The solar eclipse is a couple of weeks away and the freaks are crawling out of the woodwork.

Yesterday, a Reddit user posted a dire warning online, predicting that a cult will attempt to commit a mass suicide during the event. In 1997, 38 members of the Heaven's Gate religious cult took their own lives in order to reach a spacecraft they believed was following the Hale-Bopp Comet.

Solar eclipses have been steeped in myth for centuries. Several cultures believed an eclipse would poison food, cause blindness or even result in demonic possession.

With its small population and wide-open spaces, Wyoming has long been a haven for extreme religious organizations. Before moving to California, the Heaven's Gate group lived in the Medicine Bow National Forest.

In 2002, the controversial World Church of the Creator moved their headquarters to Riverton, Wyoming. Following the criminal conviction of their leader, the church later splintered into the Creativity Movement.

The threat of a mass suicide isn't the only doomsday prognostication related to the eclipse. Earlier this year, a Riverton woman made headlines when she claimed that the Yellowstone "Super Volcano" will erupt during the event.

While Wyoming authorities aren't specifically planning for mass suicides or a volcanic eruption, they are preparing for the worst. Law enforcement, firefighters and first responders will be workingwith local, state and federal agencies to handle any emergencies that may arise.

 

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