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September 28, 2008

Few Enid pastors participate in Pulpit Freedom Sunday

Not many Enid pastors participated in so-called Pulpit Freedom Sun-day, the day a national organization called on them to talk about moral characteristics of candidates running for office in violation of an Internal Revenue Service rule prohibiting it.

Alliance Defense Fund is a socially conservative group at-tempting to reverse a 1954 Supreme Court ban on tax-exempt places of worship sponsoring or endorsing candidates in office.

The 1954 Johnson Amendment to the Internal Revenue code prohibits churches or non-profit groups from intervening in the campaign process and keep their tax-exempt status.

The national organization of ADF called on participating ministers to discuss the moral qualifications of candidates seeking office this year and exercise their First Amendment right to preach on the subject, despite federal tax regulations prohibiting intervening or participating in a political campaign.

The Rev. John McLemore, pastor of Central Christian Church, said he was unfamiliar with the group and would not participate. “My opinion, this is a conservative group,” Mc-Lemore said.

The Rev. Dan Barrick, pastor of First Assembly of God Church, said Thursday he was somewhat familiar with the group but would not participate. Barrick said his church currently is involved in a voter registration drive, and all political activities are nonpartisan.

The Rev. Brad Menden-hall, pastor of World Harvest Church, is not familiar with the group and did not plan to participate.

ADF officials believe churches should not be hampered in discussing political candidates.

“Pastors have a right to speak about biblical truths from the pulpit without fear of punishment,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley.

Mendenhall said pastors should have the right to speak freely on political matters from the pulpit. Mendenhall has done that, although not specifically endorsing anyone.

“If I talk about anything, it’s not endorsing any candidate, just the importance of voting our values and letting our voice be heard. That’s my approach,” Mendenhall said.

The Rev. Wade Burleson, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, said he did not plan to participate and was vaguely aware of the group.

“I never talk about politics from the pulpit. We study scriptures and we talk about Christianity and people’s faith, but we leave politics for other people,” he said.

Burleson, who called himself a conservative, said he has told people he is active politically, but said the pulpit is not the place to promote a particular viewpoint.

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