I am trying to use mod_rewrite (entered into the httpd.conf file on a
Linux Slackware box running Apache) to make a dynamic database-driven
website search engine friendly but instead of displaying the expected
search results, when I type in the "shortcut" URI I get the actual
text of the CGI script.  What do I need to do resolve this issue and
get the search engine results to display instead?  I have root access
to make any modifications necessary at a server level.

you are either:
- missing the ExecCGI Option; there should be:
Options ExecCGI (other options may be included there as well)
within your VirtualHost and/or your server configuration

- and/or -

- missing an AddHandler definiton
e.g. 
# To use CGI scripts:
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi

you would have to change that if your script ends with an other extension e.g. .pl
==> AddHandler cgi-script .pl

Thank you!

I added .pl after .cgi on the AddHandler definition (my script worked
without it as long as I didn't try to use mod_rewrite so I didn't know
I needed it) and it worked like a charm!

:) :) :)