Heaven's Gate,mass suicide: why did it happen?

Professors and students attempt to answer why a person would join a cult and ultimately commit suicide for its mission.

by Paul Monte news editor

have meaning in killing."

"A combination of intelli- "There's an interest in the gence and sensitivity reeks supernatural, God and angels," What caused 39 members of havoc on the psyche," Romano Primiano said, in reference to the Heaven's Gate cult to com- said. the spiritual awakening. mit suicide? He also mentioned sexual Furthermore, he said a posiWhat was it about Marshall aspects in relation to the cult. tive aspect of religion is that it H. Applewhite, the cult leader "How can sexuality not be does not involve physical with piercing blue eyes and a the main driving force of this harm. Since Heaven's Gate soft, prophetic voice, that con- group?" Romano said. "The did involve harm (castration, vinced his followers to best way to get rid of sex is to suicide), most people would embrace his beliefs? deny it." then feel something dangerous

Dr. Joseph Romano, profes- Romano also mentioned or invalid about that religion. sor of philosophy, attempted to that sexuality is easier to deny "When people take their answer these ultimate ques- than to face, in reference to own lives, everybody gets nertions by referring to the term fears and in particular to the vous ," Primiano said. "The 'honest skepticism.' cult's leader, Applewhite. death aspect raises doubt as to "We all search for some- Applewhite was the ~on of a whether it's a valid religion." thing. We must maintain hon- Presbyterian minister and was Primiano also said religion est skepticism, not cynicism," believed to possibly be a is life-affirming, not the denial Romano said. "A critical homosexual. of life. thinker knows the difference Romano said castration and In response to a question of between fact and fiction." death could have been mea- normalcy, Primiano said insti-

According to Romano, hon- sures taken by the cult to avoid tutional religions, such as est skepticism involves temptation. Christianity and Judaism, h.ad approaching the unknown When asked if he would be cult appearances when they carefully. A member of for or against a group similar were young. Heaven's Gate gave up this to Heaven's Gate coming to "Religion never has anyskill and their thinking pow- Cabrini to lecture, Romano thing to do with being normal. ers: said he would be in favor pro- If people worried about norRomano also said the vided that there would be a malcy there wouldn't be any appeal of the cult becomes forum for debate where doubts religious movements. Are we seductive and that Heaven's could be explored. afraid about people who are Gate claimed "complete "It shouldn't be a closed passionate about religion? knowledge." meeting," Romano said. Does it make us uncomfort-

"lt's a heresy to define the able? If there were a "National absolute," Romano said. "How is [Heaven's Gate] Enquirer" 2,000 years ago, the "There's a magic to it [the different from any other reli- wackos would have been the cult], but you pay the price." gion ?" Dr. Leonard Norman Christians,'' Primiano said.

1 Primiano, professor of reli- According to Primiano, cult

The victims of tile mass sui- gion, asked. members judged belief and did • cide called themse;lye;, Higher Primiano said· ·people see; ' not join the cult simply Sour~ , , a quji:;i-religious, ,, s.trong religious eommitment; because they had nothing else , groµp .that de$~gq(,d Xnte,rne~, ,. as a problem which has a lot to) in which to believe. ' , r • ~i~es for, bu:sinesse~.· M~JJ1):>ers dor with the stress we place on• Primiano would b¢Jll 't~~qr • of the. cuJt beJiyve,o th.ey.werr·• indiYiduality.in our c.ultuce.. of a .group similar to Heaven's.

: S\:!ntto ear.th .as angels-,i);ndmef ., "Wh'e>nyoujoil'l a cQxnmµnr-.: ,Gfite speaking at Cabrini proIi ,,in ,,"¥iddle .Am~ti~3i:" ;I;het tarian. Fe1igibh,,}'ou •.giffl:4'up: V1ded that. it be ma classr~om , al.so be}i~vp tlil}t.i.pv.~,!iqie t that sense of individuality," setting with dialogue and the , '·1,hed tbeir container:;,'.', per Primfan6 sai'd. "In' 11997 /chat L 'school/faculty' acting as a haps to rendezvous with a makes people uncomfortable." moderating influence. StuUFO they believed was travel- Primiano attempted to dents should be able to ask ing behind t~e 1,Hal~-~.opip answer the reasons for joining• critical questions. , comet. Members wer¢ a cult and committing suicide "I would be for it. If it is:not described as quiet with buzz- by referring to the spiritual the truth, or wrong, we 1 can cut hair and stylish, .collarless awakening our culture is expe- still learn from it. Until we black shirts. riencing toward the end of the hear from them, we can't

Some of the cult members millennium and also the understand," is how junior were found with pieces of "influence and population of Kevin Eppler, who doublepaper containing a suicide apocalyptic ideas.'' majors in English/communicarecipe: take pudding or apple- "Heaven's Gate is a classic tions and religion, responded sauce and mix it with pheno- apocalyptic communitarian to the same question. barbital, drink it down with religious community,'' Eppler said cult members alcohol, lie back and relax. Primiano said. "They feel they could have felt a sense of fam,, ily, acceptance and belonging. Furthermore, he said people can see a lot of negativity and search for something positive. He believes the cult is not negative.

Eppler said the cult weighed the spiritual more than the material and found the spiritual more fulfilling.

"I compare all cults today to the early Christian religions," Eppler said.

In response to whether or not he believed God created us to take our own lives, Eppler said, "I believe God gave us free will [to choose] life or death, or suicide. I don't think their image of God and my image of God are the same."

Commenting on the cult, junior Paul Kleschick said at face value the cult's message was mere propaganda and no different from what German dictator Adolf Hitler did in terms of brainwashing.

"If you don't have a critical mind to analyze, people can get hurt," Kleschick said. Kleschick said he would not be in favor of a similar group coming to speak at Cabrini.