Sociopaths series: Jim Jones (Jonestown murder/suicide) 909 died
Published on Apr 27, 2014
James Warren "Jim" Jones (May 13, 1931 -- November 18, 1978) was an American religious leader and community organizer. Jones was the founder and the leader of the Peoples Temple, best known for the cult murder/suicide in November 1978 of 909 of its members in Jonestown, Guyana, and the murder of five individuals at a nearby airstrip, including Congressman Leo Ryan. Over 300 children were murdered at Jonestown, almost all of them by cyanide poisoning.[3] Jones died from a gunshot wound to the head; to this day it is unknown whether his death was a suicide or murder.
"Jonestown" was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project formed by the Peoples Temple, an American religious organization under the leadership of Jim Jones, in northwestern Guyana. It became internationally notorious when on November 18, 1978, 918 people died in the settlement, at the nearby airstrip in Port Kaituma, and in Georgetown, Guyana's capital city. The name of the settlement became synonymous with the incidents at those locations.
A total of 909 Temple members died in Jonestown, all but two from apparent cyanide poisoning, in an event termed "revolutionary suicide" by Jones and some members on an audio tape of the event and in prior discussions. The poisonings in Jonestown followed the murder of five others by Temple members at Port Kaituma, including United States Congressman Leo Ryan. Four other Temple members died in Georgetown at Jones' command.
To a certain extent, the actions in Jonestown were viewed as a mass suicide; some sources, including Jonestown survivors, regard the event as a mass murder.[1][2] It was the largest such event in modern history and resulted in the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until the events of September 11, 2001. Questions for discussion:
How does this video illustrate the concepts from the chapter on religious communities? Charismatic leaders? Founded religions? Why do you think people would be attracted to join a suicide cult?
Published on Feb 17, 2013
Jim Jones Jonestown Nightmare in Paradise.
In the Jungle , jim jones make his one People Temple, 1978 jim jones take the lives of almost a 1000 people and his own life
Questions for discussion: How does this video illustrate the concepts from the chapter on religious communities? Charismatic leaders? Founded religions? Why do you think people would be attracted to join a suicide cult?
