That was a mix of Tragedy and murder. What happened there was damn near unspeakable! ALL of those children were clearly murdered, along with many of the adults. That Jones guy was a hyper-leftwing kook of the highest order.
At least leftism and fear was his rhetorical vehicle. Being in San Francisco and all, he could have just been using a message he thought would capture the biggest audience. As with most terrible people, he started out doing good things to build support. I have the impression that his ‘congregation’ was made up of liberal rejects and minorities that felt disenfranchised. He basically played on their weaknesses, to the point they followed him out into the middle of a dammed jungle to live(until they didn’t)....
“I have the impression that his ‘congregation’ was made up of liberal rejects and minorities that felt disenfranchised. He basically played on their weaknesses, to the point they followed him out into the middle of a dammed jungle...”
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It’s pretty much the same way with westerners who defect to fight for the al Qaedas or ISIS’s of the world. Weak-minded, sorry SOB’s with an axe to grind being welcomed into a faction from which revenge can be exacted. I guess the difference between Jonestown and the others mentioned is that Jonestown just wanted to be left alone until Jones and his cohorts became homicidal and then suicidal, which is still a lot like these terrorist groups.