Jim Jones: Progressive to Predator

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Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Steve Theunissen
Producer - Samuel Avila
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
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[@ThomasTrue]

"Jim Jones talks a lot about religion. I never once heard him mention God." (Leo Ryan, shortly before his murder)

[@btetschner]

That is interesting. Leo Ryan was a fool though, going into that compound like it was inside the United States. Did you know his daughter donated the life insurance money from his death to another cult?

[@JumeckRafeal]

He thought and they believed he was a God.

[@Stephanie56372]

btetschner omfg

[@mosquitobight]

Jonestown was the 9/11 of religion. Except for the Salem witch trials, most Americans had no experience of religion killing people, so they saw religions as mostly harmless, even cults. There was the Taiping Uprising that killed 20 million people, but most Americans didn't know about that or would have wrote it off as a crazy Chinese exception.

[@KaladinVegapunk]

It's the same with all evangelicals It's about making the cash, getting gullible followers, the religious trappings are just a utility, not the purpose Although it's kind of sad that the first half of his story is someone actually using religion for good, integration, desegregation, civil rights.. super rare to actually practice their religions teachings in action like that.. But theeeennn.. the lunacy and classic cult evolution starts

[@ThePopushi]

I've watched and read biographies on Jim Jones. But I think the most heart stopping thing I learned was that the children drank first. They didn't know they were *actually* going to die this time; as was mentioned they kept doing suicide "rehearsals". So...when the children went first and started dropping dead....the realization for the parents and loved ones was so shocking and overwhelmingly dark, that they at that point willingly drank to kill themselves too. Witnessing your precious children, friends, and loved ones die right before your eyes. There's recordings of the shrieking wails of realization when the first wave of people drank and died. The shock that it wasn't fake, it was real this time. I remembered hearing a mother give a blood curdling scream saying "My baby" then downing a drink herself knowing she had nothing left to live for. That, to me, is the darkest part of all of this. I thought everyone drank all at once and all dropped dead before even knowing what happened. How merciful that would have been in comparison. But no, it was in waves. At first pure innocence....and then willingly. I know others have said this before, but there is a special place in hell for Jim Jones. And I hope he's burning forever.

[@leholen381]

I’ve heard some of those recordings. They were chilling and heartbreaking to listen to

[@woodrow6155]

his place in Hell is with his abusive parents. Only broken children become Jim Jones

[@ieshamusgrove7883]

Yeah a lot of people drank at gunpoint too. At that point people were miserable and he was essentially holding them hostage since he took their passports. A lot of the people that came didn’t know what they were getting into because he had letters sent out lying about the state of things. Then once they got there-BOOM-they were stuck. There was also a lot of physical and mental abuse going on and the church was suspected of killing defectors. I don’t really like the narrative that these people were dumb or naive because he certainly wasn’t using charm to keep people. It’s a shame what he turned out to be because he did help break down a lot of barriers for Black people in Indiana only to turn around and abuse their trust.

[@Ravie3]

@@ieshamusgrove7883 he was more than holding their passports, he had guards with guns chase down anyone who tried to run away into the jungle. Those people were prisoners.

[@ieshamusgrove7883]

@@Ravie3 yeah at this point it’s kinda gross to say most of these ppl went, stayed and died willingly when survivors and the guy who did the autopsy say otherwise. But some people(like the people trolling through the comments section here) are really invested in the idea of Black people being to blame for their own demise. People like to think they’re above getting sucked into stuff like this but cults get people at their lowest and use tried and true manipulation and abuse tactics on them. So many women that escape abusive relationships talk about how they never thought it would happen to them. A lot don’t even recognize the abuse until they are in deep. It’s just sad.

[@CommodoreFloopjack78]

It truly is frightening how some people so readily and willingly abandon any and all independent thought and individuality.

[@Zaprozhan]

We are social animals, and we have more herd instinct than we'd like to admit. We are drawn to strong leaders, charismatic individuals, and it's easy to subsume your independence to the Great Leader.

[@masonnoodles2801]

Kind of what’s happening now in the states

[@mattjohnson7198]

Welcome to America in the 21st century.

[@chumorgan443]

@dillon bob lucky us nobody knows what he's saying.. including Joe

[@elsol1176]

Kinda like people and any religion

[@stagbeetle1050]

>Claims to have special powers >Calls everyone so they can watch him fly >Jumps off a roof and breaks his arm 10.000.000 IQ

[@kayakat1869]

He's like that kid who got Pokemon banned.

[@monblancnoland4666]

Got to respect that retard for trying to FLY lmaoo smh feel bad to those who followed this man

[@mislavivkovic9996]

I love him

[@mislavivkovic9996]

@GG hero

[@mislavivkovic9996]

What abouth Karadjic Mladic

[@davidkennedy1077]

You omitted the rather disturbing fact that if the followers didn't drink the Coolaid, they were promptly shot by the guards. So they were royally f@#%ed whatever choice they took.

[@torilee6677]

The most key fact. Some people call it a mass suicide but in reality those people wanted to live. It was a massacre.

[@christineparis5607]

David Kennedy Everything happened there! People were shot, people tried to run away, some drank it willingly and some gave it to their kids, realized what they did, and panicked. It was a wholesale massacre. Murder. I saw the live shooting on tv when it happened and we were all in shock! I grew up in the Bay Area and San Francisco attracted the most deranged religious fanatics during the 60s and 70s. Most people were just exploring new things, but unfortunately millions of runaway, broke kids were pouring in and turning instinctively to anyone who seemed authoritative. Almost all the girls were sexually abused. It was so sad. Hundreds of these girls were fleeing sexual abuse at home. The whole thing was a terrible mess. In California, I believe the militant feminist movement came out of the experiences of these abused girls who grew up hating what had been done to them.

