Russian doomsday cult in cave

Seven members of a Christian cult in Russia have left the cave they had holed up in since Novemeber. Apparently more than two dozen cult members are still inside the cave, located 400 miles southeast of Moscow, waiting for the world to end next month. Part of the cave's roof has already collapsed. According to the BBC News, a priest "specialising in apocalyptic literature" is on the scene talking with them through a ventilation shaft. From the BBC News:

The seven women (who emerged Saturday) were allowed to leave with cult leader Pyotr Kuznetsov after he was brought to the scene to negotiate...

Kuznetsov, who calls himself Fr Pyotr, declared himself a prophet a number of years ago and has attracted followers in Russia and Belarus.

He is thought to have ordered his followers into the cave but did not join them.

Link

[#1 posted by Bucket , March 31, 2008 11:55 AM]

This is why we don't go to Ravenholm.

[#2 posted by Takuan , March 31, 2008 11:56 AM]

well done. Not so long ago the Russian government would have dynamited the entrance and walked away.

[#3 posted by baltimoregal , March 31, 2008 12:02 PM]

"specialising in apocalyptic literature"
Not a growth industry.

[#4 posted by grinn.net , March 31, 2008 12:02 PM]

Nice HalfLife reference, Bucket. I always thought we didn't go there because of the zombies and booby traps.

[#5 posted by bitworksmusic , March 31, 2008 12:06 PM]

Hint: You may be a gullible cult follower if... your cult leader does not accompany you to the cave.

"Yeeeah, I'll just hang our here on the veranda and await the end times..."

[#6 posted by QuantumLeap , March 31, 2008 12:08 PM]

This proves they read BoingBoing down there. After the LHC doomsday thread, now they know there's nothing to fear and so came out. :-)

[#7 posted by noen , March 31, 2008 12:12 PM]

"Balm for your affliction, child!"

[#8 posted by nanuq , March 31, 2008 12:15 PM]

"Hint: You may be a gullible cult follower if... your cult leader does not accompany you to the cave."

According to reports, he had planned to join them but was locked up in a psychiatric hospital instead. He may be the only genuine nutcase there. I hope he doesn't scare the political prisoners.

[#9 posted by Takuan , March 31, 2008 12:16 PM]

"specialising in apocalyptic literature"
Not a growth industry."

oh yeah? What about all them televangelists and Rapturists and their huge, money making propaganda machine?

[#10 posted by ill lich , March 31, 2008 12:21 PM]

I bet they're having Rasputin-styled sexual orgies in there; I wouldn't want to leave either.

[#11 posted by Chris Tucker , March 31, 2008 2:11 PM]

Too many idiots, not enough comets!

[#12 posted by dave hutchinson , March 31, 2008 3:42 PM]

I'm with BitWorksMusic. You can imagine the head count. "Ten, eleven, twelve...hang on...anyone seen Fr Pyotr? Anyone...?"

[#13 posted by mikesum32 , March 31, 2008 6:06 PM]

Too bad they aren't technophobes. We could send Dan.

[#14 posted by Conservationist , March 31, 2008 9:36 PM]

I think leaving them in there is the most humane option. Whatever future they have chosen for themselves will come to pass, whether death or
life. There are already enough people on earth that we don't have to worry about saving every single one from his or her own choices.

[#15 posted by Takuan , March 31, 2008 9:45 PM]

what about any children with them?

[#16 posted by Antinous , March 31, 2008 9:47 PM]

I think the issue is that there are four small children in there. Assuming that they haven't eaten them. The children cannot be said to have given informed consent to being sacrificed.