If you were to visit the website for the Church of Faith and Freedom, you would see images of people in prayer.

If you were to visit the church itself… well, that would be impressive given that it doesn’t actually exist.

According to the Oregonian, the “church” is really just a front for Joey Gibson, the leader of a right-wing group called “Patriot Prayer.” Urging people to give money to a church would be far easier than asking them to support his pro-Trump rallies that have been attended by White Nationalist groups.

The theory is that donations through the church don’t actually go toward preaching, but rather to fund Gibson’s legal defense. After all, he’s been kicked off of GoFundMe, and his PayPal account was also shut down. (Deplatforming works.) But a church? Who could say no to a church?!

There is no record of such a church in California, Oregon or Washington, according to officials who oversee charities and non-profits in each state. Its website, registered in May, provides no address, contact information or list of staff. Online searches show the only reference to the Church of Faith and Freedom comes from social media accounts connected to Gibson or Patriot Prayer. Reached by phone Wednesday, Gibson declined to answer multiple questions about the Church of Faith and Freedom and his connection to it. “No comment,” he said. “What else do you want to ask?”

Who could’ve guessed that a right-wing shit-starter would do something unethical? Shocking, I tell you. Shocking.

Then again, donors should’ve been able to figure it out. It’s hard to imagine how $10 can support a preacher “bringing Jesus to the streets.”

Donors can at least take solace in the fact that their money would go to waste at actual churches too.

(Thanks to Brian for the link)

