Editing Order of the Solar Temple (section)

== Aftermath ==
That the initial suicides had occurred in Switzerland was a source of shock, as Switzerland is "a country not normally associated with scenarios of doom".{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=174}} The demographics of the Solar Temple resulted in further surprise: the members of the OTS were noted as not conforming to the usual idea of a cultist, vulnerable and easy to influence.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=174}}{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} The members of the Solar Temple were largely instead respected members of society in powerful positions, middle-aged, many affluent:{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=174}}{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} Robert Ostiguy was the mayor of the town of [[Richelieu, Quebec]], the high ranking OTS member [[Camille Pilet]] was in the designer watch business and was a former salesman for [[Piaget SA]], Robert Falardeau was a Canadian government official, Jocelyne Grand'Maison was a journalist for ''[[Le Journal de Québec]]'', and Patrick and [[Edith Vuarnet]] were the son and wife, respectively, of Olympics gold medalist [[Jean Vuarnet]]. This seeming contradiction contributed to the shock felt by the public.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=174}} 

Western Europe's view of cult groups was impacted even more substantially than the deaths at [[Jonestown]] had impacted the American perspective on such groups.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=170}} Similar incidents, like the [[Aum Shinrikyo]] [[Tokyo subway sarin attack|sarin attack on the Tokyo subway]] in 1995, and the two further OTS suicides, cemented this impression.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=170}} The Solar Temple immediately became well known in France.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} In the wake of the deaths, fear of cults took hold of the French and Swiss populations.{{sfn|Morath|Lemasson|2023c|loc=35:16–35:24}}{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} The group's actions gave a major boost to the European [[anti-cult movement]], which had existed for some decades but with little official support. They were a major factor in the toughening of the fight against cults in Western Europe, resulting in a general rise in opposition against purported cults.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=170}}{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} It prompted European governments to begin to monitor new and nontraditional religious movements, and also influenced the American anti-cult movement.{{sfn|Lewis|2006|p=2}} Several parliamentary inquests were held into the issue after the Solar Temple deaths.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=170}} Following the deaths, on 29 June 1995 the French [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] voted, unanimously, to appoint the [[Guyard Commission]] to study the phenomenon of cults.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=4}} These inquests resulted in official reports on the issue from France, Belgium, and the Swiss [[canton of Geneva]] which were strictly anti-cult in stance; later reports were less so.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=170}} After the deaths, Swiss cantonal authorities founded the [[Centre intercantonal d'information sur les croyances]], an organization meant to provide information on religious groups.{{sfn|Kirkham|2013|p=144}}

Discussions about why the Solar Temple went through with the mass suicides, and why members continued to do so for several years after the first incident and by which time both leaders were dead, have varied in their conclusions.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|pp=177–178}} Some scholars, for example [[Susan J. Palmer]], considered a loss of charisma and [[Manipulation (psychology)|manipulation]] by Di Mambro as the driving factor in the OTS deaths, viewing him as one paranoid man and that the whole OTS had acted on his delusions.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=177}} Early studies of the Solar Temple were confused by the assumption that Jouret, not Di Mambro, was the primary leader; Jouret believed himself to be secondary to and had deferred to Di Mambro, despite their occasional disagreements, so theories shifted once that was realized.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|pp=177–178}} When the deaths continued long after Di Mambro was dead, however, this explanation was seen by some as unsatisfactory for the whole story; some scholars (e.g. [[Catherine Wessinger]] and [[John R. Hall (sociologist)|John R. Hall]]) considered the OTS as a group rather than focusing on individuals, saying it was a "fragile" millenarian group, unstable and easily ignited by the barest external pressure, like the police investigations.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|pp=177–178}} Others, including [[Massimo Introvigne]] and [[Jean-François Mayer]], have argued their beliefs were especially problematic; they argued that in addition to the other noted factors, Di Mambro's ideology was inherently apocalyptic.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=177}} Popular conceptions in the media blamed it on the brainwashing of the members by the group; there were also a variety of conspiracy theories at play that presented the group as a cover for something more nefarious.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=175}}  

[[Bibliography of the Order of the Solar Temple|Several books]] have been published about the case. Several former members of the OTS wrote memoirs, including Tabachnik and Thierry Huguenin. Many journalists authored books on the OTS, including [[Arnaud Bédat]], [[Gilles Bouleau]] and Bernard Nicolas, who authored ''[[Les Chevaliers de la mort]]''. It has also been the subject of works from academics, including ''[[The Order of the Solar Temple: The Temple of Death]]'' and ''[[Les Mythes du Temple Solaire]]''.{{sfn|Clusel|Palmer|2020|p=219}} 

=== Media response ===
Many different narratives about what exactly had happened and what had led to the deaths resulted.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=174}} Initial media and [[anti-cult movement]] responses focused largely on the idea that the members had been brainwashed, but when the relative affluence of the members was realized, they were considered by some to not fit the typical conception of a brainwashing victim.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=175}}{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|pp=154–155}} 

