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Church=State Politicking |
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Compiled by GayToday Americans United for Separation of Church and State
 Washington, D.C.--A new poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans believe churches
should not endorse candidates for public office, results that will likely
slow down congressional efforts to allow church-based politicking, according
to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Survey results released today by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 70 percent of respondents said churches should not endorse political candidates, while only 22 percent backed church involvement in campaigns. "Despite the rhetoric of the Religious Right, there is no clamoring in America for church intervention in political campaigns," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "When we separate partisan politics from the pulpit, we maintain the integrity of our houses of worship as well as the political process. Americans obviously appreciate this fact. "This data should bring the Religious Right's crusade to change existing law to a screeching halt," Lynn added. "The American people don't want the law changed, America's religious leaders don't need the law changed and the integrity of America's democratic process requires that the law not be changed." Despite the lack of support among the American people, there are three bills currently pending in Congress that would rewrite federal tax law to allow houses of worship to engage in partisan politicking from the pulpit and spend church resources on political candidates. The bill receiving the most attention is Rep. Walter Jones' "Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act" (H.R. 2357), which has already garnered the support of 113 co-sponsors in the House.
The highest support for churches endorsing political candidates came from self-described white evangelical Christians. But even within this group, opponents of church politicking outnumbered supporters, 48 to 41 percent. Under existing law, religious leaders have a clear legal right to use their pulpit to address moral and political issues. Tax law, however, prohibits houses of worship from endorsing or opposing candidates or using tax-exempt donations for partisan campaigns. |
