by David Smith, IFI
In a win for religious liberty and freedom of speech, the IRS affirmed last week that pastors, as individuals and American citizens, have the right to endorse candidates for office if they choose.
While churches are currently prohibited from doing so, due to a change in IRS law engineered by Lyndon Johnson in 1954, pastors who speak for themselves and not for their churches can freely express their public support for candidates of their choice.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State triggered an IRS investigation into a California pastor who had endorsed Mike Huckabee in his presidential bid. The pastor was defended by the Alliance Defense Fund, which is urging pastors all across America to challenge unconstitutional IRS restrictions on their freedom of religion and speech by openly discussing the positions of political candidates and other social issues from their pulpits on September 28.
Source: IRS clears pastor who backed Huckabee (WorldNetDaily.com)
