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Several church leaders around the country are choosing to violate IRS regulations by endorsing or denouncing particular candidates for office. These actions constitute a violation of the law and threaten the divide between church and state. For more specific information about the cases, see our recent press releases here:

http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pr

AFN

In a memorandum issued last week, the Bush administration articulated its support for organizations that hire only staff members of a certain religion. The administration stated that these types of organizations should still be eligible for federal funding. The document approved a grant for World Vision, an organization that aims at reducing gang membership among at-risk youth. Despite its compassionate goals, the organization will only hire Christians.

In case you missed it, there's an interesting debate involving the tax-exempt status of churches in the Los Angeles Times today. Check it out.

LAT: Why don't churches pay taxes?

AO

Here’s some surprising news: on the recent First Amendment Center survey, a whopping 55 percent of Americans agreed with the notion that “the U.S. Constitution establishes a Christian Nation.” Just 39 percent disagreed with the statement. To make matters worse, fully 63 percent of respondents agreed that “the nation’s founders intended the United States to be a Christian nation,” and only 32 percent disagreed. As you probably know, the U.S. Constitution makes no mention of a Christian nation at all.

At least in California. Check out this month's issue of Church & State, Americans United's award-winning magazine which features monthly in-depth examinations of church-state issues.

Today marks the 221st birthday of the United States Constitution. Around the country Americans are celebrating the ratification of the document that ensured the rights and freedoms that we enjoy today. As you know, an important freedom secured in the Constitution is our freedom of religion. The Founding Fathers vowed to keep religion out of the government, a division that is not present in every nation. Let’s be thankful for our freedoms today and continue to work to protect the separation of church and state.

AFN

In a reversal from previous trends, a slight majority of Americans now believe that politics and religion don't mix, according to a recent Pew Survey.

AO

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The Department of Health and Human Services has recently proposed new regulations that would greatly threaten access to necessary medical care and allow discrimination in the provision of medical services. These regulations would allow religious healthcare providers to refuse to treat patients under almost any circumstance with no consideration of how such refusal would affect patient healthcare.

Leaders of the Religious Right descended upon the nation’s capital this weekend for the fourth annual Values Voter Summit. The event, sponsored by the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defense Fund, is intended to reinvigorate evangelicals and other supporters of the conservative Christian agenda as the November election approaches. The forum hosted notable speakers including Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rev. Jonathan Falwell, son of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell.

As the election season begins to ramp up, Americans United continues to remind houses of worship that the endorsement of politicians from the pulpit. As we've done for the past 12 years with Project Fair Play, we're reminding houses of worship that they (and all non-profit groups) may not endorse or oppose candidates for public office from the pulpit.