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This study may be freely posted on other bbs' and distributed to others provided this leader remains with the study text at all times. Many people today throw "names" around and use terms that they do not have any idea of their REAL meaning. Such is true with the word "cult", and even though there ARE multitudes of false churches today claiming to be Christianity, the word cult should not be used as though it had an evil meaning.We live in a day when it seems so many people are using the term "cult" as though the word were synonymous with Satan. People hear of a church that is different from the "run of the mill", and the first thing they scream is "Jim Jones". We are giving you this little paper in order to make you aware of the MEANINGS of such terminology. It is our prayer that in so doing, we will perhaps help you to be spared from the judgement of God that falls upon those who pass wrongful judgement (Matt. 7:1). I fear that many who say "so and so is like Jim Jones" are not really aware of the whole story about Jim Jones. I first heard of him about seven years before the dreadful tragedy while speaking to one of his followers. I obtained tapes and other information from them and quickly found that judging by Bible principles, the man was a very evil deceiver. I took advantage of every opportunity to warn people against the man and others like him. However, it was not until the Guyana tragedy took place that people paid any real attention to what we were saying. At that time, even the local radio and television stations were at our home and even in our church services for interviews. It has now been ten years since the Guyana tragedy. The name of Jim Jones has been heard over and over since that day, and many people use it to describe anyone with whom they have disagreements on religion. The term "Jim Jones" is now used as a descriptive term to give people the impression that whoever is described in such a manner is religion's equivalent to Adolf Hitler. I believe that if we as human beings are going to use such terminology, we should at least know the real meanings of the terms that we use. One of the best researched books that I have found on Jim Jones is called THE CULT THAT DIED, by George Klineman, Sherman Butler, and David Conn. If you will read even the first chapter of that book, you will learn the following: (1) The People's Temple "Christian" Church in California used armed guards for years before the Guyana tragedy. (2) The entire congregation at People's Temple had to submit to body searches administered by armed guards at each service. If a guard felt something suspicious, the person was taken to the restroom and strip searched. Even such things as fingernail files, tweezers, and emery boards were removed from women's purses. (3) In order to be allowed to enter, members had to sign their names at the bottom of a blank piece of paper, which if they did not submit properly, could be later transformed into "signed confessions of child molestation, family orgies, or assassination conspiracies". (4) Husbands and wives were not allowed to sit together in church. (5) Jim Jones claimed to be Jesus Christ reincarnated, and often mocked people's "sky God" and exalted himself as their "earth god". (6) The very emotional, pentecostal style services were commonly full of praises such as "Praise Jim Jones" or "Praise Father" (meaning Jim Jones whom they called "father") and even "Praise Mother (Jones)". (7) During parts of the services, people would walk around with boxes of pictures of Jones, many of which were attached to key chains, lockets, egg timers, etc. which were sold at various prices, often bringing in over a thousand dollars from the photos alone. (8) Multiple offerings were taken every service with various "pulling methods" and threats being used to drag in the huge sums of money. (9) The MAIN method used by Jones to draw the crowds was his "healings", which made up the bulk of the services, and his emphasis on racial equality. He referred to his "salt and pepper" flock. (10) Jones openly discussed from the pulpit, all phases of his "flocks" sex lives, including very intimate and personal details of sexual perversions. He (from the pulpit) openly advertised in very straight to the point terms and vulgar detail, the fact that he was available for sexual purposes, to any woman who was woman enough for him. Women in the congregation boasted in "testimony services" of their sexual involvements with Jim Jones (see pg. 26 of book). (11) The people in the congregation were required to regularly fill out written reports on one another giving details of what they had learned about others in the church by spying on them. (12) Jim Jones was (his own admission) a Socialist, Marxist. (13) Jim Jones claimed to have raised many dozens of people from the dead, and it was believed that no one in his church EVER died. (14) Husband and Wives who moved into Temple communes had to totally give up all forms of relationship in their marriages, and live apart. (15) Jim Jones constantly emphasized his own personal "loss" in his ministry; that he would never buy new clothes. There was even a sign at the front of the sanctuary stating that the reason that Pastor Jones was wearing a robe was because his clothes or suit was second hand. In return he required the congregation to "give up all", even to their wristwatches, and also such "sins" as new clothes, pictures of departed relatives, coffee, tea, potato chips, pork, new cars, vacations, radio/TV (other than Jones' broadcast), etc. (16) Jones would regularly name out various of the "sins" mentioned in number (15), as well as many other sins, and would ask all of those guilty to stand and come to the front. Since everyone knew that Jones used everyone to spy and tattle on everyone, and since they knew that their punishment would be greater if they did not admit their deeds, many would stand and confess. Others