News, Court upholds German Catholic Church membership tax. (protestants, quote, bishop)

[JD59]

Germany's Roman Catholics can only remain part of the Church if they pay a membership tax, a court has ruled.

All Germans who are officially registered as Catholics, Protestants or Jews pay a religious tax, worth an extra 8-9% of their income tax bill.

BBC News - Court upholds German Catholic Church membership tax

[RuralMissionary]

I'm a bit confused....is the church requiring a tax? Or is the government charging a tax to catholics?

[BIMBAM]

Originally Posted by RuralMissionary

I'm a bit confused....is the church requiring a tax? Or is the government charging a tax to catholics?

From the article: "German bishops said Catholics refusing to pay the Church tax would be denied religious burial."

So I guess it's the church, and the government allows tithing through the formal tax system. Very interesting, I didn't know about this.

I think it's a bad move, it'll force cultural Catholics who aren't serious enough about religion at some point in their life to want to pay thousands of dollars, to abandon Catholicism which will be very painful for these individuals, their communities and their families.

[ptsum]

Hmmmm, I guess it is possible to buy your way into the Christian heaven....at least in Germany it is....

[LuminousTruth]

You can't be part of the Brides of Christ (and get The Church's benefits) if you don't support the Body of Christ
Or did I get that backwards.

I thought the Catholics already charged their followers for all those services anyway... Why need a membership fee? Unless, of course, the membership fee is an underhanded way to Capitalize of human psychology, etc. lol