...the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act (HR 235). It's disgraceful that such a bill needs to be introduced in the American Congress.
Both the right of freedom of speech and religious freedom are at a point in American history where the Congress must now pass a bill to return to the people what was given to them by the Founders of this Republic.
Battle Rages Over Pulpit Politics!August 13, 2004 –
The Washington Times has recently reported on the growing battle between conservative churches and liberal watchdog groups over politics this year.
The battle against freedom of speech is being waged by the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), and organizations like the MAINStream Coalition in Kansas/Missouri that it is sending spies into churches to monitor sermons.
AU, for example, has filed complaints against Rev. Jerry Falwell and against Rev. Ronnie Floyd of the First Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. In May, AU filed a complaint against the Catholic archdiocese of Colorado Springs, Colorado because its bishops wrote a letter urging its parishioners to not vote for candidates who were pro-abortion or favored embryonic stem cell research.
The muzzling of religious leaders to speak out on the issues is the result of a
1954 IRS rule change pushed by
Senator Lyndon Johnson. The Senator passed the change to punish two anti-Communist non-profit groups that opposed his re-relection.