From the Illinois Federation for Right to Life...A Daily Alert

With election season approaching, it is very important for your pastors to clearly understand the law as they speak out on current issues facing our country.

Since 1954, legislation regarding the Internal Revenue Code has prevented pastors and other clergy from endorsing or supporting candidates for public office.

Basically, the code gives the IRS the right to take away the tax-exempt status of your church if your pastor speaks out on political issues.

Ironically, this silencing of our church leaders goes completely against the desires of our Founding Fathers!

Throughout the Revolutionary War, American pastors preached vehemently from their pulpits against the tyranny of Great Britain and of the desire for a new government.

Americans United conceded that pastors do have the right to speak out on the moral and biblical issues of the day, even during election season.

To further clarify, the only thing pastors are prohibited from doing is endorsing or opposing candidates for public office (this prohibition does not apply to the pastor in their individual capacity).

Therefore, the distribution of non-partisan voter guides, the holding of political debates, and the preaching of moral issues are all allowed to take place within a church facility.

For more news about the rights of your pastor this political season, please review this new information and either print it for your church leader(s) online at:

http://www.aclj.org/media/PDF/10032006_fed_campaign_finance.pdf