Group items tagged

he began to get a following. In 1968, he and several followers drove to Southern California.

"World Christian has put together this booklet that will help you pray each day, at the same time Muslims are praying," said Yoder. "The twist is this: we're encouraging Christians to pray that many of these Muslims will turn to Christ."

What prompts cult leaders to go completely over the edge, like Applewhite? Power. It corrupts them. They break down and become psychotic. We saw it down in Waco, Texas with the Branch Davidians, and we saw it down in Guyana with Jim Jones' Peoples' Temple. Then they go one of two ways: They build up an arsenal of weapons to prepare for the apocalypse, or they go the passive way. And that's what probably happened to Applewhite. His whole world was breaking down, and he induced his followers to go along with him. He used the old cry of "Let's do it before it happens." Every suicide that I've ever treated wants to take matters into their own hands. It's their last power. And they all believe that there is another world. These people (Heaven's Gate members) packed suitcases before they committed suicide.

In 1978 they staged a fake disbanding of the group in response to the negative media attention following the Jonestown tragedy.