“Turn Over Sermons, or Face Contempt of Court”
According to a report from FOX News, the city of Houston, Texas has demanded that pastors turn their sermons over to be reviewed. In yet another attack on religious liberty in America, “The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court. ‘The city’s subpoena of sermons and other pastoral communications is both needless and unprecedented,’ Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christina Holcomb said in a statement. ‘The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions.’”
Settlement With the IRS?
Allen West explained back in July that a non-profit Atheist group had made an agreement with the IRS to crack down on churches. The Blaze stated, “The Internal Revenue Service has settled a lawsuit brought by a secular activist group, reportedly agreeing to adopt standards for determining and investigating whether churches and religious organizations have violated restrictions on political activity. The precise terms of the settlement are still unclear, as is how the IRS will amend its policies to enforce tax law on churches in a way that is palatable to the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which has long decried “rogue political churches.” Allen West now says that the demands on Houston pastors is a part of such agreements.
Is This a Test?
In his report, Allen West shares that he feels the demands for sermons from Houston pastors is a test. He says, “This is the test case (and as it happens I was just in Houston last week and will be back next Monday) and this is unconscionable! However, if this case is successful, it will be replicated elsewhere — and where is the Left screaming out about First Amendment rights of these pastors: “Freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof?” Where is the ACLU? After all, they care so much about the rights of unlawful enemy combatants aka Islamic jihadists and terrorists.”
Attack on Religious Freedom
Bill of Rights Amendment I
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
As you can see, the 1st Amendment says absolutely nothing about freedom FROM religion. It is about freedom OF religion….or giving religions the freedom to worship, preach, and assemble in any way that they wish. The law is NOT allowed to prohibit the free exercise of religion or freedom of speech by telling pastors what they can and cannot preach.
What Do You Think?
Regardless of why they are demanding that pastors hand over their sermons to be reviewed, IT IS ILLEGAL for them to do so! Whether or not you agree with what a preacher is saying, the law gives him the right to say it. Political correctness has taken over this country and caused us all to be terrified of offending someone, but pastors simply cannot give in to this ridiculousness. It does not matter whether the sermon is about being gay, or stealing, or committing adultery, or murder, or lying, someone, somewhere will be offended. No one is forced to attend any certain church…if they cannot stand the heat of what is being preached, or if a sermon is against what an individual believes, that individual is free to get up and leave, but the government is NOT free to dictate what can and cannot be preached.
