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By Audrey Hyatt and Christian Smith. The People’s Temple. Historic Background of Cults. Cult- any group employs mind-control and deceptive recruiting techniques. Was originally used for a system of ritual practices. It was first used in the early 17 th century from the Latin word, cultus .
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By Audrey Hyatt and Christian Smith The People’s Temple
Historic Background of Cults • Cult- any group employs mind-control and deceptive recruiting techniques. • Was originally used for a system of ritual practices. It was first used in the early 17th century from the Latin word, cultus. • Anticult movement started when acts of violence and crimes where committed by cults (KKK, People’s Temple) in the 1970s.
When did your cult begin? • The People’s Temple was started by James Warren Jones. • The cult was first started to be recognized during the 1950s, when the leader inducted 900 members. • He developed a belief called Translation, and him and his followers believed they would all die together, and moved to another planet for life of bliss.
Where is your cult located? • It started in Indianapolis, IN. • The headquarters building was in San Francisco, CA. The building was demolished in the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.
How was your cult formed? • When James Warren Jones started the belief of Transition. Over 900 people joined by the 1950s.
Who are the leaders? • James Warren Jones (1931-1978) started the cult and developed the belief of Transition.
What types of people start a cult? • They supposedly hear voices that they are needed to start these cults. • They believe their god wants them to start them.
Who does your cult target for membership? • The People’s Temple targets anybody who starts to believe Translation.
How did people join the cult? • You came to the conventions that was held by the Temple.
What types of people join a cult? • People that are easily influenced by others are likely to join cults, compared to others. • How good of a persuader the person is also has an affect. • Just like the leader, they feel their god thinks they need to join.
What are some actions taken by your cult? • The major action taken by the cult, which also ended the cult, was the mass suicide at the Temple’s Jonestown agricultural commune. • A total of 918 people died, including 276 children. • It was the largest single lost of American civilian life until 9/11. • Congressman Leo Ryan was the only congressman murdered while in office.
Mission Statement • If you die together, you will go to a planet of bliss.
Successes of the cult. • They opened up a soup kitchen for the poor. • Started an adoption fund. • They followed through with what they believed in, which was to die together. So they killed themselves.
Failures of the cult. • They didn’t have many failures, since the main object was to die together, which is what ended up happening. • Except for 4 of them died miles away from the others.
Most interesting thing learned. • That these people all killed each other and themselves just because the leader of a Temple said something.
Closing remarks. • We have none regarding these insane people.
-Resources- • www.religioustolerance.org/dc_jones.htm • www.caic.org.au/biblebase/apocalyptic/jones.htm • www.rickross.com/groups/jonestown.htm • history1900s.about.com/od/people/p/jimjones.htm