Guest Friday OT -- "I Am God's Socialist"

Hi everybody. @Angie is enjoying the festivities in London right now, so she invited me to post a guest Friday OT.

Once upon a time, a boy was born in small-town Indiana in 1931. Once he grew up to be a man, he moved to Indianapolis and became a noted civil rights leader in the region during the late 1950s and 1960s when this was not easy or popular in a southern-influenced state like Indiana.

He was the director of the city's human rights commission. He and his wife adopted numerous nonwhite children, including being the first white couple in Indiana history to adopt a black child in 1961. The charity work of his organization was extensive. They fed anyone needing a meal. They provided housing to the homeless and refugees, a home to hundreds of children orphaned or stuck in the foster system, and provided a path to keep people out of jail or the nasty, inhuman psychiatric facilities of the 1960s and 1970s.

His organization was multiracial, including every demographic group in significant numbers, during an era when the country was still struggling with the upshot of Brown v. Board and the Civil Rights Act. Many of his followers were older black people who grew up under Jim Crow in the South.

Then they met him -- he called himself God's Socialist. And he gave them love, comfort, and community for the first time in their lives after decades of society beating them down.

That man's name was Jim Jones. This guy...

1662731238925.png

I think many of you know how this story ends. Don't drink the Flavor Aid.

Now back to the OT --

What are some of the cults and cult leaders you find morbidly fascinating for their strangeness, the unknown nuances of their story, or for other reasons you'd like to discuss?

****Official Class Of 2025 Recruiting Thread****

With 2023 recruiting ending in the best class in Cyclone history, the staff has started looking to the next Cyclone Class in 2025 and see if they can do even better.
As tradition one thread to capture the MBB recruiting news, interests and offers.

Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media

HRM Queen Elizabeth dead after 70+ year reign

Despite official sources generally keeping the Queen's health out of the spotlight in respect of her privacy they have announced that she is "under medical supervision." With all of the royal family flocking to her side this might be the end of a reign that has lasted longer than the vast majority of posters on this site have been alive.

Roth IRA vs 529

I'm looking into opening accounts for my children that would be used for future educational expenses 13-15 years from now. I'm leaning towards opening a Roth IRA for them given if the money isn't used for education then they already have a retirement account that's been working for them. A 529 does have the benefit where the withdrawals don't count as income compared to the Roth.

What some of you done and what has been your experience with either?

Thanks

Filter