The Psychology of Jim Jones - Movie Review Example

Kennedy, a preacher’s wife. With this in mind, he pursued a career as a minister and with all the passion, faith and love for the gospel; Jones entered his first pulpit with the energy of a young preacher. However, he was soon to find out that all the ideals he pictured in his mind would somehow be affected by the norms. The first church that Jones served in was fast declining but he seemed to have an answer to all the problems. He started looking into the poor, lowly Black people and perhaps with his initial attempts, his heart was pure and his motives were inclined to really preaching the gospel.

Nevertheless, Whites and Blacks going to one church was a taboo in his era and place so that he suffered much of the effects of racism as much as the Black church attendants did. Because of this, he determined to have his own church that would accept everybody regardless of age, color or status- a really ideal biblical perspective. Anyway, he soon found himself struggling to pay the bills and this led him to find ways on how to raise money. Through his efforts, he gained political and a lot of social ties that led him straight to the wrong person that would soon change him.

A successful Black minister caught the attention of Jones and he came to admire him all the more when he visited his church and saw all the wonderful things around, an evidence of a heaven here on earth. Therefore, his admiration turned into a stronger feeling or probably a mindset, making him listen to the advices of the minister. Probably, the strongest turnabout in the personality of Jones is the minister’s answer to the question which bothered the young preacher, what would he do to members who become temptations.

The answer was beyond what was expected from God’s messenger but it clearly appealed to Jones and his imagination started a detour that would make his talent, skill and knowledge of the word of God bring him all the money, sex, support, trust and fidelity that he lusted for. Control was one of the things Jones understood well and he played into the psychology of need in order to take control of other people. He knew that people somehow come to the point of understanding and seeing things that are not in accordance to the norms and more so, to the word of God.

He invested on needy people, accepted them as they are and asked the wealthy to help the poor and he sure gave the poor members of his church a productive and better life. What was sick about this was the fact that he used this to manipulate them and he reminded them a lot of times that without his help, his people, which he loved to call them, would not enjoy their lives. He even posted a billboard that reminded them to look back and remember their past otherwise they would be doomed to commit the same mistakes.

Instead of hope, he offered threats and it worked well on the people who benefited him with the fear of their past, to put their trust and admiration on him. They basically entrusted their lives and family in the hands of Jones because in exchange for the help and money he was able to give, he did not ask them a lot but their faith in him; that he knew what he was doing and this was only to help them have better lives. Karen was a disturbed young woman who usually lost her job because her employers usually go bankrupt.

Jones saw that he could give her a job she could keep and he also wanted to keep the woman. Free sex was exchanged for security and the cords that