american experience

PBS had a wonderful documentary about Jim Jones and the Jonestown mass suicide on American Experience last night. I was nine when events at Jonestown occured so I remember hearing stuff about it but didn't know the specifics. It was such a tragedy and the mass suicide should really be viewed as a mass murder because so many of the members were desperate to leave but feared they couldn't because Jim Jones set up an environment of isolation, sleep deprivation & paranoia. Over 250 children died on that day which is so unspeakably sad. Not to mention that the day of the attack his armed guards shot and killed a congressman (who had come to Jonestown on a fact finding mission and was in the process of returning to the states) along with four others. They interviewed former members of the Peoples Temple (Jones' cult) and a few of those interivewed were at Jonestown that day and lost mothers, wives & children, they escaped death by running into the jungle. Completely horrific events but it's fascinating to see how Jones started his church and then went nuts. He had a lot of innnovative ideas at the time - having a church that integrated blacks and whites, he was pretty progressive socially and the church stressed activism, I had no idea the political clout Jones had in the 70s. Unfortunately Jones was also a paranoid meglomaniac with a huge appetite for sex and drugs. I'd say rule #1 when considering joining a church is to be skeptical if the preacher wears dark sunglasses during sermons and bears a passing resemblance to Elvis in his decline. Rule #2 would be to question a religious organization that works on an atmosphere of sleep deprivation and hampering communication with close family members. I really feel for people that joined this church. During the 60s & 70s there was so much upheaval and I can understand people seaching for greater meaning in life. It's so sad when searchers (who I think are admirable people) get caught up in crap like this.