The Intergalactic Cult That Met A Tragic Fate: Heaven’s Gate

День тому

One of the best-known cults of the “internet age,” Heaven’s Gate and its out-of-this-world gospel, resulted in a tragic mass suicide. Merle and Joyce interview a clinical psychologist to gain a better understanding of the rise and fall of Heaven’s Gate.
Credits: www.buzzfeed.com/bfmp/videos/...
Welcome to the BuzzFeed Unsolved Network! This channel is your one-stop destination for all things mystery, conspiracy, supernatural, true crime, and everything in between. Subscribe here: bit.ly/2zuaR06.
MERCH: We've got it! SHOP NOW: bzfd.it/2MDBk2d
MUSIC
Prying Eyes_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Inquisitive Mind_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Blind Worm_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Your Mind's Eye_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
There's a Problem_Main
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Quirky Happenings_Full Mix
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Unscrupulous_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Not a Clue_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Relaxed Ukelele_Main
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Marimba Target_Fullmix
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Strange Stories_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
An Odd Fellow_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
The Spanish Distraction_Full
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
On A Sacred Path_Full Mix
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
True Power_Main
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Dunkler Herbst_Full Mix
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Melancholic Fields_Full Mix
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Turn The Tide_Main
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
Rays Of Hope_Main
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.
VIDEO
Fruit bats
JohnCarnemolla/Getty Images
Metamorphosis of a cocoon to butterfly
boonkum/Getty Images
Traffic jam in both directions on highway / Los Angeles, California
Marc Romanelli/Getty Images
high angle PAN houses in town
Mr. Big Film/Getty Images
close up OVERHEAD man's hands opening top of laptop + starting to type
The Movie Rocket/Getty Images
slow motion close up 2 businessmen shaking hands
Pigeon Productions Inc./Getty Images
high angle wide shot long shot Los Angeles skyline with traffic on highway in foreground / heavy smog obscuring skyline
Mr. Time Lapse/Getty Images
low angle silhouette flock of pigeons flying over camera / orange filter
Ghislain and Marie David de Lossy/Getty Images
Modern Suburb Neighborhood
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images
Black Hole
nopparit/Getty Images
Business handshake
janiecbros/Getty Images
Extreme Macro Close-Up Moving Slider Reveal Shot Shot of Gold Text Title "Holy Bible" on the Cover Texture Pattern Book of the Word of God on a Dark Background with Unique Lighting
Jeremy Poland/Getty Images
1993 MONTAGE zoom in Hubble Telescope images of galaxies
NASA/Getty Images
Enter Heaven
mennovandijk/Getty Images
Prison Cells
jd_field/Getty Images
HD 1080i The Book of Solomon 3
Skip Hunt/Getty Images
the choosen one
creativeballs/Getty Images
A cross glows in front of a rotating planet earth.
A Luna Blue/Getty Images
Noise on Analog TV Screen | Loopable
onuroner/Getty Images
HD: rat
faiithful/Getty Images
Jesus Christ
D-Keine/Getty Images
Colorful digital religion conspiracy theory - Noise Bad Crt Tv Signal displaying Jesus Christ
Koron/Getty Images
Drive under moonlight at night past mailbox street lights in a subdivision in the suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, 2021
WW News/Getty Images
Meditating man opening gate to cosmic energy
janiecbros/Getty Images
C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on north Saskatchewan, canada
chinaface/Getty Images
The Cross
kWaiGon/Getty Images
Flying into a beautiful nebula animation
cgtoolbox/Getty Images
Stars Burst
y_dragon/Getty Images
Religious fresco
asiafoto/Getty Images
Astronaut exploring the moon. Distant planet Earth in the sky
janiecbros/Getty Images
Jesus Christ
D-Keine/Getty Images
Abstract Nebula, Galaxy, Space Animation Background Stock Video
bndart/Getty Images
Metamorphosis of caterpillar to cocoon time lapse
boonkum/Getty Images
Aliens
Devrimb/Getty Images
Close-up Hand Touching depressed senior women for encouragement
commandoXphoto/Getty Images
Prayer
D-Keine/Getty Images

КОМЕНТАРІ: 143

@mayaflici374 Рік тому

The clinical psychologist is so eloquent, she explains things really simply, learned a lot for this episode

@MARIUS2776 Рік тому

Yup lizzo has destroyed fat shaming

@peppanotpepper4672 Рік тому

What I love about this series is that they emphasis the humanity of those who fell victim to these cult leaders, which documentaries and media often gloss over. Bringing in experts/psychologists provide insight into the minds of the followers and make it hard for viewers to just write them off by saying “they’re all just crazy.” In short, thank you for these insightful videos. These videos wouldn’t be the same without Merle and Joice!

