Followers at Jonestown

You think how could this happen? There have been books and movies trying to explain it. 900 people commit suicide because a cult leader tells them the alternative of living without Jones is worse than dying.

Jim Jones was a pseudo-religious leader in California. He started with this little store front where he preached. He wasn’t ordained by a major religious group. Somehow he got followers.

That happens. It may be happening right now. He somehow got this group so invested in his preaching that he was able to tell them to move to Guyana when California officials had questions about him and his finances.

How many followers were able to find Guyana on a map?

Families of cult followers appealed to a California Senator to investigate. He went to Guyana and Jones had him killed. When word of that got out, Jones told his followers that they should commit suicide en masse.

Some followers heard this was the plan and hid. Some followers wanted to go back to the US with the Senator. 900 didn’t. Some of them were parents that gave poison to their kids.

How does this happen?

People want something to believe in. There is something better somewhere. When religion puts a lock on the door, that should be troubling. When any organization can’t stand up to questions and puts a lock on the door, it should be troubling.

900 people.