• resetbypeer@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    To me it sounds like these Religious organizations need to start getting taxed, if you can spend that kind of money on a con artist.

    • halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Sounds like the IRS needs enough funding to enforce the rules already on the book.

      Any tax exempt religious organization that even mentions politics is supposed to lose their exempt status.

    • SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Could you imagine if the IRS was able to audit them and see if their charitable contributions would be enough to lower their tax burdens?

      Too bad there wasn’t premade framework they could apply to religious organizations.

  • fox2263@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    That sounds like a lot of money that could be used to feed the sick and the homeless.

  • glovecraft@infosec.pub
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    9 months ago

    The group is expected to, among other things, hand out 30 million pieces of literature in 125,000 churches — many of them in battleground states.

    That sounds illegal.

    To be tax-exempt under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501©(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

    https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations

    • CrayonRosary@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      I hate Trump and right wing Christians as much as any sane person, but Faith & Freedom is not a 501©(3). It’s, in fact, a 501©(4)

      A 501©(4) organization is a social welfare organization, such as a civic organization or a neighborhood association. An organization is considered by the IRS to be operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare if it is primarily engaged in promoting the common good and general welfare of the people of the community. Net earnings must be exclusively used for charitable, educational, or recreational purposes.

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_and_Freedom_Coalition

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)_organization#501(c)(4)

      (Emphasis mine)

      They are using the money to “educate” people and “promote social welfare”. These groups are evil, but they aren’t dumb. They have lawyers and organize themselves in legal ways.

      Make sure you have the facts before you make us all look foolish.

    • kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      There was a short period of my adolescence where I got into the church. The lore behind the antichrist myth always interested me. It says that they will rise to power as a widely popular politician who quotes scripture and uses it to manipulate his ends. This idea that they would be widely popular by using scripture means that nearly all Christians would need to fall for their manipulations. And yet, there is a wide spread belief among all Christians that they themselves would of course see through this ploy for what it is. And I gotta tell you, I’m not religious anymore, don’t believe in a literal antichrist, but… I really gotta side with the lore here. All of you religious nutjobs would be totally bought in on an antichrist that used scripture to manipulate you. You already are. Almost none of you seem to see through the manipulation that very unchrist-like people have used to gain your whole-hearted support. They’ve turned the majority of Christians very unchristian, indeed.

      Also: John 2:18 reads “Little children, it is the last time. And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that this is the last time.”. So there is not just one antichrist, but many. Show me people using scripture to motivate people in to believing the opposite of Christian doctrine and I will show you the entire GOP.

  • Kaput@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Just like they support the return of Israel’s kingdom, they will support the coming of the Antichrist. Not that they like it, but it’s required for the end of time and rapture prophecies. The evangelical are currently drunk on the biggest hardon they ever had.

    • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      Plus the hypocrisy. They may get some things they want politically, but they’re supporting the most un-christlike person imaginable.

  • CPMSP
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    9 months ago

    Wait, are you telling me the church might be gasp a system of control?

    • CPMSP
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      9 months ago

      And they’re enabled by the state?