Heaven's Gate revisited

[CatWoman]

Heaven's Gate leader Marshall Applewhite, shown in this video image, was known as "Do."

Ten years ago, 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult committed mass suicide inside a Rancho Santa Fe mansion. First responders are still haunted by the gruesome discovery.

Ten years ago next week, one of the strangest events in county history exploded into the public's consciousness. For several days, it was the biggest news story in the world.

It began unfolding the afternoon of Wednesday, March 26, 1997, during a period when the Hale-Bopp comet could be seen in the night sky.

Inside a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult lay dead. Convinced that a spaceship was traveling behind the comet and that they would be transported to the vessel to begin a new life “beyond human,” they had poisoned themselves. Twenty-one women and 18 men died by eating pudding and applesauce laced with phenobarbital and other drugs – the largest mass suicide on U.S. soil.

All went willingly under the guidance of their leader, Marshall Applewhite, also known as “Do.”

Their bodies were discovered by a former cult member who had received videotapes in the mail telling him that by the time he watched them, the group would have moved on.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20070318-9999-lz1n18heaven.html

[Misskittycat]

1. That happened close to me here in North San Diego County. It

was quite a commotion here with lots of national and international news crews blocking traffic for days on end.

[buff2]

2. I remember that very well

Very strange indeed. Just think of all the rest of the kooks still here among us,though. :scared::hide:

[CatWoman]

3. and 85% are employed by the Bush White House

:)

[whistle]

6. You are saying that 85% of Heaven's Gate religious cult members

...actually have jobs in the White House? Can that be substantiated?

[Pab Sungenis]

8. No, he's saying

that 85% of all KOOKS are in the Bush White House.

[CatWoman]

9. thank you

:)

[hyphenate]

4. Hmmmm....

I will probably get flamed for this, but I think of Jim Jones and the Heaven's Gate cults fairly often, and only wish we could convince Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Rev. Moon and Donald Wildmon to get their cults to pretty much do the same thing. Of course, most of them are still waiting for the Rapture, so obviously they're willing to "die" anyhow. :)

[Venus Dog]

5. I actually went to H.S. with one of these people

When I found out - I was totally stunned because this girl (when I knew her) was one of the most popular and pretty girls in the school. She was a year behind me. It really blew me away.

[Deja Q]

7. That dude looks like he needs to be on medication... Here's a pic of a real scary guy:

Over 900 in his watch.

But they're cult leaders - all the same and just as filthy.

[elehhhhna]

11. fyi he sat w/ Roslyn at Jimmy Carter's Inauguration...

another superb reason to keep "Preachers" way from politics.

[Deja Q]

13. GAH!!! That is scary!

[Patsy Stone]

10. 10 years ago.

Oh my. Time flies.

[Deja Q]

12. Nice logo; though I'd have sworn it came from a cheap TV show if it wasn't from a cult

ran by a real whackojacko...

[Patsy Stone]

15. Presenting

the cheap TV show: http://imdb.com/title/tt0084375/

This was before Heaven's Gate, while Applewhite's partner, Bonnie Nettles, was alive. Her name was "Ti". John Forsythe starred, and the main characters were named "He" and "She".

There was proof before Heaven's Gate that this guy was a loon. I guess no one saw this particular Movie of the Week.

[mockmonkey]

14. TLC

has a show about it tonight at 8 P.M. Central time.

It could have been weirder if the guy who played Peter Brady on "The Brady Bunch" was involved and they had all died from poisoned "pork chops and apple Sauce."

Too obscure a reference maybe?:crazy: