You all type alot, so here is my two cents:

1. Manson was not a nihilist. Here: "Nihilism is a philosophical position which argues that the world, and especially human existence, is without objective meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value. Nihilists generally assert some or all of the following: there is no reasonable proof of the existence of a higher ruler or creator, a "true morality" is unknown, and secular ethics are impossible; therefore, life has no truth, and no action is known to be preferable to any other." As you can see, Manson is in no way a Nihilist since he believed that he was god/Jesus and that the Beatles were his angels.

2. So a person who follows a "leader" is a sheep? What would you call all forms of religious people then? All of them follow some variety of a "leader", from a priest/pope, to an unconfirmable "god". At least they were following a man who they could see and speak directly to. Even if the man was not what he said. Also, you gotta take into consideration the time that this whole thing took place. Back then people were a lot more open minded, and a lot more trusting, and were takin' a load of drugs. Some people say Manson kept the family high out of their gourds most of the time to make them more complacent. Who knows, I wasn't there.