Interfaith Alliance president Rabbi Jack Moline issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order on the Johnson Amendment:
“President Trump’s actions today should not be allowed to stand. Removing the legal sanctions for political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship will do more to compromise religious freedom than any action in recent memory. That minority of clergy — almost all from the Religious Right — who want to impose their private partisanship on their congregations will be emboldened to turn worship into campaign rallies. Government officials will feel free to violate the Establishment Clause by promoting their own religious beliefs in the performance of official duties.
“Today’s Executive Order is payment to religious extremists for their support. It is not in the interests of American citizens, including those who voted Mr. Trump into office. It is a betrayal of the First Amendment. The responsibility now falls to clergy of conscience to protect their pulpits from partisan political intrusions, and to citizens to insist that their legislators overturn this overreach.
“On this day designated as the National Day of Prayer, President Trump would do well to remember that we are a nation of laws, not prayers. Worship is a protected right of each American, but it is neither a campaign tactic nor subject to the direction of any government official, including the President of the United States.
Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.