Organized Religion is Organized Crime

Let's take a look at what these two seemingly polar opposite groups have in common.

1) The community pays dues. if dues aren't paid, Guido comes for your thumbs
2) Each provide a false sense of security
3) You don't ask questions; both prefer ignorance or a blind eye
4) Both endorse the eradication of any threat to their organization

Every Sunday, ushers in the church pass around collection plates to allow parishioners to give their tidings.  This money is given to the church for them to do as they wish without paying a single penny in taxes to any level of government.  This money pays the salary of the preacher up in the pulpit delivering the "Word of God" making people feel safe and secure in this vast universe, it goes towards charitable organizations that the church endorses, and helps out families in need.  Sounds pretty good, now look at organized crime.  Kingpins in crime organizations look out for their community.  Despite usually having dealings with illegal acts, they provide funds into the community helping families in need.  As we've seen in many of gangster movies, small shop owners pay dues to the ringleaders for security.  Now, if you don't play by the rules in organized religion, you have damnation to answer to, if you don't play by the rules in organized crime, you have henchmen to answer to; either scenario can be psychologically unwelcome.  Both sides collect money, provide false sense of security and give back to the community.

Now, to avoid any unwanted attention, it is best not to ask any questions.  You're not going to stand up during the sermon and ask "If God loves us so much, why did he kill everybody except Noah and his family in a flood?" or "If God created Adam and Eve and they were the first people on Earth in the Garden of Eden, where did the people from the Land of Nod come from?" for the scripture is holy and thou shall not question God's word (disclaimer: the Bible was written, compiled and agreed upon by Man on what stories would be included).  Also, if you see the kingpin's henchmen "taking care of business" on your way home, you're not going to stop and ask "what's going on?" because you don't want the same to happen to you.  Both organizations rely on ignorance, blind faith and a blind eye to thrive.  Both organizations frown upon freethinkers and move hastily to quiet them.  Look at what the Catholic Church did to the great minds of the Scientific Revolution when it was proven that we do not reside in a Geocentric universe by Galileo.  He kept his devout faith to Christ because he knew no better, but the church turned their backs on him excommunicating him from their organization.

Threats of any kind on the basis of their movement is frowned upon greatly.  Look at what the Catholic Church did with the multiple Crusades to the Holy Lands, endorsing the Spanish Inquisition, and the countless centuries of brainwashing their followers into believing that they were the true religion, despite many of their practices came from Ancient Rome where they practiced polytheism.  Thousands of "heretics" lost their lives in the 300 plus year Inquisition under Spanish rule.  Thousands, if not millions, of people died in battle during the crusades.  All of these actions are endorsed in biblical teaching, going to war for God.  With organized crime, if an up and coming leader tries to take over already claimed territory, this is a threat.  Said invader either is "dealt with" by the henchmen or is the dealer that claims the territory and runs the town his way as we saw in "The Godfather part II" and "American Gangster".

I can say that I am happy with what I have in my life with God, and organized crime, being absent.  I have a loving wife, two awesome kids, my own plot of land and a house to call my own.  It was my doing that got me what I have today, there was no divine, or illegal, intervention.  If society as a whole will stop relying solely on "God's will" and take action individually we will be a greater society.