Religious statements made by political candidates may seem inappropriate, especially to those individuals who believe religion and politics should never overlap. However, religion and politics have been overlapping throughout history, and this interplay will likely continue. From the examples above, it is clear that political candidates frequently make religious statements, but what about religious individuals or churches making political statements? The concepts of separation of church and state and church tax exemption are familiar to most, but it is doubtful that many Americans understand the degree that church conduct or speech is limited in order to maintain tax exempt status. In fact, it is nearly impossible for normal citizens to understand the rights of churches and prohibited conduct when most churches, politicians, and legal scholars have difficulty drawing bright-line rules.
