Product Description

In this bold examination of the 1993 Waco tragedy, the authors have carefully studied the tenuous relationship between the Branch Davidians and the federal government and offer the first balanced account of the siege. In exploring our fears of unconventional religious groups and how such fear curtails our ability to tolerate religious differences, Why Waco? is an unsettling wake-up call.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #666647 in Books
• Published on: 1997-04-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 254 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Tabor, a University of North Carolina religious studies professor, was a consultant to lawyers mediating directly with David Koresh during the 51-day siege in Waco, Texas, in 1993 that left four federal agents dead and engulfed the Branch Davidian compound in flames, killing 74 members, including 21 children. He and Gallagher, a religious studies professor at Connecticut College, make a compelling case that the confrontation was avoidable and could have been resolved peacefully. Attorney General Janet Reno made her decision to end the siege by force, they claim, against her better judgment under pressure from officials who gave her reports containing unsupported allegations of child abuse and sexual misconduct among the Branch Davidians. Much less convincing is the authors' attempt to refute the media image of ex-Seventh Day Adventist Koresh as a cruel, megalomaniacal, polygamous fanatic who manipulated his devotees. Rejecting the label of "cult," the authors view the Branch Davidians and kindred groups as genuine, albeit unconventional, religious movements whose critics misunderstand the dynamics of charismatic leadership.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This is a sober?and sobering?examination of the 1993 Branch Davidian crisis and its unsettling implications for church-state relations in the United States. Tabor (religious studies, Univ. of North Carolina) was there, talking with both David Koresh and the FBI and helping to contextualize Koresh's actions, reactions, and decisions in light of his belief system. Together with Gallagher (religious studies, Connecticut Coll.), he closely examines Davidian interpretations of biblical prophesy, analyzes popular media representations of unpopular religions, and questions the violent responses sparked by suggestions of cult. A 20-page appendix presents Koresh's unfinished manuscript on the Book of Revelation. An intelligent, thoroughly documented study, Why Waco? is especially important given the battle for the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Congressional hearings on Waco. Highly recommended, particularly for academic and church libraries.?Bill Piekarski, Southwestern Coll. Lib., Chula Vista, Cal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Where is the line between religious sects and "dangerous cults" ? Whatever lines citizens draw, at what point can government legitimately scrutinize self-styled religious communities? The authors, religious studies professors, see the April 19, 1993, Waco conflagration as avoidable and government actions as "inexcusable" ; for them, "the president and the attorney general, the media and the general public have not begun to comprehend what went wrong." Tabor--who, with Philip Arnold of Houston's Reunion Institute, tried to dialogue with David Koresh during the siege--and Gallagher trace the roots of Branch Davidian ideas in Adventist apocalyptic theology, show that FBI experts were not qualified to interpret Koresh's scriptural exegesis, and challenge the "cult" stereotyping that dominated the media and affected law enforcement agencies' actions. But their analysis of claims against the Davidians is shallow, e.g., a footnote listing Koresh's "wives" and children gives ages for the children but not for the "wives," at least some of whom were under 18. However consistent Koresh's scriptural analysis may have been, megalomania seems to have fueled his claim to be the second Christ. The humility, even self-doubt, of the first Christ might have made the Branch Davidians seem less "cult-like" to nonbelievers. A useful but far from balanced presentation. Mary Carroll

Customer Reviews

a worthy read!
This book shows the human side of the Branch Davidians that was certainly missing in the sensationalistic portrayal presented by the media. Rather than seeing the Branch Davidians as mindless followers of a madman, Tabor and Gallagher show the reader the history, theology and genuine fervency of the movement, as well as David Koresh.
This book does well to show the other side to the Waco tragedy. One that is often missing when discussing "cults" or new religious movements. One realizes that the true tragedy perhaps is the unnecessary loss of lives in Waco due to government fumbling, media sensationalism and anti-cult misdoings.
It is informative and easy-to-read and gives much food for thought on the saliency of the media in forming our opinions.

Contrary to what the last reviewer posted here, this book is another important one in the battle of Freedom of Religion in U.S
This important book, written by researchers
James D. Tabor and Eugene V. Gallagher tells
who the Branch Dividians were, ehy they held
their 'self-apocolyptic' views and what brou-
ght them to the Mount Carmel Complex in the
first place.

What guided this misguided but essentially
harmless groups of 'end-times'ers' to be
masacred by the Federal jack-booted Fascists?

Find out how this (real) American 'holacaust'
happened and how to prevent another episode of
the Feds killing sprees in the future. Recom-
mended. - Rich Salzer, Director / Editor, HRL

David Koresh's Message From God Was Just "Biblical Word Salad"
It is always amusing for me to come across yet another attempt at "Revisionist Koresh History". In this book the author tries to portray David Koresh as a misunderstood religious leader instead of being the evil sociopath that he truly was.The author attempts to give the reader the "Human side" of Koresh's followers.What he fails to describe that it was all a case of "David , please take my wife and daughter, kindly plunder my Bank Account and that way we won't have to think for ourselves anymore".The author glosses over the numerous Charges of Child Abuse while ignoring the fact that Koresh kept the children for 51 days in a hostile environment where there was no running water, electricy, heat or even decent food. As a negotiator with David Koresh the author failed miserably in respect to not getting the innocent children out of harm's way into the care of the proper authorities where they could be given a hot meal, a warm bed and a safe place to live far away from conflict and gunfire.The author tries to show the real humanity of those involved and fails because there was no Humanity in that Compound only a thug who hide behind women and innocent hildren and interpreted the Bible through the barrel of a gun.