Donald Trump Loosens Free Speech Cuffs on Churches

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President Donald Trump, in an executive order released Thursday — timed to coincide with National Prayer Day — loosened some of the Internal Revenue Service restrictions on churches that prevented pastors from preaching about politics from the pulpits.

Specifically, he called for the easing of the tax agency’s enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, a decades-old rule that bans churches from openly endorsing political candidates.

Churches and places of worship may have an easier time getting in the political game, thanks to a new executive order signed by President Donald Trump that loosens some of the regulations guiding nonprofits and tax exemptions.

 

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The rule’s been used by far-leftists and atheist groups, like the Freedom From Religious Foundation, in recent years to clamp all types of speech in churches that seem applicable to modern day issues, however. The FFRF, for example, complained in 2012 to the IRS that a bishop was breaking the Johbnson Amendment by telling readers of a local newspaper in a letter to the editor that Catholics, in good conscience, could not vote for candidates who favored gay marriage and abortion.

Trump’s newest executive order makes clear: such enforcement is above and beyond the scope of the Johnson Amendment.

USA Today writes:

“Seeking to redefine the balance between church and state, President Trump signed an executive order that – depending on your point of view – either protects religious liberty, licenses religious groups to practice discrimination, or doesn’t go far enough in any direction.

“‘We’re a nation of believers,’ Trump told supporters during a signing ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House. “Faith is deeply embedded in the history of our country… No American should be forced to choose between the dictates of the American government and the tenets of their faith.’

“Trump’s executive order, which he signed on Thursday to coincide with the National Day of Prayer, calls for easing of Internal Revenue Service enforcement of the so-called ‘Johnson Amendment,’ which prohibits churches from getting directly involved in political campaigns.

“While only Congress can formally do away with the law, this will pave the way for churches and other religious leaders to speak about politics and endorse candidates without worrying about losing their tax-exempt status.

“Trump, criticizing the Johnson amendment as a violation of free speech rights, views his actions as fulfillment of a campaign pledge. “I talked about it a lot” during last year’s presidential campaign, and “promised to take action,” he said. “I won.”

“The Executive Order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty also aims to make it easier for employers with religious objections not to include contraception coverage in workers’ health care plans, although it would be up to federal agencies to determine how that would happen.

“At the ceremony, Trump recognized members of the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of nuns which runs homes for the elderly. The group objected to the Obama administration’s policy that while religious organizations don’t have to directly provide birth control to employees, workers could still get it through a third party. ‘Your long ordeal will soon be over,’ he told them.

“Vowing to fight what he called discrimination against religious people and institutions, Trump said, ‘We will not allow people of faith to be bullied, targeted, or silenced any more.’ The government, he added, has been used as ‘a weapon’ against religion and people of faith.

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Suresh
Suresh
6 years ago

It is Right move. But churches are filled with Left/liberal Pro-islam nutjobs and they will support politicians Like Hillary , obama . Just the way Dumb Pope is doing.

Dems including Obama who have not only denied refugees status to christians from middle east who are real refugee but even have deported christians back to ISIS territory to be slaughtered by ISIS http://tinyurl.com/mtc3xch

At least Trump spoke up for them. If the Left/ liberal corrupt judges, media and politicians stop throwing spanner in the works Trump would stop jihadi immigration and allow christians , the real refugees from middle east and pakistan/Bangladesh etc

Dennis
Dennis
6 years ago

As long as we still consider as criminal any promotion and preaching of the overthrow or absolute domination of our present system of Constitutional government, I, personally, have no problem with any man of religion presenting to his congregation why a certain candidate may deserve the congregants support. Hopefully, that will be the only result of this new order. The congregant should be given the opportunity to reasonably determine for themselves who to support. On the other hand, any so-called church or group that promotes violence ought to continue to be subject to our criminal laws, and I expect that will remain in place. Faith that promotes morality and goodness must remain in place.

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
6 years ago

May America return to being one nation under GOD, as she was originally meant to be!

bn
bn
6 years ago
Reply to  R. Arandas

The problem is, we can not discriminate against even different imaginary gods. So if we let our god become more powerful, we will let the muslim god become more powerful as well. Which means, if we lessen the restrictions on christianity, we will lessen the restrictions on islam as well.