@TheSaneHatter Рік тому

Bizarrely, I'm someone who doesn't actually remember the Heaven's Gate incident, and in fact, I never even *heard* of the group until the following decade. Despite my age, much of this info is actually new to me. I do, however, remember (and remember seeing) comet Hale-Bopp, and I feel the need to let younger audiences know about it: not just to lighten the mood, but also to provide some context. For those of us old enough to remember the EIGHTIES (to say nothing of the Nineties), one of the biggest letdowns of the era was when, after years of hype and merchandising, the much-touted Halley's Comet returned to Earth in 1986 . . . and was barely visible in the sky. It had lost a lot of its "tail" of icy particles, and you couldn't see it anymore without a telescope. So it offered a bit of closure when, over a decade later, the little-known Hale-Bopp comet came by and unexpectedly DID deliver some of the light show we'd been expecting before! I actually remember stepping outside of my college apartment one night with my brother, and easily seeing the comet with the naked eye. And that, my friends, is the sight that Heaven's Gate, apparently, took as a sign.

@Brandon-jl6cj Рік тому

Tl;dr

@TheSaneHatter Рік тому

@@Brandon-jl6cj Blocked for trolling.😆

@Aphrodite_ErosLuvChild214-80 Рік тому

Hale -bopp I've not heard of it

@sirandrelefaedelinoge Рік тому

When you talk to God, it's called prayer... When God talks to YOU, that's called schizophrenia.

@helenamirian908 Рік тому

In my religious experience, I was a teenager being hassled to "hear God's voice" about my next steps in life, yet was told that everything I felt strongly positive about was "not God's will". People weaponize what God's will is and isn't to manipulate the vulnerable.

@bricksquadmonoply8835 Рік тому

No sir it’s only schizophrenia if you talk back to the voices. 😂

@vjoo6219 Рік тому

@@bricksquadmonoply8835 nope. Auditory Hallucination is a symptom Schizophrenia, whether you decide interact with it or not, it's upto you

@bricksquadmonoply8835 Рік тому

@@vjoo6219 no your wrong

@vjoo6219 Рік тому

@@bricksquadmonoply8835 I suggest if you have hallucinations do visit a therapist cause it's not going to away by simpley not talking to them

@Aquamarine333 Рік тому

I need that class of recognizing emotional manipulation, especially in a religious setting

@eara8426 Рік тому

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

@bl4kkLotus4Jesus Рік тому

This always fascinated me. How people could misconstrue the love of God so severly

@alchemixal8001 Рік тому

Lol you'd be surprised

@helenamirian908 Рік тому

I was a Christian teenager when this happened, and it disturbed me so much.

@americanboot1708 Рік тому

Not gonna lie watching the old unsolved mysteries like the zodiac killer ect gives me goosebumps, I hate watching it when I'm alone but I have a ball of steel and just watch it alone, it's like the feeling when you watch unsolved mysteries of the killers and you think that there is a man watching you on the window

@stevechrollo8074 Рік тому

Im watching you

@SpellboundWolf 27 днів тому

Thank you for adding the psychologist's interview. :) She's doing a wonderful job.

@silentsigher Рік тому

Another great video

@SanskarWagley Рік тому

Love this

@ponny2948 Рік тому

“Today’s drama”…. Like ok people just literally died but call it drama.

@belughlegosi Рік тому

Literally why is it so lighthearted

@jalibeeee Рік тому

8:50 same gurl i'd shave my hair too for namjoon

@Sheltieshangrila Рік тому

100% true - One of the cult survivors (who left right before they all killed themselves) constructed the musical cremation urn I designed out of wood so I could take it to an artist for sculpting the artwork of flowers & butterflies, and then have the mold created. All I had to provide him was a drawing & measurements. Talented guy. The urns were then produced by Incolay, which sadly, is now out of business. But he could not & would not talk about his experience w/the cult. I think he'll be haunted by it until the day he dies.

