Why Waco? Cults & the Battle for Religious Freedom in America

by James D. Tabor, Eugene V. Gallagher

The 1993 government assault on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, resulted in the deaths of four federal agents and eighty Branch Davidians, including seventeen children. Whether these tragic deaths could have been avoided is still debatable, but what seems clear is that the events in Texas have broad implications for religious freedom in America.

James Tabor and Eugene Gallagher's bold examination of the Waco story offers the first balanced account of the siege. They try to understand what really happened in What brought the Branch Davidians to Mount Carmel? Why did the government attack? How did the media affect events? The authors address the accusations of illegal weapons possession, strange sexual practices, and child abuse that were made against David Koresh and his followers. Without attempting to excuse such actions, they point out that the public has not heard the complete story and that many media reports were distorted.

The authors have carefully studied the Davidian movement, analyzing the theology and biblical interpretation that were so central to the group's functioning. They also consider how two decades of intense activity against so-called cults have influenced public perceptions of unorthodox religions.

In exploring our fear of unconventional religious groups and how such fear curtails our ability to tolerate religious differences, Why Waco? is an unsettling wake-up call. Using the events at Mount Carmel as a cautionary tale, the authors challenge all Americans, including government officials and media representatives, to closely examine our national commitment to religious freedom.

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, True Crime, Politics, Read For School, Cultural

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he has taught since 1989. He previously held positions at Ambassador College (1968-70 while a student), the University of Notre Dame (1979–85), and the College of William and Mary (1985–89).

Reviews

[Lacy Zusammen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have known how the book was going to go based on the opening chapter where the authors claim they tried to offer their services to the FBI to talk to Koresh and if they had been taken up on the offer the whole mess would have been avoided.
The details of the religious beliefs of the Branch Davidians was interesting to read about as religion always is. However, the rest of the book was a rant on how the former members, media, and talk show hosts were all biased against Koresh while the authors themselves were being hyprocritically biased. For example, they complain about how the government had no proof girls were being molested by him in one paragraph then talk about how Koresh had 21 kids most of whom he fathered on 12 and 13 year old girls in the next paragraph, then would gloss over that and rant about the fact they had no justification to get involved. Yes, the government messed up big time in the whole affair, but the book was clearly about how the authors could have done it better and they were just pissed off at everyone else involved. I expected a more balanced approach with actual interviews with people who had been involved.

[Sofia DR · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one was more of an analysis of what the gov did wrong and “cult” discourse but it still gave base info and was interesting

wouldnt read again but like solid

[Shea Mastison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-written book, examining the tragedy at Waco; along with offering some very valuable insights concerning religious freedom and police militarization in America.

I had only ever briefly studied the Waco fiasco prior to this. Having such a detailed explanation of how the Branch Davidians were rooted in Seventh Day Adventist theology was a total surprise; the media (out of laziness, or spite) really painted David Koresh as a Jim Jones-esque cult con man, but the reality is that he was a fanatic believer, who made some very questionable (and criminal) choices in some extraordinary situations.

The last two centuries of American history has seen the formation and popularization of several new religious movements which can claim millions of followers today. For good or ill, cults are a part of the American national experience.

[Jerrica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since a lot of the stuff surrounding Waco was recorded, it's more fruitful to watch a documentary about it and see things for yourself. The book itself I found pretty lackluster; it goes into the Waco siege and the origins of the Branch Davidians for the first half but the second half is just theoretical mumbo-jumbo about cults in general, bringing each point back to Waco briefly to establish relevance. It's not a great book if you can just skip the last half of it, now is it?

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In February 1995, Federal forces arrived outside a large home owned by a religious sect living in expectation of the apocalypse and led by a man who claimed to be the Messiah. Alarmed by rumors of child marriage and the fact that members of the group were involved in the gun trade, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms arrived to execute arrest warrants. An exchange of fire that killed six residents and four agents prompted them to back down and lay siege instead. After token efforts at communication, after fifty-one days tanks rolled in to batter holes in the walls and flood the massive complex with CS case, over the protests of some on the ground who were attempting to reach the group's leader. One of those dissenting voices was James Tabor, who in Why Waco explains the religious background of the Davidians in an effort to humanize a group derided by the media as suicidal kooks.

This strangely sympathetic account of the group's downfall begins with another group in the 1840s, who, following their century's version of Harold Camping, believed earnestly that Jesus would return to Earth on October 22nd, 1844. These Adventists survived their 'great disappointment' on the lack of the world ending; those who kept the faith eventually found other issues to coalescence around, including an insistence that Saturday, not Sunday, was the Sabbath. Certain elements of this denomination grew progressively more estranged from the main current of Christianity, forming an intentional community on the Texas plains that survived for decades, through several successive leaders -- one of whom, a woman, would reveal that the Holy Spirit was in fact a woman, and the Catholic church was an insidious plot to subvert worship of the divine feminine by focusing it on Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Branch David took its name from its expectation that when Revelation was fulfilled, the world would hail a new Messiah, descended from the biblical David.

