![]() ![]() The extreme devotion to Jim Jones and the deadly results from his followers’ allegiance left no doubt that the Peoples Temple met every definition of a cult. Many years later, as a writer, I contributed to the body of work exploring this phenomenon – the Jonestown Project, sponsored by the religious studies department at San Diego State University. So, I delved into it, trying to understand how religious people can become so easily led astray from truth, hope and life itself. ![]() This event coincided with my theological studies. The common use of “drinking the Kool-Aid,” when referring to someone uncritically accepting so-called truth espoused by an authoritarian leader, came from this tragic incident on Nov. The Peoples Temple, led by minister Jim Jones, is one of the most extreme forms of cultic behavior, leading to the deaths of more than 900 followers in Jonestown, Guyana. No room is allowed for truth to arise from within it is dispensed solely and without questioning by an authoritative leader. Other typical marks include secrecy about finances, and leadership that is not held to behavioral standards expected of others. Logic is sacrificed for inclusion in the esoteric group, and fears stirred by these theories fuel greater allegiance to the leader who is deemed the only source of hope. Verifiable facts to the contrary are not persuasive. Unfounded conspiracy theories about secret power structures and history-changing events on the horizon, unknown to or unaccepted by the masses, are fully embraced by cultists. These include rejection of criticism and critical thinking, treating disagreement as disloyalty, allowing no room for independent decision making, a process of indoctrination (sometimes called brainwashing) and the elevation of specific teachings to an inerrant, infallible status. While a cult rests on blind and unwavering allegiance to an authoritative leader, there are more requirements. His egregious behavior that followed – while retaining significant support, especially among conservative white Christians – suggests the accuracy of this claim from someone known for repeated inaccuracies. The idea of a “cult of personality” was certainly raised by Trump himself when he bragged he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and not lose any voters. Therefore, calling the broader swath of supporters of the current president or anyone else a cultist would be inaccurate.īut it is fair to ask if within this sea of political loyalists are those, in great number, who have taken Trumpism to the point of cultism. Strong allegiance to a religious or political leader is not enough to make one a cultist. I resist using it, however, when the technical definitions are not met. ![]() The word “cult” gets tossed around to the point it takes on pejorative meanings. ![]()
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