Imagine yourself in a VR world that is utterly realistic. You can do anything there and there are no “real” consequences, because it’s all just software. The goal of the game is to live as long as you can and amass as much power as you can. It doesn’t matter if you kill people to help achieve this, they are just characters. In fact, it can be fun exploring the true depths of human creative experience. Similarly, if you yourself are to die, then it’s a shame and everything is lost, but you simply start again in a new role. This is what the true cult believe. The way you and I see reality and the way they see it, are mirror opposites. Everything we have learned since birth is designed to reaffirm our opposite concept of reality and thereby enable them to exploit it.
The worst thing that could happen to these key players is long term/life incarceration. Without power, or communication, or influence. This is their worst fear and punishment. Premature death is undesirable and means losing the game, but it is ultimately nothing to them. The same way in which they sacrifice millions to their own ends. Their belief makes it so.