Alexa Sanchez
Professor Josh Pryor
Eng. 110-04
05/05/15
Cults and Charismatic Leaders
What is normal for you might be insane for me; as for cults and religions many of their acts and interest are of normality. For someone on the outside of that religion or cult might seem like an absurdity. As humans we do not have the right to judge upon their religion or cults way of life, they do what they do for a reason either to protect or praise in whom they have faith. As for cults we know many are notably positive, while other could be destructive or suicidal. Even combinations of both like the cult that Jim Jones created.
Jim Jones was a man who had been through a lot in his early childhood. He was son of a disabled WWI veteran who belittled him. …show more content…
He promoted equality among all. Peoples Temple a community of interracial services that was founded in 1956, by Jim Jones whose idea was to preach equality and socialism to the people. His idea was to have a utopian world were everyone is happy and equal. People were attracted to Peoples temple because they believed and like the idea of an interracial community, therefore they supported Jones all the way. Jones was successful in attracting his followers because of the time period this was occurring. Segregation was coming to and end and the black people wanted and needed to feel peace. Not only did jones offer that sense of community but also that comfort they needed. He made them believe that he had the power to heal, which was a reason for why many of his followers were devoted ho him. They truly believed in him and though that he was able to heal such dieses as cancer. As time went by the amount of followers increased and so did his power. As many other leaders he was taking advantage of his powers. He obtained money from his followers; money that they believed was being used for temple. He began to discourage sex and any romantic relationships. Why is that you may ask? Well because he wanted to be the only one loved and devoted to. It got to the point where he disrupted family bonds and claimed to be “father of …show more content…
This is when he decided to began practiced called “white nights” which laid the groundwork for the final mass suicide It has been reported that these rehearsals occurred only once a month when the members first came to Jonestown, but as Jones’ paranoia grew, the White Nights increased to one every two weeks and would sometimes last for several days One member described what happened during a White Night. Jones would make them drink some punch, which he said was poisoned. They all had to drink that in order to prove their
Professor Josh Pryor
Eng. 110-04
05/05/15
Cults and Charismatic Leaders
What is normal for you might be insane for me; as for cults and religions many of their acts and interest are of normality. For someone on the outside of that religion or cult might seem like an absurdity. As humans we do not have the right to judge upon their religion or cults way of life, they do what they do for a reason either to protect or praise in whom they have faith. As for cults we know many are notably positive, while other could be destructive or suicidal. Even combinations of both like the cult that Jim Jones created.
Jim Jones was a man who had been through a lot in his early childhood. He was son of a disabled WWI veteran who belittled him. …show more content…
He promoted equality among all. Peoples Temple a community of interracial services that was founded in 1956, by Jim Jones whose idea was to preach equality and socialism to the people. His idea was to have a utopian world were everyone is happy and equal. People were attracted to Peoples temple because they believed and like the idea of an interracial community, therefore they supported Jones all the way. Jones was successful in attracting his followers because of the time period this was occurring. Segregation was coming to and end and the black people wanted and needed to feel peace. Not only did jones offer that sense of community but also that comfort they needed. He made them believe that he had the power to heal, which was a reason for why many of his followers were devoted ho him. They truly believed in him and though that he was able to heal such dieses as cancer. As time went by the amount of followers increased and so did his power. As many other leaders he was taking advantage of his powers. He obtained money from his followers; money that they believed was being used for temple. He began to discourage sex and any romantic relationships. Why is that you may ask? Well because he wanted to be the only one loved and devoted to. It got to the point where he disrupted family bonds and claimed to be “father of …show more content…
This is when he decided to began practiced called “white nights” which laid the groundwork for the final mass suicide It has been reported that these rehearsals occurred only once a month when the members first came to Jonestown, but as Jones’ paranoia grew, the White Nights increased to one every two weeks and would sometimes last for several days One member described what happened during a White Night. Jones would make them drink some punch, which he said was poisoned. They all had to drink that in order to prove their