Reply #10: People are easily impressed by the outward show of "rightness".

[vixengrl]

Not "righteousness" and not "morality"--rightness. People believe that the Pastor seems to have his external shit together, he's saying the right things, ergo,, people suppose "let's follow him, and our shit will miraculously get together and we, too, will learn how to say the right things." And he sucks up to local power and they return the favor to get temporary approval from his masses.

(The problem with sheep is they totally expect to be sheared. They even benefit from a little shearing, it makes them feel lighter and cleaner. They just never expect the sheperd to want mutton. Still less, lamb.)

How did he do it? It's "on purpose". He's a brand. It's all about marketing. Take a look at the reverse-tithing model, and you'll see he's not much different than any executive plowing profits back into his business. A lot of which is self-promotional "goodwill" extenuation of the brand in other countries via so-called "charity." Looks great on paper, totally tax deductable, very profitable. Extends the consumer-base. In other words--he "sats his bread upon the waters," and it comes back to him in the form of more "bread."

I tend to look at most religions as having a parasitical component--he's a really flagrant example when you break down his methods.