The IRS and the ULC encourage churches to abide by the Constitution with respect to the separation of church and state, and refrain from politicking to maintain non-profit status

Many churches throughout the United States have stated that they will participate in a movement they are calling “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” on Sunday, October 7th, 2012. Organizers are participating churches have said that they plan to preach on political issues, such as which candidates their members should vote for and how to vote on other important issues. The churches plan to do this as a form of protest against what they call a violation of their freedom of speech. The Universal Life Church (ULC) is strongly against this movement and encourages the government to reinforce the line separating church and state.

While freedom of speech is a right that every American deserves and enjoys, there are certain rules and regulations when it comes to the political campaigning of non-profit organizations. A church that is registered as a non-profit organization receives many benefits, including tax breaks from the IRS. The tax allowances are gifted by the government to these organizations so that they can practice religious freedom and charitable acts of service. The ULC and other groups that have come against “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” have warned that, by churches accepting the tax-exempt status and then encouraging their members in a partisan way of voting, the government is then funding political campaigning. The Universal Life Church says this is against the U.S. Constitution and that the IRS must enforce separation of church and state by revoking tax breaks to churches that participate in this movement.

Those in favor of “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” claim that there is no breach of the Constitutional law by pastors speaking out on partisan political issues from the pulpit and that the First Amendment grants pastors the right to do so. They further reject the separation of church and state, saying that the purpose of the Johnson Amendment, from whence the term came, was to protect churches from government censures and involvement, not the other way around. They claim the IRS trying to stop them from tackling politics from the pulpit is actually the violation of Johnson’s famous phrase. The ULC and other similar organizations reject this reasoning and stand fast that pastor’s should steer clear of political campaigning in church or they should lose their non-profit status and be subject to paying taxes. October 7th is rapidly approaching, as are the elections.

The Universal Life Church is an organization that firmly believes in religious freedom and the separation of church and state, with the purpose of making it possible for anyone, regardless of his or her denomination or belief system, to become a minister. The ordination process is much more simple than most of the other church ordination programs, and it is not necessary for one to have a fixed and traditional set of beliefs to become a minister through the ULC, which has made it a popular place for those whose beliefs are somewhat unconventional. The ULC stands firmly against this movement and is putting pressure on pastors and the government to stop it from happening.