The topic of my report is about the Branch Davidians and the atrocities that happened at Waco, Texas. In the following presentation, I will discuss the history of the Davidians, their practices and beliefs, and what happened to them at Waco, Texas. In the history, you will be told where they started, how they maintained in their beliefs and practices, and how they came about being known to the world at Waco.
             The group that became popularly known as the Branch Davidians are traceable back to a splinter sect that broke away from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) in 1942. Victor Houteff, who had joined the SDA church in 1919, founded the breakaway sect. His beliefs deviated from main-line church doctrine. Houteff believed that Christ's return would only occur when at least a small number of Christians had been sufficiently purified. He believed that he was a messenger sent by God to conduct this cleansing. After Houteff's failure and death in 1955, control of the Davidians passed to his wife Florence. She moved the community to a new location farther from Waco. She prophesied that the 1260 days mentioned in Revelation 11:3 would end and the Kingdom of David would be established on April 22, 1959. Many hundreds of followers sold their possessions and moved to Mt. Carmel in anticipation of the "end time." They were bitterly disappointed when April 23 dawned and it was business as usual around the world. The group almost did not survive the failure of the prophecy; only a few dozen members remained. Many had left to form the Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist Association, which remains active to this day. Florence Houteff eventually left in 1962. After several more leaders, the Davidians finally started to gain power again in 1885. A major international recruitment drive was established in 1985; it was aimed at the SDA. This effort brought in members from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, etc. A number of bus...