Into this group came young Vernon Howell, later known as David Koresh. He came searching, to pit their claims against his studious knowledge of the Bible and its prophecies. Consumed by a desire to understand the secret truths of Isaiah and Revelation, he flourished and eventually inherited leadership of the community. He was especially charismatic after a trip to Israel, where he claimed an encounter with the Divine. Koresh also became increasing messianic, changing his name to conform to a role he felt called to: the sinful Messiah. Although modern Christians regard messiah as Jesus' title alone, the word is used several times throughout the Bible, and at one time in connection with Cyrus of Persia, whose name is rendered Koresh. Cyrus was used by God as messiah, called to wage war against the satanic power of Babylon and restore the Temple and the Jewish people to their rightful place. Vernon Howell, becoming David Koresh, believed he was the new messiah: He wasn't Jesus, but he was called by God to gather around him a chosen few and reveal the Final Revelation to the world. When the Final Revelation came, Koresh would be at one with the Word of God, comprehending the entire Bible as a mystical whole, and guide the world into a new era. This greatness would not come without price; the powers of the world would rise against the chosen few, and even kill them just as they did Jesus, but God would prevail.

Against this figure, whose vocabulary was saturated with references to arcane prophecies, whose days were spent in intense discussions about theology, propagating increasingly esoteric doctrines and practices, rose the ATF. While agents on the ground attempted to talk to Koresh and convince him to surrender, all they heard in response was "bible babble",not comprehending that just as they were trying to squeeze him into the criminal profile boxes that they understood, so to was he understanding them in the light of his own narrative. Their initial attack on the center, followed by their encirclement of it that cut all electricity and communication with the outside world, seemed to him the fulfillment of the "Fifth Seal", in which the forces of darkness rise against the righteous. They were playing the perfect villains, convincing him that he was right and that the end was night. So they held out and perished in fire, almost eighty souls.

Tabor's goal in this is to humanize the Davidians, and it works for the most part. They obviously weren't too strange at first or on the whole, given how good their relations were with their neighbors: when the raid happened, the Davidians were expecting it, having received numerous tips. Although the ATF and FBI referred to the siege as a prolonged "hostage situation", Davidians plainly were not under coercive force. They came and left the group as they pleased, drawn mainly by desire to see what Koresh was teaching, attracted by his energy. The fly in the ointment is that by the time the center was attacked, Koresh was in a pecuilar spot, psychologically. He was the chief fixation of attention for scores of people, whose awe at his abilities at arguing scripture convinced him that he was the chosen one. Unrestrained by the fear of social reprisal, his body followed its desires, carefully justified by seemingly rational arguments: bit by bit, he convinced himself that it was just and proper for him to be married to several women, including teenage girls, and father children by them. They were to be the new royal priesthood of the next epoch of human history. The Davidians could have been quirky but harmless even living on a compound by themselves and earning money by selling guns, but once polygamous child-marriage enters the picture even the most sympathetic soul has to say, "...that boy's off his rocker."

However, Tabor's principle object may not be the Waco group themselves, but cults in general. Tabor objects to their being demonized: what modern religion, he asks, does not match the attempts at quantifying what exactly a cult is? He rightly criticizes the agents on the ground for not seriously attempting to understanding who they were dealing with, beyond wacky gun-cultists, but even if the group had been able to send regular messages to the world through the siege, but who is to say they could? The group's entire bent was occultic, fixated on its elite status. Tabor does a good job at comparing Waco to Jonestown, which was more domineering where its members were. David Koresh may have told his followers that that were called to be celibate (unless David felt a call to know another man's wife in the biblical sense), but if they insisted on remaining married to one another, they could leave. Koresh's group was definitely weird, increasingly dominated by the man's sexual fetish, but from this account they seem more likely just to be a danger to themselves, and especially to their children. Of course, the government's brutal attempt to force the group to surrender only led to the deaths of most of the children at risk, so the entire episode is an utter tragedy.

