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Closing The Gate: A Heaven's Gate Cult Biography
On March 26, 1997 Rancho Santa Fe, California, thirty-nine men and women were found dead in a large rented mansion, the apparent victims of self-induced drugs and alcohol. The twenty-one women and eighteen men, ranging in age from twenty-six to seventy-two years were members of the Heaven’s Gate cult. This is believed to be the largest mass suicide ever to take place on US soil._____________________________________________
The first question most ask is ‘Why did they do this?’ But the answer is as difficult to understand as the act itself. From their own accounts, they believed that ‘killing their bodies would free their souls, and allow them to reach the Next Level of Human Consciousness. The members believed that a UFO was following the Haley-Bopp Comet and would be their guide. As the comet neared the Earth, the members carried out their deaths, as agreed and planned. They cut their hair in similar short styles, dressed in matching new purple garments and Nike ™ athletic shoes, ate identical last meals, and methodically ended their lives.
Each had written or video-taped messages for the families and world they left behind, explaining that this departure was their choice, and was to be celebrated, not mourned. The group, now known as Heavens Gate, had been in existence for more than 20 years, under various names, including: The Two, Human Individual Metamorphosis (HIM), Total Overcomers Anonymous, Total Renunciants in Readiness for the Kingdom of Heaven, and The UFO Cult. To most of us, the group was completely unknown, by any name, until their death.
In the months that followed the mass suicide, many articles were written about the thirty-nine individuals, their common beliefs and practices, their families, and their lives before joining the cult. However, there were other deaths related to this cult, others who believed as they had, and reached beyond life, toward the Next Level. Some were reported in the news media, some were not.
James Edward Pirkey Jr, called “Gabody” by his cult family, was one of the former members whose death trailed the mass suicide. He was thirty-six years old and living in a small apartment in Atlanta, Georgia, when he followed the “precious spirits” to the Next Level.
I am his sister, and this is his story-told from his letters and my memories.
The first question most ask is ‘Why did they do this?’ But the answer is as difficult to understand as the act itself. From their own accounts, they believed that ‘killing their bodies would free their souls, and allow them to reach the Next Level of Human Consciousness. The members believed that a UFO was following the Haley-Bopp Comet and would be their guide. As the comet neared the Earth, the members carried out their deaths, as agreed and planned. They cut their hair in similar short styles, dressed in matching new purple garments and Nike ™ athletic shoes, ate identical last meals, and methodically ended their lives.
Each had written or video-taped messages for the families and world they left behind, explaining that this departure was their choice, and was to be celebrated, not mourned. The group, now known as Heavens Gate, had been in existence for more than 20 years, under various names, including: The Two, Human Individual Metamorphosis (HIM), Total Overcomers Anonymous, Total Renunciants in Readiness for the Kingdom of Heaven, and The UFO Cult. To most of us, the group was completely unknown, by any name, until their death.
In the months that followed the mass suicide, many articles were written about the thirty-nine individuals, their common beliefs and practices, their families, and their lives before joining the cult. However, there were other deaths related to this cult, others who believed as they had, and reached beyond life, toward the Next Level. Some were reported in the news media, some were not.
James Edward Pirkey Jr, called “Gabody” by his cult family, was one of the former members whose death trailed the mass suicide. He was thirty-six years old and living in a small apartment in Atlanta, Georgia, when he followed the “precious spirits” to the Next Level.
I am his sister, and this is his story-told from his letters and my memories.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2012
6 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Deb Simpson
7 books19 followersDeb Simpson writes non-fiction, fiction and poetry. Her poems have been published in literary journals, newspapers, magazines and industry publications
Deb's newest book "Closing The Gate" is the true story of her brother's involvement with the Heaven's Gate Cult. IT will be in bookstores by March 2012, to mark the 15th anniversary of the cult mass suicide.
Deb has published 4 books: "One Moment, One Memory, One Motion", a poetic memoir: "Pink Place & Blue Blaze, A Special Edition", a children’s book, which takes children on lyrical journey of self discovery, to find their inner safe place; "Pink Place, the first issue, and "A Guide to Using Pink Place & Blue Blaze".
Deb supports the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, an organization that works with children in foster care, to ensure that they are receiving the resources and support needed to deal with this difficult time in their lives. A portion of the proceeds from Pink Place & Blue Blaze, A Special Edition are donated to CASA to continue their vital work.
Check out Deb's page on Creativity Portal and her recent 4 part series for authors titled "Your Book's Bottom Line" tips for tracking your book sales and (hopefully) profit. Also check out Deb's poems in the Tennessee Writers Alliance Maypop magazine. Hapy writing!
