82. "The Guru"

At one time the following was posted at http://www.pharo.com/cults_and_magik/charles_manson/articles/cmcm_05_possible_influences.asp, and demonstrates just how lax some writers have grown in the past years with their basic facts regarding Venta.

The Guru

A possible influence on Charles Manson may have been FrancisHeindswatzer Pencovick a convicted burglar who had served time inprison and who became Krishna Venta mystic guru in 1948. In some-wayshe was a precursor of Manson.

As Krishna Venta, Pencovick claimed to be the reincarnation of JesusChrist and set up the headquarters of his cult in a canyon near theSan Fernando Valley in California, not far from where Manson wouldlater set up his community. Like Manson most of his followers wereyoung women. Venta was killed December 10, 1958 in a suicide bombing(the bomb consisting of 47 sticks of dynamite!) carried out by RalphMuller, 33, and Peter Kamenoff, 42, cult members who had come todoubt that the divine Master was in fact the true messiah after alland had simply been making it up all along as well as indulging insome decidedly un-Christian practices with their wives. Aftercomplaining in vain to the state attorney general's office the twomade their suicide attack on the cult's HQ the blast killing not onlythe 47 year old self-proclaimed prophet as well as themselves butfive other adults and two children. The death of the incarnategreat "universal consciousness" being confirmed by examination of hisrather more mortal dental bridgework.

Although there were many differences between Manson and KrishnaVenta, and their respective "followers", like him Manson's downfallcame as a result of the actions of some of his own "cult" members, inManson's case after their murdering of several rich and famouspersons - supposedly in his name and the testimony of one of themthat he had ordered the killings.