Just my personal thoughts -- as a preacher's kid in the 70's I was wise beyond my years -- not bragging, just saying it was not pleasant. I knew a lot was wrong, but I was stifled and we were not allowed to talk about any of it -- women's lib, abortion, women in the pulpit, etc.

When Nixon resigned our youth group was at the beach in Caswell, NC. We were watching the TV and it was turned off and we were told that it was not a conversation we could have at a church event. I knew that meant I had to find out more. That's just how my mind worked. I did the best I could in the library and then I asked elderly people that I trusted. That's when I found out why my Dad was not allowed to talk about politics from the pulpit... now 50+ years later -- look where we are.

I know that Jesus said, "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." But I don't think it meant that suppression of truth was part of the deal.

When the church shares the Bible's Truth - of course, toes are stepped on, but there's something that speaks to the conscious at the same time that forces us to admit - hey - he/she is right.

I have often wondered how many people in my church would stay and continue to give their tithes if the church relinquished it's non-profit status. How bad would the church lose funds?

Have you ever given money and then received a miracle? If I am wise, the truth being taught in the church would have no bearing on me either donating my tithe and not worrying about a tax write off, or just not donating at all - either way, I would be able to think critically about the fact that there must be something the government doesn't want me to learn if they are restricting speech via the tax code.

Just my personal thoughts -- as a preacher's kid in the 70's I was wise beyond my years -- not bragging, just saying it was not pleasant. I knew a lot was wrong, but I was stifled and we were not allowed to talk about any of it -- women's lib, abortion, women in the pulpit, etc.

When Nixon resigned our youth group was at the beach in Caswell, NC. We were watching the TV and it was turned off and we were told that it was not a conversation we could have at a church event. I knew that meant I had to find out more. That's just how my mind worked. I did the best I could in the library and then I asked elderly people that I trusted. That's when I found out why my Dad was not allowed to talk about politics from the pulpit... now 50+ years later -- look where we are.

I know that Jesus said, "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." But I don't think it meant that suppression of truth was part of the deal.

When the church shares the Bible's Truth - of course, toes are stepped on, but there's something that speaks to the conscious at the same time that forces us to admit - hey - he/she is right.

I have often wondered how many people in my church would stay and continue to give their tithes if the church relinquished it's non-prot status. How bad would the church lose funds?

Have you ever given money and then received a miracle? If I am wise, the truth being taught in the church would have no bearing on me either donating my tithe and not worrying about a tax write off, or just not donating at all - either way, I would be able to think critically about the fact that there must be something the government doesn't want me to learn if they are restricting speech via the tax code.