People say many things Wolf, mostly what benefits them directly. While Manson is made out to be some evil person, was he really or some dope head that said something stupid that the people who made him out to be some sort of god took literal. Personally I think him a very smart person, although $#@!ed in the head proven by some of the crap he has spewed. Quite sure he has access to dope in prison however and can get the good stuff on a reg basis. I know a guy who told the medical team in prison he had dreams of killing people and they gave him thorazine on a weekly basis that he took as he saw fit. Other drugs are easily obtained as well by guards bringing them in and other means. Yes, I know because I've been there long ago. Haven't looked back and clean for anybody who wants to run that up the flag pole.....Just saying.
Having been a so called LOL musician at one point in my life I could get higher than bird Pu**y and write things that I couldn't even play the next day. Didn't have the skill unless in an altered state, there in lies the simple answer for most of the people in this thing. Cult of Personality of sorts, some that would be to themselves, for others it would be to Crowley. I think this more to the point rather than a bunch of devil worshipers. Biting the head off a bat, like Ozzie (supposed did), or doping all night was much more appealing to the crowd than sitting around and watching gunsmoke to the average child of the day.
Take the era away and substitute Jim Jones in his time into the equation and you get the same thing only worse. People looking for something will blindly follow to the pits of hell?