Jim Jones' Genocide in Jonestown, Guyana

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“Never Forget” is the slogan for such atrocities as The Holocaust, The September 11th attacks and all Genocide worldwide in a way to remember and prevent future events. Little did we know that in Jonestown, Guyana, a holocaust-like killing would take place Saturday November 18th 1976. That date will be a day many will “Never Forget.” Jim Jones was a religious fanatic who started The Peoples Church. He preached socialistic views and lies to gain followers. With increasing paranoia he moved to Guyana with a thousand followers , most would never leave Jonestown again, but to be killed in a mass “suicide.”(Contemporary American Religion) Although The Peoples Church seemed to be a peaceful, loving organization, Reverend Jim Jones killed over nine hundred of his own people (including children and an investigative team led by congressmen Leo Ryan) his lack of punishment, due to his killing does not in any way suit his crime and can never be justified.
Jim Jones was religious leader in Indiana, and preached his views to a very diverse community. His sermons were full of socialistic views and “healings” where he would perform miracles. As time passed more and more joined his church formally known as The Peoples Temple( Encyclopedia of religion). His paranoia of nuclear warfare and strive to get away from the corrupt system, drove Jones to buy land in Guyana. With the land he purchased, Jones fled the United states with over a thousand follower to set up, what was in his view, going to be a peaceful place with no harassment from the outside world. Jones had scammed money from most of his congregation so he was able to set up at large camp in the middle of the jungle, excluded from everything. Gunmen lined the gates and once in,the follow...

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...ake lightly. People in society should be careful to whom they trust. The Peoples Temple started as just another church with socialistic, extremist views but with greed, turned into a dictatorship. Also never trust things that are too good to be true. Jones gave his followers exactly what they wanted to see, miracles, peace, and hope for a better life (Contemporary American Religion). Use common sense before investing something that seems miraculous.
For the crime against humanity of killing 945 innocent people in mass murder was never punished nor is the action justifiable. Jones tricked, imprisoned and murdered mass amounts of people. Jones is a disgrace to the human race and was never punished for his crimes. We will never forget acts of horrendous treatment toward people because it reminds us that forgetting causes things like the day in Jonestown to happen.

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