Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 3, Nos. 2 &3, 2004, Page 153
In the first two chapters of the book, Dr. Erdely introduces the issue of ―collective suicide
rituals‖ and ―suicide-homicides‖ as a relatively recent phenomenon, starting well into the
20th century. He offers a concise review of the several ―apocalyptic scenarios‖ (title of his
second chapter) that have occurred since Jim Jones‘ mass suicide/assassination in Guyana
in 1978. He describes also violent attacks on society at-large, such as that of the Aum
Shinrikyo sect releasing nerve gas in a Tokyo subway in 1995. The ―apocalyptic scenarios‖
end with the terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9/11.
He provides a detailed description of the events surrounding the massive murder-suicide
that took place at Kanungu, Uganda, on March 17, 2000. About 530 members of the
―Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God‖ lost their lives when
their church was set on fire. Approximately the same number of people was found in several
mass graves in and around the homes of cult leaders during the following days. An offshoot
of the Catholic Church, the movement was an apparitionist cult which had predicted that the
world would come to an end on December 31, 1999. When such a revealed prophecy failed
to occur, a new date was announced: March, 17, 2000. Part of the valuable information
provided by the author, discusses whether to describe the events of March 17 as ritual
suicide or as mass murder. He describes evidence supporting the first, and concludes that
what took place at Kanungu was a religious ceremony that aimed to usher followers into a
different dimension of existence, leading to the subsequent church inferno. The author
underlines the secrecy factor among members and nonmembers that permitted such an
atrocity as the systematic and seemingly unnoticed disappearance of hundreds of dissident
members and their families prior to March 17, actions that must have been carried out with
the collaboration of some followers. This was achieved ―by merely using words.‖ The author
concludes by advising us not to underestimate the power of religious ideologies and
discourse that can turn people either into ―human torches‖ or ―suicide warriors‖.
The third chapter introduces us to the ―theology of ritual suicide.‖ It explores several
possible reasons that could drive individuals to commit suicide, and does so taking into
account clinical aspects as well as historical events and cultural traditions. The most
frequent cause of common suicide is clinical depression. Suicide may also be employed in
war contexts to escape capture or torture by an enemy. In some cultures, suicide is used to
avoid facing public disgrace, or as an individual act to protest publicly against political or
military oppression. The author differentiates between individual actions of self-immolation,
like the above mentioned, and suicides as rituals within a given belief system, behaviors
that are carried out as an end in themselves to achieve a religious goal, frequently on the
―way to the everlasting paradise.‖ He explores the mechanisms through which critical
judgment can be inhibited and provides useful references and examples of psychological
manipulation. Especially interesting is the author‘s explanation that there is no religious
tradition exempt from being twisted to end in a suicide ideology. This observation prevents
us from unfair generalizations that end up blaming a particular religious faith or even
culture as the root cause of the actions of terrorists groups. Reinforcing that observation is
the diversity of religious backgrounds of notorious groups in recent history which have
engaged in ritual mass suicide and/or religiously motivated terrorist attacks against society.
Thus, this phenomenon of violence goes far beyond the concrete theologies from which they
are supposedly derived. The author concludes the chapter by describing what he has found
to be the necessary factors present in such episodes:
1. A messianic leadership
2. A group of people ready to obey unconditionally
3. A trigger event.
The next three chapters define and elaborate on those three factors. Then the author
applies this analytical framework to Al Qaeda and the Taliban to see if they fit the model.
In the first two chapters of the book, Dr. Erdely introduces the issue of ―collective suicide
rituals‖ and ―suicide-homicides‖ as a relatively recent phenomenon, starting well into the
20th century. He offers a concise review of the several ―apocalyptic scenarios‖ (title of his
second chapter) that have occurred since Jim Jones‘ mass suicide/assassination in Guyana
in 1978. He describes also violent attacks on society at-large, such as that of the Aum
Shinrikyo sect releasing nerve gas in a Tokyo subway in 1995. The ―apocalyptic scenarios‖
end with the terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9/11.
He provides a detailed description of the events surrounding the massive murder-suicide
that took place at Kanungu, Uganda, on March 17, 2000. About 530 members of the
―Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God‖ lost their lives when
their church was set on fire. Approximately the same number of people was found in several
mass graves in and around the homes of cult leaders during the following days. An offshoot
of the Catholic Church, the movement was an apparitionist cult which had predicted that the
world would come to an end on December 31, 1999. When such a revealed prophecy failed
to occur, a new date was announced: March, 17, 2000. Part of the valuable information
provided by the author, discusses whether to describe the events of March 17 as ritual
suicide or as mass murder. He describes evidence supporting the first, and concludes that
what took place at Kanungu was a religious ceremony that aimed to usher followers into a
different dimension of existence, leading to the subsequent church inferno. The author
underlines the secrecy factor among members and nonmembers that permitted such an
atrocity as the systematic and seemingly unnoticed disappearance of hundreds of dissident
members and their families prior to March 17, actions that must have been carried out with
the collaboration of some followers. This was achieved ―by merely using words.‖ The author
concludes by advising us not to underestimate the power of religious ideologies and
discourse that can turn people either into ―human torches‖ or ―suicide warriors‖.
The third chapter introduces us to the ―theology of ritual suicide.‖ It explores several
possible reasons that could drive individuals to commit suicide, and does so taking into
account clinical aspects as well as historical events and cultural traditions. The most
frequent cause of common suicide is clinical depression. Suicide may also be employed in
war contexts to escape capture or torture by an enemy. In some cultures, suicide is used to
avoid facing public disgrace, or as an individual act to protest publicly against political or
military oppression. The author differentiates between individual actions of self-immolation,
like the above mentioned, and suicides as rituals within a given belief system, behaviors
that are carried out as an end in themselves to achieve a religious goal, frequently on the
―way to the everlasting paradise.‖ He explores the mechanisms through which critical
judgment can be inhibited and provides useful references and examples of psychological
manipulation. Especially interesting is the author‘s explanation that there is no religious
tradition exempt from being twisted to end in a suicide ideology. This observation prevents
us from unfair generalizations that end up blaming a particular religious faith or even
culture as the root cause of the actions of terrorists groups. Reinforcing that observation is
the diversity of religious backgrounds of notorious groups in recent history which have
engaged in ritual mass suicide and/or religiously motivated terrorist attacks against society.
Thus, this phenomenon of violence goes far beyond the concrete theologies from which they
are supposedly derived. The author concludes the chapter by describing what he has found
to be the necessary factors present in such episodes:
1. A messianic leadership
2. A group of people ready to obey unconditionally
3. A trigger event.
The next three chapters define and elaborate on those three factors. Then the author
applies this analytical framework to Al Qaeda and the Taliban to see if they fit the model.
