That was one of his early missteps, pretending that he could tell his patrons to mind their own business without facing consequences.
That's why you don't wait until your children are adults to discipline them. He's been taught this sense of entitlement his whole life; as a man and then an elder in the religion, he could do whatever he wanted and then just throw his weight around (not literally because that might kill someone) and people would need to not only mind their business but admit he's right just by virtue of his maleness and eldership in the religion.
Unfortunately being coddled by his minions outside the religion didn't help. He learned he could keep screaming and chest thumping and making comments about his family's safety and his mental health and his life's work and whatever else, and still get his own way.
Plus he’s just not that smart. An intelligent person could see when they can push and when to step back and keep some things close to the vest. He’s just so self-absorbed he literally doesn’t think he can do anything wrong, ever.