On January 8, 2015, Applewhite was hired by the University of Houston to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under new head coach Tom Herman for the Houston Cougars football program. Applewhite should be fine, but there's a condition attached. [154] Afterwards, they lived in several houses in the San Diego area. How could this happen? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. At this point, the docuseries indicates, Applewhite had his fateful encounter with Nettles. They published advertisements for meetings, where they recruited disciples, whom they called "crew". Applewhite also designed a loyalty test, asking his followers: If each of you had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you buy? In a blowout victory over Oklahoma, Applewhite threw a 97-yard touchdown pass to Wane McGarity, the longest pass in Texas history. [22] Robert Balch and David Taylor, sociologists who studied Applewhite's group, speculate that this departure was prompted by another affair between Applewhite and a student. This wasnt supposed to happen. Major Applewhite was born on July 26, 1978 in Baton Rouge, LA. University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and other prominent sports figures with ties to West Virginia have urged U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin to support sweeping legislation to protect the right to vote. He was very casual, very laid-back. Major Applewhite , the Texas Longhorns' co-offensive coordinator and former quarterback, admitted to a past inappropriate but consensual relationship with an adult student sometime during the 2009 . Before he got into religion and spirituality, it was music.. It was that journey that apparently led to what happened inside a million-dollar house in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., where the bodies of 39 cult members, who had committed suicide, were found on Wednesday. His near miracle comeback, combined with Simms' injury, earned him the starting position for his final game at Texas, the 2001 Holiday Bowl and he didn't disappoint. [149][150] This series echoed many of the teachings of the 1988 update, although it introduced a "universal mind" of which its hearers could partake. Applewhite's first coaching job was a disaster, with the Orange going 1-10, their worst record in school history (after 6-6 the year before) and scoring their fewest points in more than 20 years (from 22.8 points in 2004 to 13.8 points in 2005). Custom boutique photography for newborns, children, families, seniors, and weddings As reported in December, the . He is the current head coach for the University of Houston, where he previously served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. This event, which they referred to as "the Demonstration", was to prove their claims. Applewhite would owe $4.5 million (plus coaches buyouts) if he leaves after the second year, $3 million after the third season and $1.5 million after the fourth year. Applewhite Interiors. Born 17 May 1931 - Spur, Dickens Co., TX. His date of death has been declared as the same day his body was found, March 26. [199] Gay rights activist Troy Perry argued that Applewhite's repression, and society's rejection, of same-sex relationships ultimately led to his suicide. [70] Applewhite thought that his followers would reach a higher level of being, changing like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly;[71] this example was used in almost all of the group's early literature. [177] Most members took barbiturates and alcohol and then placed bags over their heads. They need to break down you, and create a new you.. Theres plenty more to unpack in Heavens Gate, which explores and illuminates about two decades in the cults history, roughly 1975-1997. [12] During his one season at Rice, the team posted a 76 record and attended its first bowl game in over forty years. Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr. (Spur, 17 de maio de 1931 - Rancho Santa Fe, 26 de maro de 1997), tambm conhecido como Do, [a] entre outros nomes, [b] foi um lder religioso norte-americano fundador da seita Heaven's Gate e o responsvel por organizar um suicdio coletivo em 1997 - o mais numeroso da histria ocorrido em seu pas natal. Marshall Applewhite himself, with no signs of trauma, died from suicide at the age of 65. Here are seven things we learned about Applewhite by watching the series -- all of them specific, all important to the cult and all rather creepy in retrospect. Marshall Herff Applewhite was an American religious leader who founded what became known as the Heavens Gate religious group and organized their mass suicide in 1997. Walk-ins were said to be higher beings who took control of adult bodies to teach humanity. How Marshall Applewhite led Heaven's Gate to a mass suicide Cults are a crazy hole to fall down, whether you've actually joined one or if you're just bored at 1am on Wikipedia. [63] The coverage was negative; commentators and some former members mocked the group and leveled accusations of brainwashing against Applewhite and Nettles. Marshall Herff Applewhite was born in Spur, Texas, to Marshall Herff Applewhite Sr. and Louise Applewhite; he had three siblings. [26] His debts mounted, forcing him to borrow money from friends. On December 9, 2016, Applewhite was promoted to head coach, becoming the 14th to hold the job for the program. The cult was featured in several books, television, media, and in the film, "Mysterious Two" in 