The mass suicide of the People Temple cult

Leader Jim Jones and the People Temple cult

The People Temple, later known as the cult, originated in 1955 in Indiana, USA. Its founder was 24-year-old preacher Jim Jones. Jones preached ideas of social and racial equality, promising to help all his followers. Within the organization, Jim Jones recruited people from very different social backgrounds: alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless individuals, as well as those with family problems or simply disillusioned with the world . One-third of the organization's members were Black, a time when racial segregation was prevalent in Indiana.

The mass suicide of the People Temple cult -0 — *Jim Jones, leader of the "People Temple" religious sect.*

In 1956, Jim Jones bought a small church in Indianapolis where he held gatherings. They often performed "miracle cures" for patients, which attracted considerable public attention. On one occasion, Jim Jones, a talented actor, even played the role himself, as if he had been "resurrected."

In the 1960s, amidst the Cold War, the fear of nuclear war was widespread in American society. Jim Jones cleverly exploited this context. He told his followers that he had seen a vision of nuclear apocalypse, that entire cities would be attacked by nuclear weapons and completely destroyed. And, of course, only the elect would be saved, including members of his cult.

Over time, the cult grew. From a few dozen members in its early years, by the early 1970s, the People Temple had 3,000 to 5,000 followers. Members traveled across the country, holding fundraising talks in various cities. Jim Jones opened a soup kitchen for the poor to attract new supporters. In addition, the People Temple opened a daycare center and provided medical and legal services to qualify for welfare benefits. Gradually, the cult became increasingly authoritarian, with Jim Jones demanding that members transfer their assets and prioritize the cult over their own families.

In 1965, after declaring that Indianapolis would be destroyed in an impending nuclear war, Jim Jones announced the relocation of the People Temple to California. A more significant reason for the relocation was the growing criticism of the cult from the members' relatives. In California, Jim Jones gained the support of several local politicians . At any given time, he could bring at least several hundred of his followers to a rally to support them. Thus, once Jim Jones supported George Moscone in the San Francisco mayoral election, he subsequently received a high-ranking position in the city government.

In the mid-1970s, Jim Jones was considered a highly respected figure in California. Among his acquaintances was Governor Jerry Brown, and he even met with the First Lady of the United States, Rosalyn Carter. By that time, People Temple's operations had grown significantly. The organization had acquired nine nursing homes and six private schools for children. Numerous publications were also being printed, with monthly circulation reaching 30,000 copies.

But along with the successes, new problems soon emerged. Relatives of cult members began filing lawsuits en masse, alleging that Jim Jones was deceiving their loved ones and defrauding members of their money. In the press, publications critical of the cult appeared, with journalists claiming that people were held captive by force and that brutal punishments followed any violations. Unable to withstand the overwhelming criticism, Jim Jones decided a new move was necessary, and this time it was outside the United States.

"A city of dreams and shared happiness"

The chosen resettlement location was unusual: Guyana, located on the northern coast of South America. There, amidst the jungle, construction of a new settlement began on leased land. Jones named it Jonestown after himself. In 1977, Jones, along with over 900 other members of the People Temple, moved to Jonestown. There, they worked 11 hours a day, building new structures and expanding their territory. A kindergarten, nursery, club, and sawmill were built in Jonestown.

In his speeches at the evening meetings, Jim Jones repeatedly stated that the new settlement would soon become “paradise on Earth” and a place of “shared happiness.” Jim Jones assured them that here they had safely escaped all the evils that existed in the rest of the world.

It is known that Jim Jones and his closest associates maintained contact with the Soviet ambassador, Fedor Timofeev, in Guyana. It is hypothesized that Jim Jones's goal was to relocate the entire cult to the Soviet Union to avoid future persecution by the US authorities and by the relatives of the cult members. The relatives became increasingly worried, even forming a separate organization called "Concerned Relatives" and calling for a swift and thorough investigation into Jones's activities. Ultimately, their request was heeded by the authorities.

Congressman Leo Ryan began a serious investigation into the workings of People Temple. He decided to examine everything firsthand. So, on November 17, 1978, he personally went to Jonestown with several journalists.

Upon arrival, they found that life for the residents was generally peaceful. However, clashes were inevitable: one resident attacked Ryan, holding a knife to his neck. Additionally, 16 residents wanted to leave Jonstown and return home. The following day, upon returning to the airport, the journalists accompanying Ryan and the residents who showed signs of wanting to return to the United States were attacked by Jonstown security guards. Below is Charles Krause's description of this tragic event, one of the surviving journalists:

“Hey, look!” someone shouted, pointing from a distance. A truck and a tractor-trailer were driving across the runway. Meanwhile, three unidentified men were approaching the plane. They looked aggressive… But I wasn’t too worried because the local police were there…

Bob Brown and Steve Sang point their cameras at three men approaching and pushing some Guyanese people away… They snatch a rifle from a Guyanese police officer they are pushing away…

And then the shooting started. Screams rang out. I ran around the tail of the plane, past the NBC crew filming, and took cover behind a wheel… Someone fell on top of me and rolled down… I realized I was wounded… Another body fell on top of me and rolled down… I lay there helpless… Waiting for a shot to the back. The sharpshooters did a good job finishing off the wounded at close range… How I escaped death, I will never understand… There was another plane on the runway supposedly carrying… “caring relatives” and people who had left the cult. After being shot, the plane tried to take off. But in the cabin, Larry Leighton opened fire. He wounded Monica Bagby and Vernon Gosnay. Then the gun jammed and Parks was able to knock it out of Leighton’s hand.”

Leighton was one of the settlers who wanted to return home. In total, five people were killed in the attack, including three journalists, one settler, and Leo Ryan.

A horrific mass suicide

That very evening, Jim Jones held his sect's final meeting. He declared that now that the American congressman and the journalists were dead, everyone had only one way out: suicide. Surprisingly, among the crowd of over 900 people, only one girl was brave enough to object, saying that suicide was not the solution, and that it would be better to try to contact the Soviet ambassador to escape to the Soviet Union. But Jones rejected the suggestion.

Several containers filled with grape juice were laced with a mixture of potassium cyanide and diazepam. All residents were given a plastic cup of the poisoned juice in turn. Parents first gave it to their children, then they drank it themselves. It is believed that some were forcibly made to drink. Jones himself was later found shot in the head. In total, 918 people died in Jonestown, including 276 children.

Questions remain surrounding the Jonestown mass suicide. This has subsequently given rise to several conspiracy theories. For example, one claims that the Jonestown cult members did not commit suicide but were murdered by CIA agents. However, all serious researchers of the events have rejected this version.

The fact is that every People Temple meeting, including the final one, was recorded, allowing us to know what they said. And Jones's final words were entirely about the impending suicide. Approximately 80 followers had left the settlement the night before and were therefore absent from the final meeting, but were ultimately rescued and sent home. The People Temple cult was only banned in the United States after 1979.

Jonestown has become a ghost town. Because of its grim reputation, no one came to settle there, and in the mid-1980s, much of the settlement was burned to the ground by fire. The ruins remain, and to this day, it is uninhabited.

Source: https://antg.cand.com.vn/Ho-so-mat/vu-tu-sat-tap-the-cua-giao-phai-people-temple-i696581/