Chapter 1: What led to the formation of Heaven's Gate cult?
Planet Earth about to be recycled. Your only chance to evacuate is to leave with us.
It was a final message, a warning, and just a short while afterwards, 39 people would be found dead, all with matching uniforms, the same method of death, and the same Nike shoes. These are the words of Marshall Applewhite, a humble preacher's son who would transform into a supposed extraterrestrial prophet, urging humanity to attain salvation through a spaceship that would take them to the
Next level. And though it sounds like a made-up story in the world of science fiction, this is the real story of Heaven's Gate. Crime, conspiracy, cults, serial killers, and murder, all things that I love to consume, and I know you do too, you sick, twisted, beautiful, intellectually-minded... And today, we are diving into one of the most infamous cults in history, and that is Heaven's Gate.
So without further ado, let's unbuckle our seat belts, go Mach 5 down the highway, slam on the brakes, and bust through this windshield into this infamous cult. I find New Year's resolutions fail for one reason. We try to remove a habit without replacing it. And if you are trying to quit vaping or smoking this year, fume is the replacement you need.
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On May 17th, 1931, Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr. was born the youngest of four kids in a small town of Spur, Texas. And his father, Marshall Herff Applewhite Sr., raised a devout and close-knit family. And he was a Presbyterian minister who traveled frequently on a mission to establish churches throughout Texas. And he brought the family along with him.
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Chapter 2: How did Marshall Applewhite's background influence his leadership?
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And accounts vary on the why, but it was allegedly for either a heart condition or a psychiatric stay. His own sister, Louise, later claimed that he had a near-death experience from a blockage in his heart while in the hospital. saying, quote, one of the nurses there told him he had a purpose, that God kept him alive, unquote.
But the nurse, who is Bonnie Lutrusdale, came to him in the hospital bed in March and convinced him that he was saved for a great mission that he would carry out. So just like that, the cherry on top of the cake, years and years for Marshall's longing for more instantly found its focus. And he believed her message was real.
and divine, and he just knew that God had shown up through this nurse to direct him towards a new path and that she was the key to unlocking his divine purpose. And Bonnie was a 44 year old nurse from Houston who had a strong interest in astrology and biblical prophecy. And she was married with children at the time, though her marriage was on the rocks.
And while Marshall came from a devout Christian family, Bonnie was more of a seeker of the mystical. And she even wrote about astrology in the local newspaper. But regardless of their backgrounds, they truly believed that their meeting was destiny. and their connection was immediate and very powerful.
And Marshall said he felt like he had known Bonnie forever, to the point that he felt that they had met in a past life. And Bonnie told Marshall that their meeting had been revealed to her beforehand by extraterrestrials and that she had been receiving messages from them. Lucky. So this only further cemented Marshall's inner calling and demonstrated that Bonnie shared it with him.
And the two became inseparable, constantly discussing all sorts of spiritual matters, conventional and otherwise. And despite the deep intimacy that the two shared intellectually and spiritually, their relationship was not a sexual one. And this is important as it fulfilled Marshall's desire for that sexless devotion he was desperate for.
And Bonnie's daughter, Terry, would later say about the relationship, quote, Their relationship wasn't like a romantic thing, more like a friendship, a platonic thing, unquote. So he had finally found someone who understood and accepted him for who he truly was. So prior to their meeting, Bonnie had met with some spiritualists who had told her that a man would soon come into her life.
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Chapter 3: What were the core beliefs of Heaven's Gate?
And Joan Culpepper, the aforementioned ex-member turned critic, said, quote, Many of these people weren't losers with low self-esteem. Applewhite's message connected to some belief in them. Heaven's Gate provided a vision of purpose, community, and ultimately a level of transcendence that these people were willing to give their lives for.
The true meaning of exit is to turn against the next level when it is being offered." as was written on their website. And if normal people with any sort of intelligence can be exploited by charisma and desire for belonging and purpose, we're forced to recognize that this sort of thing can happen to just about anyone under the right conditions.
But still, the line of brainwashing versus true choice is heavily debated. And Marshall always claimed that members were free to disobey and leave, but with the underlying fear of damnation ever present. So how free were they, really? And even the members demonstrating happiness with their situation, was this simply the illusion of choice?
i don't know but with doe and t's overly strict structure and demands micromanaging every part of members lives and isolating them for further control it's hard to say that coercion wasn't occurring on at least some level but in the end whether coerced or truly free will were left with a story in which the deep search for spiritual meaning and purpose led to a tragic loss of 39 lives lives that left families and friends behind families who were confused
hurt, angry, grieving, and overall struggling with the loss of their loved ones taken from them much too soon. So my heart goes out to all those families and to the victims because they really are truly victims in this. But that is that for the Heaven's Gate cult. If you have any other cases, cults, conspiracies, serial killers you want me to look into, let me know in the comments below.
I always read them. And until then, I will see your beautiful face, okay? Stay safe out there.
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