Scholars tackle ‘cult’ questions 20 years after Branch Davidian tragedy

[TexasTowelie]

Their apocalypse came and went on a Monday afternoon, 
20 years ago this week.

By the time David Koresh and 75 followers met their fiery end on a prairie near Waco on April 19, 1993, the worst possible image of Branch Davidians was branded on the public mind.

They were fanatics, kooks, cop-killers, members of a suicidal cult or, at best, brainwashed minions of an “Evil Messiah,” as People magazine dubbed Koresh in a cover headline.

Predictions that the Mount Carmel complex would be “another Jonestown” seemed vindicated as the incinerated remains of men, women and children were collected from the rubble of the inferno.

More at http://www.wacotrib.com/news/religion/scholars-tackle-cult-questions-years-after-branch-davidian-tragedy/article_a3fa463e-d1b4-5eda-b49e-95327bc276d7.html .

Cross posted in General Discussion forum.

[mbperrin]

1. Why question it's a cult?

The leader is the only one who can have sex with any of the women, and he has sex with all of them, fathering all children. The leader alone understands the word of God, because he is the son of God.

Yeah, cult, no doubt.

Backstory: actually started right here in my little old hometown of Odessa. Led by a woman who had a son, George, who was expected to take over when time came.

But instead, a young man 50 years younger than she was, seduced her and had sex with her for several years, making him the new leader instead of George, who's still in Abilene at the mental hospital there as far as I know.

Then the young buck relocates them to Waco, and the rest is history.

[mbperrin]

2. Here's a link to that history.

http://www.branch-davidianhistory.net/history.aspx?c=13

[mbperrin]

3. And George is dead, longer than I had realized. Forgot to mention he killed his roommate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Roden