would be called to the front as different people stood and bore witness against them. Jim Jones would then pronounce their sentences (number of blows with the two inch belt wielded by an ex Baptist preacher), and they were carried out in front of all the congregation. Some sins required being publicly stripped for flogging. Often people in the congregation would call out, "Hit harder; you aren't hitting hard enough". Those being punished would receive another more severe punishment if they cried out, protested, or failed to say, "Thank you Father" when their punishment was finished. (17) Jim Jones "gospel" made his church a SOCIAL institution primarily oriented around raising money from those who had money, in order to provide food, clothing, and shelter for those who had none. (18) Jones had very little use for the Bible, but placed great emphasis on his religious "welfare" program; his main "Bible" was Huberman and Sweezy's Introduction to Socialism. Temple "bible studies" consisted of studies from this book and emotional chants of "SOCIALISM" and "COMMUNISM" while "dancing" to the music beat. (19) Most members were afraid to leave the "Temple" for fear of their lives. They actually believed Jones to be "God". (20) The mass suicide was not something about which the people were unaware, but instead was often discussed and practiced in "mock" rituals. At the time of the actual suicide, the people were told what was going on and in fact, many of the people joined with Jones in urging the "faithful" to go through the drinking of the poison with them. The NEW EXPANDED WEBSTERS DICTIONARY says that a CULT is "A system of belief and worship; a subject of devoted study." IS IT POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE CALLED JESUS A CULT LEADER? When He walked here on the earth in His mortal body, the very people who were suppose to be God's people were His greatest adversaries. In fact, the religious leaders opposed Him more than did even the Devil himself. The following are statements that people made about Jesus: (1) PEOPLE SAID THAT JESUS POWER AND WORKS WERE OF THE DEVIL; Matt. 9:32-34, Matt. 12:22-24. (2) PEOPLE SAID THAT JESUS WAS POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL; John 10:20. (3) PEOPLE SAID THAT JESUS WAS "MAD" (CRAZY- A MANIAC);John 10:20. (4) PEOPLE SAID THAT JESUS WAS A DRUNKARD AND A GLUTTON; Luke 7:34. (5) PEOPLE SAID THAT JESUS KEPT COMPANY WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE; Luke 7:34. (6) PEOPLE TOOK WORDS THAT JESUS SPOKE FOR SPIRITUAL MEANING, QUOTED HIM AS THOUGH HE MEANT THE WORDS TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY, AND THEREFORE LEFT VERY WRONG IMPRESSIONS OF JESUS; Matthew 26:59-61. (7) PEOPLE ACCUSED JESUS OF BEING A SUBVERSIVE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION; Luke 23:2 If Jesus were here in a mortal body today, I wonder if most people who call themselves "Christians" would not persecute Him and call His followers a "cult". I wonder if the networks would even allow Him to declare the "WORD OF GOD" on radio or television? I wonder if most people who claim to serve Him would instead speak out against Him, even as the religious people and their leaders did in His own day. Surely you will agree that this presents a very serious question for us all to consider. HOW WOULD WE KNOW IF IT WERE JESUS IF HE HAD CHOSEN TO COME TODAY, INSTEAD OF NEARLY 2000 YEARS AGO? LET US LOOK VERY BRIEFLY AT SOME THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUS' MINISTRY; (1) Jesus knew that only a FEW of those who professed to follow Him were GENUINE. Notice that the "few" in Matthew 7:14 refers to seekers after "life", as shown by the context in verses 21-23. (2) Jesus preached in such a manner so as to attempt to only draw genuine "honest hearts" (Luke 8:15) to Himself. His method was to preach in parables in order that most people would not understand His preaching; Matt. 13:10-17, Mark 4:34, Matt. 13:34. (3) Jesus would only teach on the spiritual meaning of the parables when the multitudes were not present and He was alone with His true followers; Matthew 13:36. (4) A careful study of the gospels will reveal that Jesus did not use modern religion's high power preaching and emotion tactics to instruct His disciples, but simply taught them using things around them in nature to illustrate spiritual principles and the parables which He often used. (5) Jesus sometimes went so far as to HIDE himself from the crowds of people, rather than chasing after and trying to persuade them all to follow after Him; John 12:35-40. (6) When Jesus' disciples misunderstood and thought that He was no longer preaching truth, Jesus did not try in any way to prevent them from leaving Him and never returning to follow Him; John 6:66. (7) Though Jesus used miracles to prove that He was the Messiah, His actual ministry to His disciples was not the emphasis of miraculous deeds, but rather was His teaching ministry of the WORD OF GOD which was to be the spiritual "food" for His disciples; John 6:53-63. This was their means of "eternal life". (8) Jesus required that His disciples follow Him with such faithfulness, that they would forsake all others and all else in this world to put Jesus FIRST; Luke 14:16-33, Matt. 10:21- 22, and 34-39, Matt. 12:46-50, etc. (9) Jesus spoke very strongly against the false religious leaders and their teachings that were leading many astray; Matt. 23 & 15. (10) Jesus did not use fund raising campaigns, or put on any shows, and was involved VERY LITTLE in social activities. Jesus NEVER held singing conventions or songfests, and certainly never charged admission for anything that was suppose to be for the spreading of the gospel. Read His whole life story. With all of these things in mind, I would like to ask the reader one quick question. Who was the greatest preacher who ever lived? TRUE, it was Jesus. Who should preachers today pattern their ministry after? RIGHT AGAIN. JESUS!!!!!!