Heavens Gate A Colossal Failure Essay - 1219 Words

Throughout history, there have been many instances of cults, many of which share the common characteristic of having corrupt leaders. For instance, Charles Manson led his cult in a homicidal spree, and David Koresh and Jim Jones convinced their followers to commit mass suicide. It is apparent that in cult history, leaders are the main cause of the tragedies that ensue. Heaven’s Gate, a religious cult, was founded on a mixture of Christian beliefs and a belief in UFOs. They stayed out of the public eye for many years until March 27, 1997. On this day, thirty-nine members of the cult committed suicide so that their souls could board a coming spaceship. This spaceship trip, however, was only for their souls, so they needed to be rid†¦show more content†¦. . par 4). The two original founders of the cult, Marshall H. Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Trousdale Nettles, met in 1972 when Applewhite was a patient in the hospital where Nettles worked (Stewart par 1) After they d iscovered that they shared many of the same beliefs, they began to hold meetings to attract followers. Applewhite and Nettles believed themselves to be â€Å"the two ‘endtime’ witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11† (â€Å"Heaven’s Gate† Britannica par 2). These witnesses are two nonhuman beings who will appear on earth to prepare the way for the coming Lord. Applewhite called himself the reincarnation of Jesus, and Nettles was the â€Å"Heavenly Father† (Stewart par 2). These ideas stemmed from the duo’s belief that they were from the â€Å"Next Level† (Stewart par 2) and that only they had the ability to understand the Next Level. Because of this ability, their followers had no choice but to be completely reliant upon and trust â€Å"The Two† (â€Å"Heaven’s Gate† Britannica par 2), as they were referred to. (This nickname goes back to the two witnesses described earlier from Revelations 11 in the Bibl e.) The members of Heaven’s Gate followed their leaders blindly. When they joined this cult, according to Stewart in paragraph 3, they were told that the only way to truly reach the Kingdom of Heaven was by giving up everything they had. As well as giving upShow MoreRelatedMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pageswhich cases would be appropriate for the traditional coverage of topics as organized in typical marketing texts. With most cases it is not possible to truly compartmentalize the mistake or success to merely one topic. The patterns of success or failure tend to be more pervasive. Still, I think you will find the following classification of cases by subject matter to be helpful. I thank those of you who made this and other suggestions. Classification of Cases by Major Marketing Topics Topics