[@Duncan23]

only 2 bodies had gunshot wounds at the compound, Jones and 1 other person ( I think it was his doctor). Some children were injected with poison though and objecting adults were forced to consume it. I highly recommend the parcast networks podcast on the event.

[@davidkennedy1077]

DuncanTheKekistani sorry mate, I thought they'd shot more than that (I hate getting true crime stuff wrong haha) I bow to your superior knowledge and I will definitely watch the documentary you mention. I had read about Jonestown in a book about religious cults and it didn't really go into the greatest of depths, so thanks for setting me straight.

[@davidkennedy1077]

DuncanTheKekistani but the worst thing of the whole sorry affair is the kids. I'm a father myself, and even the idea of forcing religion on my children is bad enough. I can't even think about what they must have done to those kids.

[@thornlings]

The terrifying thing about this is that for the first ten minutes of the video, the guy sounds like a hero. Supporting integration, encouraging his congregants to adopt orphaned refugees, standing up to the bigots who hated him and his church solely because of racism... And then the second half of the video starts and it all goes downhill from there. That's the scary part. That something this horrible was hiding under the surface of what seemed like a perfectly nice fellow who was standing up for equality. Reminds us that you never really know what someone is capable of.

[@shauncameron8390]

Exactly.

[@robland3253]

Um are you forgetting the puppy murder

[@goodmorning2386]

right? Like if I were around in that time or I didn't know the whole story, I would've thought he was a great guy

[@shable1436]

​@@scottystcloud7086he held a full funeral for it, didn't say he killed it. But it wouldn't surprise me

[@shannond1511]

Yeah it sucks because right wing bigots use ppl like jim jones and Stalin to say that being progressive leads to this kind of fascism when actually they were fascists all along and used the communism and socialism as a disguise

[@lunayoshi]

"During one team meeting, some kids saw Jim drop a pet dog from his loft to its death." Animal abuse without remorse at age 9. Confirmation he was a sociopath. Poor dog. :(

[@blackseoulite]

He was fascinated with religion and death. There’s a difference between fascination and obsession though.

[@mariet4894]

So many signs that went unchecked but I guess at the time people understood very little

[@DelaniaAndTheDogs]

Oh yes. The animal cruelty was a sign this creep was vile. So sorry he killed so many people.

[@Spills51]

Usually death isnt normal...But younger kids abusing animals is far more normal then people seem to think. And most of those same kids dont grow up psycho's or sociopaths. Cliff notes of a sociopath is always in the comments....

[@mechasentai]

And yet he literally preached to animals in the woods. He was all flavors of crazy.

[@croweman6515]

Man... Leo Ryan was a hero, because of his selfless offer, 12 people were saved from the Jonestown Massacre, it would've been 14, but 1 was killed during the Congressman's assassination, and 1 other was another assassin. He risked and ultimately gave his life so that others could live, for that Congressman Leo Ryan deserves the utmost respect.

[@the_real_rascal]

"Enforced suicide", you mean murder. Most of those people didn't willing drink the punch and the children were killed so the parents wouldn't fight back. They wouldn't have a reason to live. The last recording is haunting and heartbreaking.

[@stoopidapples1596]

It was a majority which did it willingly, but there was threats.

[@salsagardens9570]

It's crazy I've seen information about jim jones before, DURRING, and after his church leader stint. And it's troubling if what that recheacher declared! Can u imagine " a government operation " and he being the agent DISPATCHED to learn more about about " MIND CONTROL " ........SO SAD ALL THOSE SOULS HAD TO WAIT TIL THE AFTERLIFE FOR THE TRUTH! It's a creepy feeling I get to see him love on poor people, and especially people of color! Just like a picture of THE POPE GREETING AND " BLESSING" THE NATIVES INDIANS OF MEXICO AND GUATEMALA! I CRINGE TO SEE THE EVIL IN HIS EYES! AND EVEN WORSE I FEEL FOR THE NATIVE INDIANS WHO JUST ABOUT WORSHIP THERE KILLER, CAPTOR, AND CONQUISTADOR A.K.A COLONIZERS.......SO SAD TO BE SO NEEDY THAT YOUR SUSEPTIBLE TO MANIPULATIVE PREDATORS!

[@blairlohnes8103]

It's on my list of 'internet things I kind of wish I didn't click on.'

[@neilhillis9858]

@Timothy Simpson Extreme sociali ssd's m does - just like extreme individualism. Drive on any pubkic roads lately? Benefit from a public education?

[@Shilgne1]

@Timothy Simpson you mistake that with capitalism, my friend

[@Cherry-bq4oh]

When I heard about his anti-segregation stance i felt sad... He could have been remembered as a brave civil rights campaigner, but he chose such a horrible path.

[@drumyogi9281]

@R. V. Datmir I highly doubt he would have.

[@Forastero011]

@R. V. Datmir You either die the hero or you live long enough to watch yourself become the villain.

[@Wori17ben]

@@Forastero011 you mean like Nelson Mandela

[@Forastero011]

@@Wori17ben More like 2-Face from Batman.

[@Forastero011]

@R. V. Datmir That's a quote from Batman.

[@elikernaghan6511]

Imagine being at home one day and ur mom or friend walks in and says” hey u remember Mr.Jones ur science teacher? Yeah he just killed a bunch of people” chills ...

