Italian town in turmoil after far-right mayor bans Muslim prayers - eviltoast
Bangladeshi residents and others in Monfalcone say decisions to prohibit worship at cultural centres and banning burkinis at the beach is part of anti-Islam agenda

Bangladeshi residents and others in Monfalcone say decisions to prohibit worship at cultural centres and banning burkinis at the beach is part of anti-Islam agenda

The envelope containing two partially burned pages of the Qur’an came as a shock. Until then, Muslim residents in the Adriatic port town of Monfalcone had lived relatively peacefully for more than 20 years.

Addressed to the Darus Salaam Muslim cultural association on Via Duca d’Aosta, the envelope was received soon after Monfalcone’s far-right mayor, Anna Maria Cisint, banned prayers on the premises.

“It was hurtful, a serious insult we never expected,” said Bou Konate, the association’s president. “But it was not a coincidence. The letter was a threat, generated by a campaign of hate that has stoked toxicity.”

Monfalcone’s population recently passed 30,000. Such a positive demographic trend would ordinarily spell good news in a country grappling with a rapidly declining birthrate, but in Monfalcone, where Cisint has been nurturing an anti-Islam agenda since winning her first mandate in 2016, the rise has not been welcomed.

    • mods_are_assholes@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      9 months ago

      Political leaders all around the world pushes for a religious ethno state.

      Nope, but I do know Russia is trying really hard to be an atheist ethnostate.

      Religion are tax exempt in a lot of place, and use a lot of that money to lobby.

      1. Churches aren’t tax free because they are churches, they are tax free because they are charities and operate like every other charity except there is one less disclosure form a year they have to file, and quite a lot of churches choose to file that form for transparency. I know you love your talking point but it is simply incorrect.

      2. Churches are strictly prohibited from many political activities. Here is some stuff from the Freedom From Religion website:

      In order to remain tax-exempt under 501©(3), churches must abide by strict guidelines that prohibit election activity. The Code states in relevant part that 501©(3) organizations cannot “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” I.R.C. Sec. 501©(3). Thus, as a 501©(3) organization, churches are strictly forbidden from supporting or opposing a candidate for public office. To do so jeopardizes their tax-exempt status. Churches cannot engage in any of the following activities under the federal tax law:

      Cannot endorse or oppose candidates for public office
Cannot make any communication—either from the pulpit, in a newsletter, or church bulletin—which expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a candidate for public office
**Cannot make expenditures on behalf of a candidate for public office or allow any of their resources to be used indirectly for political purposes (e.g., use their phones for a phone bank)**
Cannot ask a candidate for public office to sign a pledge or other promise to support a particular issue
Cannot distribute partisan campaign literature
Cannot display political campaign signs on church property

      It is fucking appaling that religion isn’t put in the looney bin with the rest of the cults.

      Ok edgelad

      • Croquette@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        9 months ago

        How many Christian groups donated to Trump’s PAC and various funds? As far as I know, churches in the States are still exempt from tax. So you can fuck right off because the laws aren’t enforced, so they are meaningless. Churches do lobby and they don’t lose their tax exemption status.

        Good job, you named one country that is trying to be an atheist ethnostate. Now look at what is currently happening in the US with the GOP and many middle eastern religious government, or in Africa, where LGBTQ+ people get prosecuted, stone to death or sentenced because they deviate from the religious stances.

        Continue on calling people edgelads, because you’ve got nothing else going on.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldMEnglish
      11·
      9 months ago

      Nothing wrong with the comment until the last line. Do not attack other users. Removed.