This group never followed David Koresh. Steven Emil Schneider (16 October 1949 - 19 April 1993), or Steve Schneider, was an American Branch Davidian commonly called a "lieutenant" to David Koresh, the leader of the new religious movement. As well as claiming to be the final prophet of the Branch Davidians and taking over as the sect's leader in the 1980s, Koresh (born Vernon Howell) was reportedly a millionaire. The siege at David Koreshs Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, started with a deadly gunfight and ended with a fire that killed dozens of Branch In 1995, Zeliff was a leader of hearings investigating the 1993 Branch Davidian siege. They started as just the Davidians back in the 1930s, according to Vox. [30][34] Some Branch Davidian survivors maintain that the fires were started either accidentally or deliberately by the assault. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. 1986 Lois Roden dies and George takes over the compound and claims leadership of all Davidians world-wide. extreme child abuse (e.g. Authorities suspected the Branch Davidians possessed illegal firearms, and on February 28, 1993, the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms raided the compound, beginning the fifty-one day Branch Davidian Siege. Christian "countercult experts" like Hank Hanegraaff were swift to label the Branch Davidians a dangerous cult for, among other things, their eschatology. An antitype is that future thing itself. In August 1999 the U.S. government admitted that federal agents had indeed fired flammable material into or near the Branch Davidian compound prior to the massive fire. After Houteff's death in 1955, his wife Florence took control of the Davidian organization. Money Organizer Wallet. [3], In 1981, a young man named Vernon Howell, later known as David Koresh, came to New Mount Carmel and studied biblical prophecy under Lois Roden. "I got the impression he had everything that he wanted, needed, when he wanted them," former member Poia said of the leader, and that definitely seemed to be the case. Este artculo es una exclusiva en lnea de Christian Research Journal. The sound of massive firepower echoed in the compound for 45 minutes, ending only after law enforcement personnel had retreated to safety. On February 27, 1973, New Mount Carmel was sold to "Benjamin Roden, Lois Roden, and their son George Roden, Trustees for the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. The Branch Davidians, many with gas masks on, refused to evacuate, and by 11:40 a.m. the last of some 100 tear-gas canisters was fired into the compound. Despite this, George Roden was able to gain control of Mount Carmel in 1985, expelling Howells rival faction at gunpoint. Unfortunately, Koresh and his group had been tipped off and were waiting as authorities approached. When All Heaven Breaks Loose! One case, Andrade v. Chojnacki, made it to the Fifth Circuit, which upheld a previous ruling of "take-nothing, denied". Answer (1 of 3): I don't normally subscribe to conspiracy theories but I just can't call this one.I think the highway to Hell began with Koresh establishing himself as the new messiah with a group of demoralized people. Displaying all articles. Howell, who acquired the position of spiritual leader from Roden, asserted it by changing his name to David Koresh, suggesting that he had ties to the biblical King David and Cyrus the Great (Koresh is the Hebrew version of the name Cyrus). When the violent confrontation was over, two federal agents lay dead, and 19 others lay injured; two with gun shot wounds so severe they would die within hours at nearby hospitals. But if money wasn't spent on living expenses, what was it spent on? It is also a fairy tale. Upon the death of Roden in 1978, his wife Lois became the next Davidian prophet at the compound. Cules son las creencias bsicas del budismo? 6:30 AM on Apr 18, 2018 CDT. At that time, the sect was growing as people from around the country descended on Waco in preparation for April 22, 1959, the date foretold as "the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth in Waco" by Florence Houteff, the wife and successor of the group's founder. Carmel on April 22 was the sign Houteffs followers had been waiting for.17 Roden named his faction the Branch Davidians and declared himself to be the one sent by God to deliver the message of the fifth angel spoken of in the Book of Revelation.18. Likewise, Ben Roden believed that he was a prophet as well as a rightful heir to the leadership of the Davidians. Just after noon, a fire erupted at one or more locations on the compound, and minutes later nine Davidians fled the rapidly spreading blaze. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. When a gunfight broke out and killed four law-enforcement agents and six Branch Davidians, it began a siege that lasted until April 19, when federal agents moved to raid the compound, which. The Seventh-day Adventist Church deprived both the Branch Davidians and the Davidians of their membership in the denomination, in spite of this fact, the Branch Davidians actively continued to "hunt" members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and encourage them to leave it and join their group. Both groups have disputed the relevance of the other's spiritual authority based on the proceedings which followed Victor Houteff's death. Beginning in March 1959, hundreds of believers gathered at the Texas centre. They would take semiautomatic weapons, buy extra parts, turn them into automatic weapons and sell them at a considerable profit. In July 2000 Danforth issued a preliminary report that absolved the U.S. government of any wrongdoing in its encounter with the Branch Davidians. Florence Houteff and the other leaders predicted the imminent establishment of Gods Kingdom on April 22, 1959. This illegal act gave Howell an opportunity to attempt to file charges against Roden, but he was told that he needed evidence in order to substantiate the charges. It is a legally recognized denomination with 12 members. [28] Schroeder had been shot once in the eye, once in the heart, and five times in the back. In the late 1980s, Koresh and his followers abandoned many Branch Davidian teachings. With tension rising between them this would be the start of years of feuding. Howells followers were all acquitted, and Howells case was declared a mistrial. An offshoot of an offshoot of an offshoot. The most visible asset of the Branch Davidians is the 77-acre compound, valued on the McLennan County tax rolls at $122,000. The loss of their leader led to instability within church organization leadership, along with the formation of several splinter groups. The Davidian commune soon began to experience internal strife due to the rivalry between Koresh and Roden. I had Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's parent's house in Dallas in 1993. [15] In 1984, Howell and his followers left Mount Carmel (Roden accused Howell of starting a fire that consumed a $500,000 administration building and press[16]), which Roden subsequently renamed "Rodenville". The Branch Davidians are an offshoot of the Davidians and they are also a product of a schism which was initiated by Benjamin Roden, after Houteffs death and in light of Florences (Houteffs wife) usurpation of power. More than 80 cult members died in 1993. 4/19/93 The Branch Davidian compound burns to the ground, killing nearly 100 cult members including David Koresh. While a member he began an affair with Lois Roden, raising his level in the sect. ", General Association of Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists, The Shepherd's Rod: The 144,000 A Call for Reformation, The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect, Davidians and Branch Davidians (1929-1981), Davidians and Branch Davidians (19291981), "Branch Davidian | Religious Organization", "Crying in the wilderness: A religious commune sets up a dwelling place in the woods amid a struggle between rival prophets", "Warning of Violence Was Unheeded After Cult Leader's Gun Battle in '87", "Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas: Child Abuse | DOJ | Department of Justice", "Branch Davidian | religious organization", "14. I observed their willingness to surrender their basic human needs, personal safety, and that of their children. In 1957, Florence sold the original Mount Carmel Center and purchased 941 acres near Elk, Texas thirteen miles northeast of Waco naming the property New Mount Carmel Center. On February 28, 1993 at approximately 9:30 a.m., 100 lawmen from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms division of the United States Treasury Department descended on a religious compound owned and operated by the Branch Davidian cult 10 miles east of Waco, Texas. During the standoff, one of his followers publicly announced that he wanted them to thereafter be identified by the name "Koreshians". sabbatarianism (the belief that the seventh-day Sabbath must be observed). How Did The Branch Davidians Make Money. Ancient Aliens and the Bible: What the Popular Television Series Says about Extraterrestrials in Scripture, Famous for Jesus: A Review of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022), Famosos por Jess: Resea de Celebridades por Jess: Cmo los personajes, las plataformas y los beneficios estn perjudicando a la Iglesia por Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022). 1930 Houteff publishes The Shepherds Rod Vol. Prior to his passing, Houteff had appointed his second wife, Florence Houteff, to lead the Davidians until the Lord chose another prophet to take charge. haga clic aqu para obtener ms informacin. On November 3, 1987, Howell and seven of his followers raided Mount Carmel, equipped with five .223 caliber semi-automatic rifles, two .22 caliber rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns and nearly 400 rounds of ammunition, in an apparent attempt to retake the compound. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The year 2018 marked the 25th anniversary of the Waco siege. Here's a look at the religious group and what's happened since the siege. He was unhappy with the failed prophecies of the religious leader of the Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists. However, he never did get along with Lois's son George Roden. [25][26] The ATF attempted to breach the compound for approximately two hours until their ammunition ran low. Many of the Branch Davidians, led by David Koresh, perished in the tragic fire. That Koresh thought that the endtime was imminent is suggested in his commentary on Revelation: So the question remainsWhat are the seven seals? Four agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and two residents of Mt. They are best known for the FBI siege and subsequent conflagration of the "[2] From this point on, the property was simply known as Mount Carmel. Throughout Lois Rodens leadership, her son George Roden claimed to be the next heir apparent of the Branch Davidians. The purpose of Houteffs first book was to reveal the truth of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7 and bring about a reformation among Gods people.4 He described his second volume as a complete symbolic revelation of the entire worlds history, both civil and religious.5 These two works served as the basis of Houteffs theology, hence, the original name of his group the Shepherds Rod Seventh-day Adventists. The Branch Davidian brand of apocalyptic eschatology did, for the many who were unfamiliar with Armageddon scenarios, make them sound fanatical. They would take semiautomatic weapons, buy extra parts, turn them into automatic weapons and sell them at a considerable. Six Branch Davidians also died from gunshot wounds sustained during the firefight. While previous leaders of the Davidians, such as Houteff, had been pacifists, Koresh began stockpiling weapons and ammunition to defend the faithful. On April 19, 1993, the FBI moved for a final siege of the compound using large weaponry such as .50 caliber (12.7mm) rifles and armored Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV) to combat the heavily armed Branch Davidians. Branch Davidians, Religious sect that believes in the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Howell perpetuated many distinct Davidian traditions, including an authoritarian leader, communal life separate from society, and the anticipation of the imminent end of the world. Carmel Center for quite some time, his suspicion about the packages being delivered to those places was never aroused until about February 1992. Both groups were formed to prepare for the second advent of Christ, and both movements survive in small but active communities in the 1990s. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. It's been more than 25 years since dozens of members of the Branch Davidian sect died after a botched 51-day siege by federal law enforcement, but their story continues to attract attention . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Koresh and more than 80 of his followers, after a 51-day standoff with federal authorities, perished in a massive . He stated that in May 1992, a package which was addressed to the "Mag-Bag" accidentally broke open while it was being loaded on his delivery truck. 1988 Koresh and others involved in the 1987 gun battle are acquitted of all charges. He saw that it contained three other boxes, the contents of which were "pineapple" type hand grenades which he believed to be inert. Lois Roden assumed leadership of the Branch Davidians following her husbands death. 2 (published in 1932).3. an excessive preoccupation with prophecy. Who died at Mount Carmel? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Koresh became convinced he and Roden would have a child who would be the "Chosen One.". The FBI sneaked 11 bugs into the Branch Davidian Compound outside Waco in deliveries of milk and other items during the months-long standoff with the cult. Carmel Center. Deed records show that the plot is part of a 941-acre compound the group purchased in 1957 for $85,000 cash, after selling a smaller compound on Lake Waco. Others, led by Clive Doyle, continue to believe Koresh was a prophet and await his resurrection, along with the followers who were killed. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. For example, the sacrificial systems of the Old Testament served as a type for the sacrificial death of Christ [the antitype].). He pretty quickly found out there's a lot of money to be made at gun shows, and he and other people started going to gun shows. The largest faction resulting from the disintegration of Houteffs sect remained near Mt. You can see the bullet holes. 