@Sheltieshangrila Рік тому

@@crlody3045 you sound pretty bitter, which is odd considering you don't personally know that person. You're also stating your "belief" about who I'm referring to as a fact, which is also odd considering you stated that you personally know another former member, which clearly indicates Rio wasn't the only one who left. 🤔

@jj-if6it Рік тому

Quincee Gideon is such a cool name. And Merle, there's no reason why you can't wear that stuff if you want

@helenamirian908 Рік тому

I thought I was younger than 18 when this happened? 1997? I would have been taking my gap year in the woods post high school. I was also highly religious (and a closet gay, but we didn't know that about Applewhite from the news reports?) and planning to attend Bible college in South Africa. When this story broke, I was, needless to say, deeply disturbed. It may have rattled my already shaky faith, too, that people could commit so completely and be so wrong.

@niralim33 Рік тому

Love you ladies!!!!

@amberrains1669 Рік тому

I love this series

@elderemomom Рік тому

Every couple of years our students will learn that he taught at our school for a time and it’s like a rabbit hole for them

@myhistorycorner Рік тому

RDR2 led me to this video. Great stuff. Always interested with stuff like this.

@realnews2474 Рік тому

Everyone seems to forget that the Phoenix lights happened at this same timeframe.. Coincidence? Probably..still interesting.

@Epyonator Рік тому

I can only hear a pink T-Rex referring to the sun as Big'Ol

@Ngentots.McKontolssen Рік тому

Talk about the scientology cult next

@SuperKitty104 Рік тому

I want to spend time with Namjoon too Joyce!!!💜💜

@willieryan8339 Рік тому

"RM I love you "girl same ❤️

@Dread_Pirate_Roberts_2013 2 місяці тому

This show was fun, those girls are great presenters, cheers...

@gasmoneyindustry Рік тому

Say what you want about heaven's gate but two weeks before they all killed themselves was the lights over Phoenix the largest UFO sighting ever recorded and it came at the tail end of the Hale-Bopp comet

@jj-if6it Рік тому

I'd never be able to do it cause I'm just too skeptical and would have too much doubt in my mind

@_ELI912 Рік тому

Make a video about the unsolved case of nida blanca

@mariocinquemani3134 Рік тому

Min 5:20, that's cause you two are smart and can connect on an deeper level. I wish I could find a girl for me like that!!!

@ImTheCrew 11 місяців тому

8:11 I think it’s funny that the next coming of Jesus was in prison for credit card fraud. Lol 😂

@avantgardenoodle 3 місяці тому

the RM shoutout 💜

@merckmaguddayao6814 Рік тому

Bring back True Crime with the Cult Girls!

@katherinecollins4685 Рік тому

Interesting case

@mariocinquemani3134 Рік тому

Who's the host on the right?

@thejoannaho Рік тому

Namjoon stan here too!

@3spmSwy 7 днів тому

If you all ever want to learn about the group from within, I am available still. I'm known as Sawyer and can be seen on most every big media documentary though they hardly use much of what I give them.

@user-ur3xd3ml8v 9 місяців тому

I’m unable to fully understand what the girl in green is saying.

@cecewinston6298 4 місяці тому

Crazy did it on my birthday ugh!

@ongedierte3606 Рік тому

I came for the text on the thumbnail "Heaven's Gate", thought it's Tekken, but little did I know I got baited

@wetwired Рік тому

39 by design💫☄️

@FierceStar56 9 місяців тому

bruh coming from puppet history and seeing Joyce was a fuckin treat

@RiresDelven Рік тому

Talk about the Jehovah’s Witness cult next.

@tonesdad0408 Рік тому

The only thing is, its not a deadly cult.

@danielgyllenbreider Рік тому

@@tonesdad0408 You should look at their suicide rates....

@tonesdad0408 Рік тому

@@danielgyllenbreider I would also want to kill myself if I had to peddle their Watchtower every Saturday morning too!

@713lopez7 Рік тому

I’m pretty sure they do that to them self after realizing they wasted they time following bs

@ladaveya Рік тому

@@tonesdad0408 nor is it a cult

@allenwest1986 Місяць тому

I watched The Alien Prophet. Now that is an amazing cult. Human cloning, nudity the works! Way better than Heavens Gate.

@cjmyraguy6396 8 місяців тому

It's so hard to watch them just read off a script with no emotions

@Checkz_over_Stripez Рік тому

I would mos def rock some heavens gate nikes

@Dstergurl09 Рік тому

That BTS mention in the introduction made me happy. I see you army lol

@StargazerApril Рік тому

While listening I kept thinking about the dinosaurs in Puppet History

@nisaba5752 Рік тому

I *could not* separate her voice from that!! As dinosaurs would say,her voice was imprinted on me?? 😍 😁

@marchcasino1555 Рік тому

Is it just me, or are these women somehow trying to justify this dude's actions because he was gay? My God. How absolutely despicable, and disingenuous to the families, and harm caused by this mad man. Do better.

