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Heaven's Gate


When the Heaven's Gate group committed mass suicide on March 26, 1997, they left a website explaining their beliefs. A few years ago, that original site was still active, and heavily mirrored throughout the web. Many of those copies are gone, but at least one remains: http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/heavensgate_mirror/index.html. Go here for the original material mentioned in some of the reviews below.

Heaven's Gate: Index of Resources, submitted by Kristen Lane.
This website is located within the Religious Movement Homepage Project webpage, operated by the University of Virginia. It provides information regarding The Heaven's Gate cult. The contents of the website are a summary of the tragedy that befell the Heaven's Gate religious group, a University of Virginia's graduate student's master thesis regarding the social perspective of the cult's suicide, and is followed by an anthropologist perspective on the suicides, and a mirror site of the actual Heaven's Gate website as it appeared on the day that the group committed suicide. For those who also require more information other UFO related religious groups, there is a section that provides information on UFO cults as a whole as well as some other select groups. The purpose of this site is to provide extensive information about the cult, and provides two different views of looking at the suicides. (Accessed November 15, 2004)
Mass Suicide of Higher Source..., submitted by Keith Baldwin
This site, written after the mass suicide of 39 of the groups members, is a news-style journalistic article, which exists as part of a larger home page called "UFO's, Mysteries and Phenomena." No author is mentioned, so his/her qualifications are up in the air, but he/she keeps a rather objective, reporter-like style throughout the site with a minimum of editorial-like interjections. The event in which the members died is examined in relation to the Hale- Bopp comet which the members believed to be a sign to act. Photos of the comet by amateur astronomer Chuck Shramrek and interpretations are also included. A link to more in-depth articles about the comet is given, as well as less credible links including a humorous parody of the original Heaven's Gate cult page. (Accessed Oct. 12, 1997)
Heavenly signs often trigger cult moods, activities, submitted by Jennifer Henley
The anonymous author of this segment of the Boston Globe provides popular suspicions arousing interest only in the paper. Lacking confident resources, and significant research the writer makes it clear that he does not really care about the 35 dead. He believed that the reason that 35 people were dead one day was because of a man, Shramrek who spoke about a false document that describes a space ship behind a comet. By tearing down Shramrek's radio show this author commits the same sin. He is hypothesizing about the causes of those 35 deaths, and is in no way any better than Shramrek. He had no intention of fairly discussing the concepts of why those 35 died, but chose to claim an unresearched, biased opinion that stood only as a crowd pleaser.
Overview of Present Mission, submitted by Audrey Rohrer
This website is an educational and informative attempt to explain the reasoning behind the actions of the Heaven's Gate Cult to disbelievers . It is written by Jwondy, a member of this cult and a student of their practices. In light of this, he/she is credible as a source, although writing with a certain bias. Jwondy believes that the truth preached by the Heaven's Gate leaders is the ultimate truth. In the article, a time line illustrating the history of the cult, a summary of their views, and a justification of these views are set forth. After studying these, he/she arrives at the conclusion that the members of the cult are to be "lifted out" of this world and will transcend to a higher dimension. (accessed 14 October 1997)
Heaven's Gate Cult Mass Suicide, submitted by Daren Morgante
Author Sister Rossetta claims to be a nun who gives advice from the Bible, weekly responding to Nuns, Clergy, and sinners. "Ask Sister Rossetta," contains many topics for the browser to choose from. One article, Heaven's Gate Cult Mass Suicide discusses Rossetta's experience with the Heaven's Gate Cult. Rossetta directs this entertaining article toward anyone eighteen years and older. While presenting facts about the Heaven's Gate Cult, Rossetta adds a comical spin by placing herself at the incident's scene.Adding humor, Rosseta "claims responsibility for placing purple shrouds over the bodies of the members, as purple is the color of God. This detail links her to the occurrence. By limiting articles to those of national interest, the collum will remain humorous. However, an unknown topic would loose almost all sense of humor. Overall, this article is worthwhile if looking to waste time being amused. In its use for documented proof of the occurrence, it is extremely misleading. (Accessed October 12, 1997)
The Story of the Hale-Bopp Suicides, submitted by Heather Volkman
Expert Brian K. Roemmele's webpage is an educational, accessible, and objective site where information concerning the group Heaven's Gate can be accessed. It includes: a detailed description of the suicides, addresses to two websites run by the cult, and the history of the group until their final warning was posted on the internet. Roemmele interviewed Ed Depode of Spacestarnet for information regarding their websites and what was posted on them. Also reviewed is a book entitled Heaven's Gate-Cult Suicide in San Diego by New York Post writer Bill Hoffman. Links to the Heaven's Gate website are also included, which give users access to "The Real Complete Copy of the Heaven's Gate Website," as well as various transcripts and videotapes produced by the group. (accessed October 16, 1997; page not available October 30, 2002)
[Editor's note: Weissbach still maintains this site: http://www.weissbach.com/ but this article is no longer posted.
Heaven's Gate: How and When It May Be Entered, submitted by Keith Baldwin
This site contains information, written by the various members of the heaven's gate cult, on how to learn about and/or become a member of the group. Written, presumably, by one of the group's leaders, Ti or Do, it is directed at any perspective member. Vast information about the group's history, creeds, mission, and such are laid out through various links, with examples from the cult's book included. Topics include an overview of the present mission, how to access the book on line and their position against suicide!?!? The significant number of attachments and links creates a wonderful insight into the mentally warped and surreal world of the Heaven's gate cult. ***This site has been taken over by "Right To Know," which admittedly withholds some of the original page.*** (Accessed Oct 12, 1997) (Site not available Feb 25, 1999)
Original site submitted was Heaven's Gate Cult Original Homepage (Site no longer available)
Michael Nielsen's Mirror of "Heaven's Gate", submitted by David Wingenroth
This site is a duplicate of the "Heaven's Gate" page by Michael Nielsen, a doctor of psychology at Georgia Southern University. He's using the site for his psychology of religion students. There's a brief introduction by Nielsen, it gives background on the cult and gets into society's reaction to their suicide. The Heaven's Gate page starts with two paragraphs about the cult. The stuff is hard to follow, and you have to know something about New Testament Bible scripture and Jesus Christ. The areas are: one is an intro by the cult leader, two is an explanation of their mission, three and four are overviews of their mission, five is about their book, six are the transcripts to two videos and seven is about their position against suicide. (Accessed November 5, 1997) (Feb 25, 1999, site no longer available).

 
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This page last updated 19 December 2004