> American Center for Law and Justice > WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2006 > > Dear Friends, > > > Don't allow the Internal Revenue Service to close your church and silence your > religious leaders! > > Recently, I sent you an email to inform you of a vague, half-century-old law > which enables the IRS to shut down your house of worship. > > This obscure law is being used by Americans United for Separation of Church and > State (AU) and others to intimidate churches into silence on moral issues. > > Join our nationwide campaign to give our religious leaders back their voice for > morality by adding your name to our Houses of Worship FREE SPEECH PETITION. [ > https://www.aclj.org/petition/Default.aspx?SC=3155&AC=DNE0604018&email=dmndgrlkr > [log in to unmask]&guid=2B28CE6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1 ] > > It all began in 1954 when then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson sought political > retribution against an opponent who was assisted in his campaign by two > non-profit organizations. > > As a bill to revise the tax code was being debated on the floor of the Senate, > LBJ pushed a little-noticed amendment that barred all tax-exempt groups - > including churches - from participating in political activity. > > The penalty: loss of tax-exempt status. A heavy price to pay for exercising > their free speech rights. > > Today, churches in America ARE paying the price. They are threatened with > lawsuits and the revocation of their tax-exempt status. Intimidation is > silencing our ministers on crucial topics like abortion and same-sex marriage! > > In other words - churches are putting their tax-exempt status at risk whenever > they speak out on issues of the day. > > We must put an end to this! This is a blatant violation of our First Amendment > free speech rights. > > But we need your signature to help stop this injustice and protect our ministers > and houses of worship. Add your name to our online FREE SPEECH PETITION and make > your voice heard! [ > https://www.aclj.org/petition/Default.aspx?SC=3155&AC=DNE0604018&email=dmndgrlkr > [log in to unmask]&guid=2B28CE6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1 ] > > Religious leaders not only have a constitutional right to address the moral > issues of the day, many believe they also have a responsibility to do so - > especially in the context of political campaigns. > > This country has a rich and welcomed history of turning to churches and houses > of worship during the debates of the great moral issues of the day. > > Why have we put the IRS - which is designed to collect revenue for the general > treasury - in the position of being the speech police? > > At the ACLJ, we have an important opportunity to correct the errors of the past. > That's why the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act is so vital! But we > must have your help. > > Lend your name to our FREE SPEECH PETITION today. [ > https://www.aclj.org/petition/Default.aspx?SC=3155&AC=DNE0604018&email=dmndgrlkr > [log in to unmask]&guid=2B28CE6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1 ] Your name will be > added to tens of thousands of others in this nationwide campaign. With it, we > will stand together and protect the rights given to us by our Founding Fathers. > > I encourage you to forward this email on to family members, friends, and church > members as well to get the word out on this issue! > > Thank you for your immediate action to further the cause of freedom. > > > > American Center for Law and Justice > P.O. Box 90555, Washington, D.C. 20090-0555 > Phone: (800) 296-4529 > > Copyright 2006 > > If you would like to unsubscribe please go to > http:[log in to unmask]&guid=2B28CE > 6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1&AC=DNE0604018&SC=3155 > > American Center for Law and Justice is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, religious > corporation as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, > specifically dedicated to the ideal that religious freedom and freedom of speech > are inalienable, God-given rights. The Center's purpose is to educate, > promulgate, conciliate, and where necessary, litigate to ensure that those > rights are protected under the law. The organization has participated in > numerous cases before the Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeals, Federal > District Courts, and various state courts regarding freedom of religion and > freedom of speech. > As always, let us know of threats to freedom in your area by calling (757) > 226-2489. And tune in to our daily radio program, "Jay Sekulow Live!" > For technical problems of any type, contact the tech support staff by visiting > http://www.aclj.org/help/. Please provide all the information requested. > Please do not use this for general correspondence as it goes to a technical > support area. > How do I discontinue my membership/subscription to this e-mail list? Do not > respond to this e-mail for any reason. To discontinue your membership > automatically, please follow the link below. You joined this list as at the > following e-mail address: . You must use the correct e-mail address to > discontinue your membership. > If you experience any technical problems and/or do not receive confirmation that > your request has been completed online, please postal mail, phone, or fax your > request using the contact information listed above. Your request will be > processed within 10 days of the receipt of your request. > Discontinue my subscription - > http:[log in to unmask]&guid=2B > 28CE6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1&AC=DNE0604018&SC=3155 > > HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE? > Make a secure online credit card donation. - > https://www.aclj.org/Donate/Default.aspx?SC=3&AC=1&[log in to unmask]& > guid=2B28CE6A-E7EA-4FA8-BEBA-C07E25AF52D1 > >