@MetalFan10101 Рік тому

When you hit your toe on the table leg 2:20

@ellacallaghan7517 Рік тому

can you guys do the family cult from australia

@LJ-wt5sp Рік тому

😮😮😮

@guitarsrcool4922 2 місяці тому

How come these ladies don't know which camera to look at when speaking? Lol. Weird

@mattb541 Рік тому

Things missed or questionable in the video: "Regular ppl fall for cults" Lack of critical thinking skills, lack of adequate social connections, and going through a personal crisis of direction predisposes someone to join a cult. The Co-Founder The psychologist frames the co-founder as a passive actor in her environment and quickly implies the co-founder lacks any agency or responsibility for her actions. Dr. implies she had a noble desire for a better world when a quest for power and status is an equally valid analysis and doesn’t fall into a limited, traditional view of a woman. Also, she mentions that she found his beliefs “sexy” when all they had was a platonic connection. It’s more likely she had a maternal, parent-child relationship with him-especially considering her age and how women mature faster. Also, he sought her wisdom initially. This suggests a power differential in the relationship consistent with a parent-child relational dynamic. Dr only speculates about him “having the answers”, which again highlights the Dr.’s limited view traditional view of gender. Applewhite also thinks he can’t even lead the cult without her and was “looking for a way out” and wondered about “sending everyone home”. Again, consistent with her serving a more maternal, powerful role. There's a subgroup of women who, after moving past reproductive age, immerse themselves in bizarre spiritual practices to compensate for feeling like they lost power. I think a desire for power helps explain her behaviour better than she was swooped up by a manipulative man. Vulnerable Narcissism That sounds spot on, however, Dr. fails to provide any insight into how the condition developed. Just applying a label is helpful, but shallow without context about how that construct developed in the individual. Indoctrination It’s not really accurate to stay it pulls someone from how they saw themselves. It’s more accurate to say that it fosters already existing feelings of being “special” and “unique” and provides meaning where people failed to create or find it in their own life. Yes, they may sacrifice some values to have these feelings fostered and meaning engendered, but her statement is still very shallow. Finical Component Dr. misses the finical trouble he had and how he had a limited skillset to remedy the situation - except for extreme religious beliefs. Luckily, the lovely co-hosts elude to it. A large part of human behavior can be explained by trying to acquire resources. “Meat Sacks” This is not a belief unique to this cult. Many mainstream scientists make analogous statements. I don’t understand how this is a meaningful observation relevant to understanding what differentiated this cult from mainstream society. “People can be so evil” I can appreciate why the charming co-host said this, however, the Dr. should know better than to let Christian terminology seep into an analysis. It’s better to directly challenge the co-host than agree out of politeness or, frankly, one’s own possible cognitive banality. Sorry if this sounds harsh and the tl;dr. I just think we deserve better from people who study the human mind, and I see a lot of this type of analysis from psychologists on UKposts.

@belughlegosi Рік тому

I feel like they rambled a lot about nothing too when we’re just tryna hear the psychology. Like I didn’t click on a podcast, did I ?

@nisaba5752 Рік тому

You need to revisit your inflammatory statement about women, especially your strangely specific notion that the passage of time that they are reproductively viable has a connection to immersion into any spiritual or religious practice, subgroup or no. Just...wow. That is, at best, a subjective notion based exclusively on gender. Present a paper on this to *any age* group of students,or better yet- put your comment where it will get to a larger audience,and people who are much better writers than I, who can express themselves much better than me- will tell you about how stating a notion like that is wholly incorrect from even the broadest of sociologically viewpoints is extremely, *pointedly* insulting to women,and to anyone who knows one. Saying what you did is at *best...* misinformation.

@glh5622 10 місяців тому

Matt, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.

@Michaelalovespandas 3 місяці тому

Obviously they were going to talk about people seeing their human bodies as only “meat sacks” because that’s part of why they were ok with committing suicide. Even though the idea isn’t rare, it’s an essential component of why they were willing to give up their lives- they felt they had something better coming up after

@rml1919 Рік тому

Ya know. I'll keep saying it. Had heavens gate committed suicide in 2019... They would be considered geniuses today. 😆

@CaseyAvalon Рік тому

Hello, psychologist was cool and love those chicks 👍🤠

@privateinvestigator8607 Рік тому

That lady looks like Jessica Biel. A bit.

