Change in Beliefs of Synanon and the Peoples Temple

In the last blog I compared the leaders of both Synanon and the Peoples Temple. We saw how the leaders charismatic and personable characteristics were able to attract a large following of individuals to join their organizations. These NRMs had leaders who seemed to have good intentions at first but would slowly change over time. These transitions/changes in both Synanon and the Peoples Temple would start as a place that empowered people to a controlling religious cult. These transitions/changes can be separated into three different phases.

The first phase of both NRMs is the founding and when both groups had good, well-intentioned beliefs and goals. The Peoples Temple began as a normal Christian church that was focused on building a better community through change. This new church attracted a large following of people who were searching for a place to belong. Inspired by the teachings of father Divine, Jim Jones a white reverend, preached racial equality in a time and place where both racism and poverty existed. The combination of both these factors were just what the people in the community needed as a group of people who felt as if they had no rights. The Peoples Temple provided these people with exactly what they were looking for, a place that was special and different than the norm. Besides just social change, the leader Jim Jones demonstrated that he had healing powers during church sessions by performing coordinated “acts”.

Similar to the Peoples Temple, Synanon was founded with the same good intentions to help others in the community. Synanons beliefs and goals intended to rehabilitate those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. The original intent of Synanon was to rehabilitate individuals and return them back to society. The hope was that through Synanon, and through the support of other individuals, addicts would be able to quit their addiction and rejoin the normal society. As a recovering alcoholic, Charles Dederich understood the process and worked to create a place based around similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. At the time there were no institutions or forms of treatment for drug addiction or rehabilitation. Drug use at the time was considered a mental problem and the only form of treatment was through a mental institution. People were drawn to Synanon in the hopes of a successful recovery. In its early years, Synanon did not hide from the public. In fact it did just the opposite, every Friday was open house where outsiders were welcomed into Synanon.

During the first phase of both the Peoples Temple and Synanon, they were considered new and cutting edge to the society at the time. This radical new thinking was unlike anything the people had ever seen, attracting those who were searching for direction in their lives. During these early years, Synanon and the Peoples Temple attracted favorable attention from the community, media and the government. From an outside view, Synanon was viewed as a positive place to be, Synanon was even recognized by government officials. Synanon even received funding from outside private supporters. During their early years, these NRMs had a working relationship with the rest of society and the communities they were in. Both organizations did not hide from the public, in fact they loved the attention.

As both NRMs moved into their second phases, both had a change in beliefs and sought to create more of a communal society separate from the outside world. For the Peoples Temple this meant moving to Northern California, to create a utopia free from the threat of any nuclear war. In Ukiah, the Peoples Temple formed a self-sustaining community based around farming. The Peoples Temple distanced themselves from the outside world. However, despite its belief in communal living and separating themselves in a rural area of California, the Peoples Temple still was involved in the outside world. Because of their large following, the Peoples Temple a very influential power and became involved in politics. The fact is that the Peoples Temple could be mobilized to rally voters and even provided a large number of voters itself. In San Francisco, Reverend Jim Jones was even asked to be an advisor for politician George Moscone.

Similar to the Peoples Temple, Synanon expanded from its beachfront location in Santa Monica to Northern California, specifically, Marin County. Marin is a country/rural area that allowed Synanon to transition from a rehabilitation center to a community organization where people were expected never to leave. Charles Dederich now believed that addiction was something that could not be overcome and recover from, Synanon members were now expected to stay in the community forever. Similar to the People Temple, Synanon became a place where people would live communally.

As both organizations transitioned into the third phase, both NRMs had a change in the relationship with the rest of society. After allegations of abuse and after several changes to the beliefs both NRMs attracted further attention from the media and government. These changes and secrecy brought opposition from the community for further information and transparency. The new found attention would have negative effects on both Synanon and the Peoples Temple. In this last phase, both Synanon and the Peoples temple would further distance themselves from society to become organizations of mystery and secrecy. As time went on, both NRMs would become a violent and controlling religious cult. Both organizations would purchase guns and begin training their own military forces. Driven by the media coverage both organizations would act out in ways that harmed other individuals. This last phase and the fall of both Synanon and The Peoples Temple will be highlighted in detail in my next blog post.

Work Cited

A timeline of Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple. (2011, November 18). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from http://www.modbee.com/latest-news/article3138637.html

Biography: Jim Jones. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/jonestown-bio-jones/