1,721,179 research outputs found
Political conflict in case of Branch Davidians
Get PDFThis thesis has provided an understanding and re-examination of the political conflict of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas in 1993. In addition, it has shown that the government siege could have been less violent and has justified the acts of certain individual players within the conflict. Without a doubt, everyone has their own pre-understanding and reassessment of the event. The first part dealt with the social context of religion in the United States and at within the state of Texas. It describes the diverse religious environment, history, and conditions for participants and their religion there. At the same time, it quickly familiarized readers with the phenomena of new religious movements. The second part was focused on the development of Branch Davidians and described the forming of the group from its roots in Adventism and previous leaders through the final version with David Koresh. The presentation of the Branch Davidians represented was important for understanding their behavior in following chapters. The last fundamental part was dedicated to the initiators of the conflict and its consequences. The hypothesis was confirmed that the Branch Davidians were not the only initiators of the conflict. The principle role of inciting the conflict was played by disgruntled Branch Davidian..
On Trial: The Branch Davidians of Waco Texas 1987-1993
Get PDFThis study examines the integration of the Branch Davidians into the Waco, Texas community during the years immediately preceding the BATF siege of 1993. An examination of media and biographical sources indicates that the Branch Davidians were better integrated in the community than is commonly suggested. Survivor accounts describe the Branch Davidians working and relaxing in Waco, rather than hiding in their compound. A survey of local newspaper coverage reveals that the press in Waco had a positive view of Koresh and the Branch Davidians in the late 1980s. In particular, coverage of a 1988 trial involving David Koresh and his followers in the Waco Tribune Herald was markedly more positive than the later and more famous coverage of the group in 1993
The FBI’s “Cult War” against the Branch Davidians
No full textThis chapter examines the FBI’s engagement of the Branch Davidians and the eventual bombing of the group at their Waco compound. The author explains how the cult essentialist perspective, which places all blame on “cultists” for violent outcomes in conflicts, was promoted by FBI agents during and after the siege and prepared the majority of Americans to view the assault as reasonable. In this essay, Catherine Wessinger, a leading scholar of new religious movements and active in engaging with the FBI in the early years after the Branch Davidian siege, questions this understanding in light of evidence including internal FBI memos reporting on agents’ interviews with people who knew the Branch Davidians and FBI summary documents and evaluations in the Lee Hancock Collection at Texas State University, San Marcos.</p
"A Baptism by Fire": The Branch Davidians and Apocalyptic Self-Destruction
No full textThis article responds to criticisms of my book, The Branch Davidians of Waco, made by other contributors in this issue of Nova Religio. I begin by addressing directly the points raised by Stuart Wright and Catherine Wessinger and suggest that in both cases these scholars have failed to do justice to the evidence. In the second part of the paper I outline my own views relating to the Waco fire. Throughout I argue that the Branch Davidians set fire to Mount Carmel themselves and that they did so for a particular theological reason: they expected that through fire would come a rebirth to life in the new Davidian Kingdom
Dommedag i Waco - Amerikanske myndigheters ekspertbruk og konflikthåndtering overfor Branch Davidians
No full textThis master thesis addresses the US authorities’ conflict with the Branch Davidians from the start of the investigation to the ending of the siege. The thesis is splitt into two main parts.
The first concerns the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) investigation of the Branch Davidians from May 1992 to the raid of the movement's property, Mount Carmel, February 28, 1993. This section takes a deep dive into the government's own reports and compares it with the academic research literature. The main focus is on what influenced the investigation, preferably stigmatization of marginal religious movements, the media, and the use of experts. There was an ongoing problem in ATF's investigation that they stigmatized Branch Davidians by referring to them as a "cult." The use of that word resulted in a negative attitude towards the movement that would not have existed if the ATF had referred them as a congregation. This point was reinforced by the media. With anticult activists and former members in the lead, they helped to mark Branch Davidians as something exclusively negative and dangerous. ATF was based largely on the same sources as the media. This meant that the investigation was not as objective as it should have been. The objectivity issue is particularly important given that ATF used the same experts as the media.
The second part addresses the FBI's Siege of Mount Carmel after taking over the responsibility from ATF from March 1 to April 19, 1993. In this section, I have taken note of how the FBI used the expertise of specialists to try and get a peaceful solution to the situation. One of the biggest problems of the FBI was that they characterized the siege as a hostage situation where Koresh holds the Branch Davidians as hostages. This meant that the FBI focused largely on invoking experts in behavioral science with knowledge of «common criminals». The FBI’s experts can in part be distinguished between experts on behavioral science and experts on religion. The FBI relied mainly on the work of the behavioral experts. Even though their analysis focused on Koresh as a criminal and not a religious leader, they still came up with multiple suggestions for the FBI’s negotiation department. However, much of these advise were ignored by the FBI. The experts on religion were opposed by both behavioral experts and the negotiating department. The negotiating department rejected the faith of Branch Davidians as «bible babble». Religion was the lifeblood of the Branch Davidians, and Koresh was their prophet. Because the FBI did not acknowledge this, they effectively rejected the opportunity for a successful negotiation.
