Branch Davidian

The Branch Davidians also known as “The Branch” are a religious group that formed from a schism in the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists originating in the 1950s. The Branch is most widely known for the siege of its Mount Carmel Center compound near Waco, Texas in 1993. Since the siege there has been mass speculation on the final outcome of the conflict and the actions of Federal Agencies responding to the incident to include the ATF, FBI, and Texas National Guard. The siege lasted fifty one days and

On February 28, 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) raided the Branch Davidian ranch in Mount Carmel, a rural area near Waco, Texas. The raid resulted in the deaths of four agents and five Davidians. The subsequent 51-day siege ended on April 19 when the compound was completely consumed by fire killing seventy-five men, women, and children, including the leader David Koresh. In 1929, Victor Houteff, a Bulgarian immigrant, claimed that he had a new message for the Seventh Day

The Branch Davidian Compound Raid: Waco, TX 1993 On the morning of April 19, 1993, heavily armed FBI and ATF agents moved into the compound puncturing holes in the compound walls so they could pump in tear gas, to flush out the cult members with the least harm. Using loudspeakers, officers told the Branch Davidians no armed assault would be made and to hold their fire. When cult members opened their weapons, the FBI increased the tear gas assault and began firing military grenade launches at the

Cultic activity has taken place since the practice of religion was established thousands of years ago. Since then, literally thousands of denominations have been inoculated throughout the world, especially in the United States. A cult, according to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is a system of religious beliefs and rituals. By definition, this includes organizations such as Baptists, Catholics as well as Satanists and Witches. While this maybe true, cults have been popularly perceived as

Term Paper: David Koresh and The Branch Davidians Seventh Day Adventists Bio: David Koresh,born Vernon Howell, was born August 17, 1959 to a single mother named Bonnie Clark, of 14, in Houston, Texas. His father was Bobby Howell with whom he never met. Koresh in his early years reported his life as lonely and alleged that he was beaten by his alcoholic step-father. He struggled in school, was dyslexic, developed poor study skills, and also had a stutter that led to him being put into special education

a Los Angeles Seventh- day Adventists church” (CRI) in 1929 and 1930. Due to his unforeseen spiritual movement, Waco Texas in 1993 experienced a 51 day biblical event like never before seen or experienced since the first coming of Christ. The Branch Davidians along with the infamous David Koresh came to be because of Houteff “sharing his “Divergent Views” with other church members” (CRI). It was five years after he was ostracized from the church that Houteff along with twelve others who believed

flames broke out after a 51 day siege on the Branch Davidians cult group. A total of 92 lives were lost during the fire, as well as many more during the previous 51 days. Many speculations arose whether the compound being incinerated was set by the FBI in a final attempt to make the Davidians leave the compound, and end the million dollar siege once and for all, or if it was a mass suicide conducted by David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians. Of course, this will always remain a mystery

Waco On February 28, 1993, the nation watched as government law officials climbed the walls of the Branch-Davidian compound on Mount Carmel in Waco, Texas, breaking windows and throwing grenades inside the buildings, all for arresting Vernon Wayne Hall, A.K.A. David Koresh. Koresh was the leader of the Davidians, who believed that Koresh was a god who lived in this religious community on Mount Carmel. The public's first view of this crisis was from the press's not very supportive opinion

some cases, the government can even be blamed for disasters, and this is exactly what happened in Waco Texas in 1993. In 1993 the federal government found out that a religious group known as the Branch Davidians, were stockpiling illegal weapons in their compound located in Waco Texas. The Branch Davidians were an offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventist church and they believed that they had to prepare for the end of the world. They lived on a settlement in Waco known as Mt. Carmel, where they were

establishing the Davidian sect. They built a variety of buildings and named the location Mount Carmel after the mount where Elijah overcame the prophets of Baal. On a side note, this Mount Carmel was different from the one involved in the Branch Davidian inferno. Houteff did not want to break away from the Seventh-day Adventism and continued to view his evangelistic message as directed to the Adventist church. Seventh-day Adventism continued to play a major role in the theology of the Davidians though their