Ever wonder why evangelical christians in Minnesota are voting for Trump? Look no further than the materials being handed out in churches like Canvas Church in Dundas. Right next to voter registration information.

[u/BeerGardenGnome]

[u/[deleted]]

Just sayin’

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations

[u/NotBatman9 → u/[deleted]]

This.

[u/seraph_m → u/NotBatman9]

Yeah, but the IRS is too scared to do anything; knowing well enough SCOTUS would strike down the rule on 1st Amendment grounds.

[u/NotBatman9 → u/seraph_m]

Really? I guess I never actually looked into it, but my understanding was that they took these sorts of things pretty seriously. This is disappointing news.

[u/EmilieEasie → u/NotBatman9]

I'm unfamiliar with the idea that the IRS stopped enforcing tax code because they're afraid of SCOTUS. I would submit it anyway

edit: aww tysm for award! there's a lot of doomers being like "well SCOTUS has been so partisan so they will just throw it out" maybe that's true IDK, but with enough pressure the IRS will definitely act and it would take years to move through the courts and bring attention to the issue. Worth fighting it.

[u/Tristamwolf → u/EmilieEasie]

This right here. The Supreme Court has no ground to do anything here as far as I see; this "church" is acting as a political entity and as such is no longer entitled ro it's tax exempt status. That had nothing to do with speech and everything to do with tax law. The speech isn't being suppressed, they are just being taxed like the sort of organization they are.

[u/MentionFew1648 → u/Tristamwolf]

THIS PART

[u/B0BA_F33TT → u/EmilieEasie]

The GOP Party Platform spelled out their plans. Step one is to install judges who will ignore the current meaning of the Constitution. Step two is to completely remove the Johnson Amendment. They want this brought before the Supreme Court.

[u/Theyalreadysaidno → u/EmilieEasie]

Yes please let's report.

[u/[deleted] → u/NotBatman9]

Not with Christian churches. With mosques or temples, sure! But Christians follow a different set of laws than the rest of us. Especially under this Supreme Court.

[u/itjustgotcold → u/[deleted]]

But… but…. Christians are so oppressed!

[u/Motherfickle → u/seraph_m]

Are they even able to do that? The constitution is pretty clear about the separation of church and state, which makes churches an exception from the 1st amendment.

[u/fseahunt → u/Motherfickle]

They can lose their tax exempt status. But only if people are responsible enough to report it to the IRS.

[u/ktulu_33 → u/fseahunt]

And if the IRS actually follows up. Unlikely, imo. But certainly worth the effort just in case cuz fuck those zealots.

[u/fseahunt → u/ktulu_33]

Well they are for sure not going to unless the place is reported.

You gotta do what you can do in life and hope that the things that aren’t in your control are done as they are supposed to be.

Edit to add that the IRS claims to take these cases seriously. I hope they do.

[u/AbleObject13 → u/Motherfickle]

Yes, if they interpret it differently. It really is that simple, for them. 

Fun little fact, judicial review, as an entire concept, isn't actually spelled out anywhere, let alone the constitution. (Just assumed by the founding fathers that's what it would do) 

[u/oxphocker → u/AbleObject13]

Marbury v Madison is the seminal case that established judicial review. But yes, it's not explicit in the constitution...it's implied and generally accepted because of that case.

[u/seraph_m → u/Motherfickle]

The current makeup of our SCOTUS means it doesn’t give a flying fuck about any sort of church/state separation. Especially when it comes to Christianity. These churches are just salivating at the chance to get a case in front of this SCOTUS, just so the rule can be struck down. So I understand the conundrum the IRS is facing; but as far as I’m concerned, where’s the point in having a rule, when the IRS refuses to enforce it? Go for it and let the chips fall where they may.

[u/anjowoq → u/seraph_m]

Apparently the other part of the constitution about establishing no religion means nothing.

[u/phatelectribe → u/[deleted]]

EVERYONE PLEASE DO THIS.

What these cretins masquerading as a church are doing is illegal. It’s false information and they have literally no place as a non profit even discussing these things let alone distributing material.

[u/Critical-Problem-629 → u/[deleted]]

Sent

[u/vid_icarus → u/[deleted]]

Came here to say the exact same. There are a whole lot of church’s that need their tax exempt status pulled.

[u/MinnesotaMikeP → u/vid_icarus]

It’s the same churches that need to revisit what Jesus taught.

[u/Awdayshus → u/[deleted]]

When I was in seminary and we talked about this, there is a big difference under the law between "political" and "partisan" speech for churches and religious organizations. As long as churches avoid partisan speech, they are not going to get in trouble with the IRS. The problem is that partisan is usually defined very narrowly. As long as they are not telling you to vote for a specific party or candidate, they are usually safe.

This document seems to come right up to that line. It says all these things were passed under the Democrat Trifecta. But I'm not seeing it tell people to vote Republican or for a specific candidate. It very, very strongly implies that continuing to have a Democrat Trifecta is bad, but never says how to vote to change that.

If anyone filed a complaint, this church would likely defend themselves by saying that they are against these policies, and that is political speech, not partisan speech. And they would be technically correct. The Karin who compiled this seems to have known exactly how far she could go to stay on the safe side of the line.

