Branch Davidians Research Paper
The devastation which occurred at the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas, demonstrates the negative outcomes of the beliefs of a cult. In order for us to fully understand this devastation, we must first understand the faction of the Branch Davidian cult and its prophet David Koresh.
History
The Branch Davidians first appeared in 1942. The name Branch Davidians comes from David’s expression “Get off the dead [shepherd’s] rod and move onto the living Branch” (Branch Davidians History, 2016). It was founded by Victor Houteff who had been a part of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The group followed religious traditions that sees Christ’s return to earth. The religious group were millennialists which means that they believed in the “end of the world”. They believed that in the bible there were clues to when the second coming would occur. Vernon Howell joined the Branch …show more content…
All members are and focused on the second arrival of Jesus, having different dietary requirements and concentrating on the bible. Benjamin Roden the leader before David, wanted all the Branch Davidians to follow the feast days throughout the year, for example Pentecost and the Passover. One of the teachings that the Branch Davidians followed and believed was “2,300 day prophecy from Daniel 8:14 may start from David’s death”, the year would be 2000. When the year 2000, came around a cleansing would have occurred. They believed that when the breaking of the seals would occur, Christ would return to earth and a battle would happen and the Branch Davidians would be the main leaders during this. The difference with the Branch Davidians under the leadership of David Koresh was that he positioned himself as God and that he would open the seven seals and set the end of the world as we know it in motion. The seven seals refers to the seven symbolic seals that secure the scroll that John wrote in the Book of
History
The Branch Davidians first appeared in 1942. The name Branch Davidians comes from David’s expression “Get off the dead [shepherd’s] rod and move onto the living Branch” (Branch Davidians History, 2016). It was founded by Victor Houteff who had been a part of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The group followed religious traditions that sees Christ’s return to earth. The religious group were millennialists which means that they believed in the “end of the world”. They believed that in the bible there were clues to when the second coming would occur. Vernon Howell joined the Branch …show more content…
All members are and focused on the second arrival of Jesus, having different dietary requirements and concentrating on the bible. Benjamin Roden the leader before David, wanted all the Branch Davidians to follow the feast days throughout the year, for example Pentecost and the Passover. One of the teachings that the Branch Davidians followed and believed was “2,300 day prophecy from Daniel 8:14 may start from David’s death”, the year would be 2000. When the year 2000, came around a cleansing would have occurred. They believed that when the breaking of the seals would occur, Christ would return to earth and a battle would happen and the Branch Davidians would be the main leaders during this. The difference with the Branch Davidians under the leadership of David Koresh was that he positioned himself as God and that he would open the seven seals and set the end of the world as we know it in motion. The seven seals refers to the seven symbolic seals that secure the scroll that John wrote in the Book of