Jim Jones Anniversary Raises Hard Questions For Mainliners

Reprinted from Association for Church Renewal

Editor’s Note: November 18th, 2008 marked the 30th anniversary of the deaths at Jonestown. Though Jones is remembered as a murderous cultist, he was at first celebrated by the mainline and well known figures in the liberal establishment for his “progressive” sexual views as a practicing bi-sexual and early homosexual activist.

The 30th Anniversary of the tragic murders and mass suicide of over 900 members of the Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana has prompted public retelling of the story, new revelations and the dedication of a memorial to the victims this week in Oakland, Ca.

It has also raised hard questions for the mainline church. Both Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple were listed as a clergyman and congregation respectively, in good standing with the mainline denomination, Disciples of Christ when the tragedy occurred on November 18th, 1978. Jones was given his first church position in Indiana by a United Methodist Superintendent, and his Peoples Temple was featured in a United Methodist Sunday school curriculum lesson in the 1970’s.

With roots in Marxism, liberation theology, and models such as Father Divine and Black Panther leader Huey Newton, Jones preached a message of justice for the oppressed and marginalized that appealed to mainline liberal church leaders. In congressional hearings following the tragedy, United Methodist Minister, Rev. John Moore defended Jones saying,

“The people went to Jonestown with hope, hope which grew out of a loss of hope in the U.S. There can be no understanding of movements such as People’s Temple and Jonestown apart from this loss of hope. They migrated, because they had lost hope in any commitment of the American people or the Congress to end racial discrimination and injustice. They had lost hope in the people and the legislature to deal justly and humanely with the poor.”

Jones, himself bi-sexual, was an early advocate for LGBT rights in California. His People’s Temple mobilized political support for homosexual adocate Harvey Milk and other liberal politicians in the late 1970’s.

While remaining married (his wife died in the mass suicide), Jones fathered children with other Temple members. He was, however, also reputed to have had relationships with male temple members and was arrested for soliciting a male vice cop in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles in 1973. Several homosexual activists played a prominent role in The Peoples Temple, some of whom died in Jonestown.

After Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple played a pivotal role in the election of LGBT advocate George Moscone as Mayor of San Francisco, Jones was appointed Chairman of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission. While a popular leader in California, Jones drew praise from presidential candidate Walter Mondale, first lady Roslynn Carter, California Governor Jerry Brown and frequent visitor Angela Davis.

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Called into being by God to encourage and support renewal and reform leaders from the “mainline denominations”, the ASSOCIATION FOR CHURCH RENEWAL, is incorporating to proclaim the ecumenical convictions of our common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, through a cooperative publication, news service, and the presentation of resources for renewal. It is our mission to mobilize the faithful members and leadership of our historic churches for discipleship, evangelism, holy living, orthodox faith, Biblical apologetics, and the protection of the sanctity of human life, sexuality, marriage and family.