Americans United for Separation of Church and State today hailed a Senate vote rejecting tax funding for religious facilities in the economic recovery package.

“The Senate has voted to reaffirm an important American principle that religious groups should pay their own way and not expect funding from the taxpayer,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

The 54-43 vote came after Religious Right groups began complaining that the proposed economic recovery bill (H.R. 1) was hostile to religion. In fact, the legislation merely states that tax funds used for school construction and rehabilitation may not be diverted to religious institutions.Church-state experts said such language has traditionally been part of legislation that deals with building projects and infrastructure. It’s necessary, they note, because the Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution bars use of public funds to build or renovate houses of worship and other religious facilities.

During the past few days, Religious Right groups have been asserting that the language will bar student religious groups from meeting at universities. Americans United pointed out that the provision has nothing to do with such meetings.

AU noted that the Supreme Court ruled in 1981 that public universities must give the same access to facilities to religious groups that is granted to non-religious ones.

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), an ally of the Religious Right, attempted to remove language in the bill that bans tax funding of religious facilities. AU and other organizations quickly pointed out that the DeMint provision is unconstitutional and unnecessary.

In a letter to all 100 senators, AU Legislative Director Aaron Schuham wrote, “The best and most important way our Founding Fathers sought to protect and promote religion was to ensure that government does not interfere with it. This language is just one more way that our laws reflect this constitutional requirement and important national tradition.”

Lynn expressed delight over the vote, the first up-or-down tally on a church-state issue in many years.

“Religion has traditionally paid for its own buildings and projects in America, and we’ve been better off for that,” Lynn said. “I’m thankful that the Senate has rejected this misguided and reckless gambit to sneak government-funded religion in through the back door.”

About the author: Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

The Religious Right’s access to power in Washington, D.C., has been seriously diminished, but its divisive influence at the state and local level remains deeply problematic, according to an election analysis by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“Religious Right forces did everything in their power to demonize Barack Obama and maintain their influence in the White House,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “but it didn’t work. The majority of white evangelicals voted predictably Republican, but most other Americans ignored the Religious Right’s shrill and partisan message.”

Lynn noted that Religious Right groups distributed grotesquely biased voter guides, goaded evangelical pastors into issuing partisan appeals from the pulpit and made dire predictions about the consequences of an Obama victory.

“James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Richard Land and Company did everything but declare Obama the Antichrist. In the end, they kept their own flock in line, but the majority of Americans were unmoved. On Jan. 20, the Religious Right’s eight-year run of the White House will come to a screeching halt.” ~~  Rev. Barry W. Lynn

Lynn, however, said he deplores the Religious Right’s continuing baleful influence at the state and local level. The movement engineered anti-gay measures and restrictions on reproductive rights onto many state ballots.

“Battles over gay rights and reproductive choice in states like Florida, California and Arizona were bitter, costly and divisive,” said Lynn. “Religious Right activists won some and lost some, but in every case they inflamed ugly passions and stirred up hatred toward their fellow Americans.”

Lynn said the Religious Right is likely to increase its activity at the state and local level, now that advances in Washington will be harder to obtain.

“The Religious Right is not dead,” concluded Lynn, “but I’m happy that most Americans seem very wary of the movement’s reckless merger of religion and politics. Those of us who value church-state separation must remain on the alert to counter the Religious Right’s next gambit.”

About the Author: Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

The overwhelmingly majority of America’s religious leaders have apparently rejected the Religious Right’s efforts to politicize their pulpits, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

A new poll by LifeWay Research has found that 95 percent of pastors strongly disagree that their church has provided any endorsements. Baptist Press, the news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, reported Oct. 30 that 53 percent of Protestant pastors affirmed that they have “personally endorsed candidates for public office this year,” but only outside of their church roles.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “I have always believed that the vast majority of America’s clergy had no interest in politicizing their houses of worship. Pulpit partisanship divides congregations and communities and jeopardizes the integrity of religious institutions.”

Lynn said the Religious Right’s aggressive efforts to lure churches into partisan politics and violate federal tax law have been largely unsuccessful this year.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), one of the nation’s largest and most influential Religious Right groups, urged evangelical pastors to intervene in the election by endorsing or opposing candidates from the pulpit on Sept. 28. Only 33 did so.

Americans United has filed eight complaints with the Internal Revenue Service about churches that participated in the ADF’s so-called “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.”

Americans United this year has also distributed some 100,000 letters to Christian, Jewish and Muslim houses of worship about provisions of the federal tax law governing candidate endorsements by tax-exempt institutions.

