The FBI, Religious Spying, and the Erosion of Trust

It sounds like the plot of a dystopian novel: the most powerful law enforcement agency in the United States is caught red-handed targeting churches, spying on religious institutions, and labeling concerned parents as potential domestic terrorists. But this isn’t fiction. This is the state of our nation in 2024.

Spying on Churches? Seriously?

During a recent Senate hearing, it was revealed that the FBI compiled lists of Catholic parishes and churches they deemed “potentially suspect.” Why? Because faith and free speech, apparently, are now grounds for federal surveillance.

Senator Josh Hawley, in a fiery exchange, pressed Mr. Patel, the nominee for an FBI leadership position, to commit to fully rescinding this disgraceful memo and investigating those responsible. Patel dodged, sidestepped, and delivered the typical bureaucratic word salad. But here’s the truth—this memo never should have existed in the first place. How did we get to the point where attending a Catholic Mass could put you on a government watchlist?

Parents as Domestic Terrorists

If spying on churches wasn’t enough, the FBI was also caught using counterterrorism resources to investigate parents who spoke up at school board meetings. That’s right, if you dared to question critical race theory or COVID policies, you were treated like a threat to national security.

Parents who have every right to be involved in their children’s education were instead targeted, monitored, and in some cases, had FBI cases opened against them. Again, this was all based on an internal DOJ memo under Attorney General Merrick Garland. The evidence? Whistleblowers inside the agency who couldn’t stomach what was happening.

A Pattern of Weaponization

This isn’t a one-off incident. It’s a pattern. Under this administration, the FBI has been used as a political tool to suppress free speech, silence dissent, and intimidate everyday Americans. The hearing also highlighted:
✔️ The FBI’s use of SWAT teams to arrest peaceful pro-life demonstrators.
✔️ The complete lack of action to investigate attacks on pro-life organizations and churches.
✔️ The FBI’s collusion with social media giants to censor political speech and control narratives.

What Happens Next?

Mr. Patel, under pressure, assured the Senate that if confirmed, he would conduct investigations and ensure accountability. But we’ve heard this before. The FBI’s leadership has repeatedly lied to Congress, covered up corruption, and refused to take action.

If we want real change, we need more than empty promises. We need:
Full declassification of all related memos so the American people know the truth.
Accountability for those who authorized these abuses—up to and including terminations.
A complete restructuring of the FBI to ensure this never happens again.

Final Thoughts

If you had told me five years ago that the FBI would be spying on churches and hunting down concerned parents, I would’ve called you paranoid. Today, it’s our reality. The erosion of civil liberties isn’t theoretical—it’s happening in real-time. And unless we stand up, speak out, and demand accountability, it’s only going to get worse.

Stay vigilant. Stay loud. Stay free.

#FBI #ReligiousFreedom #Censorship #ParentalRights #WeaponizationOfGovernment #Disruptarian