Episode 16 MK United

In the charged atmosphere of the mid-1960s, Jim Jones moved Peoples Temple westward, seeking a new beginning in California’s radical counter cultural awakening. In Redwood Valley Jim Jones embedded himself within an obscure communal sect called the Church of the Golden Rule, an offshoot of Mankind United. Founded by Arthur Bell, a self-proclaimed messenger of superhuman beings living at the Earth’s core, Mankind United preached utopia in exchange for obedience and control. Jones listened, learned, and began to reshape his own mythology. As Temple members settled in Redwood Valley Jones adapted the language of mysticism, conspiracy, and communal living into his new gospel of apostolic socialism. Featuring first-hand accounts, rare archival recordings, and deep historical analysis, this episode explores how the Temple’s California expansion gave birth to a dangerous fusion of Cold War paranoia, spiritual manipulation, and revolutionary rhetoric. From fabricated assassination attempts to stolen ideologies, we trace the roots of a movement that blurred the lines between salvation and subjugation.  

Om Podcasten

On November 18, 1978, in Jonestown, Guyana, over 900 people died in one of the largest mass murder-suicides in modern history. Locked deep within an FBI vault, the audio tapes documenting the rise and fall of Peoples Temple were sealed away until they were finally made public more than 20 years later. From Jim Jones’ shadowy beginnings as a faith healer to the final, tragic night when his devoted followers drank cyanide laced Flavor Aid, Transmissions from Jonestown pieces together the story of a movement that spiraled into catastrophe. Transmissions from Jonestown is a true crime podcast and investigative audio documentary that exposes the untold story of Peoples Temple and the Jonestown tragedy using rare archival recordings, interviews with survivors, and original research. More than the story of a cult, this is an important chapter of American history that challenges everything we thought we knew about power, belief, and the cost of blind devotion.