Branch Davidians
From Conservapedia
The Branch Davidians were a religious sect that broke off from the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Waco, Texas. A stand-off between the U.S. government and beginning on February 28th, 1993 ended on April 19th when a fire broke out in the main church building that was under siege. The fire killed 79 people, 25 of which were children.
The Branch Davidians were under siege after a warrant was secured by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for allegedly having illegal firearms and a drug laboratory inside their main church building. There were also alleged reports of abuse of children and polygamy committed by the church leader, David Koresh, who claimed he was the messiah.
The event was controversial because some believe the actions of the government were too harsh and that they did not take into effect the mentality of the Branch Davidians. Some also believe the BATF started the fire that burnt down the building and killed those inside, and this belief is supported by the evidence in several documentary films, such as Waco: The Rules of Engagement and Waco: A New Revelation. These films contradicted the longstanding claims by the BATF and FBI that no pyrotechnic devices were used at Waco, causing them to retract their claims and Congressional hearings into the Waco siege to be reopened.
References
- Waco: The Rules of Engagement, documentary film, 1997
- Waco: A New Revelation, documentary film, 1999
- Thibodeau, David. A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story. HarperCollins, 1999.
