First Liberty



Has cancel culture become so common in our country that it's now
infiltrating the offices at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)?

Yesterday, First Liberty Institute appealed an IRS determination
denying tax-exempt status to Christians Engaged, a Texas-based nonprofit
organization that exists to educate and empower Christians to pray for
our nation and elected officials, vote, and be civically engaged.

In a letter issued in May, the IRS argued that Christians Engaged was
not eligible for tax-exempt status in part because the
organization's "[B]ible teachings are typically affiliated
with the [Republican] party and candidates."

In other words, Christians Engaged's nonprofit status was
effectively canceled because the IRS is confused, thinking that
teaching biblical values is somehow the same as advocating for the
interests of one political party.

But what this really comes down to is the IRS making a politicized
decision. It considered it a threat that a religious organization
would encourage people of faith to pray for their nation, vote in
every election, and work to engage others in the political process.

However, IRS officials did much more than just issue a confusing and
unusual letter.

They violated the Constitution. They engaged in both viewpoint and
religious discrimination against Christian Engaged, directly in
opposition to the First Amendment's protection of free speech
and the free exercise of religion.

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Think about the impact this could have on houses of worship, religious
nonprofits and ministries nationwide.

Such a drastic and sweeping shift in how the IRS views encouragement
to civic engagement would be catastrophic for ALL people of faith in
America.

That's why First Liberty is stepping in to defend and restore
the constitutional rights of Christians Engaged.

Any faith-based organization that operates according to religious
beliefs and encourages its parishioners or members to be civically
engaged would be in danger of losing their tax-exempt status, because
the IRS views the religious beliefs as overlapping with a particular
party's positions.

The IRS decision is an abuse of power, plain and simple.

In America, we don't punish religious organizations or people of
faith for exercising their fundamental rights, both to express their
religious beliefs and to be active citizens who participate in the
electoral process.

This is a critical time when religious Americans, churches and
ministries need to be vigilant like never before, as bureaucrats are
known for wielding their power and authority to trample on
constitutional freedoms.

If you're a person of faith or religious organization and you
find yourself in a situation where government officials are attacking
your rights and liberties, contact us immediately by going to our
website and clicking the Get Legal Help button at the top.
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Remember, even in this time of cancel culture and censorship, First
Liberty continues to be America's greatest hope for
victory-and we'll continue to defend your religious
freedom like never before.

Gratefully,

Kelly

Kelly Shackelford
President, CEO & Chief Counsel
First Liberty Institute

First Liberty Institute is a nonprofit, charitable organization under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It does not endorse or
participate in any campaign activity for or against political
candidates.

First Liberty conducts research and provides analysis on the effects
of policy actions on religious liberty. This publication is intended
to be used for informational, educational and reference purposes only.

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