History:
Heaven's gate is a UFO based cult. It was led by Marshall Applewhite a.k.a 'Do' and his partner, Bonnie Nettles a.k.a 'Ti'. Before creating heaven's gate, they already formed few groups before such as Total overcomers anonymous, the UFO society, the Christian Arts Center, and the Human Individual Metamorphosis or HIM. Members of this cult were less than 200 people. People who were active members always devoted to Applewhite and his mission. Members would have to first get rid of all earthly goods such as family, friends, jobs, sex, money, etc. Applewhite believes that both of them are the two witnesses spoken about in the Book of Revelations in the Holy Bible.Beliefs:
- Applewhite and Bonnie taught their followers that they were extraterrestrial being and that the earth was about to be recycled, or wiped clean.
- The only way out of this world and to a whole new existence that would be above human existence was to escape to their space ship that was waiting for them in the tail of the Haley Bob comet. For them to be able to do it, they have to commit suicide which means to take it to the 'next level'. Their definition of 'next level' is Kingdom of Heaven.
- They also taught that only a few humans would be able to join Heaven's Gate.
the 'suicide':
At the end, thirty-nine people committed suicide. They committed suicide by ingesting cyanide and arsenic mixed with applesauce and drinking vodka they then wrapped their heads with plastic bags to insure suffocation. The group rented a 9200 sq feet mansion to do their suicide. In spring 1997, the bodies were discovered and decomposition had already begun. All members wore matching black shirts, black pants, white Nike's, and square purple cloth over their head. Investigators found five dollar bill and three quarters in their pockets. All members also had armband patches reading "Heaven's Gate Away Team". They all had their bags packed as if to say they were just going on a trip.SOURCE: www.buzzle.com/articles/the-heavens-gate-cult.html
www.apologetics.index.org/496-heavens-gate
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/heaven's_gate(religous group)
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912249-2,00.html