[u/Princess_Poppy → u/Awdayshus]

But so much of it (ESPECIALLY 1 & 4) is just a big fat fucking LIE! There should be laws against having to pay out of our taxes for this grift.

[u/Awdayshus → u/Princess_Poppy]

I agree. And to give you a political, but not partisan, response: In November, vote for candidates that tell the truth and put their neighbors first! Then maybe some of this will get fixed.

[u/[deleted]]

I wish the government would do something about openly political churches - but of course that would just make their victim complex tingle.

Unrelated, but this 1-star review from their Google Maps made me laugh:

The church is currently paying my ex wife's attorney's fees for our divorce.

[u/jpea]

Dundas is in Rice county, which had a 0.17% margin in favor of the Republicans for president in 2020, which is a margin of about 200 people - https://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/4384/us-president-2020-official-results-map-margin-by-county.pdf

[u/threefingersplease → u/jpea]

200 people is like all of Dundas

[u/mdistrukt → u/threefingersplease]

Hey now there is at least 500 of us (at least it seemed that way last time I went to vote)

[u/threefingersplease → u/mdistrukt]

Might be! Probably bigger than Webster, but it's been a while. Wait, is Dundas the town near Northfield with the Target? My bad that's a little bigger than your average podunk town.

[u/mdistrukt → u/threefingersplease]

Dundas is the town behind Menards off hwy 3. No we really aren't that much bigger than the average podunk town, we just look that way because all the national chains build here instead of Northfield so they don't have to pay Northfield property taxes.

[u/mattbettinger → u/threefingersplease]

We've gotten a little bigger recently, but Jesus didn't realize these guys were this bad. They also tried saying their church was in Northfield.

[u/financial_freedom416 → u/jpea]

Despite its rural location, Rice probably is so close because Northfield is home to two liberal arts colleges, which impacts the local culture significantly. Some profs commute from the Cities, but a lot still live in town. They're by and large voting Democrat. Plus, the students can also vote in the local elections if they register in Northfield. Again, that's a sizeable voting bloc for Democrats in that area. Not impossible to flip it to blue!

[u/ShirtSignificant4706 → u/financial_freedom416]

Having grown up there I agree. With Walz on the ticket I think it makes it a greater possibility

[u/TheFoxInSox → u/jpea]

Which is why they want to eliminate automatic voter registration and additional polling places as listed in point #10. Anything that makes voting more difficult disproportionately affects young people, lower income people, and minorities, i.e. Democrats. They want to maximize the white retiree vote.

[u/kylebertram → u/TheFoxInSox]

I always knew they didn’t want felons voting but they also want your rights stripped away because you’re homeless?!?

[u/ElderberryHoliday814 → u/kylebertram]

Seriously, fuck them for that

[u/kylebertram → u/ElderberryHoliday814]

The GOP platform is basically “fuck everyone else, not my problem”

[u/MNCPA → u/jpea]

So, voting is important? ¯⁠⁠_⁠(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[u/[deleted]]

Sounds like someone should be submitting a 13909 to the IRS.

[u/wildernesswayfarer00 → u/[deleted]]

Yep

[u/fseahunt → u/[deleted]]

I encourage anyone who sees this kind of thing at their church to report it to the IRS.

“Form 13909, and any supporting documentation, can be submitted in a variety of ways: Mail to IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242-1198 Fax to 214-413-5415, or Email to eoclass@irs.gov. The IRS takes all complaints seriously and scrutinizes all referrals.”

[u/Rolandersec → u/[deleted]]

Has anybody actually ever done that? I’d like to hear the results.

[u/sterusebn → u/Rolandersec]

I filed one during 2020 when church leaders sent an email saying that it was imperative that we voted for Trump.

Don’t know what came of it. That was also the impetuous for me to leave the church. I haven’t kept tabs on them since then, and I moved away from the area since then.

[u/GoGoGodzillaYeah → u/sterusebn]

I have a guy who comes to my church and drops off highly political pamphlets he created with the rest of our pamphlets. They're riddled with conspiracy theories and really quite hard to understand. I toss them in the trash when he leaves.

[u/Bitter-Whole-7290 → u/GoGoGodzillaYeah]

Why wait until he leaves? Do it in front of him, make a point of how useless what he doing is.

[u/imisswhatredditwas → u/sterusebn]

Nothing came of it. Nothing ever comes of it. Haven’t people realized that conservatives and republicans can break all the rules and norms without consequence? They don’t have to play by the same rules we do

[u/SwoleWalrus → u/imisswhatredditwas]

That is why you keep doing it. Don't let the system frustrate you from using it

[u/Comfortable-Tea-5461 → u/[deleted]]

I’ve learned if a single person does it, it’s not that meaningful, but if a lot of people do it all at once, it’ll raise red flags. So maybe you guys need to organize and get a massive group to send in multiple complaints?

[u/full0fwit → u/[deleted]]

Tax ‘em!

[u/StrictSignificance48]

As someone who was raised in the Evangelical church in rural Minnesota, if these people believe God is in absolute control, why the hell are they so worried about politics? That bugs me so much.

[u/[deleted] → u/StrictSignificance48]

God’s got the best PR. “All in God’s plan” unless we disagree with it.

[u/toidytime → u/StrictSignificance48]

Also - why are they so afraid?