Said AU’s Lynn, “This is the last weekend before Election Day. I’m sure there may be a few misguided clergy who cross the line and endorse candidates from the pulpit. But I am confident that most will obey the law.

“Americans United,” he said, “has chapters, members and supporters in all 50 states. If we learn of tax law violations, we will contact the IRS. I hope we don’t have to.”

About the author: Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has criticized a ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the use of sectarian prayers before government meetings in Cobb County, Ga.

The court ruled 2-1 that Cobb County’s practice of opening meetings with prayers that include references to specific deities is constitutional. Americans United and the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia argued that under Supreme Court precedent, communities must use non-sectarian prayer.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “The Constitution gives government officials no authority whatsoever to prefer one religion over others. This decision is very disappointing.”

Americans United and the ACLU pointed out that most of the prayers were Christian in character. The organizations represented local taxpayers who opposed the county’s prayer policy.

Americans United Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan said the ruling in the Pelphrey v. Cobb County case conflicts with a 1983 ruling by the Supreme Court declaring that prayers used before government meetings must be non-sectarian. Other federal courts have upheld that decision.

Judge Bill Pryor wrote today’s misguided opinion. Pryor, formerly the attorney general of Alabama, was known for his activism on behalf of  causes during his tenure in that state. He vigorously defended Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who sought to erect a Ten Commandments monument in the state Judicial Building.

Said AU’s Khan, “Citizens of all faiths and none should feel welcome at county council meetings. When meetings begin with sectarian prayers, some people are inevitably going to be left out. That needlessly divides the community.”

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is advising houses of worship nationwide to respect federal tax law and stay out of partisan politics.

Americans United announced today that 100,000 letters have been mailed to clergy and lay leaders reminding them that federal tax law prohibits tax-exempt entities, including houses of worship, from endorsing candidates.

“Houses of worship are supposed to tend to spiritual needs and do charitable work, not act as political action committees,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “Our letter reminds religious leaders about what the law requires, why it makes sense and how it could affect them.”
The AU letters were sent to a broad cross-section of Christian denominations, as well as a selection of synagogues and mosques.

“The vast majority of clergy of all faiths reject the idea that houses of worship should be politicized. But misguided religious and political forces persist in pressuring religious leaders to violate federal tax law. We urge clergy to just say no.” ~~ Rev. Barry W. Lynn

The mass mailing comes on the heels of a project by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a Religious Right legal group, which last month urged evangelical Christian pastors to violate the law by endorsing or opposing candidates from the pulpit. Reportedly, 33 pastors took part in the ADF effort; Americans United has already filed complaints with the IRS about seven of them.

In addition to its mass mailing to houses of worship, Americans United is making various resources about church politicking available to religious leaders and laypeople through a Web site it created called projectfairplay.org.

Several recent polls, Lynn noted, have shown a majority of Americans opposing pulpit politicking. Americans of all political persuasions and faith backgrounds are increasingly saying they want their houses of worship to unite people, not divide them by introducing partisan politics.

“Church-based electioneering drives wedges into congregations, violates federal tax law and distracts from the true mission of the religious community,” Lynn said. “It’s a bad deal all around.”

About the Author: Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate an Arkansas church whose pastor endorsed John McCain from the pulpit Oct. 12.

According to a report in the Associated Press, Bishop Robert Smith of Word of Outreach Christian Center in Little Rock told congregants, “I will be voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin.”

Smith later admitted that he took this action fully aware that federal tax law prohibits houses of worship from opposing or endorsing candidates. He told the Associated Press, “It’s about principle. I wouldn’t care if it’s my mother. If she isn’t for life or for heterosexual relationships, I wouldn’t vote for my momma.”

Smith’s violation of the law was part of a larger effort coordinated by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a Religious Right legal group. The ADF sponsored a so-called “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” Sept. 28 during which pastors were urged to violate federal tax law by endorsing or opposing candidates from the pulpit. Smith had planned to take part in that event but was out of town at the time.The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, urged the IRS to act swiftly in this case.

“Bishop Smith knowingly and flagrantly violated the law and has even dared the IRS to investigate him for it,” Lynn said. “I hope the federal tax agency promptly takes him up on that.”

Lynn noted that recent public-opinion polls have shown widespread opposition to pulpit politicking. He criticized Religious Right groups for pushing this crusade.

“The ADF and groups like it are trying to divert America’s churches away from spiritual matters and turn them into faith-based political action committees,” Lynn said. “It’s a mistake, and the effort deserves to fail.”

About the Author: Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.