Russ you seem to have evolution and religion mixed up in what works to control the masses and keep power.
From evolution the only thing to gain is knowledge and understanding. Most research scientists make very little money relatively. Religion is the one that has money and power in the promotion.
It's not a problem of your personal beliefs, but the group mentality of religion makes it too vulnerable for a few people in power to manipulate the masses.

A recent USA Today poll indicates that 66%—two thirds—of Americans believe that “God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years.”

Religion works as a system of disinformation and keep people controlled while in ignorance

You seem set in your beliefs of massive conspiracies so I won't bother to argue them with you.

These are the symptoms you had with mercury poisoning: Weight gain, depression, thinning hair, fatigue, constipation, candida, anxiety, insomnia, low blood sugar, immune weakness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), tingling hands & feet, feeling hot or cold, grinding teeth at night, oily skin, sweating during sleep, heartburn, cracking joints, tight & twitching muscles, poor memory, shyness, fear of commitment, fear of confrontation, apathy about personal issues (money/property/health), short attention span, poor reading comprehension, and more!!

I'm curious as to what your answer is to what if you weren't cured? Would you still believe in god? when a simple chemical element can completely and utterly destroy your soul and who you are? Where does god fit into this?

Please don't give me a god works in mysterious ways or he is just testing your faith response