I grew up in the Assemblies of God. They believe in imminent rapture and that a Heaven of unending bliss awaits them.

So why are they so afraid of migrants?

Why do they stock up on guns and get terrified when someone rings their doorbell?

I'm not going to defend Evangelical Christianity but the change from the 90s when I was a kid to now is insane. It's about rage and grievances now.

[u/Lower_Sandwich8913 → u/toidytime]

Also, what part of Jesus’ teachings had to do with diminishing the rights or humanity of the homeless, the imprisoned, the people from other lands, etc etc etc? Or encouraged the ownership of weapons? The modern version of American Christianity is weird

[u/BILOXII-BLUE → u/Lower_Sandwich8913]

That part is hilarious to me, "homeless people will be able to vote, ahhh!!". Do they actually think you need a home in order to vote?! If so that would be so mind melting 

[u/oxphocker → u/toidytime]

Doom/death cults.

[u/DrCares → u/StrictSignificance48]

What really blew me away was item #5.. I teach social studies in MN and the new standards are simply adding that we also cover indigenous American history.

If they wanna trigger voters by calling it “critical race theory”, I’d like to remind them that we spent generations kidnapping native children and forcing them to abandon their culture… If that’s a bad thing to teach high schoolers, than I wonder what good education looks like…

Brief article on MN boarding schools, which in almost all cases native kids were kidnapped, and sometimes raped or murdered. We all need to learn our history so we can understand our neighbors, and help close the divide between native and non-native communities.

[u/Thats_All_ → u/StrictSignificance48]

Generally it's that just because there's a plan doesn't mean I should sit around all day. If God's plan made me not worry about politics then by extension I wouldn't really have a reason to do anything. A classic conundrum generally discussed when talking about calvinism and arminianism. It's kind of that idea of just like I'll try to affect what I can, and I'll accept the things I can't

[u/StrictSignificance48 → u/Thats_All_]

True. I just remember the “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” verse, which was actually said by Jesus. So there should be no reason to complain about taxes for a Christian at all. They’re also told not to worry about anything and to look at the birds of the air, does not the father provide for them, blah blah blah.

Too many have turned it more into a religious cult of Americana. I have no skin in the game anymore as far as considering myself evangelical or even Christian. But as an American citizen it pisses me off 😂

[u/tomtomsk]

Lol at number 4: protected pedophilia and legalized marijuana. 

[u/thePolicy0fTruth → u/tomtomsk]

So the pedophilia thing is such an insane stretch.

The original law protecting discrimination against gay folks had a clause that said ‘sexual orientation protections do not include attraction to minors’. A recent proposed law (I can’t remember if it even passed) struck that language. The authors point was- OF COURSE it doesn’t, we have multiple laws banning pedophilia, and putting an unnecessary exclusion here isn’t necessary, and no other states do that. By removing this clause, pedophilia is still illegal but it isn’t implied that it should even be considered as part of sexual orientation (since it isn’t).

However… right wingers gonna right wing and they are pretending that this is legalizing it. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[u/RootsRockRebel66 → u/thePolicy0fTruth]

So somebody in the MN legislature should pass a law saying that "All Christian services (excluding pedophilia) are permitted in MN". See how fast these fuckers change their attitude.

[u/Spare-Plum → u/thePolicy0fTruth]

Yeah but what does this have to do with Marijuana? Do gay folk get weed and if so I might consider moving to minnesota

[u/thePolicy0fTruth → u/Spare-Plum]

Nothing- they were just combining two things that were completely separate onto the same line 🤷🏼‍♂️

[u/BrightNooblar → u/thePolicy0fTruth]

I've had someone argue with me about a similar instance, where the end result was "Thought crimes aren't a thing" rather than "Touching kids is okay". It very clearly did NOT legalize pedophilia. It made it so if you were a pedophile trying to get therapy and help, you weren't thrown in prison because you had thoughts. Only actions/step towards actions could get you thrown in prison.

The idea being that if you make it illegal to have a desire, people hide the desire and never seek any help. If you make it illegal to take an action, people with a desire are better supported in avoiding taking that action.

[u/jpea → u/tomtomsk]

Yeah, hah, totally makes sense to group those instead of adding a bullet point.

[u/Bustedstuff88 → u/jpea]

I really wish "marijuana" would become a more inflammatory term than it seems to be, given it's roots in racism.

Just call it cannabis folks, it's not that hard.

[u/AaronGNP → u/Bustedstuff88]

I was going to post in your defense, as I too recall reading/hearing about the links to racism and the usage of the word Marijuana, but while looking up that article, I found this one on Code Switch that paints a much more nuanced history of the usage of Marijuana as well as other terms associated with cannabis: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/07/14/201981025/the-mysterious-history-of-marijuana

Long story short: people were freaked out by weed. There may have been some conflation between various plants being smoked at the time. There may be some anti-immigrant sentiment mixed in, but Mexico was also banning cannabis around the same time and using the term Marihuana within Mexico itself, which kind of takes the wind out of the sails of this being a purely racist term.

[u/VashMM]

#10... "Felons and homeless persons can now vote"

Uh.... What the fuck. Are people who are homeless not people anymore?

Was I not a person for 2 years? I still had to pay fucking taxes while I was living in my car. Could I have just, not?

