Pack devotes a lot of negative vitriol towards Meredith in Chapter 43 of his Authorized Biography.
This chapter has a really interesting section entitled "Are You a Millionaire?"
Here Pack states that Meredith asked Pack if he was a millionaire very shortly after Pack's father's death and consequent inheritance of his health food business.
Pack then says:
"...And there would be many a time [Meredith] would try to get me to give more to the church.Ouch! What an unflattering thing to say about Meredith.
“On one other occasion, when I offered to pay for a meal—with five others at the table in a restaurant—he responded by literally calling out across the table in an irritated tone, ‘What we really want is for you to give a lot of money to the church, not pay for dinners.’ He was loud. This episode was some time in early 1996. When the others left the table, well aware that he had crossed way over the line, he rushed around the table to soothe the moment. But in the eyes of those present, the damage to him was done.”
Later Pack continues this polemic in his section "Go Off Salary?"
“I did consider for a time going off salary to help the Work, but I was never able. I was constantly reminded that this was practically my duty. Yet, in 25 years, I had never had a savings account. Now I had a very little money, and I was being pressured to no end to give most of it to headquarters. [Emphasis mine.]If only prospective members of LCG knew this. That is your future should you choose to join LCG.
Now I know Pack is just trying to gain converts and their money (tithes) but alas this seems to be all too true concerning Meredith. I say this because of what I have seen Meredith writing to his co-workers recently, as may be seen here and here.
There's also a section describing how GCG found itself filled with conspiracy theorists who were later excluded by Meredith. Pack portrays GCG as being too accommodating to those who deviate from the truth. He does this because he wants your money (tithes).
In 'Another Hint About San Diego' the following is written:
I was shocked at the thought that I would come to San Diego for the position that the leader had described. He made it very clear that he wanted me to essentially run the entire Work under him, as a kind of Chief Operations Officer. He was most specific, and believed that my business experience, however thin I thought it was within my overall family, would be something that headquarters did not have. He would tell me every time he talked to me that he needed an ‘idea man’ around him. But I saw that so many men were stifled under him—so how much more would be any ‘idea man?’In "Overspending Leads to Borrowing" Pack relates another story in order to portray Meredith as an incompetent leader who keeps begging for money and has no loyalty to those who work so hard to keep his organization running (He does this so you will pay your tithes to Pack's organization. But we're not going to let that happen, are we?).
Global’s leader had no business experience, and both he and those under him wildly overspent beyond revenue received. This brought them to the summer of 1996. When the United Church formed and Global did not continue growing as had been projected, an extreme financial crisis developed. GCG reached an impasse. It needed big money fast or risked folding. Its leader decided to borrow from the brethren and ministry as much money as possible for what was hoped to be a short period.Pack then relates that Meredith approached Pack and convinced him to loan GCG $57,000 from Pack's newly inherited business' emergency reserve. Pack agreed to do so but insisted on having a promissory note promising to repay after the Fall Holy Days. However after Pack transferred these funds the promissory note only came before the Feast of Tabernacles and the money was repaid late. Naturally Pack is not very impressed.
More next post.
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