, by default, just as dangerous.
Pay very close attention to the statements of these new followers found on the above mentioned website. We will provide a link to that website and certain blog entries at the end of this article.
“The message of “Heaven’s Gate” is NOT dead. It is still very alive.” (Emphasis, theirs)