1942 The Shepherds Rod Seventh-day Adventist group becomes the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association. All females in the commune belong to Koresh, including all married women (this was a 1989 revelation). Religious association known for the Waco siege of 1993, Seven Letters to Florence Houteff and the Executive Council of the Davidian Seventh Day Adventist Association. At the time of the events in question, Americans were strongly supportive of . Report text available as: TXT; [39] The Branch Davidians as a group started long before Koresh got involved. during the standoff with Branch Davidians, while maintaining its stance that it did not start the fire. Houteff had founded the Davidians, a small Adventist reform movement, in 1929. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. About nine hundred gathered, but when signs did not appear, the Davidians began to disperse quickly. TEXAS, USA Feb. 28, 2023 marks 30 years since the start of the deadly siege that took place at the Branch Davidian Compound in Mount Carmel just miles outside of Waco. March 28, 1985 document written by Lois Roden, Oct. 30, 1987 document written by Vernon Howell, Waco Untold: How David Koresh Stole The Identity of the Branch Davidians. Howell's arrival at Mount Carmel in 1981 was well received by nearly everyone at the Davidian commune. The Seventh-day Adventists were reportedly "apprehensive" about the group's views because Branch Davidians claimed that they were the "only rightful continuation of the Adventist message", based on their belief that Victor Houteff was the divinely selected prophet and the successor of Ellen G. White. She had aligned herself with Vernon Howell, a young, charismatic Bible teacher who had first arrived at Mount Carmel in 1981. It ended on April 19, after some 80 members of the group, including their leader David Koresh, died when the Mount Carmel complex was burned to the ground following an attempted entrance by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents. Often confused with the Davidians, the Branch Davidians are a splinter group organized in 1955 by Ben Roden following the death of Davidian founder Victor T. Houteff. He paid $40 a month for room and board, but "I never saw any interaction of money between disciples and Koresh," said the London resident, who requested anonymity. One of the factions opposed to Florence Houteffs leadership was led by Ben Roden, who had previously called the Davidians to Get off the dead Rod [led by Florence Houteff] and move to the living Branch. Roden gained control of Mount Carmel and established the General Association of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. By the end of the 1990s it had more than doubled in size, though no clear leadership had emerged. WACO, Texas A financial riddle lurks behind the events at the besieged Branch Davidian compound: How did an obscure religious sect manage to feed, clothe, house and heavily arm dozens of devotees, with no obvious sources of income? Other members, however, have little or no outside income. Branch Davidian doctrines fall into three basic categories: first, those which seem to be a result of the cult's Seventh-day Adventist roots (these came through Houteff); second, those originating with the Rodens; third, those that came through David Koresh (by either "divine revelation" or misinterpretation of the Bible). Koresh maintained that he and the other men were there only to take a photograph of a body that Roden illegally exhumed. But her prediction of the demise of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which according to her shouldve occurred 42 months after Houttes death (1959) failed to materialize. E-learning eBook to Grow your Business: $9,95, 6 Web Habits you Need to Cut off For Successful Blogging, 7 Enormous Benefits of Regular Blog Publishing, The Apple iPhone-omenon: a Retrospective of the Smartphone Sweetheart. A new group. After briefly leaving, he had returned in the mid-1980s and gained support and a growing following among the Branch Davidians. Koresh exercised his new authority by taking several spiritual wives from among the groups unmarried members, and in 1989 he asserted that he was the perfect mate for all female members and confided to the Davidians his intention to create a new lineage of children who he believed would eventually rule the world. [27][28] Four ATF agents (Steve Willis, Robert Williams, Todd McKeehan, and Conway Charles LeBleu) were killed and another 16 agents were wounded during the raid. Koresh became the group's self-proclaimed final prophet. A few survivors of the raid were tried in court. E-learning eBook to Grow your Business: $9,95. (Indeed.) Carmel center and engaged in a shootout with George Roden that eventually resulted in Koresh's group occupying the land. 1. Koresh also had no qualms about spending on himself. Carmel, Texas. [32] The children had been physically and sexually abused before the raid.[33]. This corresponded with ideas circulating from the Feminist Movement in the 1970s and the growing egalitarian teachings of many Adventist sects. A source close to the cult told the Tribune-Herald that Koresh drove a Corvette and had $30,000 worth of musical equipment. 