Pulpit Politics and the Separation of Church & State

The organization founded by James Dobson, The Alliance Defense Fund, have laid plans to make political pitches for John McCain in churches across the nation this coming Sunday.

This Sunday’s in your face campaigning will challenge the 1954 IRS ruling stating any church which endorses a political candidate will lose its tax exemption. The ADF believes this ruling limits free speech.

Churches that follow IRS guidelines have a liberal platform regarding free speech. Pastors or laypersons can preach on issues of war, abortion. They can talk about gay and lesbian issues, gun control and the economy. Basically, no issues are off limits in the church. Churches are allowed to invite political candidates to speak just as Senators McCain and Obama did recently.

What a church or pastor acting in an official capacity cannot do is endorse a specific political candidate. If they do, they run the risk of losing tax exempt status. The ADF is pushing for churches to back their chosen candidate, and in this case, due to the anti-gay sentiment of James Dobson, that candidate would be John McCain.

The wall that separates church and state is already severely cracked. With this push from the ADF, the wall is sure to crumble. Don’t be afraid to contact the IRS with information about any church who is campaigning for a candidate. Don’t let James Dobson run this nation!