Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate

Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate

Introduction

People, at times, are influenced to follow certain beliefs or practices just because the majority of the people surrounding them are doing. An individual can join a group either voluntarily or because of influence from those surrounding them. This kind of behavior is known as conformity. Conformity can be a result of upbringing. If children are brought up by collectivist parents who value the closed relationship and teamwork, the kids will quickly give up their achievements and goals to join a group to help achieve the group’s goals and objectives (Eric & David, 2017). At times if the purposes of a cult are convincing enough, the individual can easily fall for the idea and join the cult. It takes an influential leader to create and have many members following them. There are many cults in the world, but I will be looking into details about Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate.

Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate is a cult in Texas, and its leader was Marshall Herff Applewhite, who was a self-proclaimed prophet together with his partner Bonnie Lu Nettles. Marshall was a professor who was good at science and fiction. He was also talented and was well known for his music and dramatic talents and even an outstanding public speaker, thus impressed people to follow him. On the other hand, Bonnie Lu Nettles was a nurse who knew the Bible very well and had an interest in unusual spiritual activities. They started with twenty followers from Oregon. The two kept members who were dedicated and obedient to the rules set. The two led their followers to commit suicide because, after death, they were to be transported using a spaceship, which was to travel with the hale-Bopp comet. Both Marshall and Bonnie still did not observe and follow earthly rules because they believed that their higher calling permitted them to ignore social regulations. As a result, they found themselves on the wrong side of the law and were arrested and jailed several times (Zeller, 2014).

The cult had some norms which guided them on what and not to do. According to the telling a lie or breaking set rules were regarded as significant offenses. Smoking and drinking among the members were prohibited, and they experimented with many unusual foods and sex. All of the members wore large clothes and had to maintain short hair to be identified according to sexuality and gender as a way of preserving uniformity. The two partners believed that they came from “level Above human,” used to signify heaven in space. The available elements of culture present in Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate were norms, values, and rituals. Some of the ceremonies were males being castrated and experimenting on different kinds of diets. It also had sanctions where those who followed them and were obedient were to be rewarded while those who were disobedient were to be punished (Muesse, 2011).

The two leaders combined science and fiction knowledge, where Marshall was good at and Bible knowledge and spiritual interest by Bonnie. In some cultures, intelligence is determined by academic success. Since the two were smart as Marshal was a professor while Bonnie was a nurse, some individuals could have defined them as intelligent; thus, it was easy for them to influence other individuals to follow into their beliefs. They also came up with rules were those who did not follow them were punished and kicked out of the group. Also, the members were tricked into believing that they were sent to help them reach the next level, which was level above human. Since the two had a lot of knowledge of science and the Bible, it was somehow easy to influence people to follow them. They had goals and objectives that, to some, the purposes of Marshall were more promising than their own goals; thus, they followed him so as they can accomplish the goals together (Zeller, 2014).

The culture of Marshall Applewhite and Heaven’s Gate had set rules which members of the cult were to follow to the letter; otherwise, there were punishments and consequences of not following rules or disobeying. If the members supported the rules, they were promised rewards as a result of obedience, and this resulted in members to follow and obey the set rules to avoid being punished and receive the promised compensation which was being promoted to a level above human. Members of the cult used to meet, and they performed several tasks so that they could remain busy, and because of the remaining active other members had reasons to join them so that they could accomplish their mission (Davis, 2017).

In modern days, social influence is also used by leaders to gain followers so as they can accomplish their goals. Individuals like in Marshall’s case can follow the majority so that they can experience a sense of belonging because human beings are created in a way that they cannot live in total isolation. In different cultural practices, intelligence is associated with academic excellence, although when applied to determine intelligently might be biased. In such a case, people can be easily influenced by a leader who, according to them, is intelligent. Also, locally someone who understands the cultural practices of a particular culture and their beliefs can use that to influence people to follow them.

For political leaders’ they can promise their followers rewards; thus, individuals will support and follow them because, in the end, there is something they are going to gain. At times following leaders because of the influence of others, and ending up electing them can Electing individuals as a result of other people’s power can make them suffer due to bad leadership. This is related to Marshall Applewhite, and Heaven’s Gate cult as the members committed suicide because they believed and followed marshal Herff Applewhite.