Heaven’s Gate : a writer imagined what came after the suicides if they really went to ‘Planet Heaven’

How an extremely weird book found on Amazon led me to an hidden Heaven’s Gate memorial.

I’ve been writing a novel on Heaven’s Gate for years now, diving in their lives and trying to understand the human experiences behind the tragedy. As you can imagine, researching is a big part of such an endeavour and I was very happy to find a strange book called ‘Heaven’s Gate : a memoral established’ by Gary A. Beck, published in 2009 :

This is a story of what could have happend to the 39 members of Heaven’s Gate shortly after exiting their earthly vehicles and bording a spacecraft cloaked inside the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet. As they awaken from transport sleep, Ti welcomes them aboard the Comet-craft Hale-Bopp. Confusion, awe, and wonder await the crew members as they travel throughout the galaxies on their journey to Planet Heaven and beyond.

I bought it and read it. It was strange, yes, but certainly heartfelt. The writer really knew the 39 women and men who committed suicide in 97 with the hope of boarding a craft to heaven. He imagined the path and describes their arrival to heaven, with a gigantic door that you can also see on the book’s cover, with gemstones and rainbows. To know more about it, I decided to send him a few questions and Gary A. Beck very kindly answered.

In your book, you describe how you « tried » several religions but ended up being each time disappointed. What attracted you to Heaven’s Gate ?

I have been in a church since 2001 that finally helped me understand truth. Heavens Gate never worked for me, their doctrine simply helped me cope with my parents death. I was never a convert.

Reading your book, I realized that you have a very precise knowledge of the 39 and what Heaven’s Gate called “The Next level”. How did you get this knowledge ?

I got my knowledge through their journals and exit tapes. My creative description of Heaven and the next level was taken from the Bible.

As you started getting deeper into Heaven’s Gate, did you contact other former member — or Heaven’s Gate enthusiast ? Where you contacted yourself ? Many claimed to be the new representative after the 39’s departure.

I contacted Rio Do Angelo and Sawyer for reviews included in my book. I do not believe Heavens Gate will return as to what it was, due to the fact it was that group alone who made it what it was. I respect and loved their bravery and courage, yet could not submit to all their belief system. I also respected them for the fact they had no children involved, nor was anyone forced to stay with the group. The majority of organized Christians today are so biblically illiterate and indoctrinated with pagan practices such as Christmas, Easter, valentines and the Sunday worship, yet they know not they are doing it. I wrote the Heaven’s Gate book mainly as a memorial for their families left behind.