Germans scolded for dodging church tax

[UnrepentantLiberal]

Upi
Sept. 29, 2012

BERLIN, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Germany's Roman Catholic bishops warned the faithful that dodging religious taxes could exclude them from church activities such as baptisms and funerals.

Religious taxes are paid as a percentage of income to support churches and synagogues, and the tight European economy has prompted an increasing number of Germans to drop out of their churches to avoid the levy, Britain's The Daily Telegraph said.

That hasn't sat well with the bishops, who said in an official decree this week that not paying the taxes was "a serious mistake."

The decree will be followed up by a form letter that will be sent to unofficially lapsed Catholics reminding them they have to be all in if they want to take advantage of the church's sacraments.

More: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/09/29/Germans-scolded-for-dodging-church-tax/UPI-64981348935279/?upi_mf

[jody]

1. Perhaps priests could demand a picture ID before church sacraments? nt

[tama]

2. They have forgotten

why Luther became so popular in Germany. Paying cash for place in Heaven is not a winning religious message for extended period...

[rug]

4. This tax is the direct descendant of the Reformation.

With the Peace of Augsburg, each principality followed the religion of the prince, be it Catholic or Protestant, with the concomitant required financial support. The Church of England also remains a state religion supported by the public.

What is wrong here is withholding sacraments for failure to pay a tax. One has nothing to do with the other.

[tama]

5. Don't know about Germany

Our people didn't pay taxes to anyone before we were conquered by papal order and Swedish crusaders and then church demanded a tenth to feed our conquerors. Switch from pope to Luther didn't change much, of course. Also our Lutheran state church considers the first Catholic bishop of Finland, Henry, a hero and martyr, but ordinary folks still admire Lalli who according the tale axed the thieving and rude Bishop dead. Church taxes are collected together with state taxes from those who have not resigned from church. As only natural persons can resign from church, legal persons must always pay church taxes.

The positive side of state church is that it must respect and follow popular sentiment in matters of female priests, gay marriage etc. If it does not, more and more people leave the church and it becomes poorer and poorer.

[rug]

6. So Sweden as well collects a church tax.

[tama]

7. Possibly, I'm speaking about Finland nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. The Church of England is supported by members, not 'the public'

http://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/facts-stats/funding.aspx

It has a fair amount of assets like land that help generate income; but it's not 'the public' (and, from what I've read about churches in the USA, it exerts far less pressure on members to donate; it certainly wouldn't come up with "donate or get refused communion" like the German Catholics have).

[rug]

9. Your link indicates three quartes of its funds come from parishioners.

What of the rest?

And what of its status as the state religion whose bishops hold ex officio seats in the House of Lords?

Are you saying the Government, i.e., "the public", provides no funding either directly to the Church or in the form of maintaing its churches as national heritage?

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. As I said, and as that page says, it has investments

Those generate another 15%; interest on its accounts and fees for ceremonies cover the remaining. Yes, churches can get grants for the lottery fund for repairing historic structures, as can other religious or non-religious organisations.

[cbayer]

3. "It is not possible to separate the spiritual community of the Church

from the institutional Church." - so say the Bishops.

I think they are quite possible wrong.