[@katemaloney4296]

I was 9 when this tragedy happened. If I live to be a thousand, I will NEVER forget the fold out section of the paper that had an aerial view of the WHOLE compound and the bodies rotting under the sun. I remember thinking: "How? How did people allow themselves to let this man do this to them?!" I decided then and there that I would NEVER blindly follow ANY man or woman; I would be my own leader. I am 50 now, and I still follow my rule.

[@ferociousgumby]

It wasn't a random pile of bodies. They were almost all laid out in a very orderly way, which is why when they flew in they didn't realize right away that they were all dead. Real concentration-camp stuff.

[@goodmorning2386]

@@ferociousgumby that's freaking scary

[@kryw10]

I was 11 and it had an enormous impact on the way I looked at churches and church leaders, which was a big deal for good little Christian girl me. You just can't look at something like this and trust people not to abuse power.

[@Mr.Dobalina_Mr.BobDobalina]

"Enforced suicide." Perhaps you meant to say "murder."

[@aeganratheesh]

Clintonicide

[@dasit1965]

Apropos of Nothing no there is a difference in legal terms. Enforced suicide is being forced to kill yourself

[@11Survivor]

@french jesus Irrelevant.

[@politicallycorrectredskin796]

Nah, it's enforced suicide. If you want to be defiant in that situation, make them murder you.

[@stannisbaratheon7799]

When you enter a death cult & expect to get out alive 😂😂😂😂 don't anger the fuhrer or his thugs will kill ya.

[@schnarre0]

...I still remember Jonestown to this day; the field of corpses is an image I haven't been able to forget, as much as I would like to.

[@ferociousgumby]

What is most bizarre is how orderly the bodies are. People did not just fall down dead. The bodies were in rows and looked as if either people were told to lie down to die, or the living arranged them that way. From the air, it wasn't apparent right away that all those people were dead.

[@internetwonderbuilder4741]

Me too and I wasn't even born yet

[@mattkaustickomments]

You also missed mentioning his decline with increased drug use, especially amphetamines.

[@Justafox305]

1978? what was going on that year? during this same year Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer were all active

[@killerpickle7320]

Every news reporter was thankful

[@danieljtrejobourassa6694]

Sex as bundy eloquently put it

[@hemprope4326]

It was like 2016 for old people

[@Rubbernecker]

@Justafox305, too bad one of them didn't grease Jones.

[@koofoo7793]

I would assume it's because of the end of the Vietnam war. It's 3 years after that and everything is "normal" again and some guys think its their time to shine. Or some kind of media thing maybe. People went crazy after everyone got the internet right?

[@msbae]

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." - Matthew 7:15

[@staciejones4059]

Amen

[@eval_is_evil]

Well if God in all its wisom told us how to identify them...or just gave them a mark on their face...but no,all we get is boring sermons.

[@derekweinerttv4163]

The irony

[@eLiFILMSinc]

Charlie Saves

[@vesamirbaby4429]

Ken Wolfrum Did he give what he looks like or his name or where he lived?

[@theDreadedBlur]

I recently did some research on Jim Jones, and the Peoples Temple, and you provided a wealth of new information that I hadn't come across yet. Thank you Simon.

[@VodkaHellstorm]

I'd very much recommend the Jonestown episodes of the Case File: Truecrime podcast too.

[@g.b569]

If you want more a podcast called The Last Podcast on the Left did a five part series on it or read the book The Road to Jonestown

[@johnalanelson]

... along with some misinformation.

[@sleazymeezy]

@@johnalanelson dude this guy has so much misinformation and so much that he leaves out

[@StruggleButtons]

God's Socialist by Daryl Cooper of Martyrmade is a roughly 30 hour podcast that does a deep dive into all of this. Well worth a listen.

[@dernvader6876]

After watching them all twitch on the Kool-Aid, Jim was like "F*ck that!" - Plus you failed to mention that they were all surrounded by armed guards and anyone that fought back or tried to escape got quickly shot. The one guy that did make it out confirmed this...

[@GooseGumlizzard]

the autopsies would have revealed gunshot wounds in that case, no?

[@stephlevesque9972]

People like Jim Jones only get power from those who are either weak enough to follow them, or so disenfranchised with everything they see him as the one place they will be welcome. As hard as it is to imagine, I've been in those shoes. You feel like no one else accepts you like he does. That he needs you as much as you need him. Beautiful, intoxicating and sweet lies that will turn you against your own morals and accepting theirs.

[@scissorcize]

Leo Ryan was one of the bravest men in history.

[@Bluesit32]

Jonathan Baltzly I don't think he really grasped the danger he was in.

[@paulspitz2354]

@@Bluesit32 yes he may have played down the danger but he was a hero in my because he was willing to take people that wanted out back with him.

[@carloswilson671]

I'd like to see a biography on Congressman Ryan.

[@JSkyGemini]

@@carloswilson671 He was a cool guy, like a hands on kind of thing. He also got himself locked up so he could see what happens in the corrections system.

[@Blobbert_8]

He shouldn’t have shown Jim the note someone in Jonestown passed him secretly that said “get us out of Jonestown”. Wrong move and caused Jim to go beyond the tipping point

[@marcscordato4385]

Before he went off the rails he proclaimed love, kindness, fairness and equality. Clearly he was charismatic, intelligent and likable. As the good book says “ pride goes before a fall” . It’s hard to imagine how twisted and evil he would become.

