This month marks the 48th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre. I was almost eight years old when it happened, and I can still remember watching the news coverage. Even at that young age, the whole thing fascinated and disturbed me. I simply couldn’t wrap my little mind around how people could give up everything they knew, everything they had, and everything they loved to follow and worship another human being.

And nearly five decades later, I still find the psychology of cults both fascinating and terrifying.

What disturbs me most is how easily blind devotion can be disguised as faith, loyalty, or a higher purpose. A charismatic leader convinces people that he alone possesses the truth, that questioning him is betrayal, and that obedience is the ultimate expression of belief. Slowly, independent thought becomes the enemy, isolation becomes protection, and manipulation gets dressed up as love.

That’s the danger of cults. They don’t simply demand your loyalty. They systematically dismantle your ability to recognize when that loyalty is being used against you.

And let’s be clear: Jim Jones wasn’t a god, a prophet, or a savior. He was a manipulative, power-hungry man who exploited people’s hopes, fears, and vulnerabilities until his followers were trapped in a nightmare.

The greatest tragedy is that so many people went searching for belonging, equality, and a better life, only to find themselves under the control of a man who ultimately destroyed their lives.

Even at eight years old, something about worshipping another human being struck me as profoundly wrong. At nearly 56, I feel that conviction even more strongly.

The moment any leader demands that you surrender your ability to question, think independently, or walk away, you’re no longer being asked for faith. You’re being asked to surrender your freedom.

And history has shown us just how deadly that surrender can become.