Tax-exempt status does not end first amendment rights

Contact: Nima Reza, Focus on the Family, 719-548-4570, culturalissues@family.org, press@family.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Oct. 3 /Standard Newswire/ -- Some liberal watchdog groups believe a church's or a pastor's right to speak out on social and political issues ends when tax-exempt status starts. They are wrong.

In response to various attempts to silence pastors, five Christian organizations – Focus on the Family, Alliance Defense Fund, the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America and the James Madison Center for Free Speech – have banded together to educate pastors on how to speak on issues relevant to the 2008 elections while staying within the lawful boundaries set for nonprofit organizations.

The joint letter is a response to misleading information sent to churches by organizations such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State. In addition, numerous churches have had their tax-exempt status threatened or have been subjected to IRS investigations based on allegations from such private activist groups. The letter is also available online at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/PastorsGuidelinesLetter.pdf.

"American Pastors have a long tradition of providing their congregations with a biblical perspective on current events. From encouraging colonists to participate in the American Revolution to speaking out against the immorality of slavery, pastors have helped U.S. citizens navigate the waters of political issues," said Tom Minnery, senior vice president for Focus on the Family. "Not only is this a basic constitutional right, but the numbers show the majority of Americans believe churches and other houses of worship should speak out on social issues."

Among rights churches maintain in spite of their nonprofit status are issue-oriented speech, which includes the discussion of issues of public concern, the actions of government officials in office and the positions of candidates on issues; distribution of incumbents' voter records; sponsoring of nonpartisan voter registration activities. In addition, pastors keep their right to participate in political campaigns as an individual and not in the name of the church; give financial contributions to political candidates; endorse a political candidate.

Today 47 percent of American adults attend church in a typical weekend. "They, too, have the right to be educated in a nonpartisan manner on how to vote in a way that is consistent with their faith," Minnery said.