Introduction
People often leave religion after experiencing betrayal from religious leaders whom they had initially trusted. No better experience can elaborate this than that of the People`s Temple Church. Prior to the November 11, 2001 attacks, the Johnstown massacre was considered as America`s worst tragedy. Moreover, the idea that it occurred as a form of religious persecution made it even more controversial. The infamous man behind it all, Jim Jones has since then been dubbed one of the greatest serial murderers to have lived within the United States. The event occurred in 1978, in Johnstown, Guyana. Before this period, Jones had experienced a successful career as a preacher having initially managed to command a following of up to 20,000 religious followers through his religious outfit, the People`s Temple church (History.com Editors, 2019). The initiation of the religious organization dates back to the mid-1950s in Indianapolis after Jones succeed in raising money to start his own church by selling live monkeys among other menial duties. What was unique about the church is that it embraced individuals from different ethnicities, something that was uncommon at the time. Afterwards, Jones managed to move his congregants to California in the 1960s and later on to San Francisco which was established as the headquarters of the church (History.com Editors, 2019). When damning accusations were raised against Jones by a section of his followers, politicians and media persons, he managed to convince some of his congregants to move to Johnstown in Guyana with him where they would come up with a Utopian society free from any form of governance. Four years after moving to Guyana the dishonorable mass suicide occurred. It is apparent that apostasy, brain washing and religious persecution are imminent within the context of the church as can be discerned from my research in history.com as well as other vital works.
Historical Context
The Johnstown massacre occurred in November 18, 1978 when Jim Jones compelled his group of religious followers to take a concoction laced with Cyanide. Before the event had transpired, allegations had been raised by a group of individuals who had managed to escape from Guyana indicating that Jones was mistreating the people there. When Jones was convincing his followers to sell all their belongings and follow him to Guyana in 1974, he offered them a picture of a paradise where they would commune by imbibing rich foods and also lead a comfortable life free from mosquitoes and snakes (Kennedy, 2019). Julia Scheeres the author of A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception and Survival at Johnstown , recounts the horror of the situation by alluding to the fact that all that Jones told his followers was an outright lie since it was practically impossible to grow anything in the jungle soils (Kennedy, 2019). This is an aspect that later came to be revealed after an inquest into the lives of Jone`s followers was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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In 1978, more than 900 individuals belonging to the People`s Temple succumbed ( Salisbury, 2004 ). Kennedy Lesley paints a grim picture of the events that transpired leading to the deaths of these innocent individuals. Congressman Leo Ryan from California went to Guyana accompanied by some people from the media to investigate claims by some of his constituents that Jones was torturing his congregants ( Lys, 2005 ). Some of the claims were made by Deborah Layton Blakey in an affidavit after she had managed to escape Johnstown and seek refuge in the United States Embassy. Upon his arrival, Ryan was led into the precincts of Jim Jones and also offered the liberty to interact with congregants who had initially been coached to express their joy for being part of the experience. Satisfied with what he had seen, Ryan sought to leave and in the process one of his aides was intercepted and a note passed on to him by a resident of Johnstown seeking for help to leave the place. When news reached Jones, he sent out his gunmen to execute the Congressman and his team before they left the airstrip. He then lashed out at the people and forced them to imbibe the concoction set before them, with guards bearing crossbow on the front side and others wielding guns standing behind the congregants. Odell Rhodes who is reportedly the only known survivor of the mass suicide indicated “They started with the babies ( Frasure, 2016 ).” When parents witnessed their babies` mouths frothing, they took the drink willingly and Jones then shot himself in the head.
Biographical Summary
Mary Aleteia the interviewee was born in October 15, 1958, in Southaven Mississippi to staunch Catholic parents. She is the second born in a family of five. Mary had three brothers and one sister. Currently, only one of her brothers is alive presently. Additionally, her parents passed away in 1979. During the entire duration she lived with her parents, Mary attended the local Catholic Church and easily became accustomed to the faith. She also, worked as a waitress in one of the diners in Jackson Mississippi after moving out of her parent`s residence. Later on, she got married to James McCartney and moved to California where she managed to start her own diner and employ a number of individuals to assist her. James worked as an office clerk, and thus their family was quite respected and well known within the neighborhood that they resided. Mary had a significant impact on individuals within the society where she lived owing to her exuberant and welcoming nature. She was able to accommodate individuals from diverse affiliations and this is essentially what made her blend well with individuals in the People`s Temple Church.
Themes
One of the most significant themes that is to be elaborated on is apostasy. When Aleteia the interviewee moved to California, she sought to join The People`s Temple Church and, therefore, distanced herself from her Catholic beliefs and ideals. This is a sign of apostasy. Brainwashing is also another significant theme which occurs within the context of the historical event. The congregants in The People`s Temple religion were made to acquiesce to Jim Jone`s dictates, to an extent that they even committed suicide after been compelled to do so by the controversial preacher ( Frasure, 2016 ). Also, the theme of religious persecution emerges when Jones makes a decision to kill his congregants by forcing them to take cyanide laced drinks leading to their fatal deaths.
Interviewee`s Experience
As a member of The People`s Temple Church, Aleteia managed to encounter a lot of things. For instance, she recounted how people in her church were forced to leave their jobs and join Jone`s ministry where they would serve others by utilizing the professional skills they possessed. This explains why Jim Jone`s church could even offer expert legal counsel to individuals. It also acted as an attractive feature that lured other outsiders into the church. Aleteia also reports how most of her close friends succumbed during the Johnstown massacre that left scores of individuals dead. Moreover, she witnessed the perceived miracles which were stage-managed by Jim Jones in his church.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, it is evident that apostasy, brain washing and religious persecution are imminent within the context of the church as can be discerned from my research in history.com as well as other vital works. Mary Aleteia`s apostasy leads her to encounter a series of religious events that led her to rethink her beliefs and also rejoin the Catholic faith. For instance, after the religious massacre of People`s Temple`s congregants, she became aware that had strayed from what she believed in and, therefore, sought restoration. What one can learn from her experience is that all that glitters is not gold.
References
Lys, C. (2005). The Violence of Jim Jones: A Biopsychosocial Explanation. Cultic Studies Review , 4 (3), 268.
Salisbury, J. E. (2004). The blood of martyrs: unintended consequences of ancient violence . Routledge.
Frasure, H. C. (2016). The Jonestown Massacre: An Analysis of an Infamous Cult.
Kennedy, L. (2019, March 18). Inside Jonestown: How Jim Jones Trapped Followers and Forced ‘Suicides.’ A&E Television Networks. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/jonestown-jim-jones-mass-murder-suicide (Original work published 2018).
History.com Editors (2019, June 7). Johnstown. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/crime/jonestown (Original work published 2010).
