Victory for the pulpit: Religious leaders no longer face tax threats for political speech
By Noah Stanton | I Stand For Freedom
Every Sunday, millions of Americans go to church hoping to learn how to live better lives. For years, pastors have had to watch their words carefully. Say something about who to vote for, and the government might show up and take away the church’s special tax status. It’s like having a referee who can throw you out of the game for saying certain words.
This hidden muzzle on church leaders has been around since 1954. Americans can speak freely almost everywhere else. But in church, the IRS could punish certain kinds of talk. Many religious people wondered: How can we have true religious freedom if our pastors can’t speak freely about today’s big issues?
That question now has an answer. The Internal Revenue Service told a federal court on Monday...