The Negative Effects of Cults
Jim Jones used mind control over his entire "Jonestown" cult to convince them to drink cyanide mixed with fruit punch, which would enable them to meet their maker. And the ones he could not control he shot. Most likely that is not what his followers had expected when they joined his ministry, but this is an extreme example of how cults can have negative effects on people's lives. Jones founded The People's Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1958. Eventually he set up churches in Ukiah, California, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. They were well known for helping out the cities' homeless, elderly, drug addicts, and prostitutes (Dolan 10-11). In the 1970s the small amount of people who got out of the group told stories of how Jones thought he was the new "messiah". Jones would tell this during his sermons while he was under the influence of amphetamines. There were also reports that people were being forced to stay in the group against their will (Dolan 11-13). When these reports stared to become public, Jones took 800 of his followers to Guyana. There they built "Jonestown". When Congressman Leo Ryan came to check out the village, he and four people with him were shot when they tried to leave. The Guya
Once they say something in front of the rest of the members they will do it (Singer 76). He was sentenced to 170 years in prison (Singer 57). Mystical manipulation is making the subject believe the cult has a purpose and they play a vital role in achieving this purpose (Andres [3-12]). Suppressing the behavior and attitudes of the subject is key in thought - reform (Singer 64). Not all cults are like this; in fact some cults are not destructive at all, but many are. It is just words and group pressures, put together in packaged forms," says Singer talking about brainwashing (Singer 57). The Second stage is "changing", the subject then begins to feel that the lessons of the cult are the truth (Singer 75). "Unfreezing", in this stage the subjects whole life is questioned. Getting the victim to confess of all their innermost fears and stresses is vital to brainwashing (Andres [3-12]). is that a person or group gains almost limitless control over the subjects for varying periods of time" (Singer 52). Luff was eventually caught and charged with aggravated murder and kidnapping. His "Helter Skelter" theory was that the black man was going to take over the white controlled world. Now more people have heard about it, but still people do not understand the reality of it. Edward Levine the reasons for people being susceptible to joining a cult are broken down into three categories: emotionally distressed, idealists, and intellectuals.
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Acceptance Essays