Deb's newest book "Closing The Gate" is the true story of her brother's involvement with the Heaven's Gate Cult. IT will be in bookstores by March 2012, to mark the 15th anniversary of the cult mass suicide.
Deb has published 4 books: "One Moment, One Memory, One Motion", a poetic memoir: "Pink Place & Blue Blaze, A Special Edition", a children’s book, which takes children on lyrical journey of self discovery, to find their inner safe place; "Pink Place, the first issue, and "A Guide to Using Pink Place & Blue Blaze".
Deb supports the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, an organization that works with children in foster care, to ensure that they are receiving the resources and support needed to deal with this difficult time in their lives. A portion of the proceeds from Pink Place & Blue Blaze, A Special Edition are donated to CASA to continue their vital work.
Check out Deb's page on Creativity Portal and her recent 4 part series for authors titled "Your Book's Bottom Line" tips for tracking your book sales and (hopefully) profit. Also check out Deb's poems in the Tennessee Writers Alliance Maypop magazine. Hapy writing!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 8, 2012
Heaven's Gate Cult
A Biography
March 26, 1997, Rancho Santa Fe, CA:
39 members of the Heaven's Gate Cult commit the largest
mass suicide on US soil
Just Five weeks later, May 13, 1997, Atlanta, GA:
Another cult member, another suicide.
This time it's personal
From Piney D Press
" Deb Simpson’s familial voices ring with authenticity, call out
to us from the pages of Closing the Gate, and pull the reader
into the midst of a deeply troubled family where Simpson’s
conversational tone insists that we pay attention. She writes
with great courage and honesty in examining Jimmy’s plight:
his dream of a place to call home, his tumble into the world of
a cult, and the inevitable downward spiral that his lonely life
takes. She causes us to examine and reflect on the crucial
developmental years and every child’s yearning to belong.
Susan Ashley Michael, author of
Crossing The Bridge of Sighs
Toys in the Sand: Recovering Childhood Memories in
Lakeville, Massachusetts
A Biography
March 26, 1997, Rancho Santa Fe, CA:
39 members of the Heaven's Gate Cult commit the largest
mass suicide on US soil
Just Five weeks later, May 13, 1997, Atlanta, GA:
Another cult member, another suicide.
This time it's personal
From Piney D Press
" Deb Simpson’s familial voices ring with authenticity, call out
to us from the pages of Closing the Gate, and pull the reader
into the midst of a deeply troubled family where Simpson’s
conversational tone insists that we pay attention. She writes
with great courage and honesty in examining Jimmy’s plight:
his dream of a place to call home, his tumble into the world of
a cult, and the inevitable downward spiral that his lonely life
takes. She causes us to examine and reflect on the crucial
developmental years and every child’s yearning to belong.
Susan Ashley Michael, author of
Crossing The Bridge of Sighs
Toys in the Sand: Recovering Childhood Memories in
Lakeville, Massachusetts
March 7, 2018
Good, but know what you are getting. This is not a book about Heaven’s Gate. It is a book about one of it’s members, focusing specifically on his chaotic childhood. Three quarters of the book is devoted to this.
This book is good for answering the question, “What kind of person would join a cult?” It is not good for getting detailed info on the history or inner workings of Heaven’s Gate. If that’s what you are interested in, then you may be disappointed to read this.
The memoir of Jimmy is told in a way I haven’t read before, with the viewpoint shifting around from person to person, chapter to chapter. I am not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it does give you a special insight into the heartbreaking reality of this dysfunctional family. On the other hand, reading a biography told in this way feels like fiction. It is unique, I would say.
My heart does go out to the author, and I am sorry she has had to suffer such a loss. I can’t even imagine. My sincere condolences.
This book is good for answering the question, “What kind of person would join a cult?” It is not good for getting detailed info on the history or inner workings of Heaven’s Gate. If that’s what you are interested in, then you may be disappointed to read this.
The memoir of Jimmy is told in a way I haven’t read before, with the viewpoint shifting around from person to person, chapter to chapter. I am not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it does give you a special insight into the heartbreaking reality of this dysfunctional family. On the other hand, reading a biography told in this way feels like fiction. It is unique, I would say.
My heart does go out to the author, and I am sorry she has had to suffer such a loss. I can’t even imagine. My sincere condolences.
March 22, 2016
This was not a book about Heaven's Gate. This wasn't even a good memoir. Because the narrator kept changing and because there was no focus through any of the voices, we couldn't tell who was the main character of the book (although it seemed like it was the mother). All the characters had the same voice. Although diction and slang differed from one character to the next, they all talked the same way, meaning, they all focused on seemingly random encounters and passed by others. The entire book was so random it was like I couldn't understand what the writer wanted me to get out of it. I didn't feel a damn thing for Jimmy, who for being the one who actually dies, only gets two chapters. Deborah doesn't seem at all important in the novel. The only person who actually catalyzed movement in the book was the mother. Just... incredibly disappointed.
