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Kingdom of Matthias Essay example

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Kingdom of Matthias

As a United States American culture there are many possibilities for a cult like Matthias to occur again, this is contributed by not only a market-oriented American culture but also by tendencies that are present in every society. We have rights and freedoms given to us by our United States Constitution, including the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. These freedoms mean that anyone has the right to speak publicly about their religious beliefs, and we as citizens also have the right to believe what is being said and even follow it if we choose to do so. This is how many different branches of religions come about; some of these religions include Mormons and …show more content…

One they were completely settled, Jones’s personality changed and he become and entirely different person. He began to stage rituals called ‘White Nights.’ Sirens would go off in the middle of the night and a mass meeting would take place. The followers would be given a glass of red liquid to drink. They were told that the liquid contained poison and that they would be dead in forty-five minutes. The followers never knew if it was just another drill or if it was the real thing. Finally in 1978 when outsiders began to raise question and concern, Jones decided to put his suicide plan into action. He assured his followers that this was a ‘revolutionary death.’

The other well know religious cult leader David Koresh was born as Vernon Howell, became a member of the Davidian Branch of the Seventh-Day Adventist religious cult. He had an affair with the leader of the cult. When she passed away he was forced out of the community. Koresh returned a year later with seven of his followers and opened fire on those who had kicked him out. After finally becoming the leader of the group, Howell legally changed his name to David Koresh. This name came from his beliefs that he truly was the reincarnation of King David, and King Cyrus of Persia. “Koresh openly advocated polygamy for himself and select others.

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