The Bible is replete with examples of False Prophets who led the masses to perdition and predicted that in the End Times even the very elect would be deceived. The loss of over 900 precious lives is the best example of the fruit of Jim Jones leadership.  The deception, however, continues and grows even stronger. Jim Jones used photos of himself with, ministers, political and community leaders to mislead people into believing he was a man of God and friend to the community, thereby, deceiving the public at large. Our dearly beloved grandmothers and grandfathers poured into his church upon seeing these powerful photos that flourished and appeared in both print and TV. If the Internet was available in the 60-70's his reach would have been global and he would have clearly killed many more. Our leaders did not know that he would use his beloved status with their photo and go on to order the death of one of their colleagues, Congressman Leo Ryan, the News team, 305 children, 40 infants and families to the fourth generation. The photo trick proved to be one of Jim Jones most valuable tools but he didn't have the Internet. However, his friends and followers do and now this ploy is being used against my efforts to memorialize the 305 silent screams of the innocent children who perished in the jungles of Guyana. In your blog an anonymous contributor compared me with Jim Jones and used a photo of my interview from the mass media presence last year at the 30th Annual Jonestown Anniversary of which I officiate. In that photo an immense amount of reporters surrounded me for interviews asking me questions about Jim Jones mindset and the Jonestown Massacre. I answered the reporters with gut-wrenching pain and used my hands and facial expressions to describe that Jim Jones was a psychopath, ego maniacal, power hungry leader. I also stated that his objective was to control the people by getting into their head via the bible, quoting it out of context and dividing families so that he could isolate and kill and kill he did. He caused not only their deaths but the murders of their most precious assets.......their children.Your contributor posted that photo but just like their father, Jim Jones, they did not post the question from the reporter or my reply. It is clear to me that Jim Jones hierarchy and/or some rival of the Children's Memorial had their reporter take this photo for this very purpose.The misleading placement of  this photo without the question and reply is being used to imply and purport that I have evil intentions and that my leadership as well as the Jonestown Memorial Wall Coalition is a questionable committee. Your named and anonymous bloggers are attempting to distract our focus in memorializing the 305 innocent babies that Jim Jones murdered. Remember that these are the types of tactics that was encouraged and taught by Jim Jones. I remember as a teenager that whoever did not join Jones church was to be misaligned at home, within the family and in public. How do I know? My family was the first black family to join peoples temple in San Francisco and became tremendous recruiters  for him, but I refused, stood alone, was attacked and became the black sheep of my family because I would not join his church. This attack only encourages me to continue my awareness campaign in raising public awareness on sharing and learning the lessons of Jonestown.

 

Various critics of other races have attacked us by stating that the African American communities efforts will be fruitless. We consider that to be a racist remark which is engineered to defeat us. But we will not be defeated, however, we are encouraged because we know that God is with us and the cause is bigger than any one of us and it has nothing to do with color. It has to do with what is right or wrong. It is about correcting a wrong. In your blog an anonymous contributor compared me with Jim Jones and called me a charlatan because I minister in the five-fold ministry, of which the gift of prophecy is one such anointing. Jones is not even worthy to be called a Prophet. God sent Jeremiah, Micah, Elijah and Moses to warn the people and they did not heed the warnings of God, they did not stop bilking the poor and they did not stop sinning. God has always sent prophets and the Chief Prophet was Jesus who healed the sick. Jesus warned the people to repent from their sins and they didn't so do you call Jesus crazy? Prophets are not responsible for the response of the people to God's clarion call. Are you responsible for the warnings that you give to your children, your spouse or your friends. Our precious Lord Jesus was humanity’s greatest prophet and healer and He warned and He was crucified. Should I expect any less?

 

Today, hospitals and doctors ask for prayer therapy. In an article in the LA Times HEALTHCARE PROVISION SEEKS TO EMBRACE PRAYER PROVISION. November 03, 2009|Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger

  In the meantime, I will continue to perform the God-given task that I have committed myself to for the last 31 years. I pleaded with my mother, aunt, who died at Jonestown and my grandmother, cousins and uncle Freddie that Jones was dangerous and no one would believe me. I, myself, lost 27 relatives to the madness and evil acts of Jonestown yet, I do not throw the stones of bitterness, nor stoop to hate, nor drag the fallen through the mud of recrimination. What I will continue to do is lift up the memorial, cherish the memory of the 305 fallen little angels and their parents and friends. I will continue to preach God’s Word imploring Him to shine upon us so that we will never lose our lives because of false prophets again.

