Charles Manson and Fred Franz had something in common.
Both believed the end of the world was coming. Franz believed it would start by the governments destroying religion. Manson believed it would be a race war between blacks and whites.
Both men indoctrinated their listeners with chapter and verse telling what was going down "shortly". Both men offered a refuge for those who desired to escape the calamity just up ahead.
Manson found weird clues everywhere, even in Beatle's music such as HELTER SKELTER.
Franz found weird clues in homemade chronology and connecting of scriptures with secular dates in history.
What dovetails the two of them (Manson and Franz) is that each of them stepped over the line by deciding to MAKE the predicted events come true by giving it a little help.
Franz began writing nonsense "proving" six thousand years of human existence was coming in 75 and linking it to the start of the thousand year reign of Christ. This meant Armageddon had to immediately precede. By getting everybody worked up, Franz hoped to bring down the wrath of the national authorities governmentally because of the preaching work of JW's condeming all political authority.
Manson staged high profile ritual slayings and left broad clues that it was a racially motivated spree of carnage. This would bring the whites and blacks into direct confrontation and start the race war he hoped to survive at the Spahn ranch (with his little flock). They would survive and rule over the blacks with a Manson led civilization. Manson at the top of the food chain.
Franz forced the issue by sending out public pronouncements in the books he penned. An unprecedented door to door campaign and baptism marathon clearly declared JW's intention to signal the end of all governments and religions with themselves as sole survivors.
Both men clearly entertained psychotic fantasies. Each were clearly aware events would not happen if left alone. Both willing to bring the end of the world to justify their own preachments and messianic fantasies.
Manson did no killing on his own that the authorities could connect him with directly. It was his Apocalyptic scenario (Helter Skelter) that moved others to commit mayhem.
Franz was able to get others to do his dirty work wrecking families and educational hopes and careers and landing thousands of young men in prison over bogus "neutrality" issues designed to anger governments.
Franz suffered no punishment. He rose to the top the Organization and ended his day as a celebrated "prophet".
Something to think about.