Heaven’s Gate

[Dave]

Heaven’s Gate

From Wikipedia:
Heaven's Gate was an American UFO religion doomsday cult based in San Diego, California, founded in the early 1970s and led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles. On March 26, 1997, police discovered the bodies of 39 members of the group who had committed mass suicide in order to reach what they believed was an alien space craft following the Comet Hale–Bopp, which was then at its brightest.

Group members gave up their material possessions and lived a highly ascetic life devoid of many indulgences. The group was tightly knit and everything was shared communally. Seven of the male members of the group, including Applewhite, voluntarily underwent castration in Mexico as an extreme means of maintaining the ascetic lifestyle.

Comments from Pastor Chuck Missler

(paraphrase) Look at the resume of those members of the Heaven’s Gate cult who were so desperate for answers that they resorted to such an extreme, even going to a permanent solution for temporary solution.

What an indictment of the Church that these people didn’t find the answers they were looking for from our fellowship.

[Richard]

I remember this and it was big discussion our our small groups at Church.

Christian groups publicly denounced these Heaven's Gate guys, both before and after their suicide. I imagine that didn't make them feel welcome into the community of fellowship.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that people follow individual leaders, or individual pastors. Remember the group that followed the Reverend Jim Jones to Honduras.

I think that is one thing I respect about this forum. It isn't about following you, or pastor Bob, or even the Presbyterian Church organization, it is only about following Jesus Christ.

[steve]

Aug 19, 2013 22:51:55 GMT -5 Dave said:

What an incitement of the Church that these people didn’t find the answers they were looking for from our fellowship.

Do you mean indictment of the church? The church is you and I - it is not the institution. The institution is only the placenta; it is required to nourish and protect the child until the child is born. Looking for spiritual answers from the church is like talking to a piece of wood. The church has a structure and a basic outline of the truth - but only Jesus is the truth. There are many in the churches who have never left the womb. They rot and decay and putrefy. These are not the church, and they are not always even christian. We do not need to be confused about these dichotomies. God has ordained the church - just as He had ordained Israel. Israel gave birth to God's greatest child; and the church also gives birth to many great ones.

God Bless
Steve

[Dave]

SEE - this is why I am a science major and not an English major - darn spell check!

[Dillon]

Nice to see that I am not the only one who cant spell.