July 29, 2012
In March of 1997 39 members of the Heaven's Gate group committed mass suicide in California believing they were exiting their earthly bodies and would move onto the next level of existence. Jimmy Pirkey had left the group some months earlier but had been trying to locate them to re-join when the group members died. Five weeks later he too would commit suicide hoping to join his "family".
This is the story of Jimmy's life and the path that led him to membership in this religious cult. His life was one of constant upheaval, poverty, and insecurity. His earliest years were spent with a mentally ill mother and a pedophile father. His older sister was the most stable influence in his life but she had problems of her own and was ill-equipped to nurture young Jimmy. The family was constantly moving and lived a consistently unstable life. After Jimmy's father was incarcerated his mother chose to replace him with a series of undesirable men who only contributed further to Jimmy's sad, deprived youth.
This true life account written by Jimmy's sister using the voices of his mother, father, herself and Jimmy, offers a realistic and traumatic look at what life for this family must have been like and how it affected him. It saddened me to think that children are actually raised this way and surprised me that they didn't have more emotional issues than they did as a result of their childhood circumstances. The author did a wonderful job with what must have been an emotionally devastating walk down memory lane for her.
I received this book through Goodreads' first reader giveaway program and I fervently recommend it.
This is the story of Jimmy's life and the path that led him to membership in this religious cult. His life was one of constant upheaval, poverty, and insecurity. His earliest years were spent with a mentally ill mother and a pedophile father. His older sister was the most stable influence in his life but she had problems of her own and was ill-equipped to nurture young Jimmy. The family was constantly moving and lived a consistently unstable life. After Jimmy's father was incarcerated his mother chose to replace him with a series of undesirable men who only contributed further to Jimmy's sad, deprived youth.
This true life account written by Jimmy's sister using the voices of his mother, father, herself and Jimmy, offers a realistic and traumatic look at what life for this family must have been like and how it affected him. It saddened me to think that children are actually raised this way and surprised me that they didn't have more emotional issues than they did as a result of their childhood circumstances. The author did a wonderful job with what must have been an emotionally devastating walk down memory lane for her.
I received this book through Goodreads' first reader giveaway program and I fervently recommend it.
April 6, 2012
Closing the Gate is a heart-felt account of the life and death of the author's brother Jimmy. It is also an exploration of a dysfunctional family where members are so wrapped up in their own affairs that they hardly have time for each other. As young Jimmy grows up, feeling abandoned and unwanted, his thoughts turn towards a cult called Heaven's Gate. Hoping to belong in that group, he sets out on a journey that ends in a small room with a gun in hand.
The author's grieving tone, the reminiscences, and the photographs add a personal touch to the book. Highly recommended. Read it to see how lucky one is to have somebody to call one's own.
Full review here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2012/0...
The author's grieving tone, the reminiscences, and the photographs add a personal touch to the book. Highly recommended. Read it to see how lucky one is to have somebody to call one's own.
Full review here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2012/0...
June 22, 2012
I found this book to be an interesting and engaging read. The conversational tone brought the story to life and I could envision the places and situations the family fond themselves in. The Authors honesty rang out and although there was a slight lack of attention to detail and still some glaring gramatical and proofreading issues, the book was well written and worth the read
August 20, 2013
I won this in the first reads giveaway.
This was a fascinating book! I loved how each chapter was told from a different persons perspective. I felt so bad for Deb and Jimmy... I can't even begin to understand what they went through as kids. It was difficult reading through Jimmy's chapters... I could feel how lost he felt. Definitely recommend reading this - it's quite moving.
This was a fascinating book! I loved how each chapter was told from a different persons perspective. I felt so bad for Deb and Jimmy... I can't even begin to understand what they went through as kids. It was difficult reading through Jimmy's chapters... I could feel how lost he felt. Definitely recommend reading this - it's quite moving.
August 1, 2015
At times it was difficult to read. Each chapter is written in the voice of a different person (the parents or the children). The views come off as child like even when coming from adults. I did hope for and expected more insight into the cult itself but that is more of a side note and did not have contribute to my rating.
January 23, 2017
Very Sad And Moving
The story was excellently written....and gave insight into the the great pain and loss of those left behind when the heaven's gate members took their lives. I could not put this book down....
The story was excellently written....and gave insight into the the great pain and loss of those left behind when the heaven's gate members took their lives. I could not put this book down....
June 20, 2012
got this for free through first reads. it was interesting.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews