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.
