What We Know About Moms For Liberty Beyond Book Banning and Libraries

Please see the PowerPoint presentation for an important information session about Moms for Liberty presented by Cathy Duchovic from Hoosiers United for Separation of Church and State. Countering religious authoritarianism, also known as Christian nationalism, in our schools is one of the most reachable action strategies we have. Knowing more about this organization can help us and others identify good school board candidates in the Fall.  

PowerPoint: Moms for Liberty and Purple for Parents

Hope Sings was a family friendly concert and sing along with music for hope and resolve held at the Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse.

Our spirits were lifted in these wintery months with this family-friendly event of music and singing offering support, comfort, and motivation for those seeking a more just society. Local professional groups, Friends with the Weather, Cote Godoy y Amigos & Canto de Corazon, plus voices from the Fort Wayne UU congregation performed. We enjoyed a warm evening with new and traditional music along with some audience participation. Thank you all for attending!

KeliKote rehearsal before the event
Heartland Sings: Canto de Corazon; behind the scenes video
Friends with the Weather: Behind the scenes recording of their latest album

See the bottom of this page for photos from the event

Discussion Topic: Seven Mountains Mandate: Dominion over government

A PowerPoint was presented: Dominion over Government
Examples click for video:
Steven Miller – “The end of the white world from an invasion of refugees…”
Doug Wilson – Is there room for immigrants? “Yes, but not for a ton of them…Protestants, Catholics and Jews are sort of a defacto arrangement that we’ve worked out over centuries…”
Lance Wallnau – wants a deportation “Carve Out” for undocumented conservative Christian Republicans.

Document was shared: The Government Mountain and Immigration Enforcement
Within this document there are many links for further information.

We broke out into discussion groups and explored how the Seven Mountain Mandate effects our lives here in Indiana. We discussed how to talk to family and friends about this issue, and how to find and get involved with organizations that help immigrants.

Announcements:

• Hope Sings will be this Friday, February 27, 2026. Please register if you haven’t already so we can plan seating.
• March 28, 2026, is the next No Kings Rally. We plan on having a table at this event and are asking for volunteers.
• Sign-ups are still available for our Events Committee, School Board Committee and more. If you are able sign up for a committee after the meeting or contact one of our Board members.

This was the rescheduled meeting from January 26, 2026.
Discussion Topic:
7 Mountain Mandate. We began digging into this topic. In subsequent months, we will zero in on four of those mountains with opportunities to form working groups to facilitate information sharing and change. Our goal is to give broad overviews and provide resources for you to explore more as you are interested.
If you are interested in a deep dive into Dominion Theory and the Seven Mountains Mandate you can reference a helpful book on the subject by Matthew Boedy, The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy. You can find it at your favorite book retailer or local library.
If you have the time, there is also a 1 hour and 15-minute video by Monte Mader: Dominion Theology and the 7 Mountains Mandate that gives a good overview of the subject. Click here >>

During this meeting we presented two short videos introducing the Seven Mountains Mandate.

Exposing the Seven Mountain Mandate’s Takeover of America

The Seven Mountains of Influence | Lance Wallnau  
(Start at the 14:23 mark). Note: we did not watch the entire video even after the 14:23 mark

After learning about the Seven Mountains Mandate, we broke out into discussion tables and asked:

In one sentence, which “mountain” is the most important in your life right now?
How have you seen any of these play out in your world, the state, or the nation?
What mountain(s) should we work on as a group?  And do we have any volunteers?

We reconvened to the meeting room, and it was decided the dominion over government is the most important/influential mountain to the participants.

We also asked if attendees of the meeting would like to be more involved in serving our organization.  We encouraged people to sign up for: the meeting planning committee, school board watch committee, and the communications committee which includes volunteering to staff our information booths at community events.  If you are interested in any of these committees or would like more information about volunteer opportunities, please send an email to [email protected] and someone from our board will contact you.

Our announcements at the meeting:

An introduction to school board monitoring and is useful for anyone interested in Christian nationalism infiltration into schools. This training will translate well to working with other state and local entities on other issues.

Link to School Board Watchdogs Mini-Webinar
Reference Guide Link

On Saturday Sept. 13th, 2025, The Hoosiers for Separation of Church and State held their inaugural Larry Hayes First Amendment Forum. During this forum guest speakers Moises Serrano, Sheila Suess Kennedy and Dr. Daniel Ulrich discussed how white Christian Nationalism violates the constitutional rights of all Americans. Click link below to view the forum.