1977 Lois Roden allegedly has a vision which reveals to her that the Holy Spirit is female. In fact, Koreshs heretical teachings actually number far too many to list in this brief statement. Seventy-six members of Koresh's group, many of them children, died in a fire that erupted during the siege on April 19, 1993.[8]. He recruited people from all of the over world to come to about 10 miles outside of Waco in Mount Carmel, a compound where he pretty much had iron control over his flock. Koresh and his followers remained in Palestine for nearly 2 years, living in scarcely more than cardboard and plywood shacks until late 1987 when the conflict between Koresh and Roden culminated in a gunfight. The following doctrines came from Koresh: Obviously, the Branch Davidians have departed radically from the essential doctrines of the Christian faith. How did the Branch Davidians recruit? To listen to this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio. Roden, on the other hand, was given a six-month jail term27 for filing a legal brief in which he threatened to call AIDS upon the justices of the Texas State Supreme Court.28, When Roden began serving his sentence in January of 1988, Koresh and his disciples were handed a long-awaited opportunity to take over the Branch Davidian compound, the site of their bloody 1993 clash with the law. After Lois died, George assumed the right to the Presidency. [21][22] This is traditionally believed to symbolize Jesus Christ; however, Koresh suggested that the Lamb would come before Jesus and pave the way for his Second Coming. Corrections? Today, both Davidians and Branch Davidians exist in scattered communities in the United States and around the world. [34] The siege had lasted 51 days. how did the branch davidians make money. By the end of 1983, Howell had gained a group of followers and they separated from the Lois's organization to form a new organization by the name "The Davidian Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventist Association. [34] The events at Waco spurred criminal prosecution and civil litigation. 1981 Vernon Howell (David Koresh) is disfellowshipped from a Tyler, Texas Seventh-day Adventist church and moves to the Davidian compound. Members of the Branch Davidians were torn between allegiance to Ben's wife or to his son, George. (Revelation 5:1-14)", "ATF's basis for the assault on Waco is shot full of holes - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms fatal attack on the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas", "Agents prepared for worst before Waco raid", "Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas/Child Abuse", "Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas: The Aftermath of the April 19 Fire", "Six Branch Davidians Due for Release 13 Years After Waco Inferno", "Near Waco, a New Fight Over an Old Compound", "Two Decades Later, Some Branch Davidians Still Believe", Clive Doyle, leader of Branch Davidian survivors, dies at 81, "United States Department of the Treasury: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (Tape #126 Transcription)", The General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, The Universal Publishing Association-Shepherd's Rod, Armageddon in Waco: Critical Perspectives on the Branch Davidian Conflict, The Davidian Massacre: Disturbing Questions About Waco That Must Be Answered, Why Waco? She not only continued his attempts to discern the signs of the endtime but also set April 22, 1959, as the date of the dawn of the new messianic age. The way David Koreshs cult came into existence is a long and sometimes complicated story. . can you get a ct scan with a copper iud. The FBI requisitioned enough military armor to form a tidy combined-arms task force. 1984/5 Koresh leaves the commune and moves to Palestine, Texas. Dick Reavis tells the story, "In 1991, he (Koresh) began studying armaments, and buying and selling guns. One former member estimated that he gave Koresh between $30,000 to $40,000 over a period of years, and in exchange, he only received room, board, and necessary items. [9] The Adventist leadership rejected Houteff's views as contrary to the church's basic teachings, and local church congregations disfellowshipped Houteff and his followers. The bulk of these claims were dismissed because they were insufficient as a matter of law or because the plaintiffs could advance no material evidence in support of them. Report Type: House Report: Committees: House Government Reform and Oversight Committee: Listen. While they were still formally members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Branch Davidian leaders demanded a reform of the church and when their demand was met with opposition (by both the Seventh-day Adventists and the Davidians), they decided to leave that denomination and at the same time, they widely distanced themselves from the Davidians. The Branch Davidians By Ashley Yeaman