There has been no hint that Mr. and Mrs. McKay actually need such a doppelganger as Casey as their spokesperson, but, by all appearances, as far as Casey is concerned that doesn't matter. He does not want to wait for another actual incidence of persecution to occur, he wants to prevent further threats to his security from arising. Groups like the Jesus Christians actually thrive off of perceived persecution.
Casey reminds me of that kid Robert in The Wave, who volunteers to be Mr. Ross' bodyguard. Robert starts to dress like Mr. Ross, talk like Mr. Ross, follow Mr. Ross around, etc.
Mr. McKay and the Jesus Christians have made Casey feel good about himself, probably for the first time in his life, and Casey wants to do everything he can to make sure that nothing further happens to expose the Jesus Christians and hurt the credibility of the man and group that have given him his new-found improved self-image.
Casey's is a very typical position in most cult groups. People outside of the group are viewed either as potential members or potential enemies of the group. They are not usually considered appropriate for friendships-whether close or casual.All cults and abusive organizations view themselves as engaged in some all-important work, whether it is to convert lost souls, spread "The Truth," improve the well-being of members, or simply raise money. Nothing can be permitted to interfere with this all-important mission.
Casey's is a classic expression of the "end justifies the means" argument. This is a terrible concept under the best of circumstances, as it permits deception and other unethical behavior in the pursuit of "good" goals. It is especially heinous when followed in the name of God.
Casey (and all of the Jesus Christians for that matter) needs to learn that his importance and worth as a person does not depend on any role or function that he fills in a group-his value (and that of all people) rests in the fact that he is a human being. One is not more valuable because one possesses a high IQ, has forsaken all to follow Jesus, has many possessions, lives in a three-story mansion, or lives on a farm in Kenya.
After all, it is the Jesus Christians that make Casey feel so good about himself-so self-confident and worthwhile, probably for the first time in his life. He may believe that he has no options outside of the group, and that is not a happy prospect for him.
So rather than receive the message, he attacks the messenger through use of the ad hominem attack. After a certain point it seems that Casey is unable to refute the logical, objective arguments put to him and so he does what people often do in such a situation: he attacks the Jesus Christians' critics personally. If one party to a dispute can discredit the other party in some way, then it is easier to to discredit that person's arguments. This is what the Jesus Christians engage in time after time, argument for the sake of argument, and it is quite a pedantic and tiresome tactic.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2011 12:31AM by zeuszor.