Remembering The 51 Day Standoff In Waco, Texas – 25 Years Later

Could Religious Studies Have Prevented The Tragedy?

Photo Credits: C-Span

After Hearing Ross, several writers came forward to write about what anti-cult groups such as the Cult Awareness and Rick Ross could have potentially done for the entire situation. Religious scholars Phillip Arnold and James Tabor who also both attempted to help stated that, “the crisis needed not have ended tragically if the FBI had been more open to Religious Studies and better able to distinguish between dubious ideas of Ross and the scholarly expertise.” Arnold and Tabor attempted to tell the FBI that Koresh needed to be persuaded of a different interpretation of the Book of Revelation that doesn’t end violently, but the FBI began the assault only three days later.

This was only one of the many controversies surrounding the siege that would come to light.