And only one of these gods wants to eliminate the other. So we can do the math from here.

Note – I would much rather have faith vs muslims than atheism vs muslims. We all know how modern-day atheists are. With faith, at least we will stand a chance. And I am an atheist.

spfg
spfg
6 years ago
Reply to  bn

At least by being a Christian you always have God’s word to defend those who error in their knowledge of what is right and wrong…
2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

AnniLinn
AnniLinn
6 years ago
Reply to  bn

I see the point you are making. But I have to say that what has happened is that Christians have been denied freedom of expression. The Muslims, gays, etc. have had their right of expression expanded.

Marniecvernon
Marniecvernon
6 years ago
Reply to  AnniLinn

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J Ian
J Ian
6 years ago
Reply to  AnniLinn

This will be interesting to see what happens

sodacrackers2
sodacrackers2
6 years ago
Reply to  bn

There are no restrictions on Islam in any western country. It should be declared for what it is: a brutal political system.

J Ian
J Ian
6 years ago
Reply to  bn

You are exactly correct. In fact, Muslims always talk about Jews, Christians, and Muslims, to move forward with blurring the lines between church and state – I am not so sure this was a good idea -lets wait and see

DemocracyRules
DemocracyRules
6 years ago

Breaking: State Dept says yes to safe zones for Syria
But Iran can’t participate. This is great news. Safe zones are needed, but Israel has made it clear that there will not be peace with Syria if Iran claims a permanent presence there. Iran has made hundreds of threats to destroy Israel.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/05/270647.htm

But Radio Free Europe points out that ‘safe zones’ need serious muscle behind them. Otherwise, safe zones become dangerous.
http://www.rferl.org/a/syria-safe-zone-explainer-srebrenica/28468420.html

DancerTiffy
DancerTiffy
6 years ago

Ha ha. Here is Trump trying to slip more islam into our schools.
Does he think we won’t notice?
I don’t think there will be too much pushback on this. The liberals and the muslims are undoubtedly happy with it.

Whatever happened to separation of church and state? Do we remember that stuff.

aebe
aebe
6 years ago
Reply to  DancerTiffy

You alright ?

DancerTiffy
DancerTiffy
6 years ago
Reply to  aebe

Yeah,I’m feeling pretty good—thank you.

I still have the nightmares of me on a train going to the gulags, with the SJWs driving the train. The snowflakes are the guards and they all have these long rifles. Yes—-it’s a real nightmare.

spfg
spfg
6 years ago
Reply to  DancerTiffy

Exactly! This ruling promotes that very idea! You need to think through your comment again.

aemoreira1981
aemoreira1981
6 years ago

Those cuffs never existed though. Donald Trump created a fraudulent crisis. One simply can’t endorse a candidate for office.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
6 years ago
Reply to  aemoreira1981

Still stupid after all those comments.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
6 years ago

This should never have been an issue. The subject matter may be, those preaching treason, sedition and violence against other citizens should be kicked in the head. Especially imams promoting shari’a.

J Ian
J Ian
6 years ago
Reply to  Mahou Shoujo

I would like to see Trump,confront CAIR, and ask them for a declaration to never impose Sharia law-

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
6 years ago
Reply to  J Ian

It would be nice to see shari’a law declared treasonous, which it is, then appropriate punishment dealt out to those who will not renounce it.

aebe
aebe
6 years ago

Another good one , Mr President .
Being as how any edicts coming from DC have an effect upon both church and congregation , of course politics will need to be addressed .
Burning down the OBAMAAAA LEGACEEEEE !
Yup .

Validate your 2nd Amendment Rights.. Carry

knightsstrength
knightsstrength
6 years ago

Missing Senate Papers that should be available to the public seems to be missing and other links referenced to these papers of Bill Clintons role in the Bosnian/Serbian war.