 

I am busily trying to raise funds for the Children's Memorial and continue our humanitarian efforts and ministry in this economic meltdown and only recently found out about these online lies. I was made aware of  the January, 2008 lie last year and did not respond because it linked to our site www.jones-town.org.  I have never said that I would list the names of the murderers at Jonestown. This is another lie. Our decision to include the names of all the fallen except Jim Jones is not complicated. We are neither judge nor jury.   We do not know with any certainty all of whom were actually involved in the massacre, but we do know who the leader was. Would your bloggers also desire that I not accept the support, prayers and commendation's of the political, civil and community leaders who were deceived into befriending Jim Jones? They did not know that he would cause the murder of babies that included  over 900 loving people. Therefore, instead of picking through the ruins, we are moving up from the valley of tears to build a monument to repentance, renewal and revival.

 

Now that we have paid the first installment and unveiled the Memorial I have received phone calls that certain people are upset that we were able to get the first two panels inscribed. Others have stated that they donated monies and are questioning Evergreen's ability to  house the memorial. The Jonestown Coalition which includes survivors, family members and community groups agreed on a black granite 6 foot wall. The same shiny granite that  was used for the Vietnam Memorial. I then met with Evergreen Cemetery and they directed us to their Monument company that is used to make most of the headstones at Evergreen. We gave them a drawing and the money. Evergreen Cemetery kindly donated the foundation and conferred with the monument company on weight and dimensions. Why would Evergreen donate the foundation and then allow us to pay for a Memorial that won't stand?

 

Questions about the funding of the Memorial was also raised in the blog. First let me say that I have been the largest contributor to the Memorial Wall to date while donating over $11,000 dollars of my own money. This does not include the memorials that I have organized and gladly paid 99.9% percent of the operational cost every year. I have sadly stopped to pause and reflect on these horrific and senseless murders of the children and their parents who went to Jonestown to build a better life free from sexism, racism, discrimination and inequality. For the last 30 years I have solely paid these expenses out of my ministry fund and my own personal account. I organized, paid for and held the first memorial on Fillmore St. in 1979 at the Senior Citizens complex and it was full to capacity with tearful survivors, family members and the community. Our community was in shock, in pain and confused. Now these bloggers are attempting to  create more confusion about the memorial and funds in order to hinder the erection. It only adds insult to injury and does not help to memorialize or honor the memory of the children and victims.  I will take the time and go back as many years as possible and post my canceled checks except for those times that I paid cash. This blog is about distraction and deceitful practices. Lela Howard garnered support from leaders and built a memorial honoring everyone including Jim Jones in her 2008 ceremony in San Francisco. She had the audacity to inscribe Jim Jones name next to the victims and innocent children. She tried to have it placed in the African American Center in San Francisco where she held the ceremony, but when the African American community and  leaders found out that she was honoring Jim Jones they called the center and put a stop to it.

 

I do not apologize for continuing to raise funds to commemorate the little angels of Jonestown until the project is completed. However, because of the downturn in the economy we were unable to meet our goals to have the wall erected this year.  Furthermore, it is this kind of innuendo that has not helped over the years. What honorable causes that you know that do not need funding and how many good causes have been lost because of lack of funding. However, we all know that evil prevails when good people do nothing. My books are open and I have nothing to hide.  Our treasurer former Human Rights Commissioner and liaison from Mayor Frank Jordan, Rev. Eugene Lumpkin has deposited 98% of the funds. Some people sent the funds directly to the bank.  The funds have been protected by an Oakland non-profit and San Francisco AME Church 501c3 until we secured our 501c3. As soon as my CPA finishes his YTD report we will make these records available to the Office of the Attorney General and any reputable organization. Therefore, I call upon good people of the nations to help us do good in the face of evil and continue to love in a sea of hate. If we can do this together, we will never see another Jonestown massacre again.