Why Waco? has a jarring sympathy for its bizarre subjects, one that struggles to be professional and errs on the side of indulgence. It does make comprehensible the group's apocalyptic teachings, and can't help but entertain...but the author's lack of judgment, even when horror would be appropriate, is unsettling

[Brian Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Why Waco?’ should be applauded for attempting to see beyond the anticult stereotype assumptions, James Tabor and Eugene Gallagher are respectively an Associate Professor and Professor of Religious Studies. The authors note it is to silence the voices of members by labeling a group a cult.
They reveal that cult leaders are not all hypnotic geniuses of Malevolent intent. The authors attempt to reveal the internal scriptural logic behind of Koresh doctrine and the motivations of what people joined his movement. Many members were highly intelligent and well versed in the Bible.
Koresh could quote from memory large sections of scripture. The doctrinal roots traverse over 170 years Lois Rodin, Victor Houteff, Ellen G. White and the Millerites.
Tabor and Gallagher don’t hide Koresh flaws, nor do they portray members of zombie-like followers. Nor am I seeking to justify Koresh.
Rather, I am pleased to see an attempt to understand the complexity of human nature. This includes addressing some of the assumptions made by cult busters themselves. The discussion is important, yet anti-cult rhetoric also reveals a lot about society, what it calls normal, and what make the many feel uneasy.
The book reviews the media coverage during and after the siege. Also, to non-Americans, it may seem strange that in Texas it was legal to use arms to defend yourself against what you believe is an unjustified attack by government agents.
Another question considered is the use of cult itself in today's media. As used by some, the word would refer to any group not accepting the Trinity doctrine for example Jews or Muslims. Yet bu another common definition used currently Jesus own admonitions to his followers would label his followers a cult.

[Raughley Nuzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting apologist take on the events at Mount Carmel in Waco, TX in the spring of 1993. The authors laid out a very clear and well-articulated counter narrative to the one commonly used when discussing the nature and fate of David Koresh and his Branch Davidians. I sometimes wondered if they gave Koresh too much of the benefit of the doubt, but their analysis seemed robust and well-sourced, when applicable.

I can't help but think that this book was published too soon after the events of the ATF raid on the Waco compound. I wonder how the authors would have treated Heaven's Gate, whose mass suicide was inspired by the events in Waco. The book captures a very particular snapshot of modern American history at the apparent zenith of the anti-cult movement, which seemingly coincided with the flaming out of several prominent cults in the 1990s. There's a lot of great analysis of the frames through which we view events like those in Waco and I would be curious to see it applied to more recent events and even to be turned on the culture of the Evangelical movement and the perception of cults in modern pop-culture (for example, the recent blockbuster videogame FarCry 5).

[Foster Beets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read "Why Waco" by James D. Tabor, and found it to be a fascinating and informative account of the events that led up to the Waco siege in 1993. One aspect of the book that particularly stood out to me was its exploration of the role that media played in shaping public opinion about the Branch Davidians and the siege itself. They also discussed the influence of the Prophecy Media Group.

I appreciate the inclusion of information about the streaming podcasts that have emerged in recent years, which provide a platform for alternative viewpoints and allow people to hear from voices that may not be represented in mainstream media. Talk radio and commercials that put a unique interests in the town and also mention Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV.

I was excited to learn that a new movie based on the Waco siege is set to be released in 2023. As someone who was not alive at the time of the siege, I appreciate having access to different forms of media or celebrities that help me to learn about and engage with historical events and solutions to needs from spiritual point of view. Overall, I highly recommend "Why Waco" for anyone interested in learning more about the Branch Davidians.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. The information in this book is really good and vital to any discussion on Waco or Cults.

2. The fundamental thesis of this book is wrong and the authors prove that. They argue that if they were given the chance during the siege they could have prevented the massacre of the Branch Davidians due to their knowledge of Davidian theology. However starting with the planning and implementation of the raid, we see that peaceful options were readily available but intentionally ignored "The BATF had planned a 'dynamic entry with no realistic contingency for a peaceful serving of the warrant. A few minutes into the raid, the Branch Davidians called their local 911 number... their 911 call demonstrated their nonconfrontational stance..." meaning Tabor and Gallagher's input would change nothing.

3. The thesis is mostly contained in the first chapter and the rest of the book is far less annoying.

[Kyle Pennekamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weirdly fascinating book. The first half is an excellent breakdown of the govt's failure at Waco to engage with Koresh in the kind of language that the Davidians used as their lens for the world, and advocating that kind of more thoughtful approach in the future when dealing with religious sects. And the broad damage done by comparing Mount Carmel to Jonestown and the inevitibility of what happened once that was accepted.

The second half becomes a kind of strange apologia for cults and "alternative religious groups" under the guise of respect for constitutional religious freedom. It reads as the author's being personally defensive. Which, if anything, makes the read even more interesting.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

TL:DR The authors don’t like the word ‘cult’ and believe it was a major contributor to the events at Waco.

This is the third book on Koresh and Waco that I read. The first was an unbiased overview. The second was from the perspective of someone who was there. I was hoping this book would focus more on the theological aspects of the Branch Davidians and Koresh and how those led to the siege. Instead it reads like a defense of Koresh and his actions/beliefs, glossing over the rape of young girls.

