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Non-Fiction

In reply to the discussion: One Thousand Lives [View all]

ellisonz

(27,765 posts)
1. I always found the Peoples Temple to have a rather...
Fri Dec 23, 2011, 06:46 AM
Dec 2011

...compelling ideology that would and did appeal to many.

After traveling in Brazil, Jones returned to Indiana in 1963.[2] While Jones had always spoken of the social gospel's virtues, before the late 1960s, Jones did not reveal that his gospel was actually communism.[2] By the late 1960s, Jones began openly revealing in Temple sermons his "apostolic Socialism" concept.[2][19] The concept often loosely mixed tenets of atheism and socialism.[note 1] During this period, Jones preached to new members that the Holy Spirit was within them, but that Jones' healing power demonstrated that he was a special manifestation of "Christ the Revolution."[2] He also preached that the United States was the Antichrist and capitalism was "the Antichrist system."[2]

Jones preached of an imminent nuclear holocaust, and that the surviving elect would then create a new socialist Eden on earth.[2] In 1965, he predicted this would occur on July 15, 1967.[2] Accordingly, Jones preached that the Temple must move to Redwood Valley, California.[2] Jones led approximately 140 members, half of whom were black, to Redwood Valley in July 1965 and officially opened church in Ukiah.[6][20] The addition of deputy district attorney Timothy Stoen greatly increased the Temple's credibility in the area, quickly increasing membership.[20]

Jones began deriding traditional Christianity as "fly away religion," and rejected the Bible as being white men’s' justification to dominate women and enslave people of color.[2] Jones authored a booklet he would distribute in the Temple titled "The Letter Killeth,"[21] pointing out what he felt were the contradictions, absurdities, and atrocities in the Bible, but also stating that the Bible contained great truths. Jones preached that the "Divine Principle" equated with "Love," and Love was equated with "Socialism."[2] He stated that the Bible only contained beliefs about a "Sky God" or "Buzzard God," who was no God at all.[2]
[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Temple


How many here could be sucked into the "Rainbow Family" and then not find their way out?

Ever read anything about the Lyndon LaRouche cult, which is now been basically supplanted by the Ron Paul cult in American life?

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

One Thousand Lives [View all] matt819 Dec 2011 OP
I always found the Peoples Temple to have a rather... ellisonz Dec 2011 #1
I'm hoping to grab that at the library MountainLaurel Dec 2011 #2
This book is blowing my mind MountainLaurel Jan 2012 #3
Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Non-Fiction»One Thousand Lives»Reply #1