In this blog I shall be looking at the roots of UFO cults like Heavens Gate. Although my peers have already spoken about the founders of the cult, Applewhite and Nettles, I thought it would be of some interest to look at where the notion of the existence of UFO’s originated.
Apparently, it all began on 24TH June 1947 with Kenneth Arnold, a pilot. Kenneth Arnold claimed that whilst he was flying he witnessed nine “shiny objects” flying at apparently 1600 miles per hour. He described the appearance with the simile of a ‘flying saucer’. Since this apparent appearance, there have been many claims of such sightings. Some have even claimed to have made contact with these UFO’s an
d are called ‘contactees’[1].
Prior to the claims of Heaven’s Gate, there were claims made by a man called George Adamski who claimed that a UFO traveller from the planet Venus visited him[2]. It is clear that from 1947 to 1975 Applewhite and Nettles were not alone in their claims, yet Heaven’s Gate has had more publicity than any other UFO cult due to the suicides of their followers.
Although many people have made claims of being in contact with UFO’s, they still claim to be the only way of communicating with the UFO’s as clearly no one else but the ‘contactee’s’ are having UFO visitations (I mean when was the last time you spoke to an alien?) The followers of the UFO cults therefore have to rely on the testimony of the ‘contactee’[3]. I really recommend this sight for some more information / background information about UFO cults in general http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/ufos.html.
I have found a similarity between the three cults, Jim Jones’ The Peoples Temple, David Koresh’s Branch Davidian’s, and Applewhite’s and Nettle’s Heaven’s Gate, they all lived communally! Heaven’s Gate members began to live communally after the death of Nettles in 1985. They had no contact with family or old friends, they could not smoke, drink alcohol and could not have sex. This resulted in some of the men castrating themselves.[4] Did they live communally because the cult leaders held them captive so they could ‘brainwash’ them? Or was it a free- will decision by the members, who wanted to be close to their leaders? It seems that the majority chose to live this way in all instances, as they genuinely trusted and believed in their leaders. The followers in Heaven’s Gate left a tape showing why they killed themselves[5] and they clearly believed they were going to go to “the level above human” into “the Kingdom of Heaven” as their leader had promised them. It makes you question why someone would be so cruel as to lie to people and promise them all these things, and then make them kill themselves? We must however remember, Applewhite was once in a mental home. Likewise Jim Jones’ son said Jones was a drug addict, so could this be the reason for their claims and their downfall?
Apparently, it all began on 24TH June 1947 with Kenneth Arnold, a pilot. Kenneth Arnold claimed that whilst he was flying he witnessed nine “shiny objects” flying at apparently 1600 miles per hour. He described the appearance with the simile of a ‘flying saucer’. Since this apparent appearance, there have been many claims of such sightings. Some have even claimed to have made contact with these UFO’s an
d are called ‘contactees’[1].Prior to the claims of Heaven’s Gate, there were claims made by a man called George Adamski who claimed that a UFO traveller from the planet Venus visited him[2]. It is clear that from 1947 to 1975 Applewhite and Nettles were not alone in their claims, yet Heaven’s Gate has had more publicity than any other UFO cult due to the suicides of their followers.
Although many people have made claims of being in contact with UFO’s, they still claim to be the only way of communicating with the UFO’s as clearly no one else but the ‘contactee’s’ are having UFO visitations (I mean when was the last time you spoke to an alien?) The followers of the UFO cults therefore have to rely on the testimony of the ‘contactee’[3]. I really recommend this sight for some more information / background information about UFO cults in general http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/ufos.html.
I have found a similarity between the three cults, Jim Jones’ The Peoples Temple, David Koresh’s Branch Davidian’s, and Applewhite’s and Nettle’s Heaven’s Gate, they all lived communally! Heaven’s Gate members began to live communally after the death of Nettles in 1985. They had no contact with family or old friends, they could not smoke, drink alcohol and could not have sex. This resulted in some of the men castrating themselves.[4] Did they live communally because the cult leaders held them captive so they could ‘brainwash’ them? Or was it a free- will decision by the members, who wanted to be close to their leaders? It seems that the majority chose to live this way in all instances, as they genuinely trusted and believed in their leaders. The followers in Heaven’s Gate left a tape showing why they killed themselves[5] and they clearly believed they were going to go to “the level above human” into “the Kingdom of Heaven” as their leader had promised them. It makes you question why someone would be so cruel as to lie to people and promise them all these things, and then make them kill themselves? We must however remember, Applewhite was once in a mental home. Likewise Jim Jones’ son said Jones was a drug addict, so could this be the reason for their claims and their downfall?
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