Americans Reject Church-Based Politics, National Poll Indicates.Most Americans want to see less politicking emanating from the nation's pulpits, a national survey indicates. The poll, conducted by Princeton University Princeton University, at Princeton, N.J.; coeducational; chartered 1746, opened 1747, rechartered 1748, called the College of New Jersey until 1896. Schools and Research Facilities last spring on behalf of the Pew Charitable Trust The arrangement by which real or Personal Property given by one person is held by another to be used for the benefit of a class of persons or the general public. , interviewed 5,000 adults on their attitudes toward religion, politics and public life. When asked, "Do you think it is ever right for clergy to discuss political issues from the pulpit?," 57 percent of respondents said no. Only 37 percent said yes, and 6 percent said they don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. . Other highlights from the poll include the following points: * Asked if they would like to see more or less of religious leaders running for public office, 51 percent said less, and 39 percent said more. * Asked if they would like to see more or less of religious leaders forming political movements, 59 percent said less, and 31 percent said more. * Only 37 percent of respondents said they wanted to see "Christian fundamentalists" or "evangelical Christians This is a list of people who are notable due to their influence on the popularity or development of evangelical Christianity or for their professed Evangelicalism. Historical
* Asked if they would like to see more or less of religious leaders appearing on television, 52 percent said less, while 39 percent said more. Don't expect Americans' dislike for church-based politicking to slow down the Religious Right, however. Last June TV preacher D. James Kennedy Dennis James Kennedy, (November 3 1930 – September 5 2007) was an American televangelist and founder of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was senior pastor from 1960 until his death in 2007. launched an attack on the federal tax law that bars non-profit groups from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office. In a letter to supporters, Kennedy asserted that provisions in the Internal Revenue Code The Internal Revenue Code is the body of law that codifies all federal tax laws, including income, estate, gift, excise, alcohol, tobacco, and employment taxes. These laws constitute title 26 of the U.S. Code (26 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq. must be removed so "America's pastors and Church leaders [will] be free to speak out about moral and political issues." In fact, pastors and church leaders can address political and moral issues now, and many do so regularly. Tax law bars non-profit groups only from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office. With his appeal for funds, Kennedy included petitions to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), asking them to overturn IRS An abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing internal revenue laws. prohibitions on church-based partisan politicking. No action is expected in Congress, but Americans United will be watching closely in case Religious Right allies in the House and Senate move to support Kennedy's crusade. |
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