This just came in over the transom:

News Conf/L.A. Press Club/Oct 8/Chocolate Strawberries 4 U

(Los Angeles)  Center of The Golden One will hold a major news conference at the LA Press Club in Los Angeles on October8,2010 at 11:00am.

At this special news conference on October 8, Kendra Gamble, great-great-granddaughter of one of the founders of Procter & Gamble will unveil ‘The Announcement, which will lead up to an online and print media event on 10-10-10.

The event called ‘The Announcement’ will feature a presentation by Ms.
Gamble and Rachael Wilder, Press Secretary for Center of The Golden One.

‘The Announcement’ is potentially the most significant event in modern history and may ultimately affect the lives of millions of people throughout the world.  In preparing to make ‘The Announcement,’ Ms. Gamble has already been heard by over a million people in her print and radio interview.

“There are many names for God.  There are many paths to God.  But there is only one God,” said Ms. Gamble, “For history’s sake and the sake of people everywhere, come hear ‘The Announcement.’”

Refreshments will be served.

Be very leery when anybody—but especially a rich Anybody—feels themselves prophetically burdened to Announce the Most Significant Event in Modern History.

I googled “The Center for the Golden One”.  Nothing.  Looked up Kendra Gamble.  Turns out she’s some rich Boomer who has done the Rich Boomer thang of seeking self-enlightenment in her pursuit of Self and has gotten all het up about some guru named Gourasana who has sold her on the claim that he is the Incarnation of God.  That’s what the Announcement is gonna be about.

The great danger the Rich face is that they can afford to surround themselves with people who will never demand that they look at reality or experience any significant hoots and jeers (much less stoning, shipwreck, beatings, persecutions, jailings, beheadings, crucifixions, flayings, floggings, or roastings over hot griddles).  As you pad around the mansion, sit by the pool, go on your fantastically expensive EatPrayLove voyages of self-discovery, focus on examining your navel and ignoring the troubles of people you drive past in your limo, you are surrounded by sycophants who do nothing but rush to your side when you break a nail, or nod attentively while you babble about your spiritual insights, or freshen the drink of your guru as you make plans to announce your divine prophetic twaddle over wine and cheese at the LA LA Land Press club.

Compare and contrast:

Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.  Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? (2 Cor 12:24-29)

Notably, Paul seems never to have had any wine and cheese soirees when he announced Jesus Christ.  Nor does “in danger from American cheese when I specifically told the caterers I wanted gouda” appear to be part of his inventory of sufferings.  When Ms. Gamble is willing to endure just a taste of what the apostles went through (and without benefit of a vast fortune to back them up), and her guru dies and rises from the dead, then I’ll take her more seriously