ACLJ's Position
There are many in our society who attempt to portray people of faith, particularly conservative Christians, as somehow "subversive of American ideals." The most egregious example of this occurred recently, when leaders in the Democratic Party proposed an election campaign strategy for the 2002 elections, that attempted to equate Christians who support the Republican Party with the radical Muslims in the Taliban who support terrorism.
Many liberal advocacy groups, such as the ACLU, would exclude religious viewpoints from the public square, and religious institutions from full participation in community life. Discrimination against churches and religious organizations is therefore on the increase, but the ACLJ has been at the forefront in defending the First Amendment rights of churches and religious organizations. Whether it is in the context of zoning regulations that discriminate against churches and religious organizations, denial of equal access to community facilities, or restrictions on political speech during elections, the ACLJ is committed to protecting churches and religious organizations against unconstitutional discrimination.
In Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District, Jay Sekulow won a landmark victory before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of churches seeking to use community facilities on the same basis as other community groups. The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed the principles announced in Lamb's Chapel in Good News Club v. Milford Central School District, holding that local governments cannot discriminate against religious organizations, even when they propose to use community facilities for worship and religious instruction. The ACLJ filed a brief in that case. The Supreme Court has been clear, yet the ACLU and other groups attempt constantly to undermine equal access principles.
The ACLJ has also been active in defending the rights of churches and religious organizations against overzealous zoning authorities. In 2000, Congress enacted a new law designed to protect churches and religious organizations from discriminatory land use regulations. The ACLJ has already won a case under this new law for a group of believers in Connecticut.
The ACLJ has also defended churches threatened with the loss of their tax-exempt status, because they spoke out on the moral and political issues of the day. The ACLJ's Office of Government Affairs is now working to have legislation passed that will repeal discriminating tax laws.