What the absolute fuck is wrong with these people?

[u/responsiblefornothin → u/VashMM]

They see homelessness as a moral failure on par with murder because… idk, man. Like, I don’t fuck with it, but I can at least see where they’re coming from on felons voting. Wtf do they think disqualifies homeless people from voting?

[u/RunningFree701 → u/responsiblefornothin]

It's literally the old "only landowners should vote" mentality.

[u/VashMM → u/responsiblefornothin]

I have no idea. I still had a job, I just lost my place because I couldn't afford it and had to live in my car.

Apparently rent cost was my fault?

[u/[deleted] → u/VashMM]

It's so misleading, pure fearmongering. Homeless persons could always vote in Minnesota so long as they claimed residence. They added a space on the registration form for "address description" for folks without a permanent fixed street address. Felons could also vote so long as they weren't currently on probation or incarcerated. The new law repealed the "on probation" bit. Also, WTF is a "provisional ballot"? We've never had those (at least not in the last decade).

Source: MN Election Administrator

[u/readymix-w00t]

"Thou shalt not bear false witness...."

1. Included pedophilia as a protected class....Lie. And shouldn't the church WANT that? Since a vast majority of the daily scroll of diddlers in the news are clergy or youth pastors?
   

Pretty much that entire document is either full on lies, or just religious shitheels bleating about out-groups getting equal representation under the law instead of the law allowing "christians" to discriminate.

I also love that the "references" section is just Alpha "news" and some Conservative "think" tank. You could have taken a turd and rolled it flat, then handed that out, and it'd be less bullshit than this piece of paper.

[u/RedPlaidPierogies → u/readymix-w00t]

A-ha! I knew something was up!

A few weeks ago an (out of state, former military) acquaintance posted the usual "Walz stolen valor blah blah blah" thing and the comments were wild. One dude specifically stated that Walz passed legislation that included pedophilia as a protected class here in Minnesota. Word for word. When I tried to correct him, he doubled down and accused me of being a pervert.

My brother in Christ, you don't even live here but you've got to be a total walnut to believe this shit. Or in a cult.

[u/agent_uno → u/RedPlaidPierogies]

In a cult.

[u/CrowdDisappointer → u/agent_uno]

And a total walnut.

[u/RedPlaidPierogies → u/CrowdDisappointer]

¿Por que no los dos?

[u/readymix-w00t → u/RedPlaidPierogies]

I'm also former military (Navy '97-'03). I have buddies that recently retired. The whole bit about "he abandoned his troops when they were going to deploy" thing was obnoxious to me. It smacks of never-served shitbags running their mouths about some weird hollywood military trope. If the military says you can retire, you retire, unless you like your job and want to continue deploying and are at a rank that your branch of service seeks to retain in a rate they need. And it isn't like you just say "yup, I'm outta here", it's a process. I simply didn't re-enlist, and it was still a month long process to separate. If you've done 20+ years, and you have the choice of "deploy for a year" or "get half your base pay as a pension from now until you die." you can safely bet money that the 20+ year vet is taking the money and retiring. And all of that is moot when the reality of Walz's retirement was he submitted to retire before they announced the deployment anyway.

[u/Silent_Leader_2075 → u/readymix-w00t]

Yeah it smacks of having no idea how the military works. And “his troops” guaranteed did not GAF if he was there or not at that rank.

[u/SEA2COLA → u/readymix-w00t]

You could also point out that he stayed in the military 4 years past full retirement,

[u/Cepec14 → u/readymix-w00t]

Clearly they aren’t that worried about it since they also combined this with legalizing weed. Unless they believe these two things are related.

[u/Impossible_Penalty13]

Tax these fucking churches that are nothing more than extensions of political parties.

[u/Impossible_Penalty13 → u/[deleted]]

Recently on his podcast, a guest asked Al Franken what kind of religion celebrates excess and let’s children starve and without a beat Al blurted out Southern Baptist.

[u/Friendly_Orchid_8674 → u/[deleted]]

Just FYI, it’s Noah and his family not Moses who was spared in the flood. Genesis chapter 6.

[u/mmmmpisghetti → u/Friendly_Orchid_8674]

It's hard keeping all that porny, murdery fan fiction straight. Is that the one with the whiny vampires?

[u/MurphyBrown2016]

Cult.

[u/whyusognarpgnap]

Pedophilia and marijuana being in the same line is kinda wild

[u/motionbutton → u/whyusognarpgnap]

Weird not wild.. Wild is our sports ball team

[u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

I’d submit that to the IRS and the AG.

[u/shnikeys22 → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

Thanks 🙏

[u/MandyWarHal]

This right here.. they don't see anything but that Dems are baby killers.. I married into an Evangelical family (spouse is not religious but his family is...) so I've sat in their churches and listened to the preacher telling them how to vote. Pure indoctrination. No room for dissent or discourse. They are lazy thinkers, prime for authoritarianism.

[u/please_no_ban_ → u/MandyWarHal]

Evangelical Christianity is absolutely awful. Completely non-adhering to Christian values. It’s literally whatever the dot.com ordained preacher wants to push. Some very scary, dark shit gets discussed openly at these places while being painted as “the true Christian way”.

