A conservative law firm is waiting for a response from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the latest "Pulpit Freedom Sunday."
According to the Alliance Defense Fund, the event was a success. Attorney Erik Stanley reports that about 100 pastors from 30 states participated in the firm's third annual Pulpit Freedom Sunday, a legal effort designed to secure pastors' First Amendment rights. (See earlier story)
"All of this with the goal of protecting a pastor's right to speak freely from the pulpit without fearing any government censorship or control," Stanley explains. "So it was a great success, and we're looking forward to what may come after this."
He goes on to tell OneNewsNow that most people probably fail to realize that pastors do not have the same freedom of speech as non-pastors. "What pastors can and cannot say from the pulpit about the issue of candidates in elections is governed by the IRS and the Internal Revenue Code," he notes.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1187674
Critics of what the ADF calls "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" say pastors already can say what they please, but should not expect their churches to remain tax-exempt if they endorse candidates.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=1182652
In the pulpit or out of the pulpit, and man of God is still a man of God, and his advice and convictions are still valid. The majority of the Founding Fathers revered God, and, tax law not withstanding, we would do well to follow their lead.
This is from http://toulonbaptist.com/foundingfathers.htm
Consider Benjamin Franklin's appeal for prayer at the Constitutional Convention:
In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection.--Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments be Human Wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.
I therefore beg leave to move--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of the City be requested to officiate in that service--
In his book Original Intent David Barton gives an impressive list of these founders that without doubt claimed to be Christian in their faith. I simply include their names and their positions. The chapter that this information comes from comprises about 15 pages of typed material. Below you will find a list of 79 of our founding fathers who embraced Christian principles. I would challenge someone to find a list 79 deist or atheists from among the founding fathers.
ABRAHAM BALDWIN (SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION): Chaplain in the American Revolution for two years.
ALBION PARRIS (GOVERNOR OF MAINE): Manager of the American Sunday School Union.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON (SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION): Proposed formation of the Christian Constitutional Society to spread Christian government to other nations.
ANDREW KIRKPATRICK (CHIEF-JUSTICE OF NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT): Vice-President of the New jersey Bible Society; Vice-President of the American Bible Society.
BENJAMIN LINCOLN (REVOLUTIONARY GENERAL; LT. GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS): Member of the Society for the Propagating of the Gospel among the Indians and Others.
BENJAMIN RUSH (SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION): Founder and manager of the Philadelphia Bible Society.
BUSHROD WASHINGTON (U. S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE): Vice-President of the American Bible Society; Vice-President of the American Sunday School Union.
CALEB STRONG (CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION; U. S. SENATOR; GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS): Vice-President of the American Bible Society.
CHARLES CARROLL, SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION
CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY (SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION): President of the Charleston Bible Society; Vice-President of the American Bible Society.
CHARLES GOLDSBOROUGH (GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND; U. S. REPRESENTATIVE): Vice-President of the American Bible Society.Enough Said...