Often confused with the Davidians, the Branch Davidians are a splinter group organized in 1955 by Ben Roden following the death of Davidian founder Victor T. Houteff. When her prediction failed, the group found itself embroiled in lawsuits by people who had sold their worldly goods to join. About The Author toughadmin. Court records show that a woman, 75, who left the compound last week is unemployed and has an income of $509 a year. [7] Koresh's leadership of his group ended at the climax of the Waco siege of 1993, a 51-day standoff between members of the sect and federal agents, when New Mount Carmel was destroyed in a fire. He presented his views in a book, The Shepherd's Rod: The 144,000 A Call for Reformation. [43], There is documented evidence (FBI negotiation transcripts between Kathryn Shroeder and Steve Schneider with interjections from Koresh himself) that David Koresh and his followers did not call themselves Branch Davidians. By Robert Reinhold, Published: March 15, 1993, Affidavit of Davy Aguilera, Special Agent with the U.S Treasury Department, BATF, Austin, Texas, sworn before Dennis G. Green, United States Magistrate Judge Western District of Texas Waco on the February 25, 1993. Whether or not the events of 1993 in Waco, Texas will entirely mark the end of the Branch Davidian cult remains to be seen. . Ignoring pleas for leniency from the defendants and the forewoman of the jury that convicted them, a Federal judge today sentenced five Branch Davidians to 40 years in prison for their roles in a shootout near Waco in February 1993 in which four Federal agents and six cult members died. The hardworking community became self-sustaining, and its literature circulated to a growing group of believers across the country. Did you know the Branch Davidians still exist? Although amenities include a swimming pool and TV satellite dish, there is no indoor plumbing. In a briefing Saturday, a federal agent said investigators found that the people who joined Koresh gave up their personal goods and homes. Led by self proclaimed messiah, David Koresh, who changed his name from Vernon Howell to embody King David as the anointed one. 76 more died in the final assault on April 19. Koresh is "very much into money," he said. [29] Almost six hours after the ceasefire, Michael Schroeder was shot dead by ATF agents who alleged he fired a pistol at agents as he attempted to re-enter the compound with Woodrow Kendrick and Norman Allison. Though some members had little or no outside income, other cult members were employed, and their salaries went directly into Koresh's pocket. ATF agent hit and killed by fifty caliber machine gun fire thru the wall. The Seventh-day Adventist Church issued warnings about the Branch Davidian sect's views to its members on a regular basis. By the late 1960s Houteffs original group had, in effect, ceased to exist. Roden is imprisoned, allowing Koresh and his disciples to take over the compound. He wanted to create a new lineage of world leaders. [40] Pace believes that the Lord "has anointed me and appointed me to be the leader", but he says he is "not a prophet" but "a teacher of righteousness". "He had a car that he was driving and he said the Lord gave it to him." "He was a very disheveled kind of guy," he continued. Howell wanted to father a child with her, who, according to his understanding, would be the Chosen One. In 1993, the world was glued to their TVs, watching the 51-day siege of a Waco, Texas-based Christian sect called the Branch Davidians by state and federal law enforcement. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Branch-Davidian, World Religious and Spirituality Project - Branch Davidians (1981-2006), Texas State Historical Association - Handbook of Texas - Davidian and Branch Davidian, United States History - Waco Branch Davidians Siege. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Nearly 25 years ago, the Branch Davidians were thrust into the spotlight amid the now infamous Waco siege, a 51-day standoff with federal officials that left 76 dead. 1987 A shoot-out takes place between Roden and Koresh. For instance, did David Thibodeau really survive the deadly 51-day standoff between the Branch Davidians and the FBI in 1993? [31], After the raid, ATF agents established contact with Koresh and others inside of the compound. The anticipated events did not occur, and following this disappointment, Benjamin Roden formed another group which he called the Branch Davidians and succeeded in taking control of Mount Carmel. The King James Version (KJV) is the only true and uncorrupted translation of the Bible. Omissions? It also fits the sociological definition, given the stories told by ex-members who claim to have seen the following (all of which represent classic marks of a cult from a sociological perspective): The Branch Davidian cult proved to be an extremely destructive group when nearly 100 of its members died in a fire that consumed their compound on April 19, 1993.