How Can We Prevent Cult Tragedies in Times of Uncertainty?
On November 19, 1978, Guyanese officials arrived at the scene of the largest mass suicide in the country’s history. Over 900 people, including children, had poisoned themselves on the command of their “prophet”, Jim Jones. This tragic event was the culmination of a decade-long manipulation by Jim Jones. He managed to convince thousands to join his “People’s Temple” and move to Guyana to live communally. The government was aware of the People’s Temple and Jonestown. In fact, investigators had been sent down one day prior to the massacre, and they were killed, too. It was too late for the People’s Temple. Jim Jones had too strong a hold on his members. The entrance to the Peoples Temple compound in Guyana ( C-Span ) So how do we prevent tragedies like Jonestown? It seems that cults and cult-like groups have been a relatively constant part of American history. It’s unlikely that these dangerous groups will simply disappear. Especially as we are in the midst of a global pandem