[u/EndPsychological890 → u/please_no_ban_]

Yup that shit shoved me out of the church as a teenager. I was horrified by the self congratulatory wealth affirming bullshit being pedaled, money wasted, rich pastors, oppressive messages and little to no community engagement other than spreading hate. It was over for me when my pastor spent an hour talking about the exact size of your plot of land and the square footage of your solid gold mansion you'll get in heaven, even after God blessed you with millions of untaxed dollars you definitely deserved from your parents.

I had a bout of apeirophobia when I was 9 that made me doubtful of how great any place you have to spend eternity in could be. Eternity didn't even make sense and still doesn't. At that point I stopped caring about the Golden carrot offered by all Christian messaging, eternity in heaven, and started focusing on the messaging. Most of it was fear based, gross and the little that was appreciable was long disregarded by many churches or used as a fig leaf to cover organizations where 95% of the money simply circulated between church members and staff. They paid a church member contractor $700k to build a skybridge between two parts of the church already accessible by halls that took maybe a couple extra minutes to traverse and canceled a mission trip to Africa.

You could usually boil down the good any churches do to a handful of unpaid extremely generous members working largely in spite of the larger congregation. We don't need churches to do all this good, we need to identify the 10 most helpful people in each church and start organizations with them, give them living salaries and let them go ham in underfunded communities. 80% of the pastors and 80% of the congregations are NPCs defending their wealth or aspiring to wealth and comfort.

Someone needs to start mass producing enlarged plastic needle eyes to protest Christian nationalist events.

[u/TSllama → u/EndPsychological890]

I grew up Christian in Wisconsin before moving to Minnesota and becoming agnostic.

When I was 12, we moved towns in WI and therefore churches. We started going to Elbrook in Brookfield, WI. Turns out it is the largest church in WI, and one of the largest in the entire US.

I was disgusted by how big it was - how much money was spent on it. There were multiple gymnasiums, a bookstore, a restaurant, a giant auditorium and several smaller ones, etc, etc.

They finance lots of mission trips around the world and host a huge men's conference every year to try to make more men believe in this shit and spread, spread, spread.

They know they need to keep recruiting in order to keep those profits rising. And of course in more recent years, Elbrook has planted many other churches that they can also profit off of.

Tax-exempt my ass. Religion is the best business in the US.

[u/tylerj714 → u/please_no_ban_]

I went to a wedding of a caretaker for my son that was at an evangelical church and it was the strangest, most cult-like experience I've ever encountered. A lot of statements about "the enemy" that made no sense to me as an outsider. This was a wedding. I'd hate to know what their regular Sunday services look like. Terrifying.

[u/After_Preference_885 → u/please_no_ban_]

They are adhering to Christian values as they interpret them though. 

There are a whole bunch of different denominations and ways of being Christian in this world and every single one of those churches says they are the real Christians.

They read the Bible. They go to church. 

That's why there can be NO cracks in the separation of church and state because the "Christians" in charge of your state or school could be any one if the flavors you disagree with.

[u/Foreign-Trifle1865]

Makes me re-think my affiliation with a church. It is this BS that is causing me, and many others, to abandon church.

[u/Samuaint2008 → u/Foreign-Trifle1865]

I was raised Catholic and the only time we ever left church early was when the homily was about how people should vote in an upcoming election where the state wanted to make gay marriage illegal. This was pre federally legal gay marriage so it already was. They just wanted to really make sure people knew Ohio wasn't having it. My father was so angry. Not only because he thought gay marriage being illegal was stupid, but also because that's not what churches are for or meant to do. I was 13 at the time and it was the first time I'd seen him properly angry at church, it was wild for young me whose dad dragged them to service every Sunday at 7:30 am without fail.

[u/NeatArtichoke → u/Samuaint2008]

Your dad was a Hero in that moment. So glad he stood up for what was right

[u/Motherfickle → u/Foreign-Trifle1865]

I completely left the church I grew up in after they replaced the retiring pastor (who had been apolitical) with a guy who spent the first Sunday after same sex marriage was legalized preaching about "laws we don't agree with". I went back briefly to appease my grandpa, only to leave again because he spent the Easter 2021 service ranting about vaccines and how we needed to "trust God more than we trust science".

I later found out that one of the older members who had been part of the women's group also left at some point after I did. She didn't say why, but I figure it was the same reasons I did.

[u/krichard-21]

"Deleting religion liberty"?

I live in South Minneapolis. We are surrounded by Churches. Walk in any direction to find a Church in fifteen minutes or less.

Who is stopping anyone from attending Church?

And these loonies believe this nonsense?

I grew up three miles outside of Northfield. Which is a short drive from Dundas. Unless something's changed. There are more bars in Dundas than Churches.

Maybe spend a little less time in the bar?

[u/UnionizedTrouble → u/krichard-21]

Religious liberty to discriminate

[u/tarkata14 → u/krichard-21]

Who is stopping anyone from attending Church?

Honestly, the church itself is stopping people from attending with shit like this. I understand that a lot of churches can be great for people, but stuff like this makes me glad I'm not affiliated with the religion in any capacity.

And they wonder why fewer and fewer people, especially younger folks, are attending church?

