GOVERNOR RICK PERRY MADE $1 MILLION AND GAVE $90 TO THE CHURCH IN 2007!

Gov. Rick Perry has never been shy about putting his faith on display, from speeches at prayer breakfasts to his 2005 signing of abortion restrictions into law at a church school's gym to inviting the nation's governors to a prayer meeting at Houston's Reliant Stadium that some are calling “Prayer-a-palooza.”


But when it comes time to giving, the governor doesn't come close to the biblical guidance of tithing.
From 2000, when Perry became governor, through 2009, he earned a total of $2.68 million according to his tax records. Of that amount, he gave half a percent to churches and religious organizations, or $14,243.

By comparison, Americans averaged gifts of nearly 1.2 percent of their income to churches and religious groups from 2004 to 2008, according to Empty Tomb Inc., an Illinois-based research firm specializing in U.S. church-giving trends.

In 2007 — a year in which Perry reported an income of more than $1 million — he gave $90 to his church, according to the Perry family's tax return. Twice since becoming governor, in 2000 and 2009, he reported no contributions to churches or religious organizations.

As he wades deeper into the pool of potential presidential GOP candidates, Perry's prayer pitch can't help but endear him to the Christian conservatives who dominate Iowa's GOP caucuses and whose beliefs include tithing to a local congregation and giving generously to charitable causes.

But is Perry giving enough? His track record could be a problem said Michael Lindsay, incoming president of Gordon College and author of “Faith in the Halls of Power,” about the growth of evangelical politics.
“He's going to have a hard time with this,” Lindsay said. “While that may be acceptable for someone who does not aspire to leadership, evangelicals get very concerned when their leaders don't walk the talk.”

Perry declined an interview request.