Restoration of the Ten Commandments

Group think

Works Cited

What are they notorious for?

1. BBC News. BBC, 29 Mar. 2000. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

2. Fisher, Ian. "Uganda Cult's Mystique Finally Turned Deadly." The New York Times. The New York Times, 01 Apr. 2000. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

3. "Home." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

4. "Restoration of the Ten Commandments." The Guardian. The Guardian, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

5. "Seven Years Since the Kanungu Massacre." Seven Years Since the Kanungu Massacre. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

What is the group's history and what is their mission?

Cohesiveness

• The Restoration of the 10 Commandments exists as an example of group think because the desire for harmony and conformity in the group resulted in both irrational and dysfunctional decision-making. The group strived to follow the Ten Commandments strictly and to preach the word of Jesus Christ. In the leaders’ perspective, the damnation of those who did not follow Christ’s word was a crucial measure. Thus, in an attempt to minimize conflict, and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative, more rational viewpoints, group members actively suppressed dissenting viewpoints. People who failed to fulfill the stringent expectations and rules of the Restoration of the 10 commandments, were brutally punished and often murdered (through stabbing or poisoning).
• However, when the church’s prediction of an apocalypse fell through, the church’s credibility decreased, leading to a rapid drop in membership. However the smaller group of leaders, possessed by an irrational need to justify their prior predictions, staged an “apocalypse” among the remaining group members. The mass murder of 530 group members, was a product of group think among the group of leaders of the Restoration of the 10 Commandments.
• Multiple factors promoted group think among members of the Restoration of the 10 commandments. One factor was the directive leadership of Joseph Kibweteere, Joseph Kasapurari, John Kamagara, Dominic Kataribabo, and Credonia Mwerinde. Also, group think was promoted by the lack of norms requiring methodical procedures within the group, as the Restoration of the 10 Commandments lacked a template/protocol for decision making. Additionally, the remote compound of this Ugandan group was isolated from the rest of the world and group members shared similar social backgrounds. Group members strongly believed in the apocalypse of 2000, thus they tried to justify many of their cruel, barbaric, and irrational actions with this monumental “threat” to humanity. Also, group members believed that they were in danger, and were being closely monitored by Jesus and the Virgin Mary who would curse any that deviated from strict behavior rules. Lastly, group think was promoted by a high group cohesiveness, as they were united by their dedication to Christ and shared similar geographic origins.

• The Restoration of the 10 Commandments broke off from the Catholic Church. Their goal was to follow the Ten Commandments and preach the word of Jesus Christ, and of damnation for those who did not follow his word. The belief that the apocalypse was coming at the end of the millennium resided heavily in their doctrine.
• In 1984, Joseph Kibweteere claimed to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary. Credonia Mwerinde had a similar vision in a cavern near Kibweteere’s house in Rwashamaire, Uganda.
• In 1989, the two met and founded the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, with the mission to spread the Virgin’s message about the apocalypse. The group grew rapidly and also attracted several defrocked Catholic priests and nuns who worked as theologians, rationalizing messages from the leadership.

• The Restoration of the 10 Commandments is a cohesive group, due to several factors. First, cohesiveness was caused by interpersonal attraction within the group. Members were attracted to each other, because they shared similar geographic and religious backgrounds. The members generally came from rural villages, and once part of the cult were separated from society and lived in remote compounds.
• Additionally, the group was united by their shared belief in okubonekyerwa, or “getting heavenly visions”. They all felt a potent dedication to Jesus Christ and felt compelled to live under his words and the 10 Commandments.

• The group is most notorious for the mass murder/ suicide in March of 2000.
• The leaders taught that the apocalypse would come after the year 2000, stating: “The year 2000 will not be followed by year 2001 but it will be followed by YEAR ONE in a new generation.” As time grew closer towards the year 2000, the group leaders urged their followers to repent their sins in preparation for the end times. All work activity ceased, and members sold their belongings cheaply, including their clothes and livestock. As the year 2000 passed without the end of the world, the group began to unravel. Members questioned their leaders, and ceased making payments to the church. Many demanded their money back from Mwerinde and Kibweteere, claiming they were forced to sell their possessions and give the pair their money. Mwerinde and Kibweteere predicted a new date for doomsday, 17 March 2000. The remaining group members planned for a huge celebration on the 17th and prepared for the end coming with “ceremony and finality.”
• On the night of the 15th, the sect members held a party in celebration of the build of their new church, and were reported to have consumed three bulls and copious amounts of Coca-Cola. The group members gathered the next night and prayed until the early morning, and met in the newly built church. At 10:30 am, an explosion was heard by local villagers, and a fire soon encompassed the church and everyone in it. The interior of the church was decimated, killing everyone inside. This left a death toll of 530, including dozens of children and allegedly all sect leaders: Joseph Kibweteere, Joseph Kasapurari, John Kamagara, Dominic Kataribabo, and Credonia Mwerinde. All of the windows and doors to the building had been sealed, causing the authorities to question whether this was a cult-suicide or a mass-murder.
• The Church fire prompted the Ugandan police to search the properties belonging to the Movement, and four days later the searches took place. The police found six bodies sealed in concrete in the latrine at the back of the Kanungu compound. Each victim had been brutally murdered and was half naked. On March 24th, another 153 bodies were discovered in mass graves at the compound in Buhange, and two days later another 155 between two mass graves at Dominic Kataribabo’s estate at Rugazi. A total of 94 bodies were found at Kataribabo’s property, including a mass grave in his yard and bodies buried beneath a concrete floor in his home. Just before the fire, these victims had been poisoned and/or stabbed. Thus weeks later, the police ruled out the possibility of it being a cult suicide, and determined it to be a mass-murder carried out by the group leaders. Authorities believe that when the doomsday prophecy failed to come true, the group began to unravel, leading to a revolt in the hierarchical ranks. The leaders then set a new date for the apocalypse, with the ulterior motive of murdering their followers. The Ugandan police now believe that both Kibweteere and Mwerinde could have departed from the compound before the fire occur, and may still be alive today.Additionally the Restoration of the 10 Commandments is also notorious for their eccentric beliefs. As the Movement was a break away sect from Catholicism, their main religious text was the bible. They taught followers that the only way to avoid eternal damnation via the impending apocalypse was to strictly adhere to the Ten Commandments. Each commandment was taken literally, and incredibly seriously. For example, the group members were discouraged from speaking, in fear that they may break the 9th Commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Many days were spent in complete silence, and the only form of communication permitted was sign language. Sex and soap were forbidden for all members of the sect, and fasts were a continual chore.

