Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Kerry,
When you talk about churches and church budgets, I suspect there is more scatter than data.
My church gives about 25% of its total budget to mission work; most of it outside the continental US.
Others give a percent or two and spend the majority of their budget on themselves.

However the disparity in giving was so great that its obvious that there is a difference other than simply church giving.
I think its really pretty simple--More Conservatives believe in personal charity while more liberal/progressives believe in government action. Both groups are being true to their beliefs.