This article is thanks to BonLovesFreedom!
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 that church leaders can talk about politics and even support candidates. Churches won’t lose their tax status for this speech anymore. This big win comes after President Donald Trump kept his 2016 campaign promise to stop the so-called Johnson Amendment from limiting religious speech.
From ‘The Blaze’:
President Donald Trump, making good on a 2016 campaign promise, took action against the so-called Johnson Amendment in his first term, signing an executive order directing his Treasury Department to effectively halt its enforcement.
Faith is deeply embedded into the history of our country, the spirit of our founding, and the soul of our nation,” Trump said at the time. “We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied, or silenced anymore.
The White House is happy about the decision. Assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers told The Blaze: “Under the Biden administration, places of worship were at risk of losing their tax-exempt status for constitutionally protected sermons and speeches. The Trump administration will not tolerate this infringement on Americans’ First Amendment rights. This decision is a victory for religious liberty for people of faith across the country.”
The battle against speech limits in churches has gone on for decades. The Johnson Amendment, created in 1954 by then-Senator Lyndon Johnson, stopped churches and other tax-exempt groups from supporting or opposing political candidates.
During his first term, President Trump signed an order telling his Treasury Department to stop enforcing the amendment. Despite this action, religious groups still weren’t sure what they could legally say from the pulpit.
The National Religious Broadcasters and several churches sued the IRS in August. They said the Johnson Amendment violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights. Their lawsuit pointed out that churches should have the same free speech as tax-exempt newspapers that regularly back political candidates.
The IRS’s new position is a major change. According to the court filing, “communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted.”
First Liberty Institute, which helped churches fight the IRS, celebrated: “First Amendment rights don’t end when a pastor, church member, or even a political candidate steps on the platform of a church. The IRS weaponized the Johnson Amendment to silence churches and pastors for decades. This is great news for religious organizations, churches, and religious liberty.”
Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, told the New York Times that this outcome “basically tells churches of all denominations and sects that you’re free to support candidates from the pulpit.”
Not everyone is happy about this free speech victory. The National Council of Nonprofits called the decision “deeply concerning.” They claim it attacks “the bedrock principle that charitable organizations must remain nonpartisan.”
But these critics miss the main point: the First Amendment protects religious speech because the founders knew faith communities need to speak freely on all matters that affect their members.
Religious leaders have played key roles in American moral movements, from ending slavery to fighting for civil rights. This decision simply gives back their ability to speak without fear of government punishment.
The IRS agreement marks another step in protecting religious liberty in America. For too long, the government has used tax rules to limit speech that should be protected by the First Amendment. This Trump administration victory ensures that churches can fulfill their moral and spiritual missions without government meddling.
As Americans continue to debate important moral and political questions, we can now rest easier knowing our churches, synagogues, and mosques will be free from government censorship. That’s something all Americans who value our constitutional freedoms should celebrate with a hearty “Amen!”