Aftermath of the Mass-Murder

Credonia Mwerinde

Roles of Group Members

Obedience to authority

• Many members of the cult were obedient to authority after they joined because they had no other options. Members were fairly poor and lacking in resources, especially after selling their possessions and moving to the isolated compound. A hesitation to rebel among group members was entirely understandable, considering the unstable and incredibly violent nature of the leaders.
• Additionally, group members obeyed authority because they believed that they were in danger, and were being closely monitored by Jesus and the Virgin Mary who would curse any that deviated from strict behavior rules. Once the supposed apocalypse date passed without the occurrence of the rapture, many group members started to rebel, asking for a monetary refund.
• Additionally, after the party before the second apocalypse occurred, leaders began to exert physical violence towards group member. The participants were physically forced into the makeshift church, with all of the exits being sealed. People crammed themselves into the church, because they feared the violent cult’s leadership and thought they were avoiding death by doing so.

• Within the Restoration of the 10 Commandments, the majority of group-members held the same role, as they were bound by the words of Christ and the Bible. The majority of group members carried out strict, socially defined patterns of behavior. They were subject to the judgment of stringent group leaders, but they mainly acted to satisfy Christ and his word in the bible. Group members took the 10 Commandments very seriously and literally, and behaved under the word of Jesus Christ.
• However, group leaders Joseph Kibweteere, Joseph Kasapurari, John Kamagara, Dominic Kataribabo, and Credonia Mwerinde, were in a position of decision-making and rule-setting authority because of their alleged “seeing” abilities. These members were expected to condemn those who failed to follow the word of Christ and set the standard of behavior among the group. Leaders subjectively ruled appropriate behavior from inappropriate, and carried out brutal and barbaric punishment to those who didn’t follow the word of Christ. Group members that disobeyed the 10 Commandments were often poisoned or stabbed, in the command of such leaders.

When and Where did the Group form?

Leaders of the Cult

Norms of the Cult

• The Restoration of the 10 Commandments was formed in the late 1980’s in Uganda, after its founders Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibweteere claimed to have visions of the Virgin Mary.
• Mwerinde was a prostitute who claimed she was looking to repent for her sins. She had a background of claimed experiences dating back further than Kibweteere. Mwerinde claimed that she could see the Virgin Mary when looking at a stone on the mountains of Uganda. When Mwerinde met Kibweteere he welcomed her with open arms and shared his own experiences (having visions of the Virgin Mary). This would lead to their forming the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments

• The norms of the Restoration of the 10 Commandments, were majorly bound by the bible, the 10 Commandments, and the word of Jesus Christ. Due to the 9th Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”, most members weren’t allowed to speak and communication took place in sign language.
• Members took the word of Jesus Christ very seriously and literally, and both sex and soap were forbidden. Members were required to fast regularly and on Fridays and Mondays they only ate one meal a day. Additionally, if you were a member of the Restoration of the 10 Commandments, you had to do hard field labor- growing potatoes, cassava, beans, bananas, and sugarcane.
• Lastly, in order to become a member of the Restoration of the 10 Commandments you had to sell all of your property and possessions and give the money to the church.

Bystander Effect

• Due to the remote location of the compound of the Restoration of the 10 Commandments, no one outside of the group witnessed the practices and atrocities of the cult. Thus the bystander problem, could only be applied to the apathy of individuals in the group who witnessed acts of violence while surrounded by other group members. However, the primary reason that group members did not help other members who received cruel treatment, was a fear of the harsh leadership and the judgment of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
• Therefore, the bystander effect isn’t very pertinent to this particular cult.

Restoration of the 10 Commandments

By Zack Young and Zoe Narkewicz