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After fleeing the [[United States]] with about 1,000 members in 1977 due to several investigations, Jones led the group of [[socialist]]s in an act of "revolutionary suicide to protest the inhumane conditions of this world."  The group feared a [[fascist]] takeover of the United States. Days later, a moderate Democrat murdered two prominent Democrats that Jones was instrumental in getting elected, Mayor [[George Moscone]] and city councilman [[Harvey Milk]], a [[gay rights]] activist.

After fleeing the [[United States]] with about 1,000 members in 1977 due to several investigations, Jones led the group of [[socialist]]s in an act of "revolutionary suicide to protest the inhumane conditions of this world."  The group feared a [[fascist]] takeover of the United States. Days later, a moderate Democrat murdered two prominent Democrats that Jones was instrumental in getting elected, Mayor [[George Moscone]] and city councilman [[Harvey Milk]], a [[gay rights]] activist.

Jim Jones was an avowed [[atheist]].<ref>[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13143 An untitled collection of reminiscences by Jim Jones]</ref> Jones was frustrated with opposition to communism within the United States which lead him to ask, "How can I demonstrate my [[Marxism]]? The thought was, infiltrate the church."<ref>Wessinger, Catherine (2000), How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven's Gate, Seven Bridges Press, ISBN 978-1-889119-24-3</ref><ref>Jones, Jim. "[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27339 Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 134]". Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University</ref>  

Jim Jones was an avowed [[atheist]].<ref>[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13143 An untitled collection of reminiscences by Jim Jones]</ref> Jones was frustrated with opposition to communism within the United States which lead him to ask, "How can I demonstrate my [[Marxism]]? The thought was, infiltrate the church."<ref>Wessinger, Catherine (2000), How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven's Gate, Seven Bridges Press, ISBN 978-1-889119-24-3</ref><ref>Jones, Jim. "[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27339 Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 134]". Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University</ref>  

The Temple openly preached to established members that "religion is an opiate to the people."<ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27318 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 1053."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref> Accordingly, "those who remained drugged with the opiate of religion had to be brought to enlightenment - socialism."<ref>Layton 1999, page 53.</ref> In that regard, Jones also openly stated that he "took the church and used the church to bring people to atheism." <ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27580 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 757."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref> Jones often mixed those concepts, such as preaching that "If you're born in this church, this socialist revolution, you're not born in sin. If you're born in [[capitalist]] America, [[racist]] America, [[fascist]] America, then you're born with a big d***o in sin. But if you're born in socialism, you're not born in [[sin]]."<ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27318 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 1053."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University. {{cite web |url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/Tapes/Tapes/TapeTranscripts/Q757.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=|deadurl=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5wTIqQUvL?url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/Tapes/Tapes/TapeTranscripts/Q757.html |archivedate=2019-01-30|df= }}</ref>

The Temple openly preached to established members that "religion is an opiate to the people."<ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27318 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 1053."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref> Accordingly, "those who remained drugged with the opiate of religion had to be brought to enlightenment - socialism."<ref>Layton 1999, page 53.</ref> In that regard, Jones also openly stated that he "took the church and used the church to bring people to atheism." <ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27580 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 757."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref> Jones often mixed those concepts, such as preaching that "If you're born in this church, this socialist revolution, you're not born in sin. If you're born in [[capitalist]] America, [[racist]] America, [[fascist]] America, then you're born with a big d***o in sin. But if you're born in socialism, you're not born in [[sin]]."<ref>Jones, Jim. [http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27318 "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 1053."] ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University. {{cite web |url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/Tapes/Tapes/TapeTranscripts/Q757.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=|deadurl=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5wTIqQUvL?url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/Tapes/Tapes/TapeTranscripts/Q757.html |archivedate=2019-01-30|df= }}</ref>