Jeff Patton (CGI) has an article up about the "rich vs the poor." He says:
During those 60 seconds of
human contact between two strangers, your typical rich person reveals
his class affiliation through consistent displays of social behaviours
that are lacking in empathy, social engagement, generosity, and
sensitivity. In comparison, your typical member of the lower classes
instinctively treats others with far more empathy, altruism, and
sensitivity, because a person who is NOT wealthy has learned that he or
she needs other human beings to survive and prosper. Lower class people
learn early in life that they have to ask for help when they need it and
to offer it to others in return. In contrast, the wealthy generally
feel entitled to 'focus on the self', and they believe that they’ve
earned their own opportunities without the help of others.
The problem with many rich people is that they
possess too many things and all this stuff begins to mess with their
heads! Things have a perverse way of subtly taking hold of and
possessing the possessor. Consequently spiritual attitudes like
altruism, self-sacrifice, and doing for one’s neighbour as one would
have done for oneself—just end up seeming to cost too much for too many
of the wealthy.
I think this is perfect description of COG leadership in many of the various COG's. this includes Meredith, Flurry, Hulme, UCG and GCI. If you substitute the word "rich" above with "evangelists" you have a perfect description of a typical splinter cult leader.
Meredith, Herbert Armstrong,Flurry, Hulme, Pack all lack/lacked empathy, generosity, and sensitivity towards the lower class membership. The lower class members are just dumb money making machines there to support and maintain the lifestyles of the leadership.
Have you ever carried on a conversation with any of these cult leaders? They rarely look you in the eye for long periods of time, which an empathetic listener will do. They are constantly glancing around looking for someone more important to seek out.
They surround themselves with a small cadre of butt kissers who cling to every word and action. their social circle only include the leading ministry or those ordained. Few ever venture into the lower class homes unless it is to deliver a warning or stiff judgments. They have a sense of "entitlement" and that others should stand in awe of their magnificence.
