Perhaps no aspect of our history has been as broadly impactful as the degeneration of our teachers and spiritual leaders. As part of a recurring theme that continues to this day, the role/label/title these earliest high priests and sages helped imbue with such respect, admiration, power and influence, became an irresistible draw to a class of men looking for shortcuts to undeserved power and influence.. and this most important of institutions - and the all-important positions within it - thus became their foremost target.