Waco Tragedy

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             Life in the Compound with David Koresh as leader was not easy, but "Davidians would do anything for their leader" (Bonfante, Lacayo 3). The life of the compound was designed "to test it's members, to discover whether they were willing to suffer the hardships of the "withering experience"- the conquest of the flesh on the name of the spirit to prove they were servants of God rather than Baal" (Thibodeau 35). Several of the women in the compound whom "Koresh turned into his wives were already married" (Bonfante, Lacayo 3). Others " ranging in ages from twelve to forty" (Thibodeau 54). Life at Mount Carmel revolved around "meals and bible study periods" (Thibodeau 78). The food the members ate consisted of "day-old pizzas and groceries that had passed their sell-by dates" (Thibodeau 79). The women did "the cooking" while the men "worked on the building" (Thibodeau 79). No one chose to live at Mount Carmel for its luxurious life style. People were there "for a purpose," and the "simplicity of the compound emphasized that" (Thibodeau 79). The place in which they lived were nothing more than "clapboard cottages" (Thibodeau 76). As David's grasp of his role "in the free fulfillment of the prophecy evolved, he had further series of revelations" (Thibodeau 53). One of the most important and startling of these was his " "New Light" experience during the summer of 1989, in which he foresaw the crucial role of sex and procreation on what he called the coming New World order" (Thibodeau 53). This revelation "mandated celibacy for everyone except David" (Thibodeau 53). David reinforced his revelation by telling compound members that "an untamed power seducing the spirit away from its focus" (Thibodeau 54). Although taboo for his members, "beer, meat, air-conditioning, and MTV" were available to him" (Bonfante, Lacayo 3).
             David Koresh and compound members "had been under investigation for 10 months because of evidence he was building a huge stockpile of illegal weapons" (Popkin, Rainie 2).