Today for World AIDS Day, I'd like to commemorate a dear friend I lost to AIDS in 2000. This tribute will be slightly different than most, but I believe it's consistent with the spirit and work of @HIVGov. 🙏
This is Dick Joslyn. Dick was in the Heaven's Gate cult.
This is Dick Joslyn. Dick was in the Heaven's Gate cult.
Heaven's Gate was a UFO cult that resulted in 39 brainwashed members dying from mass homicide/suicide. Members believed they were "exiting their human vessels" so their souls could go on a journey aboard a spaceship following the Hale–Bopp comet. freedomofmind.com/the-heavens-ga…
Dick was in the cult for 15 years & was one of its most active and loyal members. He was #3 in the cult.
Eventually though, he grew disillusioned with leader Marshall Applewhite.
Eventually though, he grew disillusioned with leader Marshall Applewhite.
He told me he made a promise to himself that if they ever started talking about killing themselves (a la Jonestown) he would walk out. And so he did.
After the mass suicide (I see it as "mass murder"), more former members took their own lives.
After the mass suicide (I see it as "mass murder"), more former members took their own lives.
These former members were STILL under the mind control of the cult and took their own lives in a sense to "join" their fellow friends.
When I met Dick Joslyn, this was the state he was in. Though he had been out of the cult for 5 years, he was still suffering and was suicidal.
When I met Dick Joslyn, this was the state he was in. Though he had been out of the cult for 5 years, he was still suffering and was suicidal.
I had seen Dick on TV saying that members weren’t brainwashed, but after working together, I was able to help him see that the group did in fact employ textbook mind control techniques.
With his permission, I filmed our sessions. They appeared in the HBO Heaven's Gate doc. 👇
With his permission, I filmed our sessions. They appeared in the HBO Heaven's Gate doc. 👇
(Part 2 of clip):
Though I feel gratitude for being able to help Dick out of his cult mind control, I feel sadness and even a little guilt about his death.
In 2000, Dick died of AIDS. He started believing conspiracy theories that AIDS wasn't really a disease and he didn't take it seriously.
In 2000, Dick died of AIDS. He started believing conspiracy theories that AIDS wasn't really a disease and he didn't take it seriously.
And maybe that is the lesson I hope to impart today. No matter how "far gone," you think someone is, DON'T give up on them! You might be their only hope.🙏
And when it comes to something like HIV/AIDS, listen to doctors and wonderful advocates like @HIVGov.
And when it comes to something like HIV/AIDS, listen to doctors and wonderful advocates like @HIVGov.
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