How Did Applewhite Commit Suicide

Another infamous cult was Heaven’s Gate, who was lead by Marshall Herff Applewhite, Jr., nicknamed “Do.” Unlike Manson, Applewhite was very insistent with his beliefs and warnings to others. However, Applewhite was accepting of all people into his following, similarly as Manson was. Applewhite’s faith in the future was religiously based, centered around exterrestrial life and how UFO’s are the only way to go to the Kingdom of Heaven. In addition, he also believed that the only way to access the UFO’s were to commit suicide at a certain time. Robert Balch, a sociologist from the University of Montana, wrote Cults, Religion & Violence: Making Sense of The Heaven’s Gate Suicide, a novel discussing as to why the thirty-nine members of the cult
On the other hand, the proof was found on the bodies. The medical examiner's reports declared that the bodies showed no signs of violence or struggle and the videos the members left behind gave an indication of people excited to be ended their lives. One important factor is that among the thirty-nine people who committed suicide, was Applewhite himself. Applewhite was a true believer of what he preached to others, unlike other cult leaders. Other leaders are only interested in having control over a large group of people. Heaven’s Gate members followed Applewhite because he was sincere, and other people were able to tell he was preaching what he believed was the truth. Applewhite met his soon to be best friend Bonnie Nettles in 1972 while spending time in the hospital. After a short time of living with Nettles, she and Applewhite had formulated the idea that they had met in a past life and that their friendship had been foretold to her by extraterrestrials, and she ultimately persuaded him that he had a essential role in saving