The leader of the murderous, drugged-out “Family” that shocked America in 1969 was influenced by the Bible . . . and also by the Beatles, Scientology, LSD, environmentalism, and a life spent mostly in prisons.
Manson claimed (sometimes) that he was Christ. His followers believed that Manson/Christ was going to bring about the final world battle in which the Family would emerge to rule.
Totally ignoring Jesus’ words about forgiveness, mercy, and nonviolence, Manson read the New Testament book of Revelation and connected it with—strangely enough—the Beatles.
Manson believed the group’s White Album was sending him messages about how to launch the world revolution and destroy the Establishment.
According to Manson, chapter 9 of Revelation connected with the song “Revolution No. 9” on the White Album. The four angels of Revelation 9 were the four Beatles, the “breastplates of iron” were the Beatles’ electric guitars, and so on.
Manson was not the first person to get strange ideas from Revelation. The book’s symbolism has fascinated and puzzled people for centuries.
While the main purpose of Revelation was to bring hope to persecuted Christians, people with twisted minds have often read their own sinister meanings into it and ignored the Bible’s message of mercy and love.