@deannaswanson7296 Рік тому

I really like you guys as hosts, but something seems a bit off. Like you're reading from a script? I'm not sure. It seems a bit unnatural.

@benjaminbruce4908 11 місяців тому

man when u lost ryan n shane u didnt even try with new ones u could have done better from a wal mart parking lot

@stevescott5390 Рік тому

White chick narrating is pretty cute. She's explaining everything good.

@carolglass9405 Рік тому

I miss Shane & Ryan

@jj-if6it Рік тому

They have their own channel now, so there's really nothing to miss

@Magmagan Рік тому

I don't like this format

@nanagigi7825 Рік тому

Nu subbie XOXO

@nisaba5752 Рік тому

Lol look what happens to your comment when you tap on "translate" 😂

@user-gc9hv7tt5z 21 день тому

is this a jojo reference

@ZK_SHREDR Рік тому

Keep trying buzzfeed,you'll never replace Shane and ryan

@aarontuplin Рік тому

Buzzfeed Unsolved just can't catch lightning in a bottle like they did with the original hosts.

@mayaflici374 Рік тому

This is...not the unsolved series. Let this rest y'all.

@feliciawebb6081 Рік тому

I agree, but I have been enjoying this series specifically. It’s not the same as Unsolved, but it’s still quite good!

@713lopez7 Рік тому

Why the big ones always act like that

@liveintehpast Рік тому

I'd be outtie-odie

@NickMate Рік тому

Why they got Cleveland Junior on here?

@nisaba5752 Рік тому

You had to *edit* your post? Why,would it have gotten you *actually* reported?? people can already tell what kind of person you are.

@AnnahHinman Рік тому

I'm sorry, your top was too distracting. And I couldn't really understand some of the things you said? Enunciation is so important for videos

@jj-if6it Рік тому

I would never wear something that unprofessional for such a video. You're not at the beach

@belughlegosi Рік тому

Who cares it’s a BUZZFEED video and inaccurate at that so who cares what the hosts wear

@aleshiajane4708 Рік тому

Where is Shane

@DeadSilverNFG Рік тому

They started a new channel called Watcher.

@louishenryhudsonthethird1826 Рік тому

0/10 where’s Ryan 😢

@triple_gem_shining Рік тому

Host with the tiny green shirt on is terrible at hosting. Let's be honest

@punchibelle1 Рік тому

Nah just can’t watch

@cubanox Рік тому

Great topic terrible hosts🤮

@powerglover2021 Рік тому

Lol so gross. You know what I'm talking about.

@nisaba5752 Рік тому

*Tight at the collar* turtleneck shirt... AND with a *sweater?!?* I'm literally yanking at my neck looking and her,and terribly overheated 🥵 But y'know what? It's 2023,and as someone else aptly pointed out- it's *BUZZFEED.*

@AliciaWeatherholt Рік тому

Everyone else likes the psychologist’s phrasing, but I find it kind of vulgar, and it makes me uncomfortable

@Artak091 Рік тому

Welp, I was enjoying the video right up until the casual racism. "Another whote guy pretending to be Jesus". Really?

@jaybee4118 Рік тому

Won’t someone think of the whites!?

@FFootagefetish Рік тому

Yeah i cringed, what do you know a white woman acting like she is superior to white men... surprise surprise

@mayaflici374 Рік тому

Haha, racisme towards white people, how fascinating of a concept. Racism = systemic. If it's not systemic, it's not racism, so there's no such thing as casual racism when it's a white person. Another thing, Jesus was a middle Easters (born from a Jewish mother, in the middle east, lived his whole life there etc. ) Which makes it super ironic that it's always white men that claim to be his reincarnation.

@mayaflici374 Рік тому

Middle eastern*

@anastasialobella6140 Рік тому

totally agree, people need to get over the skin colour crap ,Jesus was clearly not white ,but this is where you have to blame the church ,as they pushed the image of Jesus being white even though the pope bows down to an image of a Jesus of colour, its just sad that colour has to even come in to it imo

@luisirigoyen4371 Рік тому

I like the guys better

@helenamirian908 Рік тому

It's ok

@Yurmumma Рік тому

Yoo for real, I just gandered through all the recent videos they've made and they are all , these girls on their couch. Ryan and Shane actually went to places and were waaay more interesting. These videos don't have anywhere close the old views.. that says something