I almost quit when I got to the point where the authors lumped shows on Waco from Oprah and ABC News into the same category to criticize.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! How the authors do go on. The first half of the book was readable because it talked a little bit about what went down at the Mt Carmel complex when it was raided by BATF and the FBI, but the rest of the book....pfffft. You'd think a book that purports to show you who the Branch Davidians really were would interview members of the group, but no. This book purports to be an intellectual treatise examining religious freedom and anti cult activities in America with particular reference to the events at Waco, but value in the book is hard to find.

[Isaac Pritchett · Rating 3 out of 5]

First pro-Cult book I've ever read. More accurately described as anti-anti-cult, describes how the FBI's refusal to engage the Branch Davidians on a doctrinal level lead to an unecessary and tragic escalation. Also contends that cults are dangerous not because they have dangerously broad appeal, but because they force us to confront our own morality in ways that are uncomfortable. Good stuff

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tabor wrote one of the articles contained in 'Armageddon in Waco' that I read a few weeks ago, so some of the main arguments were familiar. The conclusion was useful, however, in how it summarized the challenges that cults (and anti-cult movements) present to issues of religious freedom in America and beyond.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cool. Loved this, perspective was so much better then most on the topic

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was divided into 2 sections. The first section dealt directly with Waco and the incompetence of the officials that led to the fire (the author does not speculate how the fire started, which remains a mystery) he is of the opinion that the only way the Koresh could've been reasoned with was theologically – he says that the officials considered David Koresh's talk as "Bible Bible" but they should have been paying more attention. He believed that if someone with the knowledge of the Scripture could've talk to him, he could've changed his mind and led to him coming out. Some of the agents outside were so ignorant of Scripture that they thought "the 7 seals" were animals. It was obvious that they were not connecting with Koresh on any kind of level. The author reveals that there was a biblical scholar that Koresh had talked to on other occasions who was willing to offer his expertise and talk to him, but the FBI and other agents turned him down. We will never know if he could've reasoned the Branch Davidians out of the complex. Apparently, Koresh believed that he was the new Messiah (not Jesus, as it was reported – he considered himself a prophet on the order of Jesus, but not Jesus himself) believed in Armageddon, so he believed he was going to be martyred and his Branch Davidians scattered, but he had always believed that this would happen in Israel. So the waters argument is that he could've been reasoned with using this as a wedge, by someone with a deep knowledge of biblical prophecy and the book of Revelation.

It was the 2nd part of the book that annoyed me. The author dismisses the testimonies from people who left the Branch Davidians and told horror stories. He says they are like. disgruntled husbands or wives in a divorce trial. Because of that, he completely minimizes all of the negative things that cult survivor said about Koresh. The author acknowledges and admits that Koresh was abusing children as young as 12, but makes excuses for him. He claims that the Branch Davidians were not a cult. He lashes out at antri–cult organizations and argues that they violate religious freedom. Apparently raping 12-year-olds is not a sign that an organization is bad, I don't know what the author would consider a good reason for the government interfere. He clearly felt the Branch Davidians should of been left alone. I don't know how he came to that conclusion.

[Mazola1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why Waco? is less about what happened at Waco and why and more about what the author thinks of as the contemporary American anti-cult movement. It is true that so-called cults and the mainstream reaction to them do raise thorny questions about tolerance and freedom of religion. Tabor puts forward the proposition that Koresh's group can't really be catagorized as a cult like the People's Temple, and that Koresh was a serious biblical scholar entitled to religious legitimacy.

However, Tabor's book is marred by his failure to take into account the fact that Koresh did have sex with girls as young as twelve and his group did have a large amount of guns and ammunition on hand at their settlement. As well, Koresh regarded himself as a Messiah and the Lamb of God, and got his followers to agree that only he of all the men could have sex, and that he could have sex with whatever women he chose, including other men's wives. These facts do seem to suggest that Koresh was a little less benign that depicted by Tabor.

Nonetheless, Tabor's central point is well worth contemplating. He writes that the Constitution protects religion from the government, not the other way around, and rejects the idea that cults inherently pose a danger to the American way of life. The book is a bit tedious however and makes its points with a heavy hand.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

When travelling, I bring a book along for the ride, usually with the intention of giving it to my host upon completion. This one went along on a visit to John McGough in New York City, staying behind upon my departure.

Early on during the Clinton administration, in 1993, there was a fifty-day confrontation between the government and an apocalyptic Christian religious cult in Texas, the Branch Davidians, an offshoot of Seventh Day Adventism. Ostensibly it was about illegal arms possession, but the charges and confrontation escalated to include wild claims about child sex abuse (Janet Reno) and intended mass suicides. What happened, as shown in the award-winning film Waco: The Rules of Engagement, was that the government overreacted, immolating and shooting many of its members. Eighty-two of them perished, including several children.

The authors of this book were involved in the confrontation as religious advisors to the authorities. Sadly, they weren't taken seriously enough. According to their account, the Davidians, authentic in their beliefs, would have peacefully surrendered if given the time. Instead, they were murdered.