Founded in the early 1970s by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, the group initially known as "The Two" began by traveling across the United States to recruit followers through a message that blended Christian theology with science fiction. They convinced early converts that they were extraterrestrial beings in human bodies who could help others achieve a physical transformation to reach the Next Level of existence via a spacecraft. By 1975, the cult gained national notoriety after a recruitment meeting in Oregon led to the sudden disappearance of twenty people, marking the beginning of their increasingly reclusive and disciplined communal lifestyle.

Resources:

https://time.com/archive/6730591/imprisoned-by-his-own-passions-marshall-herff-applewhite/

Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults on HBO

https://facilitatingu.com/2014/07/20th-anniversary-of-my-heavens-gate-departure/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_(religious_group)

https://www.heavensgate.com/

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-26/heavens-gate-cult-members-found-dead