Difference between revisions of "Branch Davidians"
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| − | The '''Branch Davidians''' were a religious sect that broke off from the Seventh Day Adventist Church | + | The '''Branch Davidians''' were a religious sect that broke off from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The Branch Davidians as a movement go back to 1955. In popular usage the name is usually associated with the specific Branch Davidian group led by [[David Koresh]] near [[Waco]], [[Texas]]. |
| − | The Branch Davidians were under siege after a warrant was secured by the U.S. [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives|Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms]] for allegedly having illegal [[firearm]]s and a [[drug]] [[laboratory]] inside their main [[church]] building. There were also alleged reports of [[abuse]] of children and [[polygamy]] committed by the church leader, | + | Several Branch Davidian groups and splinter groups exist. In 1983 Koresh (real name: Vernon Howell) claimed to be a [[prophet]] and was ejected at gunpoint from a Branch Davidian group by its leader George Roden, but soon assembled his own group of followers. Further challenges between George Roden and David Koresh over leadership of the Branch Davidians took place. One of them was in 1987, when Roden challenged Koresh to a contest to "raise the dead" and unearthed a corpse for the contest. In 1989 David Koresh and his followers gained control of the Mount Carmel property near Waco formerly held by George Roden's group, after Roden was convicted of the [[murder]] of Wayman Dale Adair, in response to Adair claiming to be the messiah. |
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| + | A stand-off between the U.S. [[government]] and the Koresh-led group, beginning on February 28th, 1993 ended on April 19th when a fire broke out in the main church building that was under siege. The fire killed 79 people, 25 of which were children. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Branch Davidians were under siege after a warrant was secured by the U.S. [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives|Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms]] for allegedly having illegal [[firearm]]s and a [[drug]] [[laboratory]] inside their main [[church]] building. There were also alleged reports of [[abuse]] of children and [[polygamy]] committed by the church leader, David Koresh, who claimed he was the [[messiah]]. | ||
The event was controversial because some believe the actions of the government were too harsh and that they did not take into effect the mentality of the Branch Davidians. Some also believe the [[BATF]] started the fire that burnt down the building and killed those inside, and this belief is supported by the evidence in several documentary [[film]]s, such as ''Waco: The Rules of Engagement'' and ''Waco: A New Revelation''. These films contradicted the longstanding claims by the BATF and [[FBI]] that no [[pyrotechnic]] devices were used at Waco, causing them to retract their claims and Congressional hearings into the Waco siege to be reopened. | The event was controversial because some believe the actions of the government were too harsh and that they did not take into effect the mentality of the Branch Davidians. Some also believe the [[BATF]] started the fire that burnt down the building and killed those inside, and this belief is supported by the evidence in several documentary [[film]]s, such as ''Waco: The Rules of Engagement'' and ''Waco: A New Revelation''. These films contradicted the longstanding claims by the BATF and [[FBI]] that no [[pyrotechnic]] devices were used at Waco, causing them to retract their claims and Congressional hearings into the Waco siege to be reopened. | ||
Revision as of 00:02, July 27, 2009
The Branch Davidians were a religious sect that broke off from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The Branch Davidians as a movement go back to 1955. In popular usage the name is usually associated with the specific Branch Davidian group led by David Koresh near Waco, Texas.
Several Branch Davidian groups and splinter groups exist. In 1983 Koresh (real name: Vernon Howell) claimed to be a prophet and was ejected at gunpoint from a Branch Davidian group by its leader George Roden, but soon assembled his own group of followers. Further challenges between George Roden and David Koresh over leadership of the Branch Davidians took place. One of them was in 1987, when Roden challenged Koresh to a contest to "raise the dead" and unearthed a corpse for the contest. In 1989 David Koresh and his followers gained control of the Mount Carmel property near Waco formerly held by George Roden's group, after Roden was convicted of the murder of Wayman Dale Adair, in response to Adair claiming to be the messiah.
A stand-off between the U.S. government and the Koresh-led group, beginning on February 28th, 1993 ended on April 19th when a fire broke out in the main church building that was under siege. The fire killed 79 people, 25 of which were children.
The Branch Davidians were under siege after a warrant was secured by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for allegedly having illegal firearms and a drug laboratory inside their main church building. There were also alleged reports of abuse of children and polygamy committed by the church leader, David Koresh, who claimed he was the messiah. The event was controversial because some believe the actions of the government were too harsh and that they did not take into effect the mentality of the Branch Davidians. Some also believe the BATF started the fire that burnt down the building and killed those inside, and this belief is supported by the evidence in several documentary films, such as Waco: The Rules of Engagement and Waco: A New Revelation. These films contradicted the longstanding claims by the BATF and FBI that no pyrotechnic devices were used at Waco, causing them to retract their claims and Congressional hearings into the Waco siege to be reopened.
References
- Waco: The Rules of Engagement, documentary film, 1997
- Waco: A New Revelation, documentary film, 1999
- Thibodeau, David. A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story. HarperCollins, 1999.