The Worst Group Suicide in Modern History: The Guyana People's Temple Incident

 Guyana People's Temple Group Suicide refers to the mass suicide of a total of 914 believers, including Jim Jones, founder and church leader, at the People's Temple, a social group located in the jungle of Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978. Jones twisted the Methodist doctrine to create a social group, the People's Temple, in Indiana, USA, which initially seemed to start with a good purpose, advocating social reform. Then, after moving the base to the jungle of Guyana and building a religious village, he reigned as the king and monarch of a private kingdom, claiming to be the second Jesus, the true socialist, and the last humanitarian. His personal assets amounted to $15 million, and he wielded power to his heart's content as a nearly divine being. As this condition continued, Jones's mind also became morbid, and the harm became worse. He even believed that he was dying of cancer. Meanwhile, three investigators of the U.S. Senate who came to investigate human rights abuses were killed by them. Jones, who was afraid of the U.S. government's pursuit and believed he had cancer and was short of living, eventually decided to end his life before the U.S. government began its investigation. However, he thought that he could not die alone, and decided to involve his believers in this journey of death. On November 18, he gathered all believers in the square of the faith village and forced them to drink orange juice with poison, and then preached in a speech that "this death is not suicide, but a reform revolution for an inhumane world." This incident clearly demonstrated the consequences of false fanaticism and blind faith in religion, raising alarm among people around the world.