Blondie is sooooooooo right, The Elders root around in the name of altruism, wanting in their hearts to save the Witless, going to who they feel are all that ones close friends. Once in the company of these loving friends they get all manner of dirt on the "erring one". Armed with this information they confer amongst themselves. In the meantime the ones they talked to gossip about the Elder asking them about so and so. This gossip goes right to the Elders wives who report in back to their husbands. This only reinforces the validity of the fact finding the Elders did in the first place. And in all of this no one ever talks to the person being talked about. These Elders, major cowards that they are, create exactly what they wanted and nothing will undo the damage to the victim.
But, in the end, the Elders and friends may have done the victim a favor, once this person sees the "love" they have for him it may help that one get free of the cult. It worked for me.