False Messiah

Forty three years ago today, at a jungle settlement called Jonestown in Guyana, Reverend Jim Jones oversaw the mass poisoning of The People's Temple members. Over 900 died, around 300 were young children. More were killed by shooting at a nearby airstrip, including Congressman Ryan who was investigating the cult and assisting defectors to escape. Some of Jones' devotees took the poison, mixed with Flavor Aid, willingly. Those that didn't were force fed the deadly concoction or held down and injected with cyanide. Children were murdered in cold blood, often by their own parents. An audio recording of the crime exists and makes for seriously disturbing listening. And yet most of the cultists were ordinary people from ordinary backgrounds who wanted to build a better society. Jones was a megalomaniac who grew increasingly paranoid with long term drug abuse. He performed staged 'miracle' healings and had followers sign over everything that they owned to his church. The victims of Jonestown and their story must never be forgotten.