[@bubblegumgun3292]

So a internationalist anarcho communist LOL FAIL

[@stefgreen5237]

I think he was just feeling around for the most vulnerable easy to manipulate

[@PREPFORIT]

Marc Scordato ALL religions are for Idiots.

[@mlxoc712]

He was fucked up, even from his youth. Certainly, he was intelligent and charismatic. But the charisma is nothing more than face value.

[@marcscordato4385]

PREPFORIT You’ll never find a counterfeit $53 dollar bill because a real $53 dollar bill does not exist but you will find plenty of counterfeit $50.00 bills this is evidence that true $50 bills exist. And so it is with religion there is much counterfeit but that proves the fact that the real thing exists.

[@brianjones1692]

Kool aid man busts thru the wall!! Ohhh yaahhh!!! Realises its the people's temple and quietly backs out of the room!

[@jacobprice8048]

Usually you don't hear jokes about Jonestown because the punchline is too long

[@mattkaustickomments]

Sounds like a Family Guy bit.

[@scaparapadoobedoooo3170]

It wasn't Kool-Aid, it was Flavor-Aid

[@mattkaustickomments]

Scap a rap a doo be doooo, I know, Kool-Aid got so much free publicity out of the deal. Oh...Yeah!!!!

[@caitlynroberts3100]

This isn’t about free publicity and it’s so disrespectful to joke like that. Wtf is wrong with you guys

[@bmac4]

Back in middle school I had a teacher who made sure to bring up this story, as two of her students from her first year of teaching were among those who moved to Jonestown and ultimately died there. They were still teenagers at the time. Cults of personality are terrifying things. EDIT: It was FlavorAid not Kool-Aid, btw.

[@YTmyLOVEforKPOP]

i watched a documentary in my history class about a jonestown survivor and it was hard not to cry when he was describing watching his son being injected. i wish i remembered what the doc was called, but for anyone that might want a description to try finding it, he mentioned his family is in that well-known jonestown picture of 5-6 people lying on the ground, holding each other, looking like they willingly "drank the koolaid". maybe you can find a name based on that. he also said the picture was staged so that when the bodies were found, it would look like a suicide

[@Dsdcain]

Must not type it..............Awe heck I will. It was not poisoned Kool-Aid, it was Flavor-Aid, the cheaper kind of drink. Great videos, Thanks Simon and crew.

[@DoReMi123acb]

ahh....A fellow pendatic! Nice to meet you, friend!

[@torilee6677]

Egie Asemota You have much to learn, fellow *pedantic.

[@roblena7977]

For years I have been drinking the koolaide that it was koolaide.

[@DoReMi123acb]

well played my friend!!!!!! *clap emoji*

[@lexfacitregem]

If you didn't type it, I would have! That's the thing that annoys me with every iteration of a Jim Jones documentary.....they never get the Flavor Aid part right! To some it might be a trivia fact, but not to me. It was GRAPE-FLAVOURED FLAVOR AID FLAVOR AID FLAVOR AID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@christinak1053]

This is one of the many reasons I love you guys. I did a paper on Jonestown when I was a forensic psych major in college. But rarely do people cover Jones' early years that were filled with such portents of doom. Thank you for your work!

[@ElizaDolittle]

His mission was called "apostolic socialism." He was influenced by Marxist liberation theology, which was very popular in Latin America at the time...scary stuff.

[@Volvith]

Jim Jones is known to many as the leader of the People's Temple. To me, he'll forever be the off-brand Koolaid-Man. The coldest reaches of Hel are too kind for him.

[@andrewharper1609]

Hell doesn't exist do you're right.

[@promethium-145]

@@andrewharper1609 Prove it.

[@ferociousgumby]

Yes. "He drank the Flavor-Aid" just isn't the same, is it?

[@promethium-145]

@Mattress Store Yeah, but he was claiming that Hell does not exist, not that it's unlikely to exist. That's a knowledge claim. There's people who have claimed to go to Hell, like Bill Weiss. I'm not saying this proves it, but it's interesting how many of these peoples' experiences seem similar. It's the same with NDEs; odd similarities exist, that we would likely not see if physicalism were true.

[@beavercleaver7848]

Hell is cold, not hot, actually. The lower astral plains, technically. That's why when weird spirits show up in a room, it always feels cold, not hot or even warm, in the part of the room where they were detected. Thus spake me.

[@squarecircle7097]

WOW!! I used to work with a lady that lived in the village next to the Jones compound. She said they were terrified of them. People were scared to be outside and also remembers the Military rolling through the village going towards the compound and news of what had happen. She moved to Canada in 1988 with her new husband, which of course was a missionary. Go figure EH!!

[@bearnunnemaker5453]

Was that in Northern California?

[@jamesmeppler6375]

Ukiah is a horrible place for people who don't live there. Everyone has guns and shoots them off at night. You're followed and many roads are blocked off by trucks with people with guns telling you a public street is private property, due to ALL THE POT....so much illegal Marijuana was grown the cops were in the farmers pocket so they could just kill people. Rule of thumb is dig 3 extra ditches for people who find your farm

[@004Black]

Simon, you’re teams’ subject matter thoroughness is so appreciated. I remember the horrific impact the photos and articles had on my young life. This was painful to watch but necessary-a cautionary reminder for those that might be presently ensnared in a cult. Thank you again for excellence in biographical history.

[@andrews5867]

Right? It has gone up so much qualtity

[@SurelyYewJest]

Hmm, I wonder what the pattern is with all these serial killers and death-obsessed psychopaths...could it be all the child and/or spousal abuse present in the home during ages 0-12?

