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.