1) After posting this short thread, I was curious as to where MAGA is going with this. And it isn’t good. I searched for “defund national cathedral” and they’re already calling for it. Let me show you what I found. Let’s begin⬇️
2) Here are two examples calling for removing tax-exempt status because of political speech. Now, MAGA evangelical churches regularly do exactly that and they never call for those churches to lose tax-exempt status. Let’s continue⬇️
3) This one is especially troubling. This one calls for a purge of all clergy and staff. That’s actually a violation of the 1st Amendment for the government to do that to a church. Even more so for Republicans to do it to force the church to say what GOP wants said. And also⬇️
4) Here’s one calling for it to be defunded. Which would be the same type of economic warfare done against hostile nations through sanctions and embargoes. Except done to a church by the government in violation of the 1st Amendment. Let’s continue⬇️
5) You’ll see these from “Episcopalians”. What they won’t tell you is there’s a breakaway church that left the Episcopal Church and created their own conservative version. And they call themselves Episcopalians but they’re not in the actual Episcopal Church. Let’s continue⬇️
6) Another idea they have is to switch to a different church. The tearing down or delegitimization of existing institutions and creating new ones is something authoritarian regimes usually do. Let’s continue⬇️
7) Here’s one that just popped up from one of the bigger MAGA influencer accounts. Again, removing tax-exempt status because of Trump not liking the sermon. Also an insult to call the bishop a “bishopess” because Episcopal Church ordains women clergy. Let’s continue⬇️
8) We must understand where we are here right now with this. History tells us exactly where we are. And history will judge us, along with the world itself. Because we’ve seen this before. And we know better than this. This is the beginning of a nightmare. And so⬇️
9) I leave you with the words of Pastor Niemoller passed down to us as a lesson we ought to remember. Don’t be silent. When a system is unjust, dissent is a civic duty. And it’s also the duty we owe to humanity itself.
10) ADDENDUM: They’re now targeting the Episcopal Church for harassment on X.
11) A United States Congressman calling for a US citizen to be deported. Another thing the Nazis did. Stalin, too.
12) Churches lose sanctuary status. And a lot worse.
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