People of God

The People of God is a religious community in Los Angeles whose encounter with travelers reveals a post-disaster society organized around religious conviction and the exclusion of strangers. Its members’ shared dress and public warnings mark a sharp contrast with The Tribe, whose religious interest Ish considers slight.

Identity and Setting

The group lived in Los Angeles and called itself the People of God. Travelers described both men and women wearing long white gowns with long sleeves, clothing that made the group visibly distinct. The account identifies no formal structure or specific beliefs beyond the group’s religious language and its insistence on separation from outsiders.

Encounter with Travelers

When the travelers approached, members of the group threw stones and shouted, “Unclean, unclean!” They also cried, “We are the people of God!” and made the travelers keep their distance. The encounter presents the community’s identity not just as a declaration of faith but as a rule for who could approach: the group’s words and actions together enforced exclusion.

Ish’s Interpretation

After hearing the travelers’ account, Ish assumed that a powerful surviving leader might have led the Los Angeles community to focus intensely on religion. He contrasted this possibility with The Tribe, which, in his view, had developed little interest in religion because it lacked such a leader. This is Ish’s explanation for the difference between the communities, not confirmed information about the People of God’s origins or leadership.