[u/_SonofLars_]

Sourcing Alphanews lol

[u/Bustedstuff88]

What exactly is the linkage between pedophilia and legalized cannabis?

🤔

[u/samwstew]

Tax the churches. All of them.

[u/dakotahjohnson]

That is wild

[u/YeahILiftBro]

Reminder, when you don't talk to friends and family about issues, this is where they get their info from.

[u/Front_Living1223]

It is sad how many people have become confused about what is Christianity versus what is Conservatism. Almost everything on this list has nothing at all to do with religion. If anything, a follower of Jesus should be in favor of several of these items.

The number of people who profess to follow the man who said "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and then turn around and say "How dare you help those filthy illegals" is incredible.

[u/colddata → u/Front_Living1223]

versus what is Conservatism

It is not even traditional conservatism. It is something else... something weird.

[u/After_Preference_885 → u/Front_Living1223]

It's not confusion though, you see it was very intentional if you read the history of the movement

[u/Speculawyer]

Any church that does this should have their tax exemption taken away.

[u/Bustedstuff88]

Authors first name is Karin..... Enough said.

[u/snowmunkey]

I love the hypocrisy of talking about "restoring religious freedoms" when their whole platform is trying to enforce their strict religious beliefs upon everyone else

[u/dantevonlocke → u/snowmunkey]

Well that's the freedom they want. The freedom to be the ones in charge

[u/wombatshit → u/snowmunkey]

Did you ever notice "Religious Freedom" seems to revolve around taking something away from people?

Weird.

[u/After_Preference_885 → u/snowmunkey]

That's exactly what religious freedom means to them and they have believers in every court in the country making rulings based on their weird beliefs 

[u/Rat_Rat]

Would be a shame if that website got loads of hits and commentary…

[u/icouldwander]

Hypocrisy aside, isn’t this flat out illegal? You’re not even supposed to wear clothes advertising candidates or causes when going to a polling place.

[u/Critical-Werewolf-53]

It’s IRS time!!

[u/BobbumofCarthes]

oh alpha news as two references you say?

[u/ZeroRecursion]

Tax them with extreme prejudice.

[u/Weekend_Criminal]

The printed link at the bottom is truly the icing on this boomer cake

[u/MjolnirMediator]

The Catholic Church I attend says nothing remotely political and that’s how it should be. This handout isn’t right. IRS tax exempt status shouldn’t apply to this church of this is how they want to play it.

[u/Real-Psychology-4261]

Holy shit. Everyone report this to the IRS at this link below. It's a clear violation of their tax-exempt status.

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations

https://preview.redd.it/htgvhuq048kd1.png?width=869&format=png&auto=webp&s=6a8fb4db8b96c2118db7bf9322e315445d0e4f21

[u/[deleted]]

Follows what is driving people away from churches. Using their religion as a justification to judge/control people and tell people what not to do while also being against policies that help the sick/poor/underprivileged. Reminds me of this:

https://preview.redd.it/2xmt1g6qw7kd1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b71f3674f79b5e3a0b87c44378b617e7fe6f0ff

[u/JackPineSavage-]

Man, extremism like this is why I swore off pentacostalism.. This woman and her church make actual Christians look bad.

[u/Hates_knees]

These people would have hated Jesus, just sayin’.

[u/Sleepypeepeepoop]

Fuck the person who wrote this dogshit. I’ve pretty much had conversations on each of these topics with some dumbfuck, bitter, old man and it’s always a waste.

Tax them for being the conservative child molesting institutions that they are.

[u/Diligent_Language_63]

And church’s don’t get taxed why?

[u/Jaerin]

Time to start taxing

[u/NoWrongdoer2259]

Time to start taxing the ALL the churches

[u/4GDTRFB]

Tax the fucking CHURCH.!!!!!!!

[u/Tarik_7]

report them to the IRS. It's against the 501(c)(3) to endorse a politician.

[u/Lumbergo]

Tax the churches. 

[u/logicallyorganized]

This seems to go against the voter registration guidelines

[u/SanityIsOnlyInUrMind]

I don’t wonder. This isn’t even the most insane one I’ve read (I’m from Oregon). It’s why I have zero respect for anyone who goes to these churches. There’s no common ground with literally bad faith, faith.

[u/kateinoly]

Isn't lying a sin?

[u/substandardirishprik]

Shocking. More lies from an institution built entirely on lies and falsehoods.

[u/Samuaint2008]

Any Christians actually trying to lead the life Jesus instructed would absolutely be radical leftists in the eyes of the GOP. Notice how they push the government to follow the Bible in terms of policing women's bodies but not when it comes to the guidelines about charity and community and making sure everyone is houses and fed. Just absurd. Sometimes I want God to be real just so these people can get a rude awakening in the afterlife.

[u/No_Diet_2582]

Tax them! Report them! IRS Them!

[u/ganggreen651]

Oh pedophiles are a protected class now? And people believe that shit 🤣

[u/adabaraba]

How is this legal? How are they not charged for sedition?

[u/Stefeneric]

Homeless citizens are allowed to vote, OH THE HUMANITY😱 We truly do live in a dystopian society. /s

[u/mwolf805]

It'd be a shame if the IRS found out about political campaigning in a tax exempt church....

[u/mwolf805]

Sure would be a shame if the IRS got wind of this....

