HEAVENSGATE

About

This American new religious movement was founded in 1974 by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, known as Do and Ti. The group blended Christian millenarianism, New Age beliefs, and ufology, teaching that followers could transform into immortal extraterrestrial beings by rejecting human nature. Members originally believed they would ascend to heaven aboard a UFO, but later came to view the body as a vehicle for the soul. On March 26, 1997, thirty-nine active members participated in coordinated ritual suicides in Rancho Santa Fe, coinciding with Comet Hale-Bopp's closest approach to Earth.