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Religion

xchrom

(108,903 posts) Mon Sep 24, 2012, 07:44 AM Sep 2012

German Catholics lose church rights for unpaid tax [View all]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19699581

The number of Catholics leaving the Church has sharply increased

Germany's Roman Catholics are to be denied the right to Holy Communion or religious burial if they stop paying a special church tax.

A German bishops' decree which has just come into force says anyone failing to pay the tax - an extra 8% of their income tax bill - will no longer be considered a Catholic.

The bishops have been alarmed by the number of Catholics leaving the Church.

They say such a step should be seen as a serious act against the community.

17 replies

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German Catholics lose church rights for unpaid tax [View all] xchrom Sep 2012 OP

"The bishops have been alarmed by the number of Catholics leaving the Church " get the red out Sep 2012 #1

Cuius regio, eius religio rug Sep 2012 #2

Perhaps the bishops should examine why they are driving people away dballance Sep 2012 #3

Jesus didn't set up a fee schedule. It took several years for that to take hold. dimbear Sep 2012 #13

I'm reminded of my wife's former pastor Fortinbras Armstrong Sep 2012 #4

It's nothing personal..... DeSwiss Sep 2012 #5

It's merely a historical sidelight that Adolph Hitler was careful to pay this tax on time. dimbear Sep 2012 #6

Actually, no. Hitler didn't pay taxes. rug Sep 2012 #7

I mean of course specifically the church levy or tax or whatever--he paid it purposefully to dimbear Sep 2012 #8

You know a contemporary of Hitler? rug Sep 2012 #9

Yes, I do. I know some folks who spent time in his camps. dimbear Sep 2012 #10

When I was young, a long time ago, the super of the building had his grandfather living with him. rug Sep 2012 #11

There were lots of survivors of Nazi Germany in Silicon Valley. My roomie dimbear Sep 2012 #12

This seems most bizarre. I have not heard of anything like this before. cbayer Sep 2012 #14

It doesn't seem so surprising. xchrom Sep 2012 #15

Seems like a mistake on their part. The tighter they squeeze, the more that cbayer Sep 2012 #16

Oh it is a mistake. xchrom Sep 2012 #17