Jim,

You've watched too much headline grabbing, sensationalized, we don't really like organized religion, national news.

Certainly there are a few unethical churches, pastors, and governing boards scattered here and there. But despite these few misdeeds, every year trillions of dollars pass through the offering plates of churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations, completely accounted for before their congregations and used in 100% purely ethical ways. I would challenge you to find 1 cent misspent or unaccounted for by any church I've served in the last 30 years. If we were unethical, people would stop giving.

Wonderful things happen at churches for purely unselfish reasons. The Bicycle Ministry in Indianapolis is a great example. My church for instance, began what we call "Feed the Freezer" in January. Each week a small group gathers in our kitchen to make casseroles which are frozen. The next day these meals are taken to a Food Pantry to be given away.

As a church we invested a great deal of time and expense to begin this new ministry, one of which was to jump through the NH regulations to license our kitchen. Since January over 1500 meals have been given away through the generosity of one church and its members, all of whom are very ethical, and very generous with their contributions.

Please don't trash what you are not fully aware of.