Jim Jones free essay sample

Jim Jones BY brp0101609 * Jim Jones and the People Temple * When you think of Jim Jones and the People Temple the first thing that comes to mind is a mass suicide, not only involving one specific sex or race, but involving men, women, and children of all races. However, do we ever take the time to sit down and look into what Jim Jones and the People Temple actually stood for? There must be a reason behind all the things that were done. Behind the reason Pastor Jim Jones preached what he did and had such a major impact on the members of the Peoples Temple. People take leadership in many things throughout everyday life. Yes, some on more significant levels than others. There are leaders of groups, companies, churches, and even leaders of cults or whole nations. Every leader has their own way of going about things, but James Warren Jones Just went to a greater extent. We will write a custom essay sample on Jim Jones or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * James Warren Jones was born May 13, 1931 in Indiana to parents James Thurman Jones and Lynetta Putnam. Jones claimed his father was associated with the Ku Klux Klan. Growing up Jones was seen as a weird child, with a great obsession for religion and death. It was brought to the attention that he would perform funerals for animals and even killed a cat with a knife. In his family his father did not work, while his mother worked to support the family. So Jones grew up as a wild child Just on his own. In the documentation, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, Jones brings out how when growing up there was feeling as an outcast, Id early developed a sensitivity for the problems of blacks. (Nelson) This brought Jones at an early age to not segregate against African Americans. When the separation of Jones parents occurred he moved with his mother Lynetta to Richmond where he graduated early from Richmond High School in 1948. Jones then attended Indiana University at Bloomington. * The People Temple also known as the Jonestown Cult was founded in Indianapolis, in 1955 by James Warren Jones. James and wife Marceline Baldwin, who married in 1949 bought a building and moved the church there, changing the name to Wings of Deliverance Church. However, later that year the church was renamed again to The People Temple Full Gospel Church. In 1960 Jim and Marceline were the first to adopt an African American child into their white family in Indianapolis. After many years of ministry here in Indianapolis, Jones and his family did some study. When they returned the first demonstration of power that he had amongst the People Temple members was brought out. Jones announced to his congregation that his family would be moving to Redwood Valley, California. He encouraged the members of Peoples Temple to relocate with him. (Maaga 2) Just from looking at this statement Jones was able to persuade his members to move with him. The reason he gave the members was that Ukiah was one of 9 places on earth that would survive a Nuclear Attack. Jones got about 70 or more members to relocate to Redwood Valley, California in 1965. They spent a few years growing as a church etting new members starting with a few here and there. Finally, the People Temple was able to build a church of their own in Redwood Valley, which the group named Happy Acres. (Maaga 3) Once this occurred the number of members grew significantly especially since the ministry was expanded to urban blacks of Los 1972. * The Peoples Temple was gathering more and more members as it went on. Over summer they would take bus trips and go around preaching to places. The purpose of these bus trips was to gather more members and spread the word. People would hear Jim Jones speak and pack their things and get on the bus with them. The members of the People Temple were a majority of African American people. Members themselves would say how, Jim sounded like a black man, he fit right in. (Nelson) So it was as if there was some kind of connection between them that they Just understood each other in some way. What kind of things was Rev. Jim Jones preaching that had these people Jumping for Joy? The main message of the Peoples Temple was, The Dream is Alive. (Nelson) Jones claimed that there was no heaven up there; you have to make a haven down here. For what you see is what you know. He would preach to people that he would be whatever they wanted him to be, if you see me as your friend Ill be your friend, if you see me as your father Ill be your father, if you see me as your God Ill be your God(Nelson). When hearing this and listening to him preach the members Just ate up every word he said and most never questioned any of it. There were defiantly things being done wrong within the church. The biggest one was his sexual approach of things. Jones used sex to tie people to the group. Like a matinee idol or some politicians, he promoted himself as the ultimate sex object. Reiterman 172) He would offer himself to men and women of the church. To him everyone was a homosexual and he was the only heterosexual, and all sexual relationships between people were selfish. It was getting out of control one man even brought out how,]oness sex life is really getting kinky. One of my friends heard him say he can go to bed with any of the girls when they reach eighteen. (Kerns 132-133). How could any pastor think such a thing? These are young women Just entering their adult stage and you want to go to bed with them now that there legal. That is disgustingly wrong to even have that thought cross your mind. These are not the only things wrong with the church. There were beatings taken place and family members turning against one another. If one wanted to leave they couldnt say goodbye for it was like the Gestapo in Germany and they would report them. Pretty much once you got involved with the Peoples Temple there was no way out. Even though all this unrightfully stuff was going on within the church, it is still known that he had power, there was no doubt about it. (Kerns 40) He has had such an impact on people that no matter what he does, members still fear him and his doings. Jones liked to keep things secret and he didnt like his members leaving. They feared leaving the temple for they feared what may happen to them. Many changed their names, tried to get family to also get out of the church with them but one was on their own. Any fraternizing with an outsider was no small sin. (Kerns 75) and punishments were defia ntly assigned. Phil Kerns, author of Peoples Temple Peoples Tomb, talks about the actions he took while part of the Temple and even once he got out. His punishment for associating with a teacher about things other than homework was that no one was allowed to talk to him for 48 hours, a whole 2 days. Rev. Jim Jones was a God to people. One man named Archie James told a household member of Jones that, The only God I believe in is Jim Jones. . (Kerns 58) For someone to call this man there god is crazy; they must have really been touched happened pretty much over night. A newspaper article was coming out the next morning about Jim Jones and how they should investigate him. The article had information from a former member. She read what was going to be printed to Jones over the phone the day before and he made the decision then to have everyone flown over. Guyana was a location in South America that was being built for the People Temple. It was in the middle of the forest. A plan of 90 members went in December of 1975 to check the progress of the community and the building. Footage showing the first there looked like freedom everyone wanted to go. (Nelson) There was letters and footage getting sent back of people Just loving it there. The people that were not there were Jealous and Just could not wait.