1982, with actor John Forsythe portraying Marshall Applewhite. A native of Texas, Applewhite attended . The blond paint balanced the walnut . Sensuality and sexual contact were outlawed, because Next Level aliens were said to be asexual. [130] Applewhite abandoned the metaphor of a butterfly in favor of describing the body as a mere container,[131] a vehicle that souls could enter and exit. [142] He specifically cited sexual urges as the work of Lucifer. Applewhite, who died at age 65, evidently was a charismatic figure -- an apocalyptic Pied Piper, of sorts -- who could convince his followers to leave their homes, abandon their families and adopt a mindset that fused principles of Christian religion with Star Trek-style science fiction. Early Life. [9] Graham said of Applewhite's expected contribution to the new staff, "We want to spread the field and throw the football, and every quarterback and receiver in this state will be interested in Rice with Major as our offensive coordinator. Nettles and Applewhite grew close, although they were never romantically involved, the docuseries says. Major Applewhite was born on July 26, 1978. The story of the Heavens Gate cult is bizarre, fascinating and ultimately, extremely sad. [82][d] Balch and Taylor believe that Applewhite's prison experience and early rejection by audiences contributed to this fear. [34] Applewhite permanently broke off contact with his family as well. The cult attempted its own castrations, but the first try resulted in a hospital visit for Steven McCarter, known as SRRODY. His second pass was completed for a 79-yard touchdown and he baited the University of Colorado bench in an attempt to rally the Texas fans. [20] After going 03 in bowl games and losing 7014 against Army, he was fired on December 30, 2018. Applewhite looms large, of course, and although viewers arent likely to sympathize with him, theyll certainly know more about his ideas and motivations when the final credits roll. Applewhite suffered a knee injury in the 4th quarter of the Cotton Bowl and was replaced by Simms. [144] This theme emerged in 1988, possibly in response to the lurid alien abduction stories that were proliferating at the time. [112], In 1983, Nettles had an eye surgically removed as a result of cancer diagnosed several years earlier. Marshall Applewhite founded the Heaven's Gate cult in the 1970s with Bonnie Lu Nettles, a nurse with a penchant for mysticism, astrology and New Age philosophies. By Steven Godfrey Updated Dec 30, 2018, 1:24pm EST [116][117], Applewhite began to emphasize a strict hierarchy, teaching that his students needed his guidance, as he needed the guidance of the Next Level. After the autopsies and identifications were done, all the bodies were ordered to be cremated. [81] The pair also had little contact with their dispersed followers, many of whom renounced their allegiance. View Marshall Applewhite from PSY ABNORMAL P at Cumberland Valley Hs. He then did a brief stint in the US army corps from 1954 to '56. [89] In June 1976, they gathered their remaining followers at Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming, promising a UFO visit. Initially, Applewhite and Nettles preached that followers would undergo a biological transformation and become perfect alien beings. As the son of a Presbyterian pastor, Applewhite was raised in a pious household. In March 1997, that comet made its closest approach to Earth. [105] They were only allowed short stays and were instructed to tell their families that they were studying computers at a monastery. Nobody called him Marshall; everybody called him Herff. 4. Marshall Applewhite, leader of the Heaven's Gate cult, is shown in an undated image. Marshall Applewhite, was a music professor at first known for his musical and dramatic talents, he sang opera, and was a very good public speaker. [120], After Nettles' death, Applewhite also altered his view of ascension; previously, he had taught that the group would physically ascend from the Earth and that death caused reincarnation, but her deathwhich left behind an unchanged, corporeal bodyforced him to say that the ascension could be spiritual. Explore Major Applewhite Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Wife, Family relation. [38] They also launched a venture known as Know Place to teach classes on theosophy and mysticism. All rights reserved (About Us). [125] In a profile of the group for Newsweek, Kenneth Woodward compares his dualism to that of ancient Christian Gnosticism, although Peters notes that his theology departs from Gnosticism by privileging the physical world. After an awakening in the mid-70s, they decided they were the Two, alien beings in human vehicles who would teach others about the Next Level and lead followers into outer space. [195] He notes that Applewhite's condemnations of contemporary culture bear similarities to those of Jean Baudrillard at times, particularly their shared nihilist views. [170] He told his followers that the vessel would transport them to an empyrean destination, and that a government conspiracy was attempting to suppress word of the craft. [118] A relationship with Applewhite was said to be the only way to salvation;[119] he encouraged his followers to see him as Christ. Marshall Herff Applewhite was born on month day 1901, at birth place, Texas, to Jesse Carroll Applewhite and Texana Applewhite . Despite their stance against suicide, he and 38 followers were found dead dressed identically, wearing arm bands that read "Heaven's Gate Away Team." Major Applewhite didn't meet the school's stated standard. He was going to do his biggest role there, which was the role of Olin Blitch. [165][166] He also cited a verse in the New Testament that said there would not be marriage in heaven. Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr. (May 17, 1931 - March 26, 1997), also known as Do, [1] among other names, [2] was an American cult leader who founded what became known as the Heaven's Gate religious group and organized their mass suicide in 1997, claiming the lives of 39 people. Applewhite and Nettles gave cult members new names, all of which ended in ODY.. Records may include photos, original documents, family history, relatives, specific dates, locations and full names. [29] They usually stayed at remote campgrounds and did not speak about their beliefs. [136][156], In the early 1990s, Applewhite posted some of his teachings on the Internet, but he was stung by the resulting criticism. Applewhite was a quarterback for the Texas Longhorns from 1998 to 2001. Marshall Applewhite) (Is Slightly Jaded Mix) Is Slightly Jaded Mix. He lost it again following a season-ending knee injury in the Texas Tech game. [106], Applewhite and Nettles sometimes made sudden, drastic changes to the group. [78] He, Nettles, and their followers lived what religious scholar James Lewis describes as a "quasi-nomadic lifestyle". [53] Nettles and Applewhite referred to themselves as "Guinea" and "Pig". Applewhite was named the Holiday Bowl MVP as a result. The group needed a sign from above, however, and found it in comet Hale-Bopp, which appeared in the sky in 1996 and burned brightly overhead in early 1997. [125][126] According to Applewhite's doctrine, Jesus was a gateway to heaven, but had found humanity unready to ascend when he first came to the Earth. Applewhite was previously the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse University in 2005. He's the key figure in a new docuseries, Heavens Gate: The Cult of Cults, streaming on HBO Max. . And so he had a little ceremony, to where we were marrying him, Sawyer says. They then spent $30,000 to publish a full-page advertisement in USA Today that warned of catastrophic judgment to befall the Earth. [107] Lalich sees this as a way that they increased their students' devotion, ensuring that their commitment became irrespective of what they saw. A group of former Heaven's Gate members has planned a public showing of a 70-minute tape in Berkeley, Calif., featuring the cult's late leader, Marshall Applewhite Jr., shown in this March 28 . Major Applewhite. [3] He had three siblings. Applewhite attended Corpus Christi High School and Austin College; at the latter school, he was active in several student organizations and was moderately religious. Some commentators attributed his followers' willingness to commit suicide to his skill as a manipulator, while others argued that their willingness was due to their faith in the narrative that he constructed. Marshall Herff Applewhite was born to Marshall Applewhite Sr. and his wife Louise on May 17, 1931, in Texas. Texas was ranked #5, but after Applewhite and backup quarterback Chris Simms was unable to produce Texas fell behind. [4] The son of a Presbyterian minister, Applewhite became very religious as a child. He announced that death was actually necessary for the alien transformation. marshall-applewhite's tracks [28][c] The two quickly became close friends;[29] he later recalled that he felt like he had known her for a long time and concluded that they had met in a past life. Neely Bruce, a composer, performer and former music professor at Wesleyan University, was a student of Marshall Applewhite's at the University of Alabama. Every 16 year old on molly would run from this stuff. in Rancho Santa Fe, California, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Marshall APPLEWHITE (1931), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. When Nettles died in 1985, Applewhite took over sole leadership of the cult, making it more reclusive and becoming convinced that the Hale-Bopp Comet contained the secret to their ascendance into . [77] Members were consequently instructed to renounce: friends, family, media, drugs, alcohol, jewelry, facial hair, and sexuality. [34] Furthermore, they concluded that they were the two witnesses described in the Book of Revelation and occasionally visited churches or other spiritual groups to speak of their identities,[50] often referring to themselves as "The Two", or "The UFO Two". Now, a new documentary series on HBO Max takes another look at the origins, development and shocking culmination of Heavens Gate. Applewhite had a wife and two kids, but in 1972 he left his family. [190] Davis attributes Applewhite's success in convincing his followers to commit suicide to two factors: He isolated them socially and cultivated an attitude of complete religious obedience in them. Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr. (May17, 1931 March 26, 1997), also known as Do,[a] among other names,[b] was an American cult leader who founded what became known as the Heaven's Gate cult group and organized their mass suicide in 1997. Applewhite and Nettles soon told them to adopt two-syllable names that ended in "ody" and had three consonants in the first syllable,[78] such as Rkkody, Jmmody, and Lvvody;[79] Applewhite stated that these names emphasized that his followers were spiritual children.