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This Sunday, dubbed “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” is when about 1,200 pastors from across the country plan to preach their politically-themed messages, defying an IRS for tax-exempt ban churches to be politically neutral. The pastors have signed up for an initiative organized by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) that seeks to allow churches to exercise their right to freedom of speech as inherent in the First Amendment. However, the Johnson Amendment to the tax code states that since churches and other 501(c)(3) places of worship are granted tax-exempt statuses, they should not officially endorse or oppose any political party or individual running for public office.
The ADF initiative that has come to be known as Pulpit Freedom Sunday is now in its fifth year running and its momentum appears to have grown over the years. The pastors believe that it is against their fundamental rights to muzzle churches over political candidates, parties and issues. The pastors participating in Pulpit Freedom Sunday are encouraged to share biblical perspectives on topics relating to the election such as abortion and gay “marriage” from the pulpit, and then to mail these sermons to the IRS. By doing so, the pastors intend to arm-twist the IRS into taking the matter to court so that the legal system can decide whether or not the Johnson amendment is constitutional.
The first Pulpit Freedom Sunday was participated in by a mere 33 pastors back in 2008. Their numbers have grown significantly over the last 5 years. Participants include well-known pastors such as Pastor Jim Garlow of San Diego’s Skyline church. Pastor Garlow, who has been a participant since the event’s inception said, “(pastors are) not instructing people about how the bible applies to the national life of the voting electorate” and hence has called on pastors to join forces to express their opposition to the Johnson Amendment.
Pastor Garlow added that pastors should not shy away from addressing issues like abortion, gay marriages etc that plague the society. He commented that 40 years ago, everyone would have agreed that abortion is wrong because it was the murder of a baby inside the womb and ten years ago, no one would have argued that marriage is anything but between one man and one woman. Today, however, Pastor Garlow laments that when pastors speak out on these issues, their congregations say, “Pastor, you’re being too political.”
In its website, the Alliance Defending Freedom explains the objective behind Pulpit Freedom Sunday. It said, “The goal of Pulpit Freedom Sunday is simple: have the Johnson Amendment declared unconstitutional – and once and for all remove the ability of the IRS to censor what a pastor says from the pulpit.”
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