How should a Christian view the Mafia?

Answer

The Mafia, also known as the Mob, is an organized international group of criminals that employs ruthless methods to dominate much of the drug trade, prostitution, and other illegal activities across the United States and Europe. The term Mafia originates from a Sicilian term mafiusu, meaning “bravado” or “swagger.” Some individuals are enticed by the wealth, power, and danger associated with Mafia operations. The Mafia symbolizes unlawful authority and riches, and in certain circles, an invitation to join is viewed as a privilege. Despite the fact that many Mafia fronts are legitimate enterprises and may have connections to charitable organizations, Christians should avoid any involvement with the Mafia knowingly.

Emerging in Sicily, the Italian Mafia moved westward and gave rise to the establishment of an American Mafia. There exist five main Mafia “families” that oversee all organized crime. These are the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families, predominantly operating from New York and Chicago. Their illicit activities encompass murder, extortion, human trafficking, bribery of public officials, gambling, infiltration of legal businesses, labor racketeering, loan sharking, tax evasion, and stock manipulation schemes. The Mafia is termed “organized crime” due to its highly sophisticated structure and staunch protection of its interests. Mafia conflicts frequently lead to unsolved homicides and gang violence. Essentially, the Mafia is nothing more than a larger and more intricate street gang.

The Mafia embodies everything that God condemns: arrogance, murder, immorality, greed, deceit, and wicked plots. In fact, Proverbs 6:16–19 paints a rather accurate picture of the Mafia, stating, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a personWho stirs up conflict in the community.” That is an accurate description of the Mafia’s activities.

Christians are called to live lives that starkly contrast those of Mafia members. The driving force behind a Mafioso is money and power. These desires are part of our sinful nature and have no place in a Christian’s life (Romans 6:1-6). When we notice these sinful inclinations developing within us, we are to eliminate them, not indulge them “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”, (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus stated, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Mafia members have essentially traded their souls to the devil, selecting money and power as their idols. They often have superficial religious influences, mainly Catholic, and may participate in Mass or confession in an effort to reconcile with God. However, Scripture is clear that religion cannot redeem anyone or reconcile us with God. The sole salvation for anyone’s soul lies in submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ, abandoning their former life, and embracing their cross to follow Him (Luke 9:23;Luke 14:26-27;Matthew 16:24-27). Part of bearing the cross is renouncing anything that displeases the Lord. Everything that the Mafia embodies displeases the Lord, so we should detest its actions just as the Lord does “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”,

Find (Psalm 97:10).