German RCC says - pay up or else!!!!

[Cheese]

Roman Catholic Church that is....

....Germany's bishops are so rattled by the number of people officially disassociating themselves from the church (which had been running at around 120,000 a year, but jumped to over 180,000 in 2010). Hence, they've issued the following decree:

Catholics who leave can no longer receive sacraments, except for a special blessing before death, the decree states.
They cannot work in the church or its institutions, such as schools and hospitals, or be active in church-sponsored associations such as charity groups or choirs.
They cannot be godparents for Catholic children and must get a bishop's permission to marry a Catholic in a church ceremony.
"If the person who left the Church shows no sign of repentance before death, a religious burial can be refused," it added. (source)

The remarkable thing is that, as far as I can tell, church officials aren't saying that people can continue to participate in church life if they opt out of the tax but put their own money in the collection plate instead. No, the German bishops are saying that people have to pay the officially assessed tax rate if they want to be church members.


Germans have a system whereby they pay their associated religion of choice via their taxes.

....in that country, if you officially record your religious affiliation as Protestant, Catholic or Jewish, then a percentage of your income tax payment, about 9%, goes to the governing body of your chosen denomination.

...They've just declared, in effect, that Catholicism in Germany isn't a welcoming community or a free association of people, but an expensive country club with annual dues. I think this is more likely to push wavering Catholics out the door than compel them to stay, since it communicates to them that their continued membership depends not on their faith, but on the contents of their wallets.

[the-rasta-masta]

Reminds me of that George Carlin skit...

Paraphrased: "God can do anything, and he loves you, but he needs your money"

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Crazy Catholics

[troutman]

A catholic priest would not perform my sister-in-law's marriage in Germany, because she was not Catholic (her husband was, at least in theory). So instead of the family priest, they got the local priest to do it, and he was the life of the party. He got wasted at the reception.

[polak]

Thats fine by me.

Not a great way to grow a religion and with people being more open minded about religion overall, threats are probably not the best route but hey... If they want to be treated like a business, so be it.

[Ozy_Flame]

I always wondered that is someone was on the stand for committing a crime, does anyone get off, no strings attached, if they say god told them to do it? This is of course after they swear on the bible.

[Muta]

Don't worry. God will solve all their financial problems, I'm sure of it. He's their saviour afterall. He'll come through with the cash.

[Thor]

Iceland is voting to remove the state church and all taxes paid to it on the 20th of October. The church has been uttering all kinds of threats about people having to pay lots of money for weddings, funerals, baptisms, confirmations, etc..

I´m sure we'll hear more nonsense as this vote is expected to be 70% to remove the church from the state.

[Daradon]

I don't think this is a bad thing. If people want to be part of that community, and want to use it's 'services' then they should contribute. It's what the 'good' Catholics would be doing anyway. Isn't the unwritten rule to give 10% to the church/religion you attend?

This just points out one of the problems of organized religion. You need money to organize it. And it does seem like some people abuse that fact. If they're just a catholic at face value, then maybe they shouldn't be a catholic.

Not that I'm arguing for the church, to me it's a non-issue. I don't really want to see the church get any more money OR power. Heck, maybe this makes me for the issue, cause it could turn some people off. I just think, if that's the kind of thing you need in your life, you should pay the price. I do get a little tired of everyone wanting something for nothing. And it sounds like this is what these people are doing. So many people of 'faith' ignore all the rules and responsibilities.

(Part of what really turns me of to most people of 'faith', the constant hypocrisy with the belief they are somehow better, but of course that's a totally different thread.)

The catcher here is the fact that it is organized religion. I'm not sure why people believe to be holy or spiritual you need to be involved with a church, that you need to label yourself somehow.

Even Jesus himself supposedly was against organized religion and large places of worship. 'Under a rock, you will find me.'

If more people took this personal and humble approach to their religion, instead of trying to convert others, change the political views of their country to suit their religion, and blowhard about who's god's dick is bigger, the world would be a much better place.