At 4 p.m. on Wednesday 26th March an anonymous tip sent two sheriff's deputies to a huge mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California where they found the bodies of 39 members of the 'Heaven's Gate' religious sect, covered with purple shrouds and lying on beds and mattresses throughout the house. Post-mortem examinations revealed that the 18 men and 21 women had killed themselves by taking a mixture of alcohol and phenobarbital and then placing plastic bags over their heads.
Evident similarities
The news made headlines around the world and people made the obvious link with the mass killings of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco Texas led by David Koresh and those of the Jim Jones sect in Jonestown, Guyana. Similar events have taken place in Switzerland, France and Canada by members of the Order of the Solar Temple cult. The leader of that cult, the 69 year-old Joseph Di Mambro, claimed that in a previous life he had been a member of the Knight's Templars during the Crusades and that he would lead them, through death, to the planet Sirius. He founded a school near the Swiss border called 'The Centre for the Preparation of the New Age', the proceeds from which enabled him to purchase a 15-room mansion in Haute-Savoie.
The Heaven's Gate sect was started in 1975 by Marshall Applewhite and his "partner" Bonnie Nettles. They told their followers that they were "two individuals from the next kingdom" who had come to earth to save those who were willing to be saved. Applewhite claimed to be the "Present Representative" of the spirit that filled Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago and he offered his followers a 17-step process of personal transformation.
Another Jesus
In a document entitled "Purpose and Belief - the Simple Bottom Line" the cult claims: "A member of the Kingdom of Heaven left behind his body in the Next Level, came to earth and moved into an adult human body that had been 'prepped' for this particular task. The body chosen was called Jesus. He did so at his Father's (or Older Member's) instruction...when it was 29 or 30 years-old." Applewhite then goes on to claim, "Our mission is exactly the same. I am in the same position to to-day's society as was the one that was in Jesus then. My being here now is actually a continuation of that task as was promised to those who were students 2000 years ago".
Waiting for a spacecraft
The appearance of the Hale-Bopp comet appears to have prompted the sect into believing that it was a sign that there was some sort of "heavenly spacecraft" following in its wake which would take them through "Heaven's Gate" to the "Upper Level" they aspired after. Applewhite writes, "The arrival (of the Hale-Bopp comet) is joyously very significant for us at "Heaven's Gate". The joy is that our Older Member in the Evolutionary Level Above Human (the "Kingdom of Heaven") has made it clear to us that Hale-Bopp's approach is the "marker" we've been waiting for - the time for the arrival of the spacecraft from the Level Above Human to take us home to their world."
This sort of apocalyptic prophesying is not limited to "far-out" cults. In 1992 Harold Camping wrote a large book claiming that Christ would return in 1994, and a well-known American tele-evangelist, Jack Van Impe, has recently asserted that the event will take place in 2001. We can undoubtedly expect many more similar predictions as millennium fever, now in its incubation stage, takes hold.
The need for a spiritual antidote
It is difficult to understand the reasons which motivated people of all ages to follow the teachings of men like, Marshall Applewhite, Joseph Di Mambre, David Koresh and Jim Jones, but something of the despair felt by at least one member of the Heaven's Gate sect is revealed in the farewell videotape message which he left before joining the others in their final act of suicide: "I don't have any choice but to go for it, because I have been on the planet for 31 years and there's nothing left for me."
Writing in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 30th March, Logan Jenkins remarks, "Unless we figure Heaven's Gate out, unless we learn something about the spiritual hollowness that nourishes the cults, we're doomed to watch this terrible tableau repeated. Without some sort of spiritual antidote, the apocalyptic virus could hang around until the middle of the next century", to which we would add, "and probably very much longer!".
The need for authoritative teaching
The trouble is that a vast amount of religion of all sorts and colours is being offered to our generation, and very little true preaching of the message of salvation by the sovereign grace of God in Christ alone. It is this which is at the heart of the teaching of all Scripture and which is so evident in the teaching of Christ, the apostles and the Reformers. People to-day do not know where to turn because of this lack of authoritative teaching from Scripture. Most of what we hear to-day is relative - based on men's beliefs and opinions. It is no longer acceptable in many circles to proclaim "truth" since, we are told, no one can be dogmatic about what "truth" really is. We must be open to other men's opinions and beliefs.
How unlike the Apostle Paul who did not hesitate to say, "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed", and lest we should misunderstand what he is saying or feel that he did not really mean what he said, the Apostle repeats it, "As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." (Gal.1:8-9).
There is no doubt about the sincerity, conviction and dedication of the members of the Heaven's Gate sect. However, these qualities are not enough, for one can be sincere, convinced and dedicated and still be wrong.
How to recognise a cult
How can we recognise a cult or sect? Look for one or more of the following, and be careful to avoid them all!
They refuse to accept the sole authority of Scripture and the necessity for the individual to look to Scripture alone as God's revealed truth. They accept willingly extra-biblical revelations.
They give full allegiance to their leader or prophet and follow his (or her) teaching or interpretation of Scripture without question.
They are not attached to Christ alone. If Christ is there at all it is frequently Christ plus something else, or someone else. To them, Christ is not the eternal Son of God and salvation is not found in the atoning work of Christ alone.
They worship the creation more than the Creator.
They believe that through their own efforts, deprivations or indulgences they are pleasing God and preparing themselves for eternity.
They look to their beliefs and practices as an escape from the problems and difficulties of everyday life.
They aspire after some sort of super holiness, cutting themselves off from the realities of the world.
They are attached to rites and ceremonies.
They confuse mysticism with true religion and holiness.
They do not understand that there is a meaning to life and no glory in death.
Looking for certainty
We live in a world which needs the gospel – the true gospel of God's sovereign grace to repentant sinners in Christ alone. Many people to-day are looking for some sort of certainty. This is the reason they follow false sects and prophets. We have, in the Scriptures, the message which God has clearly revealed. Let us proclaim it clearly and authoritatively. Sinners need to hear it but, above all, God has entrusted us with this task.