Within the course titled It Shouldn’t be Allowed, we have been exploring topics that are viewed as going against the ‘social norms’. The genre that these blogs shall discuss is the topic of ‘Suicide cults’ deemed that for obvious reasons. The cults that shall be discussed are mainly focusing on cults that have ended in multiple deaths, either free will motivated, meaning it was suicide, or deaths that have been induced by another person without the individuals consent, such as a parent killing their child, making the death murder.
Before our group decided which cult to study, I first thought it necessary to know as much about all of the cults that we would be learning about, and then make a decision based on which was more interesting. There was some division, (for lack of a better word) as to which cult we should do our presentation on. There were two cults in particular that were of interest. The two we were in favour of were, Jonestown and Waco. We have however decided to focus on ‘Jonestown’ simply due to the majority preferring that topic. The reason why we preferred Jonestown however was not discussed, but maybe the vast amount of ‘victims’ from this cult justifies the reason why we chose to study it over Waco, which in comparison ended in fewer victims.
This blog gives me the opportunity to speak of the other cults that will not be focused on within the group presentation.
As my fellow peer has already noted that many cults are in actual fact ‘ still closely connected to Jesus’[1]. This is a continuous trait found in all the cults we have studied. Specifically focusing on Waco, founded by David Koresh (1959- 1993). We studied this cult in week six of It Shouldn’t be Allowed. It has its roots in the somewhat unorthodox teachings of the Adventists, which had the habit of predicting dates for Christ’s return and the end of the age. (All of which evidently failed to come to pass, which according to the Old Testament is proof of them being ‘false prophets’ and not to be considered prophets again.[2]) The Adventists come from people such as William Miller, Ellen G. White who founded the seventh- day Adventists.[3] However though Koresh came from a Baptist church he soon found himself baptized in a seventy- day church. In 1982 Vernon Wayne Howell (Koresh) visited Israel and it was supposedly here that he received his revelation of his ‘messianic’ calling. It is here that he became known as David Koresh, named after King Cyrus in the book of Ezra, and the King of Israel David, from whom the Messiah was promised to derive from. It was in 1988 that he returned to Waco, a town in Texas. He then claimed all the women as his own, only allowing himself to have intercourse with them, after a series of other events. He was also referred to as the ‘masturbating messiah’ and the ‘ sinful messiah’ It was however after claims of child abuse that the Police and FBI became involved, shutting off the water and electricity supplies; this lead to the April 1993 deaths of 93 people via an explosion. However it is not known who really initiated the explosion, whether it was the cult or the local authorities. However the majority believe it was the suicide of the cult.
Before our group decided which cult to study, I first thought it necessary to know as much about all of the cults that we would be learning about, and then make a decision based on which was more interesting. There was some division, (for lack of a better word) as to which cult we should do our presentation on. There were two cults in particular that were of interest. The two we were in favour of were, Jonestown and Waco. We have however decided to focus on ‘Jonestown’ simply due to the majority preferring that topic. The reason why we preferred Jonestown however was not discussed, but maybe the vast amount of ‘victims’ from this cult justifies the reason why we chose to study it over Waco, which in comparison ended in fewer victims.
This blog gives me the opportunity to speak of the other cults that will not be focused on within the group presentation.
As my fellow peer has already noted that many cults are in actual fact ‘ still closely connected to Jesus’[1]. This is a continuous trait found in all the cults we have studied. Specifically focusing on Waco, founded by David Koresh (1959- 1993). We studied this cult in week six of It Shouldn’t be Allowed. It has its roots in the somewhat unorthodox teachings of the Adventists, which had the habit of predicting dates for Christ’s return and the end of the age. (All of which evidently failed to come to pass, which according to the Old Testament is proof of them being ‘false prophets’ and not to be considered prophets again.[2]) The Adventists come from people such as William Miller, Ellen G. White who founded the seventh- day Adventists.[3] However though Koresh came from a Baptist church he soon found himself baptized in a seventy- day church. In 1982 Vernon Wayne Howell (Koresh) visited Israel and it was supposedly here that he received his revelation of his ‘messianic’ calling. It is here that he became known as David Koresh, named after King Cyrus in the book of Ezra, and the King of Israel David, from whom the Messiah was promised to derive from. It was in 1988 that he returned to Waco, a town in Texas. He then claimed all the women as his own, only allowing himself to have intercourse with them, after a series of other events. He was also referred to as the ‘masturbating messiah’ and the ‘ sinful messiah’ It was however after claims of child abuse that the Police and FBI became involved, shutting off the water and electricity supplies; this lead to the April 1993 deaths of 93 people via an explosion. However it is not known who really initiated the explosion, whether it was the cult or the local authorities. However the majority believe it was the suicide of the cult.
[1] Shona, Heavens Gate by Shona, created Thursday 22 November 2007,
[2] The Holy Bible, (Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers), pp.262- Deuteronomy 18:20- 22
[3] Stephen. J Stein, Alternative American Religions, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), pp.75-84
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