Heavens Gate By Viranjit Kaur

Taking a break from our presenation on Jonestown i've been reading up on the Cult Heavens Gate and found it fasinating.

Heavens Gate was a UFO Cult. It was lead by Do and Ti whose real names were Marshall Herff Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Trousdale Nettles. They meet in the early 1970's when Applewhite admitted himself to a psychiatric hospital with a sexuality disorder. According to the book 'The secret World Of Cults' by Sarah Moran some ex members have suggested he was deeply troubled with homosexual affairs that he thought of as a illness. Nettles was working as a nurse at this hospital and had already expressed an interest in 'New Age' teaching. They were both in their 40's when they met and shared a similar brand of 'theology'. Apparently Appelwhite admits that Nettles was the stronger of the two and it is she that suggested they form 'The Two' and embark on a mission to save as many people as they could. They said they were the two witnesses in the book of revelation in the Bible. This then lead them to claim they were prophets put on earth to save humanity, that they would be killed by thier enemies and that God would resurrect them three and a half days later taking them to a higher level on a cloud.

In order to recruit people they put up posters telling people,

'if you have ever entertained the idea that there may be a real, physical level
beyond the earth's confines you will want to attend this meeting'

and amazingly two hundred people attended. The cult grew and started to travel. Some left when the UFO the leaders promised didn't turn up but the majority left home and family to start a new life with the cult. The group had strict rules that involved giving up possesions, leaving their old life and becoming celibate. If couples joined they were seperated.

A legacy of $3000,000 let the cult have comfort and they rented large properties in Denver and Texas and began to prepare their souls for the arrival of the UFO. In 1985 Nettels died - this confused members as she did not ressurect. Some left but Applewhite said she hadn't come back because she had been called to the 'Higher Level' to prepare for the group's arrival and members swallowed that and stayed.

38 people died in Heavens's Gate, having commited suicide and believeing their bodies would ressurect in space. They were all found in the same position. On a bed, dressed the same with Nike trainers and a packed bag under their bed.

If you go to http://www.youtube.co.uk/ and type in heavens gate they have some interesting footage of Applewhite and the speechs he used to give. It's well worth a look.

By Viranjit Kaur