On November 18, 1978, in what became known as the “Jonestown Massacre,” was the most deadly, non-natural disaster in all of U.S. history. James Warren “Jim” Jones who was the leader and founder of a cult known as Peoples temple in Indiana in 1970’s led this infamous event. Jim Jones started a racially integrated church with the pure intention to help others in need. The occurrences at Jonestown have been described in two different terms: as the “Jonestown suicides” and as the “Jonestown massacre.” The occurrence at Jonestown has been described in two different terms: as the “Jonestown suicides” and as the “Jonestown massacre.”
The definition of suicide is “the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally”. …show more content…
This was done by orchestrated suicide rehearsals called “white nights,” where Temple members were told to drink red liquid, which may have contained poison, this was done to determine how many of Jones's, followers would obey him unhesitatingly (Ross, 2009). After distributing cups of the liquid among his followers, Jones would say, “In forty minutes, you will all be dead. Now empty your glasses” (Brinton, 2016). The “white nights” rehearsals may illustrate and prove how the Jonestown deaths were indeed suicide, as the members did not showed little dissent and had always accepted such practices as it was implemented into their minds as a regular procedure.
Yet these constant suicide rehearsals reinforce the argument that, the tragedy at Jonestown was a massacre; the rehearsals were simply another component of Jones’ mind control methods. The frequency of such actions demonstrates the extent to which Jones had pre-planned the massacre and accustomed his followers to the idea of it being necessity by making it an ever-lasting …show more content…
Even the fact that a few members might have wanted to take their own lives implies that Jones psychologically massacred his followers by leaving them no options or no way out. The harsh conditions of Jonestown and the effects of various punishments on the followers made Jonestown tragedy an example of the power of mind control, vulnerability and manipulation. Jones was responsible for enforcing these manipulative conditions that caused 913 deaths of the members of Peoples Temple that cannot be remembered as the “Jonestown suicides.” Jim Jones’ demoralized his followers, and left no escape for them but to surrender therefore “Jonestown massacre” should be the only accurate title for the tragic events that took place on November 18,
The definition of suicide is “the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally”. …show more content…
This was done by orchestrated suicide rehearsals called “white nights,” where Temple members were told to drink red liquid, which may have contained poison, this was done to determine how many of Jones's, followers would obey him unhesitatingly (Ross, 2009). After distributing cups of the liquid among his followers, Jones would say, “In forty minutes, you will all be dead. Now empty your glasses” (Brinton, 2016). The “white nights” rehearsals may illustrate and prove how the Jonestown deaths were indeed suicide, as the members did not showed little dissent and had always accepted such practices as it was implemented into their minds as a regular procedure.
Yet these constant suicide rehearsals reinforce the argument that, the tragedy at Jonestown was a massacre; the rehearsals were simply another component of Jones’ mind control methods. The frequency of such actions demonstrates the extent to which Jones had pre-planned the massacre and accustomed his followers to the idea of it being necessity by making it an ever-lasting …show more content…
Even the fact that a few members might have wanted to take their own lives implies that Jones psychologically massacred his followers by leaving them no options or no way out. The harsh conditions of Jonestown and the effects of various punishments on the followers made Jonestown tragedy an example of the power of mind control, vulnerability and manipulation. Jones was responsible for enforcing these manipulative conditions that caused 913 deaths of the members of Peoples Temple that cannot be remembered as the “Jonestown suicides.” Jim Jones’ demoralized his followers, and left no escape for them but to surrender therefore “Jonestown massacre” should be the only accurate title for the tragic events that took place on November 18,