April 15, 2019 • 3hr 18min
#12 - God's Socialist, pt. 2: What Child Is This?
The Martyr Made Podcast
Key Takeaways
- Jim Jones grew up as an eccentric outsider in a small Indiana town, developing an early interest in religion and social justice
- As a young man, Jones started his own integrated church called People's Temple, which grew rapidly through his charismatic preaching and social outreach programs
- Jones became increasingly radical in his politics, embracing socialism and communism while using Christianity as a vehicle for his message
- As director of the Indianapolis Human Rights Commission, Jones aggressively pushed for racial integration of businesses
- Jones faced harassment and threats for his civil rights work, which fueled his paranoia and mental health issues
- By 1961, Jones was experiencing a nervous breakdown from the stress and pressure of his various roles and responsibilities
- The episode provides important context for understanding Jones' early life and the origins of People's Temple before their move to California and eventual tragedy in Jonestown
Introduction
This episode covers the early life and career of Jim Jones, founder of the People's Temple cult, from his childhood through the early 1960s. It examines Jones' upbringing as an outsider in a small Indiana town, his early interest in religion and social justice, the founding of People's Temple, and his work as a civil rights activist in Indianapolis. The episode provides important context for understanding Jones' psychology and the origins of People's Temple before their move to California and eventual tragedy in Jonestown.
Topics Discussed
Jim Jones' Childhood and Youth (6:41)
Jim Jones grew up as an eccentric outsider in the small town of Lynn, Indiana in the 1930s and 40s. His father was an invalid WWI veteran and his mother worked to support the family, leaving Jim often unsupervised. As a child, he was known for wandering the streets naked and collecting stray animals. He developed an early interest in religion, attending various churches in town.
- Jones felt like an outsider from a young age in his conservative small town
- He was often left unsupervised as a child due to his parents' circumstances
- Jones showed early signs of being attention-seeking and eccentric
- He developed a strong interest in religion and preaching as a youth
Early Career and Founding of People's Temple (18:23)
As a young man, Jones worked as an orderly and began street preaching. He married Marceline Baldwin in 1949 and started his own church, initially called Community Unity, in Indianapolis in 1954. The church grew rapidly as Jones implemented social outreach programs and pushed for racial integration.
- Jones began as a street preacher while working as a hospital orderly
- He founded his own integrated church in Indianapolis in 1954
- The church grew quickly through Jones' charismatic preaching and social programs
- People's Temple provided services like free meals, clothing, and job placement
Developing Radical Politics (31:54)
During the 1950s, Jones became increasingly radical in his politics, embracing socialism and communism. He used Christianity as a vehicle for his leftist message, gradually introducing more Marxist concepts to his congregation. A 1959 trip to Cuba further radicalized Jones.
- Jones was influenced by socialist and communist ideas in college
- He blended Christian and Marxist concepts in his preaching
- A 1959 trip to Cuba solidified Jones' communist leanings
- Jones saw People's Temple as part of a global communist movement
Civil Rights Activism in Indianapolis (37:54)
In 1960, Jones became director of the Indianapolis Human Rights Commission. He used this position to aggressively push for racial integration of businesses through a combination of negotiation and threats of protests. This made him a controversial figure and target for racists.
- Jones used his position to pressure businesses to integrate
- He employed negotiation tactics and threats of protests
- His aggressive approach made him a target for racist threats and harassment
- Jones adopted an interracial family, further provoking racists
Harassment and Mental Health Issues (51:15)
As Jones faced increasing harassment and threats for his civil rights work, he began experiencing mental health issues including paranoia, hypochondria and possible psychosomatic symptoms. Some suspected he may have exaggerated or fabricated some incidents to frame himself as a persecuted civil rights martyr.
- Jones received hate mail, phone calls, and vandalism of his church
- He began experiencing paranoia, panic attacks, and health issues
- Some close to Jones suspected he exaggerated threats against him
- Jones had recurring collapses that may have been partly psychosomatic
Nervous Breakdown and Hospitalization (1:04:13)
By late 1961, the stress and pressure of Jones' various roles led to a prolonged nervous breakdown. He was hospitalized for severe ulcers, but even there continued his activism by refusing treatment until the hospital agreed to desegregate its wards.
- Jones experienced a drawn-out nervous breakdown in 1961
- He was hospitalized for stress-related ulcers
- Even while hospitalized, Jones pushed for desegregation of hospital wards
- The breakdown left Jones struggling to manage his responsibilities
Conclusion
This episode provides crucial context for understanding Jim Jones' early life and the origins of People's Temple before their move to California and eventual tragedy in Jonestown. It portrays Jones as a complex figure - a passionate civil rights activist and charismatic leader, but also someone prone to mental instability and manipulation. The episode sets the stage for Jones' further radicalization and the cult-like evolution of People's Temple in the coming years.
The next episode will cover Jones' time in Brazil, the expansion of People's Temple in California, connections to 1960s radical movements, and the group's descent into paranoia and violence. It promises to show how the relatively conventional story of a passionate but troubled preacher transforms into the shocking tragedy of Jonestown.