Perhaps no aspect of the UFO paradigm has had so serious a negative impact on the UFO community than the UFO cult phenomenon. Even though it was not the worst tragedy to hit the UFO field, the Heaven's Gate suicides had the most lasting impact and are instantly associated with the mistaken concept that UFO believers are on the fringe of reality.
         For those not aware of the incident, it hit the headlines in March of 1997. The cult leader of the Heaven's Gate group, Marshall Applewhite, had deceived 40 of his followers into believing that a UFO was riding in the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet, then passing near Earth. His brainwashing had convinced the others that by taking their own lives they could ascend to the craft, reach a higher spiritual level, and be taken away from the devastation about to befall Earth.
         The victims were found in a multi-million dollar mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, an exclusive community north of San Diego. Twenty-one women and eighteen men, aged 26 to 72, were all found lying face-up on cots and beds throughout the mansion, covered with triangular purple shrouds, all sporting buzz cuts and dressed alike, with their hands to their sides. Investigating officers said it appeared, "as if they had simply fallen asleep". A 40th member committed suicide at later date.

Heaven's Gate - The Sequel

         Unfortunately, no lessons were learned by the survivors of this death cult and, in a macabre twist to this horror story, new members have joined them and the cult is attempting a revival. Boldly proclaiming their return in a website ironically titled "Heaven's Gate Lives: Apocalypse Now", they show clearly the delusion is still strong and, by default, just as dangerous.
         Pay very close attention to the statements of these new followers found on the above mentioned website. We will provide a link to that website and certain blog entries at the end of this article.

♦ "The message of "Heaven's Gate" is NOT dead. It is still very alive." (Emphasis, theirs)
         I doubt any of us in the UFO field ever wanted to hear these words, especially if the same mindset existed in the new generation. And, that worst fear is verified in the next statement.

♦ "We hold to the commands of Ti, Do, (the late Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles), and the class while they were here. We believe this message as Truth and live by it."
         They are mental slaves of their death cult leader, who is still pulling their strings from the grave.

♦ "We believe that the Spading Under, (their concept of the apocalypse), has begun since 2000. We feel the end."
         Escaping the "the end" or the "Spading Under", through suicide. is exactly the goal Applewhite and Nettles used to take the 39 other precious lives to the grave.

♦ "We are excited to see another comet that came about in 2006 and is progressing through 2007. It is the brightest comet in over 40 years."
         Here's where it gets even more frightening. Just the mention of their recognition of another comet approaching should raise red flags all over the law enforcement community!

♦ "The way we look at it is that the Next Level, possibly, could be giving a symbol to a hateful world that Heaven's Gate isn't dead and lives on."
         Again, as though attempting to drive home the point proudly, they emphasize the horrific fact that a suicide cult has risen like a zombie from the coffin.

♦ "Those followers, the old ones and the new can also rejoice over the bright comet McNaught as the same symbol or not.
         What "same symbol" could this be referring to, other than the UFO riding in the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet? This comet just has a different name, McNaught. The next statement confirms it!

♦ "Some may elect an option to lay down their vehicles, (their code phrase for "suicide") under the impression that the Next Level sent back a spaceship to invisibly follow the comet because it knew or didn't expect new people to embrace."
         So there it is, in confusing but shockingly blunt language. Some? What does "some" mean? Considering there were survivors of the last grisly death dance that they produced, only "some", forty, of the original cult members lost their lives!
         This is a dire warning that must be heeded! These people, if this is not some ghastly hoax, are very casually implying that more suicides are on the horizon!

♦ "We just follow what Ti and Do taught and our commitment is to their teachings- not our own. To us, the comet McNaught is the 'marker' of the 'Message and Power' of Heaven's Gate, ten years later."
         A “marker” of death was the result of the last recognition this group gave to a comet passing close to Earth. It can be seen that only one thing has changed in the mindset of this new gathering of followers. The false prophet they so blindly believe, follow, and obey is now a dead false prophet.
         Not even recognizing the fact that he led 39 others to their death, and actually referring to this mass suicide as a "graduation', shows that they are definitely prone toward repeating the ghastly act of their last comet celebration.

♦ "The significance, to us, is of no coincidence that the brightest comet in decades happens around the ten year anniversary of the graduation the Class made in March of 1997."
         In callous disregard for the lost lives of the victims of this cult, and the unimaginable suffering of their loved ones, they pass it off as a commencement exercise.

♦ "We like to say that a movie is in the works that is called "Heaven's Gate: A Decade Later". The film will talk about the beliefs, the persecution, the suicides, the aftermath, and the future of the group."
         No lessons learned, no responsibility, no regret, no apology; just water under the bridge, and let's get past this and move forward in the same dangerous direction. They think simply making a movie about it and continuing on with the same deadly beliefs that killed our unfortunate predecessors is the right way.
         No, no, no!! It is not that simple, and it is not to be swept under the rug! The UFO community must come together if this group attempts to gain any power or recognition. History is littered with the bones of the victims of those who failed to learn the lessons of previous fatal mistakes.

A Caveat

         We have searched diligently to verify whether the website mentioned above and certain blog entries attributed to followers of the Heaven's Gate cult are creations of actual members of Heaven's Gate. At the time of this writing, we have no indication that this is a hoax. We sincerely hope it is, and that lives are not in danger. But, when a potential threat of this magnitude is even a remote possibility, we choose not to err on the side of caution by waiting for proof.

A Response to a Heaven's Gate Attack

Here are links to a website and blog entries from those claiming
to represent a Heaven’s Gate revival:

The Website:
Heaven's Gate Lives: Apocalypse Now
 
Blog entries:
* The entries linked below appear on the website “NowPublic”, described as a participatory news network.
The Aftermath of Heaven's Gate: Part One
The Aftermath of Heaven's Gate: Part Two
More on Heaven's Gate
"Heaven's Gate is Resurrected with New Converts"
Heaven's Gate's Self-Appointed Messenger