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Jim Jones

Jim Jones. Jacob Boe. Background. Born in Indiana in 1931 Stabbed cats to death before performing funerals at age 6 Very heavy into Religion Was a member of the Communist Party of America Created his own Church, The People’s Temple Christian Church Full Gospel Ordained Minister.

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Jim Jones

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  1. Jim Jones Jacob Boe

  2. Background • Born in Indiana in 1931 • Stabbed cats to death before performing funerals at age 6 • Very heavy into Religion • Was a member of the Communist Party of America • Created his own Church, The People’s Temple Christian Church Full Gospel • Ordained Minister

  3. Manipulation • Jones manipulated people into thinking that he was the Messiah. • He preached about nuclear apocalypse and ordered the temple to move to San Francisco to seek safe haven from a nuclear war. • Thousands of people made the move from Indiana to San Francisco. • His teachings then became all about himself. He preached that the bible should not be read or followed because it has “fascist views” . • They followed his every word. • http://articles.cnn.com/2008-11-13/us/jonestown.jim.jones_1_jonestown-socialism-peoples-temple?_s=PM:US

  4. “If you see me as your God, I'll be your God” • He started backing politicians to gain wealth and power in the Western U.S. • This also caused negative press: • People started leaving the temple, fearing for their livelihood. • He was accused of Tax Evasion. • People started questioning if it was a church he ran, or a cult.

  5. Jonestown, Guyana • Work on Jonestown, Jones’ “Socialist Paradise”, began in 1970. • Once people were there, he would not allow them to leave. • Many people came anyway. They had already given Jones all of their money, trust, respect.

  6. Congressman Leo Ryan • Ryan was interested in Jonestown. He had been backed by Jones, and was curious as to why he was in Guyana. • Ryan and a team of NBC film people flew to Jonestown to investigate. • Ryan was attacked at the compound by a Jones follower and decided to leave. Jones had no objection. • After arriving back at the airport, Ryan and the team were ambushed and killed by a band of Jones’ guards.

  7. Mass Suicide • That same day, Jones preached about how the Soviet Union would not accept them into their nation like Jones had planned. • He explained that Jonestown had only been a stop on their pilgrimage to his holy land: The Soviet Union. • He was paranoid about an air raid by the United States upon the village, and ordered them all to drink “Holy Water”: Fruit Punch laced with cyanide. • 909 people died, including 303 babies and toddlers. • Jones was found with a fatal gunshot wound to his head.

  8. Aftermath • In a signed note written by Jones and wife Marcy, Jones stated that their funds were to be sent to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. • This proved that Jones had been sending money raised by his “church” to the USSR to be used in nuclear research. • The event was the largest mass suicide in recorded history. • Largest single loss of American life in a non-natural disaster until the events of 9/11 • http://youtu.be/jpWr45bKWpE

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