http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png http://io9.com/tag/heaven's gate http://io9.com/tag/heaven's gate

A recently-released tape from the Heaven's Gate cult offers a disturbing portrait of the man who convinced 39 people to commit suicide in 1997, believing their souls were going to join aliens on the Hale-Bopp comet. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5562509&view=rss&microfeed=true

Click to view Rumors are swirling that Nike discontinued work on this sweet black-and-purple prototype Dunk shoe because it reminded consumers too much of the Heaven's Gate cult mass suicide. Really? On the Nike Skateboarding blog, they offer up this image of the shoe side-by-side with one of the victims of the Heaven's Gate suicide to prove their point. So, the idea is that because the shoes match the colors of the suicide victim, the shoe was discontinued? If you'll recall, the web design company/cult known as Heaven's Gate believed that they were going to be taken up by aliens associated with the Hale-Bopp comet, so they timed their suicides to coincide with its arrival. But is there really a connection between these sneakers and the cult? It's true that the Heaven's Gaters were known for all wearing matching black Nikes, but I don't see Nike discontinuing their line of all-black Dunks. Still, the flimsiness of the rumors haven't stopped eager entrepreneurs from trying to make a ton of cash from selling the prototypes on E-bay. I love the way the E-bay seller pretends that the shoes were actually called "Heaven's Gate." You too could be suckered out of $3,000, so act now! [via E-bay] More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5080690&view=rss&microfeed=true

While we all wait excitedly to see if the Denver alien video will sway UFO-doubting voters to vote for Jeff Peckman's ballot measure to create an Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission in Denver, let's take a moment to remember the greatest UFO believers of all time, the members of the ill-fated Heaven's Gate religion. Sure there are more famous alien-worshiping groups like the Scientologists, and more classic space-brother-seeking types like members of the half-century-old Aetherius Society (who believe they've been contacted by members of an "Interplanetary Parliament"). But the members of Heaven's Gate had a few things none of these other religions had that made them hands-down the best. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=394132&view=rss&microfeed=true