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Masaryk University MASARYK UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF EDUCATION Department of English Language and Literature The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas Bachelor Thesis Brno 2020 Supervisor: Author: Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. Libor Muselík Bibliografický záznam Muselík, Libor. Tragédie sekty Davidánů ve městě Waco v Texasu. Bakalářská práce, Masarykova univerzita, 2020. Muselík, Libor. The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Bachelor Thesis, Masaryk University, 2020. Anotace Bakalářská práce „Tragédie sekty Davidiánů ve městě Waco v Texasu“ se zaměřuje na konkrétní odnož křesťanské sekty Adventistů sedmého dne, která má český překlad Odvětví Davidiánů. Její historie v Texasu začíná na konci 30. let 20. století přestěhováním do menšího města Waco. A právě tato skupina na sebe na jaře roku 1993 na dva měsíce strhla obrovskou mediální pozornost, v USA podobnou přistání člověka na měsíci. To kvůli šílenému vůdci, dvěma neúspěšným útokům agentů amerických služeb, přestřelkám jako z Divokého západu a obléhání jako z časů středověku. Bohužel toto obléhání skončilo tragédií a požárem s desítkami obětí. Cílem této práce je v prvních kapitolách prozkoumat historii této sekty, poté přiblížit její apokalyptické lídry, a poslední kapitoly popíší samotné obléhání a tragické rozuzlení. Výzkum pro tuto bakalářskou práci se uskutečnil během mého studijního pobytu na McLennan Community College a v Texaském archivu Univerzity Baylor. Obě tyto instituce sídlí ve městě Waco, kde se tyto události odehrály. Součástí výzkumu je také rozhovor s profesorem z Univerzity Baylor, Robertem Dardenem který napsal knihu, jež je považována za nejvěrnější popis oněch událostí a byl jejich očitým svědkem. Annotation The bachelor thesis “The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas „will focus on a particular branch of Christian protestant sect called Seventh Day Adventist, called Branch Davidians. Their history in Texas begins in the late 1930s by moving to a smaller town Waco. This group in Spring of 1993 had drawn complete media coverage on itself, in the US comparable to the Moon landing. All this because of a mad cult leader, two unsuccessful attacks 1 of federal agents, shootouts that remind The Wild west and besieging like in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, this siege ended tragically in flames with tens of victims. The goal of this thesis is to examine the history of this cult, then to illustrate the apocalyptic leaders and the last chapters will describe the siege and its tragic unfolding. The research for this thesis was done while studying abroad at Mclennan Community College and at Baylor University’s Texas Collection Archive. Both institutions are in Waco, Texas where these events took place. Part of the research is an interview with Baylor University Professor Robert Darden who wrote a book, that is taken as the most truthful retelling of the events as they unfolded and is an eyewitness to these events. Klíčová slova Náboženská sekta, Davidiáni, Waco, David Koresh, Benjamin Roden, FBI, ATF, Adventisté sedmého dne, odnož Davidiánů, Texas, Victor Heuteff, obléhání, útok, apokalypsa, kult, vůdce, tragédie, sekta Keywords Religious sect, Davidians, Waco, David Koresh, Benjamin Roden, FBI, ATF, Seventh Day Adventist, Branch Davidians, Texas, Victor Heuteff, assault, siege, apocalypse, cult, leader, tragedy, sect 2 Declaration I hereby declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the sources listed in the References section. I agree with the placing of this thesis in the library of the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University with acceess for academic purposes. Brno, 20 April 2020 ………………………… Libor Muselík 3 Acknowledgment First, I would like to thank my supervisor Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. for his valuable suggestions, help, and scholarly comments. I also want to express my gratitude to John Hillman who helped me greatly at the beginning of my research. Lastly, I would like to thank for all the support from my family and friends. 4 Table of contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 6 2. Brief introductions to Religion in the United States and Texas ................. 7 3. Early History of Adventist of the Seventh Day ............................................ 8 3.1 Are they a cult or a sect ............................................................................. 9 3.2. Victor T. Houteff ....................................................................................... 9 3.3. Florence Houteff ...................................................................................... 13 4. Ben Roden ...................................................................................................... 15 4.1. Lois and George Roden rivalry ............................................................. 17 5. The childhood of Vernon Howell ................................................................. 18 5.1 Vernon Howell joins the Branch Davidians .......................................... 19 5.2. Vernon Howell’s exile to Palestine ........................................................ 21 5.3. Vernon Howell versus George Roden ................................................... 24 6. David Koresh as seen by Marc Breault ....................................................... 26 6.1. David Koresh turns bitter ...................................................................... 28 6.2. The ATF starts to investigate ................................................................. 29 6.3. David Koresh as seen by David Thibodeau .......................................... 31 6.4. Mistakes of the ATF ................................................................................ 33 6.5. The Raid Begins ...................................................................................... 35 7. Davidians under siege ................................................................................... 38 7. 1. Trying to get people out alive ................................................................ 39 7. 2. The last day as seen by David Thibodeau ............................................ 42 8. Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 45 Appendices ......................................................................................................... 47 References .......................................................................................................... 53 5 1. Introduction I was still undecided about what should the topic of my Bachelor thesis be. But when I was given the opportunity to study at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. I started doing research to learn more about Texas and Waco in particular. I was expecting my search engine to show me cowboys or scenery. But instead, it showed large compound engulfed in flames. This was a result of a standoff between the FBI and a religious group. Which in April of 1993 ended this tragically. Interested in how such a small group managed to stand against the FBI for 50 days. And why did it end so tragically. After learning this I knew that I want to write thesis on this topic and learn the background to this event. Studying in the lovely smaller Texan Waco, gave me plenty of opportunities to continue my research. Inhabitants of Waco still had this event in their memory. The Texas archive of local Baylor University offers large collection of artefacts from the events of 1993 and prior. And I had the opportunity to do an interview with an eyewitness and co- author of a book named: Mad Man in Waco: The Complete Story of the Davidan Cult, David Koresh and the Waco Massacre, Bob Darden. I also got to see the property, just outside of Waco where the vents took place. The paper is divided into 8 main chapters, which chronologically introduce the beginnings of this sect until the deadly confrontation with the FBI agents. Along with this the main leaders and prophets of this group will be introduced. First part is about the early beginnings of this sect and its formation by Victor T Houteff, his theology and the leaders that followed his wife and Benjamin Roden. Middle part is centred about the fateful figure of David Koresh whose illegal actions brought the attention of American federal agents upon his group. Last part is about the Agents of Burau of Alcohol, Tabaco, and Firearms conducting investigation and making an arrest on David Koresh. Thus, setting in motion chain of events that will eventually lead to the fiery tragedy. This thesis hopefully sheds some light on this event, which is not well known in the Czech Republic. 6 2. Brief introductions to Religion in the United States and Texas The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans. For this very reason the United States throughout history became a safe heaven for those who were religiously prosecuted or wanted to practice their faith in their way. This eventually led to many new religious ways branching and finding its way from the mainstream religions compared to Europe. “Since the Puritans first set foon on this continents, America has been a fertile ground for new religions” (Stark et al. 347). “A substantial number of sects to be found in America were the result of religious schism somehere (usually Europe), and they came to America through emigration of large numbers of sect members- sometimes even the entire body” (Stark and Bainbridge, 132). Texas is part of the American South, in a religious
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