[@SerpentInside]

Ethnicities dont mix. Results are and will be horrible. He was halfbreed.

[@breezy3054]

SerpentInside smh

[@idontknowanymore9966]

@@SerpentInside what the hell happened in this video that it seems like everyone is just comfortable being racist

[@SerpentInside]

@@idontknowanymore9966 Truth is racism? Okidoki. Now i know your point.

[@SerpentInside]

@@breezy3054 slkemhmh

[@richardmcleod5967]

The life of Jim Jones was really much worse that depicted in this video, especially the last days of Jonestown.

[@halonothing1]

That was simply amazing. You need to do an episode about Marshall Applewhite (the Heaven's Gate guy) some time in the near future. I bet you'd do just as good a job. This channel is really turning into something terrific.

[@saintdeyma6563]

Definitely one of my favorite Biographics so far, though I love them all. When topics such as this arise, people often immediately gravitate toward the unflattering conclusion of what is commonly a much longer and more colorful narrative. Most people assume that Jim Jones and the like are simply born wicked, yet they never take the opportunity to delve into the deeper parts of the story where one can often find humble beginnings and initially righteous intentions. Keep the amazing videos coming, Simon!

[@judyashelman5090]

Saint Deyma à

[@jessiehermit9503]

I don't believe there _were_ any righteous intentions. He wanted to kill them from the very beginning.

[@jessiehermit9503]

@Drinze I'm inclined to agree with you.

[@OCDustin]

He was obviously obsessed with death and power from a young age. Going around burying roadkill and pretending to be the füher is rather indicative of a crazy kid.

[@Catbirdmom2]

To this day I still picture Powers Booth as Jones. It is always odd to see him in photos; for the first few moments I have to stop and remember Booth just played him on TV.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:40 - Chapter 1 - Early years 5:35 - Chapter 2 - Civil rights 7:40 - Chapter 3 - People's temple 11:10 - Chapter 4 - The controversy begins 16:45 - Chapter 5 - Downfall

[@taylornezovich7552]

Can you do David Koresh or Marshal Appelewhite? This episode was very nicely done. I think it’s human nature to be fascinated with the minds of cult leaders.

[@JoshSweetvale]

I'm just facinated by blind faith and how to avoid it.

[@Lunibruniful]

Koresh was not a malicious leader. He simply wanted to live far from degenerated society.

[@williamkoscielniak820]

I would love to see a biography on Marshal Appelewhite. He's the one infamous cult leader who for some reason I don't think was intentionally a bad guy. I don't know what to think of him, outside of the fact that he was mentally ill.

[@Ozymandias1]

Lunibruniful The fire wasn't started by Koresh but was caused by tear gas that got inflamed during the assault. There was a BBC documentary that established this.

[@Lunibruniful]

@@Ozymandias1 Yes

[@magistrumartium]

Thanks for making this video, Simon. The Jonestown massacre occurred during my first year at university--so long ago--and it was sensational, terrible, bizarre news. You've explained very well why it happened. There was a "Jonestown party" that year at a house in the student ghetto. They provided a punch bowl full of grape Kool-Aid spiked with vodka. When someone shouted "Jonestown!" we fell to the floor and thrashed around. (The movie Animal House was an influence at the time.) Tasteless? Yes. Funny? We thought so.

[@wayne7055]

Mark T. As a college aged youth now I still think that’s hilarious

[@magistrumartium]

: D

[@mt7able]

It’s remarkable how much “good” he did in the earlier years (especially regarding civil rights and racial equality) leading up to the blatant manipulation and final horrific tragedy. The epitome of the phrase: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

[@dopaminedreams1122]

Yeah except his intentions where bad all along. Even his civil rights days where part of a bigger attempt to turn black people into socialists for his cause

[@launachtyr]

I'm watching this after seeing your 3+ hour video on the CC channel. Wow, you've come a long way in matters of quality. Keep it up, Simon!

[@coffeefrog]

There are some amazing comments buried in here from people who lived through it. You collect a great audience, Simon!

[@rep3e4]

I have researched Jim Jones and his Jonestown quite a bit and its amazing how devious and selfish and evil this guy was. First he starts out as seeming like a Christian and even had on the sign to his church "disciples of Jesus". And he did a lot of good, Then slowly the power got to him. He took advantage of girls (and guys) and then he rejected the Bible by throwing it in a service and saying it was the source of all our troubles etc. He basically said he was god and then demanded people money and time and no freedom to leave. Just when there was going to be a serious investigation into his church (in San Francisco) he rushes to Guyana. And then he makes it sound so good, the perfect place to be while all the time forcing people to stay. This can only go on for so long! In Guyana (Jonestown) he doesn't really have any way to increase his flock as he is in the middle of a jungle so he needs his followers to stay. Once the scales had tipped and the truth would go out with the defectors .... Jonestown would shrink to nothing and he knew he had no future. So I think it was incredibly selfish to get the others to drink the poision etc. The irony is he will face judgement to one he regretted. That's my take on it

[@lordoftheflies7024]

I agree, what an ass this guy was. Wanting to be worshipped day in and day out. Doesnt he know being uncritically praised from dawn till dusk is only for Yaweh?

[@bearnunnemaker5453]

My brother was molested by him when we lived in Redwood Valley!

[@miriamhavard7621]

He was a MONSTER.

[@andrewharper1609]

I don't care what your take on it is. The Bible is mostly just plain wrong and no one has proved a God exists. It's a work of fiction and should be discarded.

[@dslkjvoxicuyhgl4554]

@@andrewharper1609 and what makes you think WE care what YOUR take on it is?

