Changes

In 1974, Jones succeeded in getting land from [[Guyana]], independent from Britain since 1966, and began clearing it for his followers arrival in 1977.  From there he could pitch his version of a socialist [[utopia]]; while in a [[socialist]] country he could be safe from the prying eyes of American investigators and be in absolute control of his followers.  By the beginning of 1978, 1,000 of his flock were settled in Jonestown, clearing the land, planting crops, dancing in the pavilion, and listening to Jones on the loudspeaker at night reading [[Marxist philosophy]].  If anyone wanted to leave, they were verbally brow-beaten by Jones in front of the congregation, scolded for failing to obtain "permission" from the man everyone called "father".  If that wasn't enough, their passports were confiscated on arrival and locked away.  

In 1974, Jones succeeded in getting land from [[Guyana]], independent from Britain since 1966, and began clearing it for his followers arrival in 1977.  From there he could pitch his version of a socialist [[utopia]]; while in a [[socialist]] country he could be safe from the prying eyes of American investigators and be in absolute control of his followers.  By the beginning of 1978, 1,000 of his flock were settled in Jonestown, clearing the land, planting crops, dancing in the pavilion, and listening to Jones on the loudspeaker at night reading [[Marxist philosophy]].  If anyone wanted to leave, they were verbally brow-beaten by Jones in front of the congregation, scolded for failing to obtain "permission" from the man everyone called "father".  If that wasn't enough, their passports were confiscated on arrival and locked away.  

Former People's Temple member Deborah Layton stated that "conditions had become so bad that half of Jonestown was ill with severe diarrhea and high fevers..." and yet they "were required to work in the fields from 7 AM to 6 PM six days per week and on Sunday from 7 AM to 2 PM" and the "food was woefully inadequate." Layton further stated Jones' paranoia, seeing "himself as the center of a [[conspiracy]]. The identity of the conspirators changed from day to day along with his erratic world vision. He induced the fear in others that, through their contact with him, they had become targets of the conspiracy. He convinced [[black]] Temple members that if they did not follow him to Guyana, they would be put into [[concentration camps]] and killed. [[White]] members were instilled with the belief that their names appeared on a secret list of [[enemies of the state]] that was kept by the [[C.I.A.]] and that they would be tracked down, [[torture]]d, imprisoned, and subsequently killed if they did not flee to Guyana."  Jones was "...the [[reincarnation]] of...[[Lenin]], Jesus Christ [and]...had divine powers." Jonestown, she added, "was swarming with armed guards [and] no one was permitted to leave unless on a special assignment." [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

Former People's Temple member Deborah Layton stated that "conditions had become so bad that half of Jonestown was ill with severe diarrhea and high fevers..." and yet they "were required to work in the fields from 7 AM to 6 PM six days per week and on Sunday from 7 AM to 2 PM" and the "food was woefully inadequate." Layton further stated Jones' paranoia, seeing "himself as the center of a [[conspiracy]]. The identity of the conspirators changed from day to day along with his erratic world vision. He induced the fear in others that, through their contact with him, they had become targets of the conspiracy. He convinced [[black]] Temple members that if they did not follow him to Guyana, they would be put into [[concentration camps]] and killed. [[White]] members were instilled with the belief that their names appeared on a secret list of [[enemies of the state]] that was kept by the [[CIA]] and that they would be tracked down, [[torture]]d, imprisoned, and subsequently killed if they did not flee to Guyana."  Jones was "...the [[reincarnation]] of...[[Lenin]], Jesus Christ [and]...had divine powers." Jonestown, she added, "was swarming with armed guards [and] no one was permitted to leave unless on a special assignment." [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

Layton elaborated on the [[suicide]] ritual:

Layton elaborated on the [[suicide]] ritual: