Jill Stanek has a report here on a bold new move by the Alliance Defense Fund to take back the freedom of speech for America's religious leaders. It involves what the ADF is calling a "pastor's revolt" this September against the unconstitutional 1954 law that has so effectively hindered pastors, priests, rabbis, and religious organizations from speaking freely about political candidates.In the article Jill gives a little history of the Johnson Amendment, some information about the IRS' confusion and double standards, and news about how the ADF move is being rigorously challenged by (big surprise) the loutish Barry Lynn and his Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
Writes Jill, "ADF will challenge one specific part of the code, the prohibition of a pastor to speak from the pulpit about views on political candidates. ADF considers this a violation of a pastor's First Amendment rights. This has never been challenged in court.
On Sept. 28, approximately 50 pastors the ADF has chosen from volunteers nationwide will preach sermons to provoke the IRS on this point. This would immediately invoke a lawsuit that would find its way to the U.S. Supreme Court."
For further info, check out this page on the ADF site itself.
