I will respond NCA! I don't agree that paying taxes assuages ones responsibility to donate to a religious charity or visa versa! One is an obligation, the other is a personal choice.
I will say that you remind me a little of my 35 year old son! He and I have political differences and he and I go around on those differences. Although we do have differences in our viewpoint, he whole heartedly believes in his beliefs and defends them unabashedly...likewise I, mine! We're both entitled to what we believe, without insulting the other. What I don't like is when he makes blanket statements about a group as a whole, such as; the conservatives are a bunch of backwards rednecks or similar comments! I call him out on that and remind him that he wasn't brought up to lump groups of people into some demeaning category, rather they're to be judged individually on the content of their character.
Sure there are individuals within both beliefs who can and should be called out and/or categorized in that manner, but from my experience with many friends and acquaintances on both sides of the political spectrum, and although I may not agree with some, I certainly don't believe a political disagreement should devolve into name calling, threats and personal attacks. Not really too harsh, just a pet peeve of mine when whole groups of people are judged as knuckle dragging morons, so to speak!