[@alanhorowitz3796]

I was 16 when the mass suicide occurred. Though the disdain for other cults was quickly manifesting in the U.S., this incident sealed my conviction and that of my classmates to never go near anything that resembled one. My favorite teacher - Mr. Geyer, U.S. history - cancelled the day's scheduled class after the news broke and instead gave us a lesson on how cults worked. I, myself, had little love for my teachers. But this man's plain talk has been a guide to me for 40 years.

[@BRIANSTECHTHERAPY]

This is an excellent channel 👍thank you for all your hard work!

[@meighanlynne]

The speech Jones recorded during the suicide is horrific. Very informative back story. Great job!!

[@alejfs1689]

Very well done Simon. Disturbing man but loved the video. Great job.

[@birgitvangerven5469]

Just found this channel. Very interesting and well explained! Thank you.

[@valentinisenberg7419]

Is he really leaving out how he held many of them hostage and clearly forced many of them to drink that cyanide...

[@jessiehermit9503]

13:58 So sad seeing the faces of dead children, completely unaware that he's going to murder them...

[@M.M0709]

Another great episode Simon & the crew. Could you please do an episode on Ayn Rand?

[@mlovmo]

All the while, he used sleep deprivation, beatings, isolation from family and friends, and other typical controls from the cult playbook. He did that stuff for years before Jonestown. And the criticism of it is one of the reasons why he moved his followers there.

[@DarthBigBen]

Am I the only one who considers referring to your adopted children as “rainbow children” a red flag?

[@arte0021]

Why?

[@DarthBigBen]

@@arte0021 Because it treats the children like status symbols instead of people.

[@DarthBigBen]

@First Name I don’t think it’s a red flag for mass murder, but does come off as narcissistic.

[@jamesmeppler6375]

I believe he said rainbow family because their skin was "all the colors of the rainbiw" But I wouldn't, rainbow children aka hippy kids....thats about as normal as having people call a dog their children's brother or sister, I apparently have 3 brother dogs...to me that's a redflag but thats normal...so chances are red flag to you is something normal to others

[@DarthBigBen]

@@jamesmeppler6375 I find emphasizing the color of your children’s skin creepy and somewhat racist.

[@Epiidevvy]

Well this was a particularly fascinating episode

[@vickievegas1837]

Oh my God that was done so well Simon. I remember as a preteen watching it on the news and just being horrified! The pain still ripples through when I see how people were seduced by him. Excellent job!

[@miriamhavard7621]

I was sixteen. I still remember it.

[@sideshowtink]

Excellent and very informative documentary!

[@kurosbelmont2355]

"You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!" "Perhaps the same could be said of all religions...." Richter Belmont and Vlad Dracula Tepes (Castlevania Symphony of the Night)

[@Megan-xm5nv]

I love these biographics, they're fascinating and informative. Thanks, Simon! PS I just pledged to your Patreon page for Top Tenz. Not sure if this show gets funding by that too :)

[@Biographics]

Hi Megan this is Shell. The TopTenz patreon page is not affiliated with this site and at this point we have no immediate plans to add a patron page to this channel. We still feel it is too young and don’t want to request more funds until we know how well the channel can do on its own. We don’t have nearly the problems with the demonetization with this channel as we do Toptenz so hopefully we won’t need to ask for contributions later, but thank you for supporting us. Simon and I both appreciate it.

[@Kyle_Schaff]

“…unable to speak legibly.” Is that a proper way to say it or should it have been “coherently”?

[@zorakj]

notkyleschultz Legibly is usually used with written words.

[@TheAfterHoursLV]

The Reverend Jim Jones - you’re just mad because he’s talking about you.

[@candice_ecidnac]

@@notkyleschultz No, he should have said "intelligibly". "Legibly" means "able to be READ". Simon regularly uses the wrong words, though. His videos are rife with mistakes, and saying "unable to speak legibly" is just one of several mistakes in this video alone.

[@ferociousgumby]

"Intelligibly"

[@jamesmeppler6375]

Good catch, he usually messes up on basic English at least once a video, which I always ask if he is sure he's British. He doesnt proof read the scripts, which someone else is responsible for writing. Kinda bothers me

[@levelbasegaming5740]

We can't stop watching!!!! Cheers!

[@KeitieKalopsia]

Wait so this is where the phrase, “drink the Kool-Aid,” comes from? It actually, genuinely happened? Now, I feel a bit sick.

[@TheBorderRyker]

Could you do a bio on P.T.Barnum?

[@Biographics]

Good idea. In the meantime, try this video about him on our other channel, TopTenz. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmSqp3aHf7uEnNU

[@YoungDen]

I read a couple of his books which we good reads

[@katherinea.williams3044]

Biographics How about Truman Capote? Do the subjects have to be deceased? Thanks- LOVING your channel ✨👌🏼

[@mrprimor227]

@@katherinea.williams3044 no he has done one one Donald Trump who is currently President of the United States of America

[@jessaguilar4747]

Yes yes yes!!!!

[@Christbepraised]

I was a month from being 8 years old when this happened. I've seen footage of some of the children that were a part of that cult and think that could have been me had my parents been deceived by that madman. A person who at least later became a Christian said that he/she was going to step onto the airplane and said they felt a wall preventing him/her from going. Although not a democrat, congressman Leo Ryan is one of my heroes. Such a tragedy but such a danger there is when people follow a person rather than the Person who made us

[@promethium-145]

I'm glad that the person didn't go into the plane. Thanks for sharing; that last line was kinda profound.

