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Essay / The Branch Davidians - 1666
On February 28, 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) raided the Branch Davidian ranch in Mount Carmel, a rural area near Waco, Texas. The raid resulted in the deaths of four agents and five Davidians. The ensuing 51-day siege ended on April 19 when the compound was completely consumed by fire, killing seventy-five men, women, and children, including leader David Koresh. In 1929, Victor Houteff, a Bulgarian immigrant, claimed he had a new message for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He submitted it to the church in the form of a book called “The Shepherd’s Rod.” In the book, he highlights how the Church has moved away from the fundamental teachings of the Church. Church leaders disapproved of his claims and felt they would spark an uproar in the church. The leaders decided to ban him from the church. Once banished, he started a new church called the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. He obtained the Davidian belief to restore the Davidic kingdom. In 1955, after Houteff's death, the movement split to form the Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventist. The term branch refers to the new name of Jesus Christ. The group, founded by Benjamin L. Roden, was based outside of Waco, Texas. The group occupied land formerly owned by the Davidian group. George Roden, Benjamin's son, claimed he was the group's prophet but was sent to prison. The group never had a clear leader until Vernon Howell took over as leader in 1988. In 1981, Howell joined the group as a regular member. At the time, Lois Roden led the group with a message that Christ was a woman. In 1983, she allowed Howell to teach his own message. This created a lot of controversy within the group. A meeting was called for all Branch Davidians in 1984 which led to...... middle of paper...... mistakes maybe we won't repeat them like Koresh l predicted when he proposed his idea of a historical spiral. until the end of time. Works Cited “Branch Davidians”. Wikipedia. August 30, 2005. November 10, 2005. Galloway, Joseph L. “The Misfortune of Foreigners Brought to Waco.” » US News & World Report April 10, 1993: 73-76. ProQuest. Electronic library. McLennan Community College, Waco. November 10, 2005. Keyword: Branch Davidians. Harrison, Rainie. “The Last Days of David Koresh.” US News & World Report March 5, 1993: 24-34. ProQuest. Electronic library. McLennan Community College, Waco. November 10, 2005. Keyword: Banch Davidians. Hustmyre, Charles. “Waco ten years later.” Law and Order January 1, 2003: 76. ProQuest. Electronic library. McLennan Community College, Waco. November 10 Keyword: Banch Davidians. Ramsland, Katherine. “All about David Koresh and the Waco incident.” The Crime Library. Court Television. November 10. 2005 .