FRC Action, the political arm of the Family Research Council, has been touring the country in "values" buses, trying to motivate voters to support embattled GOP candidates. Many tour stops have been in churches - which, under the provisions of the Johnson Amendment, can’t endorse or oppose political candidates.

​​​​​​​During the Values Voter Summit over the weekend, leaders and followers of the Religious Right made clear they plan to continue their attempts to weaponize religious freedom as a means to justify discrimination, particularly against LGBTQ people and women.

Cries of persecution by fundamentalist Christians may raise money and inspire activism for Religious Right causes, but they wither in the face of the facts. In the United States, Christian groups often receive special treatment or exemptions from laws that similarly situated secular groups must follow. The position of Christian groups is often one of privilege.