The Larry Hayes First Amendment Forum

Hoosiers for Separation hosts a discussion about the history of the separation of church and state in America with guest speakers Tim Moore and Chris Cavanaugh. Click below link to view the discussion.

The Separation of Church and State: A Historical Perspective

RESOURCES FOR FREEDOM OF RELIGION TALK ARE LISTED BELOW

MISCELLANEOUS RESOURCES

Center for the Study of the American Constitution (UW-Madison) Website

https://csac.history.wisc.edu/document-collections/religion-and-the-ratification

The Debate Over Religious Tests During the Ratification Debates

https://csac.history.wisc.edu/document-collections/religion-and-the-ratification/religious-test-clause

Concerns Over the Meaning of Religious Freedom During the Ratification Debates

https://csac.history.wisc.edu/document-collections/religion-and-the-ratification/freedom-of-religion

Concerns Over the Role of Clergy in Governance During the Ratification Debates

https://csac.history.wisc.edu/document-collections/religion-and-the-ratification/individual-clergyman

Clay J. and Lindsay C. on religious liberty and the 1st Amendment

Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists- “eternal” wall of separation

https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html

Thomas Jefferson: Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

https://virginiahistory.org/learn/thomas-jefferson-and-virginia-statute-religious-freedom#:~:text=Be%20it%20enacted%20by%20the,belief%3B%20but%20that%20all%20men

Thomas Jefferson: Notes on the State of Virginia

https://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_religions40.html#:~:text=We%20are%20answerable%20for%20them,pocket%20nor%20breaks%20my%20leg.

“We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”

James Madison: Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments

https://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_religions43.html

James Madison’s “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” (1785) was a powerful argument for complete religious liberty and the separation of church and state, written anonymously to oppose a bill in the Virginia General Assembly that would have levied a general tax to support “teachers of the Christian religion.”

Here are the key themes and arguments Madison presented:

• Inalienable Right to Religious Freedom: Madison asserted that religious conviction is an inherent and “unalienable right” of every individual, stemming from their duty to God. This right precedes the claims of civil society and cannot be dictated or abridged by human laws. Individuals must be free to worship according to their own reason and conscience, not force or violence.
• Limited Government Authority: He argued that civil government derives its authority from the people, and since the people themselves have no right to control religious beliefs, neither does the government. Any attempt by the legislature to regulate or support religion is an overreach of its legitimate power and constitutes tyranny.
• Danger of Government Support for Religion: Madison contended that historical experience showed that government establishment of religion corrupted both the church and the state. It led to “pride and indolence in the clergy,” superstition, bigotry, and persecution, while undermining the true spirit and efficacy of Christianity itself. He believed Christianity flourished best without government interference.
• Equality and Justice: The proposed bill violated the principle of equality by favoring certain religious groups and imposing burdens on others. If the government could establish Christianity, it could just as easily establish any particular sect or even a different religion, leading to inequality and potentially persecution for those who dissented.
• Slippery Slope Argument: Madison warned that allowing the government to overstep its bounds in matters of religion would set a dangerous precedent, eroding other fundamental rights. If the legislature could control religious belief, it could also control the press, abolish trial by jury, or otherwise infringe upon the liberties of the people. Citizens have a duty to resist such “experiments on our liberties” at their earliest stages.
• True Nature of Christianity: Madison argued that the Christian religion itself disavowed dependence on worldly powers and that its strength came from its intrinsic truth and the devotion of its followers, not from legal compulsion or financial support.

In essence, Madison’s “Memorial and Remonstrance” was a foundational document for the concept of disestablishment in the United States, advocating for a robust separation of church and state as essential for both religious freedom and a truly free government. His arguments were instrumental in defeating the assessment bill and paving the way for the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom the following year.

Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom

https://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_religions44.html

George Washington: Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island

https://loeb.columbian.gwu.edu/george-washingtons-letter-hebrew-congregation-newport-rhode-island#:~:text=It%20is%20now%20no%20more,only%20that%20they%20who%20live

“The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy—a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.

It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.”

