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Editor's Notes

"A quick note to clear up a possibly
inflammatory sicuation: last month's
meeting minutes noted chat che board has
scheduled a retreat. Untortunately, a board
retreat does not consisc of a luxury suite at
the Oak Bay Beach Hetel (or we would
have a much easier time getting board
members), Nor is iceven a weekend of yoga
with nude reck-climbing as a bonding
experience for the participants. Rather, it is
a day spent in someone's back yard - and
inevitably pot-luck- with no formal agenda.
It isa chance to air out all those quirky but
good ideas that don‘r ger aired at the regular
monthly meeting due co time constraines.
You know, “Why are we here and where are
we going”, type of stuff,

***] have been thinking about the
eollective suicide of the Heaven's Gate cul.
Loun’t bring myself oo see it as the tragedy it
undoubted|y is, especially to the remaining
family members of the group. [ have known
two fnends whe cook their own lives, ome in
utter despair and loneliness, the other to
escape the final debilitation of a terminal
illness. 1 was at che bedside of rhis latter
friend, in a sunny apartment with a view of
the ocean and the boats thar he loved. He
said goodbye te us, his immediate family
remained in the room with him while the
reat of us held hands in che living room and
prayed in our own ways. He was
surrounded by the people he

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loved, bur mone of us went with him. He
was the voyager sailing our into waters as
yer uncharted by us.

Ac that momenc, | knew intimately the
need thar made our neolithic ancesters
put their finest pets in the graves of their
dead. If] could have, [ would have seen
him returned to the earth curled into a
pot, to dream until his season came again,
like the beloved fachesbrother/son who
now resides behind glass in the British
Museum. | choughe of che clay sarcophagi
of the Etruscans, lovers smiling at each
other into an eternal afterlife. | envied
the faith of my ancestors, their certainty
that the soul survives the death of che
body and is taken to a happier realm. A
land where they will still need their
favourite sandals and che comfort of cheir

bed.

From what ] have read, che merabers of
Heaven's Gate had a faith equally strong.
Twenty years ago the leader of the cult
gave aleccure in Oregon, at which point
over a dogen members of the community
disappeared, They abandoned homes,
bank accouncs, pets and even, in one case,
their children. They were told char they
must be ready to abandon the earth at
any moment, and muse hence be rid of
earthly ties.

When the moment finally came, they
went out to dinner, a final ritual to

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a fanec Turpin.
.

Editor: Karen QOpas General Manager: Jane Marthewa Editorial Board: Tam [rving, Gillian McMillan, Carol Mayer
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acknowledge the bodies they were
discarding. Then they lay down togecher
and died, They wenc peacefully with no
fear, anticipating new becdies and a
welcome into the Universe by enlightened
berrgs.

They had one of the most unique dying
experiences thar any human has known.
Mass deachs are usually fraughe with
violence, hunger and disease. They fully
welcomed what awaited them, had, in
fact, chosen it for chemselves. They went
accompanied by cheir chosen family
members, and pitied us who were left
behind. [ could argue that chey must have
been unhappy in their old lives, oo ren
towards this arcane philosophy so reactily.
] could point out che rejection of sexuality
so strong thar some had mutilated their
own bodies. [ cannot, however, refrain
from a wish that my own death {long in
the future, | hope} will be as easy as theirs.
And, as 1 might wish faindy upon a star, |
hope that the aliens were indeed waiting
for them in the wake of the comet Hale-
Bopp.

Karen Opas

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