The new mobsters

[Ham]

Mstar's wikipedia reference to the fictional Elmer Gantry caught my attention.

....a young, narcissistic, womanizing college athlete who, upon realizing the power, prestige, and easy money that being an evangelical preacher can bring, pursues his "religious" ambitions with relish, contributing to the downfall, even death, of key people around him as the years pass. Gantry continues to womanize, is often exposed as a fraud, and frequently faces a complete downfall, yet he is never fully discredited and always manages to emerge triumphant ....

In the early 1900's, the proliferation of organized crime and resulting mayhem eventually got the federal officials attention. Whole departments were formed with the sole purpose of eradicating their organizations and products. Capone was finally aprehended on TAX EVASION charges.

The mobsters were beginning to find business a lot harder to do.. better armed cops, better intelligence efforts by authorities, better strategies.. trained men.. slowly more difficult to bribe locals.. what to do?

Get out of the gangster business?

Hardly. Just change gears.. at least the smart ones did.

Get in the religion business. Sure.. easy money, don't have to REALLY learn a new skill.. still don't have to lift a finger for manual labor..

The government will SUBSIDIZE you. You are suddenly untouchable- file the right papers, and you're TAX EXEMPT.

And like mr. Gantry, one may continue to womanize, guzzle drambuie like it's water, enjoy all of the good material things of life, and if one plays their cards right, one will emerge from scandal and certain ruin never fully discredited, and triumphant.

And one will have hordes of VOLUNTEERS to come to the rescue.. to make excuses, rationalizations, anything short of claiming to have been duped.. and the perpetrator doesn't have to give any REAL account for his actions..

It's the one business venture that I know of where one may go from public enemy number one to "manogawd" in the blink of an eye..

[Ham]

It's like.. no longer does need one need to market illegal substances like heroin, cocaine.. or perform robberies at gunpoint. Why rob someone, when one can convince them that gawd almighty REQUIRES them, to hand over the money, VOLUNTARILY?

The real success lies in the fact that one may then "rob" the same person, time and again, on a regularly scheduled basis..

The mogster can even give themselves a raise on occasion.. not just tne percent, but twelve, fifteen, or more if the victim wants gawd's good favors..

[Ham]

and qualifications, previous training, and half an education are not required.

All one needs is a sufficiently plausible "supernatural" experience, or two. Or more. The more, the better.

Some snowy gas pumps, a voice from heaven, utter a few words in an "unknown" tongue over and over again..

in fact.. all of the bad spots on the resume may be "miraculously" scrubbed off with the right kind of holy water, or some claim the blood of the lord..

"that was mah PAST suh.. how dare you impugn my honah and drudge it up..."

[Tzaia]

Ham,

I hear what you are saying.

I think one of the things that turned me off in going WOW or going into the Corp was the disparagement between the standard of living of the higher ups and the people in training or the man in the field. It's one thing to all be in this together, but when the standard is so different, someone needs to pay attention. I refuse to finance someone else's lifestyle that is not within my reach. I don't mind being a 10%'er at my church because the pastors and paid staff do not live lavishly. I had a real problem giving TWI 10% much less 15% because of the lack of stewardship.

[Ham]

Yeah. Well.. the difference between the two I think.. a real pastor has had several years of post secondary school education.. they are often qualified to counsel people with real problems.. they often do some real good in the community.. and for the most part, they have an untarnished character. Should they choose the plagiarizing, womanizing, abusive path, it's gone in a heartbeat.. I've seen it happen in my own town.

plus "preaching da word" is only one small part of a real pastor's duties I think.

I may not agree with them, but I can respect them if it is earned, and not based on some unique belief I happen to agree with at the time.

I really think if it were not for the "god" bizz, vic very well would have been a gangster..

some of these guys, I don't think have the potential or inclination to do anything else. Like a *lot* of old "leadership" who left the way- all they know how to do is "move da word.." get in front of a microphone, keep the mouth moving, make the same lame claims.. start an offshoot.. keep the donations rolling in, run the gawd bizz..

there are likely more, but I personally know of only three who left vic's tutelage, and plain knew they lacked qualifications, real, honest training, and credentials, and did something about it..