David French Column in New York Times

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQbfpDNsjtDCtlkrxxrpcKKfqSJ

2025 Preview of Three Supreme Court Cases this Term

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/a-trio-of-religion-cases-marks-spring-on-the-supreme-courts-argument-docket

Listing of Modern Supreme Court Cases with Links

https://supreme.justia.com/cases-by-topic/religion

RESOURCE BOOKS (Links to Amazon are included)

Fever in the Heartland, Timothy Egan

https://us.amazon.com/s?k=Fever+in+the+Heartland&i=stripbooks&crid=2FVHSLF1F8G5L&sprefix=fever+in+the+heartland%2Cstripbooks%2C107&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism,  Susan Jacoby

https://us.amazon.com/s?k=Freethinkers%3A+A+History+of+American+Secularism&i=stripbooks&crid=RGKCA8JDWFTR&sprefix=freethinkers+a+history+of+american+secularism%2Cstripbooks%2C131&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson

https://us.amazon.com/s?k=in+the+garden+of+beasts&i=stripbooks&crid=D0ICBDD1GWXT&sprefix=in+the+garden+of+beasts%2Cstripbooks%2C108&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

The Sacred Rights of Conscience, Daniel Dreisbach & Mark David Hall

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, Tim Alberta

https://us.amazon.com/Kingdom-Power-Glory-Evangelicals-Extremism/dp/B0BVGJPVPL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DRD9MFLGXA60&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9_NB-IZ9o2ERCUqeX-bQ71BVf5ywSe1B8DD95TzKqbM0B3HCxToOUEB_vJ0Kg9hQRmlFbqy9aMLk7_WyMZRfYwUBnkR3YXHxAdizJ4KRQvdEWj_mKBFstI4RNRCQBydiszf1DrJtxagiv5k3IcUBvK2q2G4EcpjpKabDB_7kzSM6ATBqNW__9oVAdKexPBR6YxetvlRjaNq99_me1W72iTCpXW0UIrhtxe76B5mp5iQ.mgZY3RL7vKslDwiUj-kE_Wh8fGwMI3DB0ZhmqVk5dM8&dib_tag=se&keywords=tim+alberta&qid=1751031930&s=books&sprefix=tim+alberta%2Cstripbooks%2C108&sr=1-1

Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?, John Fea

https://us.amazon.com/America-Founded-Christian-Nation-Revised/dp/B08VYLT449/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MH8QMZH1DV7M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sRtYerK1ri9cQR_xoy4Cq7EgDXkhcpwHmsDF3Lj2YUnGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.xmF4eEAyjOPZH2PNZlEp0XQb2XgX2aBwDprrGUi-I6I&dib_tag=se&keywords=john+fea&qid=1751032016&s=audible&sprefix=john+fea%2Caudible%2C120&sr=1-1

Current Events

IRS says churches can endorse candidates from the pulpit

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/us/politics/irs-churches-politics-endorse-candidates.html?ae=ao&campaign_id=9&context=morning-riddle&emc=edit_nn_20250709&instance_id=158125&nl=the-morning&regi_id=104206717&segment_id=201506&showDialog=1&user_id=e0c8cdc6d71d8c023c9ea234359ae126

How Private School Choice Triumphed in GOP-led States

https://www.governing.com/magazine/how-private-school-choice-triumphed-in-gop-led-states?utm_campaign=Newsletter%20-%20GOV%20-%20Daily&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–vaGXeYdjlJrtET_BZGkNzkjfaNgM0OUrYl66qsu3wX9fbXgeGXtXe5qtvWqpLp4PORxprzh2cYRMaQXPAPMB9sEiDZGvLJ5xSqKiypO-DuFwXmWM&_hsmi=370428696&utm_content=370428696&utm_source=hs_email

Religion at the Supreme Court (from this term)

https://reason.com/volokh/2025/07/08/religion-at-the-supreme-court

100 Years After Scopes

https://apnews.com/article/religion-schools-church-state-scopes-monkey-trial-054773e

D76ef36836e2f180d8d8d2802

Post from conservative law prof. about religion cases at scotus

https://reason.com/volokh/2025/07/21/the-three-real-questions-that-come-after-overruling-employment-division-v-smith

10 Commandments in schools/legal challenges moving forward

https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5414315-ten-commandments-laws-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-arkansas-religion-in-schools

Parental opt outs post Mahmoud

https://www.k12dive.com/news/what-the-supreme-courts-parental-opt-out-ruling-means-for-schools/753608/