Should gay couples appear in your church's pictorial directory? Church leaders are often faced with difficult decisions. In fact, they often have to make critical decisions on a weekly basis. Without taking sides in church politics, I feel for the folks having trouble dealing with this issue.

I'm surprised at the maturity and depth of their lyrics, their brutal honesty, and at how much fun I have listening to them have fun. If you haven't really taken the time to check them out, take the time to check them out.

Nope. Here are a few reasons why we know that Leonardo da Vinci's painting doesn't tell the same story we read in the Bible: In the painting, it's daytime. The Passover meal would have been eaten after sundown.

The book is fiction. Historical fiction takes an imaginary story and surrounds it with historical facts or historical supposition. Despite my (marginal) interest in conspiracy theories, there's not enough historical data to make the story of Mary's involvement in the Knights Templar.

Doubt is our friend. No, I'm not promoting ignorance. You should know me better than that by now. I'm promoting a mindset: one that makes room for questions...leaves room for doubt...allows others to be elsewhere on the continuum we call faith. Uh-oh.

This is a common question, even if it's not expressed out loud. Science and religion are often seen as in conflict. I suggest that most often, they are not...the problem is one of utility. Here's the problem, in my estimation:

That's what we call 'a loaded question'! First, I find that Catholics are usually very much like other people. =)

Jewish men of that time, by and large, did not speak to Gentiles (non-Jews). They especially did not speak to women. In fact, it's said that they went so far out of their way to avoid contact with women and Gentiles that they would cross the street to avoid passing next to them.

In a word, no. Of course, slavery is mentioned in the Bible, so let's look at the context. There were three kinds of slavery in vogue at that time: involuntary slaves, indentured servants, and bondservants.

Does the Bible teach that Christians should give 10% of their income to their local church?

Tithing did occur before the Mosaic Law was given. There are actually three kinds of tithing in the Bible...the way Abraham did it, the way Jacob did it, and the way that the Jews did it.

Why am I writing this article? Because, in all of those years, I've never heard any preacher or teacher explain the Biblical basis for tithing...and I think it's time someone addressed the issue.