In conclusion, I have looked at how the siege of Mount Carmel affected the community and the actions of the authorities after the siege. Special emphasis is placed on how the siege of Mount Carmel changed the social debate and how the government changed the training of federal agents. The assignment is concluded with a brief account of the government's siege of Montana Freemen. This siege is known as the government's rehabilitation after Waco. I explain how the authorities had learned from Waco and thus relate to the Freemen in a completely different way, resulting in a peaceful ending
Dommedag i Waco - Amerikanske myndigheters ekspertbruk og konflikthåndtering overfor Branch Davidians
Get PDFThis master thesis addresses the US authorities’ conflict with the Branch Davidians from the start of the investigation to the ending of the siege. The thesis is splitt into two main parts.
The first concerns the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) investigation of the Branch Davidians from May 1992 to the raid of the movement's property, Mount Carmel, February 28, 1993. This section takes a deep dive into the government's own reports and compares it with the academic research literature. The main focus is on what influenced the investigation, preferably stigmatization of marginal religious movements, the media, and the use of experts. There was an ongoing problem in ATF's investigation that they stigmatized Branch Davidians by referring to them as a "cult." The use of that word resulted in a negative attitude towards the movement that would not have existed if the ATF had referred them as a congregation. This point was reinforced by the media. With anticult activists and former members in the lead, they helped to mark Branch Davidians as something exclusively negative and dangerous. ATF was based largely on the same sources as the media. This meant that the investigation was not as objective as it should have been. The objectivity issue is particularly important given that ATF used the same experts as the media.
The second part addresses the FBI's Siege of Mount Carmel after taking over the responsibility from ATF from March 1 to April 19, 1993. In this section, I have taken note of how the FBI used the expertise of specialists to try and get a peaceful solution to the situation. One of the biggest problems of the FBI was that they characterized the siege as a hostage situation where Koresh holds the Branch Davidians as hostages. This meant that the FBI focused largely on invoking experts in behavioral science with knowledge of «common criminals». The FBI’s experts can in part be distinguished between experts on behavioral science and experts on religion. The FBI relied mainly on the work of the behavioral experts. Even though their analysis focused on Koresh as a criminal and not a religious leader, they still came up with multiple suggestions for the FBI’s negotiation department. However, much of these advise were ignored by the FBI. The experts on religion were opposed by both behavioral experts and the negotiating department. The negotiating department rejected the faith of Branch Davidians as «bible babble». Religion was the lifeblood of the Branch Davidians, and Koresh was their prophet. Because the FBI did not acknowledge this, they effectively rejected the opportunity for a successful negotiation.
In conclusion, I have looked at how the siege of Mount Carmel affected the community and the actions of the authorities after the siege. Special emphasis is placed on how the siege of Mount Carmel changed the social debate and how the government changed the training of federal agents. The assignment is concluded with a brief account of the government's siege of Montana Freemen. This siege is known as the government's rehabilitation after Waco. I explain how the authorities had learned from Waco and thus relate to the Freemen in a completely different way, resulting in a peaceful ending
Why Waco?: cults and the battle for religious freedom in America
No full textThe 1993 government assault on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, resulted in the deaths of four federal agents and eighty Branch Davidians, including seventeen children. Whether these tragic deaths could have been avoided is still debatable, but what seems clear is that the events in Texas have broad implications for religious freedom in America.James Tabor and Eugene Gallagher's bold examination of the Waco story offers the first balanced account of the siege. They try to understand what really happened in Waco: What brought the Branch Davidians to Mount Carmel? Why did the government attack? How did the media affect events? The authors address the accusations of illegal weapons possession, strange sexual practices, and child abuse that were made against David Koresh and his followers. Without attempting to excuse such actions, they point out that the public has not heard the complete story and that many media reports were distorted.The authors have carefully studied the Davidian movement, analyzing the theology and biblical interpretation that were so central to the group's functioning. They also consider how two decades of intense activity against so-called cults have influenced public perceptions of unorthodox religions.In exploring our fear of unconventional religious groups and how such fear curtails our ability to tolerate religious differences, Why Waco? is an unsettling wake-up call. Using the events at Mount Carmel as a cautionary tale, the authors challenge all Americans, including government officials and media representatives, to closely examine our national commitment to religious freedom
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[Test Print - Flying Serpent - Isaiah 14, circa 1991-1993]
No full textIllustration of a Flying Serpent from Isaiah 14, circa 1991-1993. The serpent has six wings, painted in yellow, red, and blue with white accented stars in the background
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[Screen Transparency - Flying Serpent - Isaiah 14, circa 1991-1993]
No full textScreen Transparency for the illustration, Flying Serpent - Isaiah 14, circa 1991-1993
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[David Koresh - God Rocks", circa 1991-1993]
No full textIllustration of a logo for David Koresh - God Rocks," created in 1991-1993. The logo is created on a spiral notepad in red and white pastel and silver marker
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