(http://www.senate.gov/~rpc/releases/1997/)

When papers missing then there must be a story behind it, and still I would not trust the CIA, that really should be closed down as what JFK wanted to do if I remember correctly

Been goining back​ and reading various articles over the role of CIA, MI6 and others with what Bill Clinton was doing and it should be brought out and aired

When you do a Google search “rpc.senate.gov 1997” iran it brings up so many links to the above

This I did find but looks good to read

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/DCH109A.html

https://islamicpersecution.wordpress.com/tag/bill-clinton-supported-islamic-terrorism-in-bosnia/

https://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/154/26821.html

http://www.atlantic-community.org/index.php/Open_Think_Tank_Article/Srebrenica_Haunts_Balkans_15_Years_Later

knightsstrength
knightsstrength
6 years ago

We must keep the free world the rights to free speech but we must not arm the radicals where they are using every thing against us to crush us.

The only way is to remove tge tgreat and get the Muslims out.

Drew the Infidel
Drew the Infidel
6 years ago

The reason this clarifying act was necessary was because Obhammud had politicized everything, as in every damn thing! Who would have ever thought the Catholic church would be made the political bone of contention in a debate over health care insurance coverage concerning the issue of free contraception and abortion? And why would you need both? You have to leave the planet to find that sort of reasoning.

Mary Seres
Mary Seres
6 years ago

That EO means nothing unless Congress gets behind a bill that goes all the way. A bill that will not punish or persecute Christian businesses who stand up for their religious beliefs, I.E. the Bible or the Torah. If I have a business like a bakery and someone comes in to my shop and asked me to bake a cake for a celebration whatever it is and it goes against my God given beliefs I should have a right to say sorry I can not do that, but you can go next door or down the street and they will be glad to do it..Enough is enough so get busy Congress and do “YOUR” job.

ahem
ahem
6 years ago

You realize, of course, that the radical imams in the mosques of America are going to take advantage of this. It’s a two-sided issue. Trump may come to regret this move.

Bruce A. Frank
Bruce A. Frank
6 years ago

It really DOES NOT. The Johnson Law is still on the books which gives a church a choice, retain tax exempt status or endorse political principals from the pulpit. That law is still there…except for Democrat Churches.

spfg
spfg
6 years ago

The original ruling was a desperate attempt for liberal judges to make a name for themselves by eroding the constitutional rights of religious organizations to promote leaders set down by God on following the Torah. Beginning in verse 18 it is saying that leaders of Israel once in the land of milk and honey should know the Torah in order to lead the people of Israel. Anything less would be very displeasing ot God and they would begin to lose the blessings bestowed upon the people of Israel. Not just anyone can be a leader of Israel but those that know the laws of the Torah…

Example is as follows:

Election and Duties of Kings
Deuteronomy 17
14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; 15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. 16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Ichabod Crain
Ichabod Crain
6 years ago

This is not good news. It is a step away from separation of church and state, a thing there cannot be too much of. Furthermore, while the article speaks of “churches”, this applies equally to mosques. Read that article above again, only this time, every time you encounter the word “church” replace it with the word “mosque”. Anything that gives more political power to Muslims is not a good thing.

RayG1
RayG1
6 years ago

Hooray! Jeremiah Wright is finally legal. I’m sure Obama is happy for him.

Pastor C
Pastor C
6 years ago

This executive order was window-dressing at best. It failed to address the real threat to our religious freedoms, as Christians, entirely.

Point: No pastor or preacher has ever been legally or financially penalized or prosecuted for peaching the truth of God by the IRS or the federal government. It was a non-issue.

The real problem, or issue, that Barry established (through executive order) which needed to be overturned to secure our First Amendment rights (and wasn’t) was the continual persecution of practicing Christians faced by the homosexual community and the leftist lobby (ACLU) punishing Christians for not violating our consciences with regard to same-sex marriage.

That is the real issue which should have been overturned (but wasn’t).

Apparently, once again, Kushner and ivanka who are, both, advocates and apologists for the LBGT agenda convinced Trump to appease and placate Christians with this largely irrelevant declaration which does nothing to protect the religious rights of Christians who seek to abide by, and live out, the fundamentals of their faith by not blessing behavior God has already cursed and condemned, without being penalized and persecuted for doing so.

That was, and remains, the issue. First Amendment protections are still being violated as a matter of public policy. God cannot be pleased. Neither am I.

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