Summary
The horrifying series of events that we encapsulate in the name "Jonestown" could perhaps have only happened in the '70s. It was a combination of political idealism and naiveté, paranoia and New Age religiosity (though preacher [Jim Jones]'s flavor of religion was more black fundamentalism than Esalen spirituality). And it ended when the "church" (that had its real beginnings in Redwood Valley, near Ukiah) climaxed in the largest mass suicide-over 900 men, women and children-on record. On November 18, 1978, Jones persuaded, or forced, most of his followers to swallow cyanide-laced Kool-Aid, after other followers had gunned down the entourage of Congressman Leo Ryan, who had come to investigate the Guyana settlement.
At the same time, rumors of the sexual and physical abuse of Peoples Temple members began to surface. When Jones learned that New West magazine was going to publish a damning exposé about Peoples Temple (based on interviews with church defectors), Jones hustled the faithful to property he'd purchased in the Guyana jungle-a faux paradise he called Jonestown. There, loudspeakers broadcasting Jones's messages 24 hours a day helped keep the faithful in line, while would-be defectors were accused of "blasphemy."See the full content of this document
Extract
The Temple of Doom
The Temple of doom
'Jonestown' unbottles the alluring poison of Jim Jones and Peoples TempleThe horrifying series of events that we encapsulate in the name "Jonestown" could perhaps have only ha...See the full content of this document
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