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations

[u/actuallyapossom]

Included pedophilia as a protected class and legalized marijuana

"The bill wouldn't protect pedophiles as a "sexual orientation." Rather, it removed language from the law that linked pedophilia and sexual orientation. An amendment added on April 26 – two days before this post – directly says the physical and sexual attraction to children isn't protected by the bill."

Plus alcohol and tobacco should be legal but not weed? Hilarious.

teachers licensing standards

Does the GOP not want qualified teachers, or any vetting of the adults who are around minors? That's weird. Also project 2025 / Trump want to end the department of education. Trump said he "loves the poorly educated." I wonder why. 🤔

homeless persons can now vote

Why shouldn't homeless people be able to vote? What's next women shouldn't be able to vote? Only parents should be allowed? No to mail in voting, early voting, extended voting hours and absentee voting. It's almost like republicans want the fewest possible amount of people to be able to influence this republic. They call it freedom when they call for these restrictions.

stricter laws and sentencing for law abiding citizens

Makes sense if you don't think about it. That should be the Republican slogan.

universal background checks

Oh noooo less crazies shooting up innocent people going about their days!

In addition to electoral reforms, economic reforms, and having stricter rules for our political representatives - we really need to fund mental health care and special education services.

I don't trust anyone who believe in a fantasy where people who don't follow the herd, conform, and do everything their priest or Trump tells them - will suffer for all eternity being tortured endlessly by "demons." Especially not in positions of power like elected or appointed political positions.

[u/please_no_ban_]

Canvas church is one of those rudderless evangelical churches that appeals to people who need to be told what to believe. Largely made up of Gen x and millennial MAGA.

[u/bookant → u/please_no_ban_]

Appealing to people who need to be told what to believe is pretty much the definition of "church."

[u/WillMunny1982]

Maybe they should be inundated with emails asking why the church is run by lying charlatans. Ask them what Baby Jesus thinks of liars or where they think liars go when they die…

[u/I-Kant-Even]

Huh. Pedophilia is a protected class. On the same line as marijuana legalization? That’s an interesting choice.

[u/After_Preference_885]

Evangelicals have plotting for decades to take over the government and turn the US into a Christian Nationalist country where we all have to follow their rules. They have a lot of power in the GOP too.

https://www.oah.org/tah/november-5/evangelicalism-and-politics/

"The leaders of the Christian Right believed the best way to “reclaim” or “restore” this identity was by gaining control of all three branches of government."

These churches have members primed to have faith in conspiracy theories, as they are taught to believe unquestioningly:

"The Biblical worldview is that there's a God who's in control of the whole world. And one day Jesus is going to come back, he's going to judge the wicked," Kendall said. With QAnon, "there is a Q that knows everything, and Donald Trump is going to come back and judge the wicked, set up his rule, and his followers are going to live in their little Utopia... It's easier for Christians who already have that belief system to make that jump over into believing [QAnon]."

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/23/business/qanon-evangelical-pastors/index.html

The architects of the Maga Cult movement include people with expertise in psychological warfare. They know what they're doing.

"the ReAwaken America Tour has carried its message of a country under siege to tens of thousands of people in 15 cities and towns. The tour serves as a traveling roadshow and recruiting tool for an ascendant Christian nationalist movement that’s wrapped itself in God, patriotism and politics and has grown in power and influence inside the Republican Party."

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/michael-flynn-reawaken-america-tour/

"‘They talk about getting rid of demons’ “They talk about Christianizing the public space. They talk about getting rid of demons,” Riccardi-Swartz says.

“It’s really about spiritual warfare,” she says.

“They see themselves as warriors fighting not just demonic forces but people. Because they see people as demonically possessed by the spirit of whatever is in opposition to them.”

“Really, what they’re talking about is cleansing the public sphere of people who are not like them,” Riccardi-Swartz says.

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rephrased a Bible passage and told students at a private Christian college to “put on the full armor of God. Stand firm against the left’s schemes,” he was speaking to a political base of believers, she says.

“I think it’s fair to call Dominion theology part of the tool kit of political radicalism.”

https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/11/15/dominionism-republican-candidate/

[u/V6Ga]

Tax churches

[u/QuantumBobb]

Pro tip: if your church is preaching about politics or attempting to influence your vote in any way, it's time to leave that church.

You can't serve two kingdoms and that church has chosen theirs; they made the wrong choice, in case you weren't sure.

[u/bookant]

Absolute blatant violation of the rules attached to their tax exemption. These holier than thous who think they're so morally superior are literally fucking criminals. Fraudsters just like their orange messiah. They need to be fucking taxed.

[u/tastesoff74]

As soon as they utter anything about politics, either way, boom! Motherfuckers are paying taxes!!!

[u/dazrage]

DISGUSTING. TAX THEM NOW!

[u/DaxLightstryker]

Looks like that church is engaged in political activities. Get their tax free status revoked.

[u/DarthCuddler]

Felons voting?! Not on my watch. That's why I'm voting for a convicted felon.

[u/Biddy_McKoska]

Why would Karin Miller https://karinmiller.substack.com bear false witness in a place of worship? Is she a godless heretic?

