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Post by Leatherface on Oct 7, 2009 18:53:21 GMT -5
what do you guys think of this cult that was responsible for the largest mass suicide back in 97. check out their website still intact as it was back in 97.
heavensgate.com
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Post by CT on Oct 7, 2009 19:15:35 GMT -5
I feel sorry for the families of the people who commited suicide because of their ridiculous lies.
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Post by Leatherface on Oct 7, 2009 19:41:56 GMT -5
only 1 manage dto escape before the mass suicide. however unlike other cults heavens gate attracted people from ages 23 to 75 people who were college graduates and had sense. somehow marshall applewhite or "Do" as they called him was a master manipulator and brainwasher and got them to join him . hope his death was slow.
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Post by CT on Oct 7, 2009 22:13:36 GMT -5
Well look at all the successful people that bought into Scientology.
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Post by Leatherface on Oct 8, 2009 16:27:49 GMT -5
that's true....but you do not see scientologists castrating themselves and then taking cyanide mixed with applesauce and vodka now do ya lol
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Post by CT on Oct 8, 2009 17:43:26 GMT -5
I dunno, I'm not so sure Tom Cruise still has his balls!
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Post by Leatherface on Oct 8, 2009 18:11:17 GMT -5
good point lol. but heavens gate was a cult not some hollywood religion. they worshiped an alien that they thought was jesus and when hale bopp the comet came over the earth in 97 they killed themselves because they figured hale bopp would be a transport to another dimiesnion or something
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Post by abraxas on Dec 10, 2009 15:38:50 GMT -5
As far as I'm concerned its everyones right to decide whether or not they want to live or die, everyone who wants to commit suicide should be allowed to. And I also have no sympathy for mindless people who do something just because someone else told them to.
And technically speaking Jesus was an alien, and since no one knows for sure, they should be allowed to believe whatever nonsense they want to believe, to me Christianity and all other established religions are no less nonsensical.
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Post by CT on Dec 10, 2009 20:32:56 GMT -5
I agree with most of what youre saying Abraxas, but I certainly believe law enforcement should pursue and possible legal action against cults like these that are a danger to the public, or even ones that are simply scamming money from members.
Food for thought, I doubt you'd think the person deserved it because they were gullible if that person was a friend or family member. At least I k ow I wouldn't and those gullible people have families too.
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Post by abraxas on Dec 10, 2009 20:51:38 GMT -5
Well obviously they should be prosecuted, I'm not saying that the person who brainwashes a group of people who kill themselves shouldn't be put in jail. But when you really think about it, these people had a belief and they died for that belief, who are we to say that their belief is wrong and that they shouldn't be able to die for what they believe, how is that any different then someone who dies for some traditional religion.
Well I would hope that anyone I know wouldn't be so weak minded to fall for some cult rhetoric.
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Post by CT on Dec 12, 2009 3:43:09 GMT -5
I agree it's not any worse than a jihadist blowing himself up for his twisted view of Islam, or a Christians fighting and killing and dying in the crusades. It's all crazy brainwashing and hypocrisy.
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Post by Leatherface on Dec 13, 2009 19:35:35 GMT -5
I'm all for whatever religion someone wants to create or practice but to brainwash someone into joining you is screwed up. Recently i looked up the infamous initian tapes and i can only find one on youtube. It was short but marshall applewhite used manipulation through beinding and twisting the bible and christianity around. Also according to what the only surviving member claimed in a tv interview marshall had done this before back in the 70s. However it failed and all the members left. Marshall was a college profressor who had a heart attack and when he was recovering he claimed that jesus was an alien and that he was ona higher astral plane or something of that sort. Now (trying to keep religion out as much as i can here) Marshall was insane. In the early 70s (before his first group) he was institutionalized for having dellusions and seeing things taht were not there. He met his wife who was a nurse there who listened to his bizarre rambiling and he was discharged after being deemed sane. His wife died in 1983 and marshall went a little more crazier changing his name to do ( in his original cult he was called do and his wife was ti but it was his nickname in the 80s he self proclaimed it) and marshall apparently drugged members of his second and final cult. He constantly reminded them that they could never ever return to their previous lives. Marshall had a total of 33 members of people who were like you and me even some of his old college collueages joined him. The only reason why there was a survivor was becuase he came to his senses and lied to marshall saying that he wanted to expand heavens gate. A week later marshall applewhite and 32 of his memebers committed suicide of a 3 day period.
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Post by CT on Dec 14, 2009 2:04:49 GMT -5
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
Horror in General & Everything Else Moderator[/i]
Kiss my tuchis
Posts: 6,296
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Post by HNT on Dec 14, 2009 10:04:17 GMT -5
I agree it's not any worse than a jihadist blowing himself up for his twisted view of Islam, or a Christians fighting and killing and dying in the crusades. It's all crazy brainwashing and hypocrisy. Actually, I'd say its not nealy as bad. At least these people only killed themselves. Although I find cults disturbing and repugnant (and that includes the cults of Christianity and Islam btw) I also kind of think that suicide is a dumb decision, but still one that each and every one of us should have the right to make if we wish. Whenever possible, we should try to reach these people and break the hold that the cult has on them, but I am not particularly into messing with them using force. Look what happened at Waco. If a bunch of whackjobs wanna kill themselves, we at least should've let them do it without throwing the lives of some perfectly reasonable FBI and ATF agents after 'em
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Post by CT on Dec 14, 2009 17:46:26 GMT -5
Yeah I was leaning more toward freezing their funds and monitoring possible illegal activity rather than storming in gw cowboy style. Agreed.
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