The results of a critical vote in Wisconsin this week tilted the state Supreme Court. This would not have happened if pastors removed their muzzle and used a megaphone to speak biblical truth and educate voters.

We are experiencing the painful ramifications of pastors and clergy being silenced from speaking out on political issues. Now, instead of moral leaders weighing in on our elections, we have people like George Soros and social media “influencers” like Taylor Swift seeking to fill this void with immoral garbage. They are the ones telling people how to vote, what to believe, and how to act — while pastors are silenced.

Rev. Charles G. Finney (1792-1875), a revivalist in the Second and Third Great Awakening, puts it bluntly:

Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics or the Lord will curse them. ... Christians have been exceedingly guilty in this matter. But the time has come when they must act differently. ... God will bless or curse this nation, according to the course Christians take.

Charles Finney was right! Silence is not an option.

In response to this pressing problem, the Free Speech Fairness Act has been introduced in Congress. This bill will repeal the 1954 Johnson Amendment and end this IRS-imposed muzzle threatening the tax exemption of churches and nonprofits that dare to speak the truth. It will restore our religious freedom and freedom of speech. Urge legislators to pass the Free Speech Fairness Act now!

Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) is leading this bill with 18 legislators who have already signed onto it.

“This attempt to muzzle people of faith must end — the Constitution is clear: Americans’ right to free speech shall not be infringed,” Rep. Harris said. “People of faith should not fear exercising their First Amendment rights at the risk of the IRS coming after them. For too long, the Johnson Amendment has silenced pastors, churches, and non-profits from engaging on moral and political issues of our day for fear of losing their tax-exempt status.”

For 71 years, the Johnson Amendment has been bullying pastors and stopping clergy from addressing the pressing issues of our nation from a biblical perspective. Congregants are left without the moral compass necessary to navigate the complex socio-political landscape.

This does far more than undermine the role of the church in our nation; it also disintegrates the moral fabric of our society.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) is leading this effort in the Senate. He explains:

The Free Speech Fairness Act is needed to ensure these original free speech protections are upheld by removing a restriction on speech that has existed since 1954. Fundamental American values must extend to everyone, including pastors, social workers, or non-profit employees and volunteers. Everyone should have their constitutional rights to assembly, free speech, freedom of religion, and free press protected.

In recent times, there has been a concerted effort to silence voices who dare to speak truth, especially from our nation's pulpits. Letters have been sent directly to pastors threatening them if they dare to speak out on national policy matters.

This strikes at the very heart of one of our nation's foundational principles: the unalienable right to free speech — particularly as it pertains to our pastors and clergy. It’s time to end this now.

Jody Hice knew firsthand how the current law silences clergy. He was a pastor and then later a member of the U.S. House. He said the Johnson Amendment is “an unconstitutional provision in the U.S. Tax Code” that has “silenced religious leaders from speaking openly from the pulpit. As a pastor before coming to Washington, I was personally harassed by the IRS. My church's tax-exempt status was threatened because I dared to preach openly on political issues important to my congregation” said Hice, now president of FRC Action.

This bad law urgently needs to be fixed and reversed. The weight of the future of our nation is resting on us to make this change now.

The passage of the Free Speech Fairness Act would mark a significant victory for religious liberty, ensuring that our spiritual leaders can fulfill their divine calling to shepherd their flocks without governmental interference. It would reaffirm the principle that the pulpit is a place of truth, not censorship.

Help restore this right for our pastors so that we can win this battle over the future of our nation.

Liberty Counsel Action is one of 16 groups in the nation officially recognized in the initial press release as supporting this legislation. It is your support that enables us to be at the forefront of this battle and so many other ones.

However, the opposition is formidable, well funded, and relentless in their efforts and lies to keep the voices of faith marginalized — or completely silenced!

As I said, silence is not an option. The stakes are too high and the consequences too dire for our nation. Together, we can act now to ensure that the voices of our pastors are heard loud and clear, guiding our nation back to its moral and spiritual foundations. Your generous support is vital to our efforts and will allow us to educate and empower citizens across the nation to advocate for the Free Speech Fairness Act, as well as work directly with legislators to ensure the passage of laws that protect and promote religious freedom.

Your support will help spread the truth that can set pastors free and effectively open the door to awaken entire communities to be reached that have — all too often — fallen asleep.

We invite you to partner with us to defend freedom and restore America. Become a monthly sponsor or give a single gift to keep our ministry actively serving on Capitol Hill and across America.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the cause of liberty and justice. May God bless you abundantly for your generosity and dedication.

Mat Staver, Chairman
John Stemberger, President
Liberty Counsel Action

P.S. It’s time to remove the muzzle that the IRS placed on the church and speak the truth to restore our nation. Your donation directly to LCA helps us create opportunities to change the future of our nation.

Sources:

“Rep. Harris and Sen. Lankford lead fight to stop IRS from silencing pastors, churches, & nonprofits.” Mark Harris U.S. Congressman, March 31, 2025. Markharris.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-harris-and-sen-lankford-lead-fight-stop-irs-silencing-pastors-churches.

“Senator Lankford, Congressmen Scalise, Hice, Johnson Reintroduce Free Speech Fairness Act.” James Lankford, February 5, 2019. Lankford.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-lankford-congressmen-scalise-hice-johnson-reintroduce-free-speech-fairness-act/.