Karma
Heart Attack
Apparently when most people these days hear the name "Jim Jones"...they think of a rapper!? <<snicker>> but the name is usually more synonymous with the infamous charismatic religious figure who lead nearly 1000 people to their deaths in a "town" known as Jonestown now over 32 years ago.
Earlier this week there was an article online about some issues involving the latest memorial of Jonestown in california, and tonight, CNN rebroadcast the groundbreaking documentary hosted by Soledad O'brien last year.
The Jonestown murders are listed as the single largest act of non terrorist related mass murder/suicide before 9/11. Of the nearly 1000 that died, 1/3 were children...and of the 1000, only 30 people all together survived. One was an elderly woman who was miraculously overlookoed while she slept in an infirmary the day jonestown died. another was an elderly man who hid among some who were already dead, playing dead himself.
Jonestown also marks the only time in modern american history where an active serving member of congress was assassinated. Congressman Leo Ryan, who came to investigate Jonestown, was murdered by Jim Jones' gunmen at the airstrip.
Ive read some books and articles on Jonestown and its just scarey how it all came to the conclusion that it did. I STILL don't understand how anyone could so submit to any one man that they'd leave their families, move out of the country and place their lives in the hand of a man who was growing more and more unstable by the day.
Its interesting to note tha a large portion of Jones' followers were black people. He was a big advocate of minorities and a fan of interracial marraige.
Anyone else here familiar with this infamous situation? To me its another reminder of the danger of religion left unchecked.
Earlier this week there was an article online about some issues involving the latest memorial of Jonestown in california, and tonight, CNN rebroadcast the groundbreaking documentary hosted by Soledad O'brien last year.
The Jonestown murders are listed as the single largest act of non terrorist related mass murder/suicide before 9/11. Of the nearly 1000 that died, 1/3 were children...and of the 1000, only 30 people all together survived. One was an elderly woman who was miraculously overlookoed while she slept in an infirmary the day jonestown died. another was an elderly man who hid among some who were already dead, playing dead himself.
Jonestown also marks the only time in modern american history where an active serving member of congress was assassinated. Congressman Leo Ryan, who came to investigate Jonestown, was murdered by Jim Jones' gunmen at the airstrip.
Ive read some books and articles on Jonestown and its just scarey how it all came to the conclusion that it did. I STILL don't understand how anyone could so submit to any one man that they'd leave their families, move out of the country and place their lives in the hand of a man who was growing more and more unstable by the day.
Its interesting to note tha a large portion of Jones' followers were black people. He was a big advocate of minorities and a fan of interracial marraige.
Anyone else here familiar with this infamous situation? To me its another reminder of the danger of religion left unchecked.