Heavens Gate and the Infingement of Religious Freedom

Heaven’s Gate and the Infringement of Religious Freedoms Introduction How much religious freedom do we want? The United States Constitution guarantees religious freedom to all citizens. However, since the establishment of this freedom, there have been continuous debates and modifications. Despite this independence, there have been times when the government felt it necessary to infringe upon religious freedom for various reasons. The question is, at which point it is okay for the government to become involved in religious affairs for the sake of safety and protection? The Heaven’s Gate religious group is one group in particular that has aroused much controversy in terms of the extent of religious freedom. In 1997, members of†¦show more content†¦While it may seem contrary to their practices, Heaven’s Gate believers do not promote suicide in its normal connotation. Rather, they consider suicide transitioning into the next level when it is being offered. Prior to the mass suicide of 1997, Heaven’s Gate members tho ught that a UFO would pick them up from Earth and bring them to the next level. After years of waiting for the UFO’s coming and many false alarms, many Heaven’s Gate followers felt called to abandon their â€Å"vehicles† or bodies, in hopes of freeing the spirit into the next level as was exemplified in the ritual suicide in 1997. Additionally, there was also a large communal component to Heaven’s Gate. Members lived together and traveled together and members all had a platonic partner. With this platonic partner, Friction was practiced. Friction was where two individuals would share deep, personal issues that were meant to be uncomfortable so the two individuals could truly bond on a deeper level. Additionally, there was a group of individuals within Heaven’s Gate who were called the Away Team and held the position of leading members in The Process. The Process, one of the most central principles of Heaven’s Gate, is the journey to renounce all aforementioned personal attachments to the Earth so that one may be prepared to exit this level, such as the abstinence from sex and name changes.