[@madswilkins1752]

It was flavoraid actually, love all your videos tho and they are always great!

[@steves1015]

Another great video. One slight addition perhaps: Aside from what other commenters have said about the fact that a large number of the people were forced to drink the poisoned mix (children and the elderly had it squirted into their mouths) and some were even found with puncture marks in their skin, you didn’t really mention his inner circle of followers. That inner circle were the most fanatical members and were the ones that bought the cyanide, mixed the drink and ensured everyone was dead or dying before taking their own lives. The gun shot wound that killed Jim Jones is unlikely to be self inflicted and was more likely the result of one his inner circle. While it is not 100% certain, the location of the gun suggests this - the coward could not even take his own life after instructing so many people to take theirs!

[@Camberampbell]

Love your channels. Please do an episode on Simón Bolívar. And one on Josiah Henson.

[@AlessaMason]

such talented people, so much depravity. it's a pity and intelligence gone to waste.

[@Skydog3]

Great content Simon - love your wife range of topics. I'm a subscriber - I've always wondered why your speech cadence is choppy and robotic? No offense by the way. I enjoy it.

[@leholen381]

A podcast I listen to called Sword and Scale was able to play recordings that Jones made in the hours leading up to the mass suicide. It was chilling to listen to.

[@JoshuaProtz]

It's kind of ironic. For alot of these videos about these psychotic killers, if you watch the first half of the video, they seem like amazing people who cold lead the world in great ideals or they are just good people in general. Like Ted Bundy (generally a nice guy at first) or this man (helping blacks integrate completely into society as it should be).

[@mikestevens8012]

if they hate people ,think they are smarter than anyone else and kill animals ...that's classic sociopaths , unable to see there their victims eyes , and smooth as silk in social situations..as if in lockstep.same : same

[@danielkim5860]

Wow this guy was actually doing some solid good things back in the days Sucks that he had to end it like that

[@miriamhavard7621]

That was how he lured them in. Like predators do with candy.

[@peggypeggy4137]

@@miriamhavard7621 I agree. He lured them in-got them to sell their homes and all possessions. Then he took them to Guyana. They were stuck there-then basically murdered.

[@peggypeggy4137]

@@miriamhavard7621 m

[@billslocum9819]

Daniel Kim's point is that he started out doing good things about integration, and he did. He even went about it in a friendly, non-confrontational way that made economic sense to everyone and lessened the friction. But the sociopath was there from the start, and got stronger as his church grew.

[@jamesmeppler6375]

Drugs drove him crazy, Simon/his writer seemed to neglect major parts of the story. When you're high and have people worship you, you tend to get a god ego, absolute power corrupts absolutely and all

[@stixvane]

I feel with biographies so emotional like this your channel should have an, "after thoughts" or something like that. A way to talk about the conclusion of what happened and try to have some closure on the topics.

[@mintoo2cool]

jim jones sounds so much like eric cartman ...attempting to fly, love of hitler, alleged "knowledge" of sex, charismatic cult "leader" ... lol

[@joeldeakin2003]

Do Mark Zuckerberg, Stan Lee, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg These would be cool. P.S... I know you all say you don't think that doing a biographic on yourself would be interesting but trust me, everyone wants to see this and it would be cool to see the story behind the stories. So please consider doing one on yourself.

[@raphaeljoseph6952]

I totally agree! I like work Mr. Whistler and crew👍👍👍 thanks for all your channels

[@sodomizingdeathmaster1795]

Mark Zuckerberg is an ass. He causes me such pain dismay.

[@joeldeakin2003]

Sodomizing Death Master still be a cool biographic

[@joeldeakin2003]

Alice Evonic I know he has refused it enough times that's why I said I know they don't want to because they think they're not interested enough, I was just giving a few ideas

[@SgtTurret]

I describe them with 1 word each. Robot, Racist, Fridge

[@jeffreykoch122]

Do a biographics on simon!!!

[@kavikatauanuu8173]

Really love this channel so informing knowing stuff that I didn’t know about the people I thought I know but is it ok if you show more skits and pictures than a close up of your face and of your mouth slanting . Other than that keep up good work

[@nenatfing]

Wow thanks I love this video

[@pummisher1186]

Mads Mikkelsen should play Jim Jones in a movie.

[@professionalwidow]

that would be fucking amazing

[@EmpressNoriko]

Powers Boothe already did a fantastic job of portraying Jim Jones in a TV movie. You can usually find it on KZbin.

[@AprilGabrielle]

OMG YES!

[@mlfeathers7527]

EmpressNoriko Agreed. Powers Boothe was brilliant.

[@ERROR-MSGplays]

There was a scene on television back in the day that had James earl Jones play father divine in a meeting the to had. I don’t remember who played Jim Jones.

[@SpiritzPlanet]

3:55 - That really tickled my funny bone for some reason. Not the Hitler part, the twig part.

[@captrodgers4273]

jim jones and jonestown is a great example of what socialism/communism is and where it leads and how it eventually ends.

[@oblivionnow92]

Whoa you came out intense in this one, all those cuts to slightly different parts of your dome was kinda intense too

[@stenbak88]

Don’t drink the Kool aid

[@JohnSmith-kz8yo]

and don't ever trust a preacher that wears dark sunglasses.

[@Ozymandias1]

It was actually Flavor-Aid but got called Kool-Aid by the media because it was a more well-known brand.

[@brewtalityk]

@@JohnSmith-kz8yo if the sunglasses aren't dark then how are they sunglasses? lmao

[@fukpoeslaw3613]

@@brewtalityk not all sunglasses need to be dark.

