Department or Program
History
Abstract
This interdisciplinary thesis aims to trace the roots of the Heaven’s Gate movement, placing the group within its broader religious, cultural, and political context. Founded in 1974 by Bonnie Lu Nettles and Marshall Applewhite, the movement attracted seekers from all walks of life—drawn to the group’s extraterrestrially-infused theology. Individuals part of the movement believed themselves to be extraterrestrials in human bodies, requiring a metaphysical (or in some cases, a literal) transformation to reach the divine level, known as the “Level Above Human”. To achieve this metamorphosis, members engaged in a largely ascetic communal lifestyle, attempting to eliminate all their human desires. In 1997, the remaining thirty-nine members took their own lives, viewing suicide as the final step in their bodily and spiritual metamorphosis. Following the mass suicide—and throughout the movement’s entire existence—Heaven’s Gate received a significant amount of media attention, targeted by allegations of cult abuse and brainwashing. This thesis aims to challenge those assumptions, utilizing archival reconstruction and historical contextualization to examine the larger social trends and political influences that shaped the group’s belief system.
Level of Access
Open Access
First Advisor
Shrout, Anelise
Date of Graduation
5-2023
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Recommended Citation
Devon, Max D., "The Seekers: American Religion in the Context of Heaven’s Gate" (2023). Honors Theses. 437.
https://scarab.bates.edu/honorstheses/437
Number of Pages
74
Open Access
Available to all.