Jonestown

Jonestown can be considered a cult for many reasons. The People’s Temple first began in Indiana where Jim Jones had lived. He made an inter-racial church which was not quite a mainstream thing at the time. Any person that believed that the African Americans and Caucasians should be separated were kicked out of The People’s Temple. Jim Jones made many of his followers believe that society was evil. In San Francisco the People’s Temple that was located there had caught on fire and Jim Jones made a statement telling all members that society did this to their temple and that they didn’t want them there.
The People’s Temple moved many places in its time. Such places as Ukiah, San Francisco, and even to Guyana in Africa. As they first moved from Indiana to Ukiah Jim Jones told his followers to sell off all valuables and even their homes and to give all their money to support the church. In doing so they had made themselves dependent on the church for all necessities needed by these people.
When Jim first began his church he had claimed himself to his followers as part of divine power. He faked healings of his members to make them believe they were following someone that came from the heavens. He said in one of his quotes “If you want me to your friend I’ll be your friend, if you want me to be your father I’ll be your father, if you want to be your god I’ll be your god.” This one quote tells how he accepted that people thought of him as this divine power. Jim Jones separated himself and his followers from society by moving them to Guyana. In truth he had moved them so that he could not be stopped by the government because of ex-members that had told of their mistreatment with Jones.

Survey sees a drift away from religion in America

Americans are slipping and not becoming part of a new faith but becoming part of no faith at all. 

Today, there has been a 10% drop in Americans who recognize themselves as Christians since 1990. 15% chose "no religion" as an answer to the survey. In the Roman Catholic stronghold in New England their adherents dropped by one million since 1990 to 2008. Catholics dropped from 50% to 36%. 

The "no religion" group has gained 20 million adults since 1990 and the only group to grow in every state. The nones make up almost half of the population in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. 

The Christian population did grow 22 million but they were nondenominational Christians. In the ARIS survey little less than 70% "definitely believe in a personal god" and 12% "believe in a higher power but no personal god." The "no religion" group consist of mostly males.  

Now that many are being raised outside of religious houses Dr. Kosmin asks,"What does this mean for religious institutions?"

Dalai Lama: Tibetans 'suffering' under China

The Dalai Lama believes that for the past fifty years the Tibetans have suffered under Chinese rule. In a speech he spoke marking fifty years he told of how he and others are like criminals deserving to be put to death. 

The Chinese deny all accusations and say the speech is all lies. The Dalai Lama says that years of Chinese experiments have led to hundreds of thousands of deaths of Tibetans. 

The Dalai Lama told reporters that the exile of 100,000 Tibetans to India was the only way to preserve their heritage. After his speech Tibetans took the streets wanting the Chinese out of Tibet. March 10 marked the fifty years since the Dalai Lama's exile to the Himalayas and the riots in Tibet took place.

I believe the Tibetans should be left alone. I don't understand why the Chinese even exiled the Dalai Lama. The Chinese should allow the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and give the Tibetans back their home. Though it will not happen because the Chinese feel threaten by them.