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Remember, if you see or hear a church actively campaigning for any sort of politics you can report them and get their tax free status taken away. 👍
That’s the brilliant thing about the making politics about cultural issues. Churches can campaign for culture shit all day long. They just can’t say “vote for _____.”
But Trump has made clear he won’t punish churches that violate the Johnson amendment in 2024, even vowing on a Christian nationalist broadcast last May that he’ll abolish the prohibition if reelected.
But that's exactly what they're doing.
Even when they do, and I have sent in photo of a local church with "Trump 2020" on their placard, nothing at all happens to them.
They aren't even contacted as far as I can tell.
Maybe cc a news organization or three on the email to the IRS next time and they can do some follow-up reporting on it?
Failing that, there ought to be some way a lawsuit could get filed that could force the IRS to do their job, though that'd be an expensive and time consuming thing
I mean, it’s supposed to work that way but that's extremely rare.
If enough get reported, especially since now it's been vocalized and reported. They're going to be forced to do something about it. I acknowledge it is wishful thinking, though, but don't give up. Report these fucks either way.
Doing something about it has a non-zero chance of success.
Doing nothing about it has a guaranteed chance of failure.
Can I report a church I don't attend, just so they become paranoid about who snitched?
Yup, as long as they're campaigning for Trump or campaigning for political figures in general, have at it.
Someone with some cyberintelligence background could have a lot of fun setting their software to search for social media posts from pastors/churches looking for explicit political messaging.
Maybe talk to the local news about it.
Record it happening so you have evidence to back it up. Get it onto social media so everyone can help report it, too!
I didn't know that was a thing that could happen
I've got to do some research because my grandparents church has been doing this since Bush Sr.
Not a single church ever has had their tax status taken away for politics. It doesn't happen
It happened in 92, but that's the only publicly known instance.
This is what you get when you consistently don't crack down on churches abusing their tax-exempt status starting a decade (or longer) ago.
Fine, as long as they have their tax exempt status removed.
They won't, because the politicians they elect will defend their base of support.
This isn't like when Obama/Pelosi went after ACORN in 2009. Or SCOTUS struck down the right of unions to fund raise for candidates under the Janis decision. Or FOX News spent months freaking out over the Ground Zero Mosque. Or Midwestern governors tried to cancel Sunday early voting in order to undermine "Souls to the Polls" black Evangelical turnout. These are people with real money and influence who aren't to be fucked with.
Conservatives will tap that reserve whole heartedly. Liberals will just shrug and say they can't be taxed because of The Norms.
Absolutely remove the tax exemption if they are trying to get political
Just remove the exemption no matter what at this point
Christofacists are the fucking worst
I hate Illinois nazis
Yes, violate your 501c status. We’re watching and ready to report you.
Effectively 1/3 of the US is Nones (and growing). I don't have the breakdown in front of me, but a sizeable number are "switchers," people who left their childhood religion.
I'm personally now an ex-fundigelical antitheist, so I would relish the opportunity to report them!
I'm a currently exvangelical Christian and I would also relish the opportunity to report them.
Imagine what would happen if a bunch of people "came back to the flock" only to report churches for violations. Imagine how paranoid they'd all be. It'd be hilarious.
Someone commented a while ago that "Nationalist Christians" is a better name for these groups because it conveniently reduces to an easy to remember abbreviation: NatC's
I really think we should push that.
If anyone finds any especially with video evidence I am more than happy to take a minute to report the shits to the IRS.
Also keep in mind that there's often a reward for turning in tax fraud. Not that should motivate you.
Didn't know that and don't care about it when it comes to this.
This makes me want to go back to church. Just a little though.
I don't get it, if I went to a church and they even mentioned a political candidate I'd never return. That's probably why I'm an atheist now.
Enforce the Johnson amendment
It's not like the IRS would do anything about it.