For the last couple of years I have had an elder ( I think that's what they call themselves ) of the Watchtower bible and tract society ( Jehovah's Witnesses ).This close at hand experience has led me to believe that people like this are seriously self delusional, status and materially obsessed ( take out the position held in thier movement and they are nothing socially or even jobwise since they, at least where I am, seem to work for each other etc.), and are dangerous to those in society who are remotely vulnerable to the intense circularly reasoned garbage that they sell.
It has been fascinating to see at close hand the outward arrogance of these people, which is merely a thin veneer over thier desperate fear of being found out just to be like everyone else. I have had a few good laughs at this guy desperately mowing lawns and tidying up the whole road ( in rain, hail, snow and even in the dark ) just ahead of more of the ridiculously overdressed clones arriving for some meeting or another. This kind of behaviour ( and alot of other very wierd and sometimes very unneighbourly stuff ) starts to look an awful lot like mental illness or at least some kind of disfunctional compulsive disorder.
As people they have proved to be some of the most unpleasant self obsessed neighbours one could wish to have. I see people arriving for these mideweek house meetings, usually mothers with thier children in tow of young families, always dressed in Sunday best, including the little kids. They always look almost afraid as they get out of thier cars, and will always sit in their cars right up to the last minute if they arrive early.
Knowing what I know about thes people, having to live closely to them, it sickens me to see them getting away with such ugly physcological manipulation of others.
It is a sadness that this type of extreme, often under eduated, self serving rubbish, goes to tarnish those who have a faith, choose to live by it and in doing so actually try to understand, respect and do something useful for the reast of this planet, lets' face it, we need all the encouragement we can get.