Rev. Barry W. Lynn
According to lawyers at one of the nation’s leading non-profit litigation firms, pastors and churches should ignore hollow threats to be silent regarding biblical and moral issues that are relevant to this election which are being made by far-left activists.
Liberty Counsel is reporting on a recent letter sent to numerous churches by Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State which threatens churches to be wary of handing out voting guides or providing other assistance to their congregants for fear of losing their tax exempt status.
In the letter, Lynn states: “You should be aware that some national organizations have been urging religious leaders to engage in problematic activities. For example, you may be asked to distribute ‘voter guides’ during services or to make them available to your congregants. I urge you to be very wary of such overtures.”
However, Lynn’s threats are baseless.
“Americans United has not won a single threat against a church regarding tax-exempt status. No church has ever lost its tax-exemption over political activity,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “The best use of a letter from Barry Lynn is to line the bottom of a birdcage.”
“The truth is, no church has ever lost its tax-exempt status for either endorsing or opposing any political candidate or endorsing or opposing a local, state or federal law,” Staver continued.
“Pastors should not allow secularists like Lynn to intimidate them. Church leaders and pastors may speak on biblical and moral issues. They can educate about the candidates’ viewpoints. They can encourage people to vote and can even assist them in getting to the polls.”
Liberty Counsel has provided several hundred thousand DVDs of Silence is NOT an Option to pastors and church leaders in America which provide pastors and church leaders with the resources they need to speak up on important biblical and moral issues. It has also produced a handbook entitled, “Patriot’s Handbook of Political Action for Pastors and Churches” which is a thorough resource for pastor’s rights.
These resources are also a vital aid for American voters who are too often intimidated into silence by unfounded threats from those who wish to prevent their voices from becoming a part of the public discourse.
