THE HEAVEN'S GATE CULT SUICIDES

Have you ever heard of the Heaven's Gate cult? Do you know what happened to its members in 1997? If not, let me tell you a shocking story that still haunts many people who remember it. On March 26, 1997, 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult were found dead in a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California. They had committed mass suicide by ingesting a lethal mixture of phenobarbital and vodka, with plastic bags over their heads and black clothes and Nike sneakers on their bodies. Why did they do this? What did they believe in? How did they prepare for their final act? In this blog, I will try to answer these questions based on the available evidence and the testimonies of some former members of the cult. I will also reflect on the psychological and sociological factors that may have contributed to this tragic event.

Background:

To understand the Heaven's Gate cult, we need to go back to its origins in the 1970s. It was founded by Marshall Applewhite (1931-1997) and Bonnie Nettles (1928-1985), two former music teachers who claimed to be messengers of extraterrestrial beings who wanted to help human souls evolve to a higher level of existence. They believed that Earth was about to be "recycled" by a "level above human" (LAH) that would wipe out all life forms and start a new cycle of creation. However, they also believed that some humans could escape this fate by following their teachings and joining them on a spacecraft that would take them to the LAH's domain, known as the Next Level.

Applewhite and Nettles called themselves "Bo" and "Peep" and presented themselves as divine beings who had transcended their human bodies and achieved a state of pure consciousness. They claimed to have met each other in 1972, when Nettles appeared to Applewhite and told him that they had a special mission to fulfill together. They also claimed that they had lived together in previous lifetimes and that they were "father" and "son" in a cosmic sense.

They started to recruit followers by giving lectures and personal sessions, in which they offered to help people overcome their attachments to worldly things and awaken their true identities as members of the Next Level. They also used various techniques of mind control, such as isolation, sleep deprivation, fasting, and constant monitoring of their followers' thoughts and behaviors. They discouraged sexual relations and emotional attachments between members and emphasized the importance of obedience and loyalty to the group.

Over the years, the group went through several transformations, both in its name and in its beliefs. It was originally called the "Human Individual Metamorphosis" (HIM) group and later the "Total Overcomers Anonymous" (TOA) group. It adopted a Christian-like vocabulary and iconography, such as referring to Applewhite as "the Father" and Nettles as "the Mother" and using the cross as a symbol of their faith.

However, it also borrowed concepts and practices from other religions and philosophies, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, and science fiction. It developed a complex cosmology that involved multiple levels of existence and beings, some of which were benevolent and some of which were malevolent. It claimed to have contact with extraterrestrial beings who communicated through telepathy and who were preparing for a "pickup" operation to rescue the chosen ones from the doomed Earth.

Climax:

The climax of the Heaven's Gate saga occurred in March 1997, when the group's members received an unexpected signal from the Hale-Bopp comet, which was passing by Earth at the time. Applewhite interpreted this signal as a sign from the Next Level that their "graduation" was imminent and that they had to prepare for their departure. He and his closest followers had already decided that the only way to reach the Next Level was to shed their physical bodies and join the spacecraft as "pure" souls. They believed that their bodies were merely "vehicles" for their souls and that their souls were their true identities. They also believed that their souls would be taken to the spacecraft if they died willingly and peacefully, without resistance or fear.

Applewhite announced this plan to the rest of the group and gave them a choice: either to stay on Earth and face the "recycling" or to join him and Nettles in the Next Level. He told them that their departure would be painless and that they would be reunited with their deceased loved ones and with their true identities as members of the Next Level.

He also told them that they had to leave behind their human attachments and belongings and to follow his instructions precisely. He gave them a timeline for their departure, which was supposed to coincide with the passage of the comet. He also made them watch a video of himself and Nettles explaining the reasons for their plan and the details of their beliefs.

The group started to prepare for their final act by selling their possessions, cutting ties with their families and friends, and withdrawing from the public eye. They rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, where they would spend their last days together. They made a list of their "exit procedures" and assigned tasks to each member, such as cleaning the mansion, packing their bags, and composing farewell messages to their families and the media. They also made a website and sent anonymous letters to some media outlets, in which they announced their plan and explained their beliefs. They wanted to leave a legacy and a message to the world, hoping that some people would understand and follow their example.

On March 24, 1997, the group started to ingest the lethal mixture of phenobarbital and vodka, which had been prepared in advance by Applewhite and a few trusted members. They also put plastic bags over their heads, as instructed, to prevent any struggle or panic. They lay down on their beds, holding their farewell messages or wearing a badge with the group's logo, and waited for the end. The last member to die was Rio DiAngelo, who had delayed his departure to attend to his sick father. He arrived at the mansion on March 26, after his father had died, and found the bodies of his fellow members. He called the police, who discovered the tragic scene and informed the media.

Aftermath:

The aftermath of the Heaven's Gate cult suicides also raised legal and ethical issues about the right to die and the freedom of religion. Some people questioned the legality and morality of the group's decision to end their lives and argued that it was a form of suicide or murder. Others defended the group's right to choose their own destiny and criticized the government and the media for infringing on their freedom of religion. The debate also touched on the role of mental health professionals in identifying and treating people who might be vulnerable to cults or extremist groups.

In conclusion, the Heaven's Gate cult suicides were a tragic and shocking event that shook the world and raised many questions about cults, beliefs, and mental health. The group's decision to end their lives in the hope of joining a spacecraft and reaching the Next Level was a bizarre and extreme manifestation of their religious beliefs and their sense of purpose. The group's isolation and control over its members, as well as their vulnerability and idealism, were factors that contributed to their tragic end. The legacy of the group is still debated, but it serves as a reminder of the dangers and complexities of the human search for meaning and identity.