In the following years, the French media accused other cults/sects of being like the Solar Temple, plotting their own mass suicides; included among them the [[Unification Church]] and [[Scientology]], as well as [[Aumists]] and [[Raëlism|Raëlians]].{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=9}} The Raëlians were particularly affected by this, repeatedly accused of plotting mass suicide. The leader of the Raëlians, [[Raël]], responded to the affair by saying: "If those idiots in the Solar Temple decided to kill themselves, that is not our problem" and "why do the journalists always call me for comment when there's a collective suicide? I don’t want to die! I want to be around to piss them off for a long time!"{{sfn|Palmer|2011|pp=98–99}} The Raëlians put out a press release stating that suicide was against their belief system.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|pp=98–99}} The Aumists were also affected, being told by the police that there was a rumor they would commit mass suicide "like the Solar Temple".{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=53}} In January 1998, a group called the [[Atman Foundation]] was suspected of plotting ritual suicide in the [[Teide National Park]] in the [[Canary Islands]]; police of the island had announced they had prevented another OTS suicide, which made headlines around the world. It was later clarified that they were unrelated groups. Later investigations of that group failed to turn up proof of the ritual suicide allegation, and the leader was acquitted of all charges.{{sfn|Richardson|2004|p=157}}{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=54}} 

In the trial and media coverage of [[Néo-Phare]], a small French cult, the group was frequently compared to the Solar Temple. ''[[Le Figaro]]'' declared it the "new OTS", and journalists compared the leader Arnaud Mussy to Jouret and Di Mambro.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=163}} Psychologist and cult expert [[Jean-Marie Abgrall]] said during the trial of that group that they were like the Solar Temple, as both groups recorded their meetings and practiced [[Swinging (sexual practice)|swinging]].{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=164}} A former member discussed with the news a comparison between Néo-Phare's doctrine and the Solar Temple's concept of going to Sirius, and in one instance, [[TF1]] producers (who wanted the exclusive rights to make a documentary about the case) wanted them to look like the Solar Temple, surprised at their lack of belief similarities, and when they found out they did not have many, they left.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=164}} Susan Palmer argued the trial of Mussy may have been an attempt by the French justice system to compensate for the innocent verdict in the Tabachnik trial.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=163}} The OTS suicides had shocked the French public,{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=162}} and due to the failure of the justice system to convict the only person who ever went on trial in the case, there was no "satisfying" conclusion, deeply frustrating the French authorities.{{sfn|Palmer|2011|p=163}}

=== Conspiracy theories ===
Due in part due to the difficulty of explaining many aspects of the OTS, conspiracy theories were common.{{sfn|Chryssides|2006|p=119}} One former member claimed that the evidence of murder had been fabricated by the [[Sûreté du Québec]];{{sfn|Palmer|1996|p=304}} another claimed that the murders were actually a CIA operation to cover up a deal [[Jimmy Carter]] had supposedly made with a group of aliens living in an underground laboratory in Nevada.{{sfn|Chryssides|2006|p=119}}{{sfn|Palmer|1996|p=304}} In 1996, a documentary was in production that claimed that Jouret was actually still alive.{{sfn|Palmer|1996|p=304}} According to [[Susan J. Palmer]], "false or unverifiable trails have been laid: secondhand testimonies are traded by journalists, ghost-written apostate memoirs are in progress and conspiracy theories abound."{{sfn|Palmer|1996|p=304}} It was seen as suspicious that the members of a cult were affluent and respected members of society, not fitting the typical idea of a brainwashing victim.{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|pp=154–155}} Narratives then shifted to a conspiratorial one, in which the OTS was not actually a cult but a front for something else entirely.{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|pp=154–155}}{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=176}} 

The specifics of this narrative vary; some have involved the far-right, terrorism, [[organized crime]], money-laundering, and the secret services of several countries.{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|pp=154–155}}{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=176}} The claims that the OTS had 93 million dollars in their accounts was found to have resulted from a misreading of a [[fax]], and there was no evidence ever found of money laundering. The accusations nevertheless fueled conspiracy theories and press speculation.{{sfn|Hall|Schuyler|2000|p=142}}{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=176}} In one  theory, commentators alleged connections between the OTS and various political scandals, citing alleged links between Jouret and members of [[Operation Gladio|Gladio]].{{sfn|Bédat|Bouleau|Nicolas|2000|p=357}} While some neo-Templar movements to which the OTS was a successor had ties to the right-wing [[Service d'Action Civique]], there were no known ties to the OTS itself; through the claimed association with the SAC the OTS was implicated in a variety of political scandals.{{sfn|Introvigne|Mayer|2002|p=177}} 

Many books have been written by journalists promoting different conspiracy theories, but no significant evidence of them has ever surfaced, and they were dismissed by investigators in both Canada and Switzerland.{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|pp=154–155}} Other conspiracies linked the OTS to famous people and events, although none of these claims have been substantiated.{{sfn|Mayer|2014|pp=51–52}} In one example, David Cohen, in his 2004 book ''[[Diana: Death of a Goddess]]'', attempted to link the OTS to both Princess of Monaco [[Grace Kelly]] and then-[[Prince Charles]]. The theory was based on testimony by a well-known Swiss fraudster and does not align with known facts about the OTS.{{sfn|Mayer|2014|pp=51–52}}{{sfn|Introvigne|2000|p=144}}