Jim Jones

===Apostolic Socialism===
Jones developed a theology influenced by the teachings of William Branham and the Latter Rain movement, Father Divine's "divine economic socialism" teachings, and infused with Jones's personal communist worldview.{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=52}}{{sfn|Collins|2017|p=182}} Jones referred to his views as "[[Apostolic succession|Apostolic]] Socialism".{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=60}} Jones concealed the communist aspects of his teachings until the late 1960s, following the relocation of Peoples Temple to California, where he began to gradually introduce his full beliefs to his followers.{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|pp=i,97}}{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=60}}{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|pp=32–37}}

Jones taught that "those who remained drugged with the opiate of religion had to be brought to enlightenment", which he defined as socialism.{{sfn|Layton|1998|p=53}} Jones asserted that traditional Christianity had an incorrect view of God. By the early 1970s, Jones began deriding traditional [[Christianity]] as "fly away religion", rejecting the [[Bible]] as being a tool to oppress women and non-whites.{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|p=37}} Jones referred to traditional Christianity's view of God as a "[[Sky deity|Sky God]]" who was "no God at all".{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|p=37}} Instead, Jones claimed to be God, and no God beside him.{{sfn|Chidester|2004|pp=56–57}}

Jones increasingly promoted the idea of his own divinity, going so far as to tell his congregation that "I am come as God Socialist."{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|pp=i,97}}{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=60}} Jones carefully avoided claiming divinity outside of Peoples Temple, but he expected to be acknowledged as god-like among his followers. Former Temple member Hue Fortson Jr. quoted him as saying:

<blockquote>What you need to believe in is what you can see.... If you see me as your friend, I'll be your friend. As you see me as your father, I'll be your father, for those of you that don't have a father.... If you see me as your savior, I'll be your savior. If you see me as your God, I'll be your God.<ref name="pbs.org" /></blockquote>

Further attacking traditional Christianity, Jones authored and circulated a tract entitled "The Letter Killeth", criticizing the [[King James Version|King James Bible]], and dismissing [[James VI and I|King James]] as a slave owner and a [[capitalism|capitalist]] who was responsible for the corrupt translation of scripture. Jones claimed he was sent to share the true meaning of the gospel which had been hidden by corrupt leaders.{{sfn|Chidester|2004|pp=65–67}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Jones, Jim|url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=14110|title= The Letter Killeth (original material reprint)|website=Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple|publisher= San Diego State University|year=2018}}</ref>

Jones rejected even the few required tenets of the Disciples of Christ denomination. Instead of implementing the [[sacraments]] as prescribed by the Disciples, Jones followed Father Divine's [[holy communion]] practices. Jones created his own [[baptism]]al formula, baptizing his converts "in the holy name of Socialism".{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=126}}

Explaining the nature of sin, Jones stated, "If you're born in capitalist America, [[Racism in the United States|racist]] America, fascist America, then you're born in sin. But if you're born in socialism, you're not born in sin."<ref name="q1053">{{cite web|author=Jones, Jim|year= 1999|url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27318|title= Q1053-4 Transcript|website=Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple|location=US|publisher=San Diego State University}}</ref> Drawing on a prophecy in the [[Book of Revelation]], he taught that American capitalist culture was irredeemable "[[Whore of Babylon|Babylon]]".{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|p=33}}{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=59}}

Jones frequently warned his followers of an imminent apocalyptic nuclear race war. He claimed that Nazis and white supremacists would put people of color into concentration camps. Jones said he was a messiah sent to save people.{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|p=33}}{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=59}} He taught his followers the only way to escape the supposed imminent catastrophe was to accept his teachings, and that after the apocalypse was over, they would emerge to establish a perfect communist society.{{sfn|Wessinger|2000|p=33}}{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=59}}

Publicly, Jones took care to always couch his socialist views in religious terms, such as "apostolic social justice".{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=132}} "Living the Acts of the Apostles" was his euphemism for living a communal lifestyle.{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=133}} While in the United States, Jones feared the public discovering the full extent of his communist views, which he worried would cost him the support of political leaders and risk Peoples Temple being ejected from the Disciples of Christ.{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=132}} Jones feared losing the church's tax-exempt status and having to report his financial dealings to the [[Internal Revenue Service]].{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=132}}

Historians are divided over whether Jones actually believed his own teachings, or was just using them to manipulate people.{{sfn|Guinn|2017|pp=123–124}} Jeff Guinn said, "It is impossible to know whether Jones gradually came to think he was God's earthly vessel, or whether he came to that convenient conclusion to enhance his authority over his followers."{{sfn|Guinn|2017|pp=123–124}} In a 1976 interview, Jones claimed to be an [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] and/or an [[Atheism|atheist]].<ref name="jonestown.sdsu.edu">{{cite web|author=Jones, Jim|url=http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27498|title=Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 622|website=Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple|publisher=San Diego State University}}</ref> Marceline stated in a 1977 ''New York Times'' interview that Jones was trying to promote Marxism in the U.S. by mobilizing people through religion. She said Jones called the Bible a "paper idol" that he wanted to destroy.<ref name="NYT1126" />

Jones taught his followers that the ends justify the means and authorized them to achieve his vision by any means necessary.{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=61}} Outsiders would later point to this aspect of Jones's teachings to allege that he did not genuinely believe in his own teachings, but was "morally bankrupt" and only manipulating religion and other elements of society "to achieve his own selfish ends".{{sfn|Chidester|2004|p=56}}