In October’s installment of Cult Bar, RA and Doug discuss the documentary Heaven’s Gate – Cult of Cults. The HBO Original documentary series covers the inception and brutal end of the infamous UFO cult known to the public as Heaven’s Gate, while including some of the heartbreaking stories of survivors, and experts, including Steve Hassan, Reza Aslan, and cult-focused sociologists talking about how cults influence people to join, stay, and even participate in a mass suicide.
RA and Doug discuss the more intense parts of the documentary, including the botched castration of one of the members, the tragic story of Frank and Erika, a couple who joined Heaven’s Gate together in the 1970s, and the baffling reality that many former members seem to be true believers. They also break down the 20 year timeline and the ways in which the length of time and isolation contributed to the desperation and reinforced belief that Hale Bopp would take them from this world, to their imagined Heaven. RA and Doug draw parallels between this timeline and the desperation to hold on to beliefs that the members appeared to bend or abandon before death and the MAGA movement.
This one is a ride, so buckle up and remember – there’s only one “fun” UFO cult. We already did that one.
Everything in The Cult Bar is, as ever, an opinion based on the source materials discussed.
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