Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.
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FBI Catalogue: Jones Speaking
FBI preliminary tape identification note: Labeled in part “Continuation of 7-5-72”
Date cues on tape: May 7, 1972 (Sunshine Mine disaster of May 2, 1972 a few days before; date notation consistent with European/Guyanese notation)
People named: None
Bible verses cited:
(Editor’s note: The verses below appear in order of biblical reference, not as they appear in Jim Jones’ address. For a complete scriptural index to the sermons of Jim Jones, click here.)
- But it’s a hard job gettin’ it done. And when I walk down this isle, someone’ll say, “Pray to me. Pray for me. Pray this, pray that.” It says, “according to my works” – the scripture says – “command ye me.” (Isaiah 45:11-13)
[Jesus] said, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth.” In earth (Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13; also at Luke 11:1-4).
Somebody was in prison, somebody was in hell, and you didn’t come unto them. Jesus was down there in that mine (Matthew 25:34-45)
The scripture tells you plainly, the heaven is within you, and that heaven must come on earth (Luke 17:20-21, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”).
He said, of Jesus, when they crucified him, he said he revolutionizes the people– he stirreth up the people. They wanted no part of him (Luke 23:1-24, esp. 23:5, “And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.”).
He said, “These are they that turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;”).
Do you believe that women should keep silent in the churches? ‘Course you don’t. And King James said, Let the women keep silence in (draws out word) all the churches. Suffer not a woman to teach. And let a woman keep silent, and if she wants to learn anything, go home and ask her husband. If the women would keep silent in the churches, we wouldn’t have any churches! They’re the backbone of the church! They’re what’s kept the church going! And yet the book says, Let the women keep silent in all the churches! Suffer not a woman to speak. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” Conflated with 1 Timothy 2:12, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”)
And all I want you to do is to act like God, because that’s the only way the world’s gonna know that God exists, is for you to become living epistles, the manifestation of the sons of God. That’s the only way people are going to know, is if you become the living Bible, so they can read you in decent actions (2 Corinthians 3:1-3).
God never said there was any slave. He said, There’s neither bond nor free, Greek nor Jew, Scythian or Barbarian, black or white, they’re all one in him! Out of one blood, God made all nations! (Galatians 3:27-29, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Conflated with Colossians 3:10-11, “…put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”)
And he said, If you got a good master, be thankful. If you got a bad master, be content. (1 Peter 2:18, “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.”)
Whatever state you find yourself in, therewith be content (Philippians 4:11, “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”).
[Slaveowners] put you in chains in the first pew. Tied you up, and told you to learn their religion, so that you wouldn’t want what you had coming to you. Said, “Slaves, obey your master.” You think God said that? It’s in the book: “Servants, obey your master.” (Colossians 3:22-23, “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”)
Summary:
(This tape was transcribed by Kristian Klippenstein. The editors gratefully acknowledge his invaluable assistance.)
This short fragment of a sermon is the continuation of Q 1020.
The theme of this piece is Jones’ exhortation to his followers to build heaven on earth, instead of waiting for it to come to them after they die. Using the recent and deadly Sunshine Mine disaster – caused in large part by the owners’ refusal to abide by safety regulations and precautions – as a point of departure, Jones says that the rich want the poor to focus on a pie-in-the-sky heaven, so they can oppress the them in the here-and-now. “The biggest corporate interests in this country, the biggest international bankers, they pay these preachers, they give foundations, they’ll give money to churches that’ll preach about heaven in the sky, because they don’t want you to do anything about making a heaven here on earth.”
In comparison, Jones says, reiterating a familiar theme, all the money the comes to Peoples Temple goes for the services that the church provides, especially in helping babies and senior citizens.
FBI Summary:
Date of transcription: 7/2/79
In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.
On June 14, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B107-38. This tape was found to contain the following:
A short portion of a lesson on current events by JIM JONES with the remainder of the tap [tape] being blank.
Differences with FBI Summary:
The summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.
Tape originally posted February 2021