[@brownieboy69101]

I would love to see an episode on Christopher Hitchens.

[@kaljic1]

I would too. That would take hours though.

[@Murkoph]

How do you figure? Hitch was a great mind, great speaker, great writer; but his life wasn't all that remarkable.

[@lowkeyliesmith3795]

@@Murkoph read hitch 22

[@Murkoph]

@@lowkeyliesmith3795 I have.

[@lowkeyliesmith3795]

@@Murkoph good book hey,

[@Incontextwithjimgreen]

Outstanding job sir! 1st time here! I'll definitely be back!

[@JonB55198]

"Like the Jim Jones Cult I'll take you out with one punch".... best lyric ever.

[@LippyWitch]

its sad that he really could have done a lot of good and had started to. but clearly this guy was mentally ill from the get go and it helped at some points but it clearly ate him up in the end and he took others down with him.

[@Lionfish5656]

Agreed. I wish that people would not use him & Jones Town as a means to beat progressives & so called S.J.W's over the head. They straw-man progressives & portray them in the most terrifying possible manner which they could the most easily relate them to & they ironically have more in common with the people & regimes they're attacking than progressives & so called S.J.W's. For example, in the U.S.S.R, Russification, homophobia, putting down of ethnic & religious minorities, white privilege, traditional gender roles & even 1950's American style atmosphere were all promoted. Not to mention that the country was ruled by old white men.

[@spo666tty]

Cody Crouse oh wow, a Country with an overwhelming European majority was ruled by white European people, colour me shocked! Next you’ll tell me in China, their leaders are Chinese! Surely not.. Jesus Christ get out more. European countries are run by whites because, shocking I know, they’re white countries. Same with Africa. All leaders in, let’s say, Benin, are African, because it’s an African country. This really isn’t hard to figure out.

[@mehmeh2255]

Sunguluez456 Not all leaders in Africa are ethnically African, actually. South Africa just had their first black president. Granted, as of now many African leaders are black, but that doesn't change the fact that there have been centuries of white supremacy in Africa's colonial history. It's not something one can simply brush off with 'well now Africa is ruled by Africans.' However, yea, the fact that the Soviet dictators have all been white really has nothing to do with anything except that Russia is a white-majority nation.

[@henners8910]

meh meh What you people don’t seem too understand is that these arguments get us no where whites reigned supreme in Africa because they conquered those countries it’s only the natural order of things the weak die while the strong survive that’s nature an the fact this is being forgotten is why civilisation is failing in the last 2000 years of history there has been around 130 years of peace remember that it is the human character too fight and wage war and something else that’s forgotten is there are no rules in war so why is it only the losers who are punished take ww2 the bombing of Dresden that’s a war crime has anyone been held accountable no but for the holocaust of course they have because who lost the war ay

[@LippyWitch]

they do that? im progressive and never heard that lmfao

[@nefleury3118]

Great video. Thank you for being class enough not to show the Jonestown pictures. Those of us that lived through that time have seen them enough to always remember them.

[@theldsgirl9860]

So THIS is the guy that forced people to drink laced Kool-Aid. What a monster

[@rhondahuggins9542]

I was 12 at the time...The filmed images of the dead at Jonestown shown on US tv news are still vivid 40+ years later.

[@Rakshasa1986]

Westboro Baptist Church: we are the worst cult ever Jim Jones: hold my kool-aid

[@kristophermann6528]

Don't expect any ad revenue from Kool-aid any time soon.

[@schizophrantic]

"Jim adopted 3 children of Korean descent." With 1 of them being African-Korean.

[@dankyjoker]

is this relevant in any way?

[@schizophrantic]

@@dankyjoker No, but it's funny.

[@TheKing60210]

@@schizophrantic hmm weird

[@jamesmeppler6375]

Which is weird because he was so into hitler...

[@jamesmeppler6375]

@@dankyjoker if you found this video relevant to your normal day, then this comment is more relevant to the video, than the video is to you....its interesting as the guy liked Hitler, how could he be around so many non white people?

[@stringedassassin]

The part about everyone getting along was nice.

[@GrandAdmThrawn]

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple and The Jonestown Massacre: Paradise Lost are two documentaries worth watching. Both are heartbreaking.

[@justcomments1239]

Type 'Jonestown Guyana Tragedy' on KZbin and you'll find a good film made about him.

[@willhuey4891]

yeah he was played by powers booth

[@danielwhite3162]

I still remember the headlines from the shootout on the runway. "The Camera Tilts Wildly" with the chain of images showing the camara fall to the ground as the cameraman was shot.

[@Shinobu_Kocho4509]

Simon, you are the man. Love both your sites

[@Biographics]

Thank you. But I have seven channels in total ;)

[@Shinobu_Kocho4509]

@@Biographics oh wow. Well, I'll have to check em out.

[@lLostGems]

Amazing stuff! I would be very interested in a video on Che Guevara!

[@pokefan20001000]

Lost Gems he’s actually already done one! It’s absolutely fascinating; I highly recommend it

[@prettypleasewithsugarontop4858]

Andrew S thanks I’m going to watch it right now

[@jackalhead7433]

i'm surprised that you still haven't made a video about Marshall Applewhite

[@dontparticipate240]

Jim Jones is the greatest boxer of all time. He knocked out over 900 people with one punch.

[@samcherry120]

When you hear the expression "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions", the story of Jim Jones is a great example of what that expression refers to. He did this all under the guise of "equality".