Quotes from David Thibodeau

Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.

The dehumanization of those inside Mt. Carmel, coupled with the thoroughgoing demonization of Koresh, made it easier for those in authority to develop tactics that seemed organized for disaster.

Day after day, for more than seven weeks, the audience heard lurid stories of wild sex, biblical rantings, beaten babies, and armed fanatics ready to fight and die for their crazy notions of heaven and hell at the command of a madman.

In today's media-saturated climate, the word "cult" is an instant road sign for the audience: WARNING: WEIRDOS AHEAD.

Sadly, the now-accepted, international church forgot that it, too, was once considered a mere cult.

History suggests that a cult graduates into a church if it outlives its founders.

Having been tagged a "cult" by the government and the media, we became fair game, removed beyond the bounds of common sympathy.

Whether anyone believed it or not, David felt he had to wait on God's word, and that Old Guy in the Sky takes his own, sweet time.

For the first month of the siege FBI commanders had isolated us from all contact with the outside world in order to preserve the official view that we were dangerously weird.

It was as if he'd arrived at the center of himself after a long journey through the wilderness of his own soul.

Our agony was the government's triumph.

If they thought we were a bunch of crazies, why did they drive us to the limit?

They didn't believe me," I exclaimed when I saw Gary. "I told the truth, but they didn't want to hear!

All my life I'd wanted to be special, and for a while I was, sharing David's spirit. Now I'd have to find a way to be special in my own right.

Fear is a cruel master. It is not, however, unconquerable.

Silence is a form of consent, and I just couldn't let the evil popular picture of David and our community stand without trying to combat it.

I was eternally earthbound, a witness but no prophet.

For a while I saw myself as an outcast from an America that had always been mine.

I knew I would never be able to explain myself in the language of faith, a tongue I was still fumbling with.

Even if you totally believe in something, there's always an element of doubt.

Two struggling musicians, always broke, forever hopeful.

I must admit I hadn't realized my knees were so sexy.

We came from many different places, had many different pasts, belonged to a variety of races and nationalities; but under the boiling summer sun, when shade temperatures often reached the century mark, the heat beating our backs like hammer until I felt like a nail myself, we were brothers sharing sweat, building our own Jerusalem in a desolate place.

It won't always be wonderful. It depends on your state of grace.