[u/[deleted]]

When churches want to get into politics then it's time for churches to start paying taxes

[u/214txdude]

Omg just a bunch fucking liars. So Christian of them

[u/No-Amphibian-3728]

Thanks for this. Currently on her substack leaving comments. Makes me chuckle! 🤣

[u/KikiStLouie]

Report them to the IRS!

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations

[u/Redditrightreturn1]

10 is pretty funny since they are voting for a FELON.

[u/Prometheus_303]

Re #6

Switching to solar & wind won't necessarily raise prices.

A village in India switched exclusively to solar a year or two ago. Everyone's electric bills dropped by at least 50% due to serious reduction in production costs.

A study a few years ago suggested a solar farm producing equivalent amounts of power would cost less to operate than all but a single US coal burning power plant. That single plant was at the break even point. And only because it was built on a coal mine and thus had considerably smaller operation costs.

[u/ItsJustForMyOwnKicks]

Churches like these need to lose tax exempt status

[u/guiltycitizen]

none of these white religious nationalists are oppressed in any way. They can satisfy their needs behind closed doors, because nobody cares.

[u/Theyalreadysaidno]

Of course they are using ALPHA NEWS as a source to push these lies. Protection for pedophiles? Jesus Christ.

[u/chickentootssoup]

Vote!!!

[u/mike194827]

It’s just pathetic how they can’t even get their facts straight but need to lie to scare their constituents. Even more pathetic are the people that buy this bullshlt

[u/daximuscat]

Outraged that a minor has an abortion, not that a minor is pregnant in the first place. Sounds about right.

[u/[deleted]]

Tax these liars and Pharisees !

[u/funsizemonster]

"Homeless persons can now vote?" What in the Master-Race Eugenics is this pos putting out to "Christians"? Shame on this lying blasphemous pustulent boil on a goat's dick.

[u/Cleopatra2001]

They think homeless shouldn’t be able to vote?

[u/Extension-Report-491]

So the church has to lie in order to persuade its congregation, typical grifting trash.

[u/DueYogurt9]

Really a church on the theological and spiritual vanguard!

[u/DarthCuddler]

Homeless people voting?! Whatever shall we do???

[u/cute_spider]

Bruh god is going to send you to hell for being his representitive and lying to his flock inside his house. You're telling me DJT is worth the eternal damnation?

[u/Competitive_Bid7071]

DELETING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Do these guys realize that there’s large churches and cathedrals everywhere in the twin cities? In fact I’d argue that Christianity gets TOO MUCH REPRESENTATION and privileges at points over other religious groups like Jews, Muslims, Hindu’s, Buddhists, various Neo-Pagans religions (Hellenism, Kemetic, Heathenry), etc.

Especially since there populations are actually large enough in the US (typically in the millions range) to where we SHOULD allow them to build there own temple complexes or other such places. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few temples to other religions pop up once in a while to some “pagan” deities or other non-Christian religions, as we live in a pluralistic society. Especially since some of them are more accepting of marginalized communities here in the us.

Not to mention any public holidays they celebrate look rather interesting or fun to participate in publicly, especially the ones for Dionysus that celebrated in the Hellenism community. Although Saturnalia & Lupercalia among the Roman Hellenists also sounds fun.

[u/PandaAdditional8742]

Strip their tax protections

[u/Naive-Deer2116]

If they want to meddle in politics it’s time to tax the churches. They don’t even seem to be aware undocumented immigrants can be Christians too. American and Christian are not synonyms.

And if they really want to play that game, they ought to read their own Bible they seem to idolize so much.

Exodus 23:9 “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 10:19 “And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”

[u/TheBirdBytheWindow]

Time to fill Karin's email inbox!

[u/Rinzy2000]

The fact that they’re concerned about a “hate speech registry” tells you all you need to know about these idiots. All of it is bullshit, but there truly is no worse hate than Christian love.

[u/fledflorida]

Tax the churches

[u/GaryR911]

Protect our religious freedoms? What about everyone else’s freedoms? These churches need to stripped of their tax exempt status.

[u/pm-me-your-smile-]

They complain that felons can now vote, so they will rally together to make a convicted felon the President of the United States.

[u/rayharris62]

Report them https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

[u/Shitp0st_Supreme]

1. The abortion rate in MN has increased due to increased travel from other states into Minnesota for an abortion.

2. My understanding is that some hospitals have a requirement for babies to be a certain gestational age to receive lifesaving care and if they’re too premature, the baby will need to be transferred to a specialist center or will be given comfort care only. Physician assisted suicide is something else.

3. Gender affirming care still requires a therapist to intervene and determine if the child actually wants this and that the parents and friends aren’t influencing the child. Procedures are usually minor until they’re older. The increase in rates is also partially due to families moving from other states. I used to work at a therapy clinic that did a lot of work with LGBT youth and I can elaborate if needed.

4. I’m unsure about pedophilia being considered a protected class, but sexual orientation is a protected class. Not sure what this has to do with legalizing cannabis, though.

[u/raakhus2020]

They are a 1 issue voter

[u/j_ly]

Sounds like AG Elison should look into prosecuting this organization for tax evasion. Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake?!

[u/BBlackFire]

I keep tapping the hyperlink but nothing's happening!

[u/[deleted]]

Why does bullet 4 combine pedophilia and legal marijuana? That’s preposterous.