Its simple Harry, if you are an elder in a cult you have to be stupid. Even people who are highly educated in one area can be very stupid and many times are when it comes to common sense. Einstein was a genius in Physics but stupid when it came to even dressing himself. To be an elder you have to have mental issues. Most elders I knew were all in love with the adulation they got from the old women giving them the golf clap after a talk. Oh Brother so and so. you give such good talks. bla bla bla. Many know that there are issues with the cult but choose to ignore it because of of the social structure they love being on the top of. So many elders I knew were also out and out stupid. They did not want to learn and thought learning anything outside the cult was a waste of time. I don't know if Harry is trying to be a cult apologist but to try to apply some type of empirical evidence to this is wrong.
I remember an elder giving a talk holding up a fossil from Colorado saying this fish fossil was found on the top of the Rocky Mountains. The only way it got there was by the great flood. He did not know how stupid he was being. And if you bring it up you are taken in the back room and giving a talking to. So save your apologies Harry.