Should Sacraments Received Be Tied To Church Tax Money Paid? (Lutheran, churches)
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I'm not an expert in this so I hope there will be some who can help me understand better how Church Tax works. Several European countries have had them for years including,
1 Austria
2 Croatia
3 Denmark
4 Finland
5 Germany
6 Iceland
7 Italy
8 Sweden
9 Switzerland
The way it works is, these governments collect taxes for various approved churches. The money is then used for church support.
Recently, Germany's highest court ruled people are entitled to leave a church and therefore not pay the tax. What really upset one church in particular was that someone could leave the church, quit paying the tax, yet continue to attend services anyway. This church made it clear;if you don't pay the tax you will receive no sacraments. No payment-No penance, no Eucharist, no being Godparents, no Church Burial. Unless, as the Church wrote, they “give some sign of repentance.”
The taxes generated is no pittance. In 2011, the RCC raked in $6.5 billion, the Protestants $5.5 billion. Much of the money goes to hospitals, schools, day care, other social services, and the Vatican. Ranging anywhere from 8%-9% the tax is difficult for many to pay. It is, in part to blame for 3 million people leaving the RCC. It seems to, the price is too high compared to the perceived benefit for many.
Quote:
Norbert Lüdecke, a professor of canon law at Bonn University, said that while every disobedient Catholic is to be punished based on the sin committed, the bishops’ decree effectively placed refusal to pay church taxes nearly on par with the most severe offenses in the church.
I'm not an expert in this so I hope there will be some who can help me understand better how Church Tax works. Several European countries have had them for years including,
1 Austria
2 Croatia
3 Denmark
4 Finland
5 Germany
6 Iceland
7 Italy
8 Sweden
9 Switzerland
The way it works is, these governments collect taxes for various approved churches. The money is then used for church support.
Recently, Germany's highest court ruled people are entitled to leave a church and therefore not pay the tax. What really upset one church in particular was that someone could leave the church, quit paying the tax, yet continue to attend services anyway. This church made it clear;if you don't pay the tax you will receive no sacraments. No payment-No penance, no Eucharist, no being Godparents, no Church Burial. Unless, as the Church wrote, they “give some sign of repentance.”
The taxes generated is no pittance. In 2011, the RCC raked in $6.5 billion, the Protestants $5.5 billion. Much of the money goes to hospitals, schools, day care, other social services, and the Vatican. Ranging anywhere from 8%-9% the tax is difficult for many to pay. It is, in part to blame for 3 million people leaving the RCC. It seems to, the price is too high compared to the perceived benefit for many.
Jews cannot go to Synagogue unless they are paying members.
I've read some Jews call it Pay to Pray. I wonder if I could get away with it, lol.
Quote:
It seems this is state issue in Europe where religion is sometimes sponsored by the state.
Yeah, though this article did not address the state church issue which other countries have, an article on wikipedia mentioned it. The concept is so foreign from our separation of church and state, can't help but think the founders knew days like this would arrive and got it right, besides other things.
Sorry that the article mainly addressed the RCC's response. I'm sure the other churches are reeling from Germany's court decisions too.
I've read some Jews call it Pay to Pray. I wonder if I could get away with it, lol.
Yeah, though this article did not address the state church issue which other countries have, an article on wikipedia mentioned it. The concept is so foreign from our separation of church and state, can't help but think the founders knew days like this would arrive and got it right, besides other things.
Sorry that the article mainly addressed the RCC's response. I'm sure the other churches are reeling from Germany's court decisions too.
The country of Norway where Atheism is very high used to sponsor the Lutheran church as the official state religion. But, they stopped doing this a year ago.
Jesus brought the revelation that no man might buy or sell , save he that had the mark of the beast see as where it can devalue life .......... See people are not called to buy the grace of God , or pay for people to pray for the grace of God which is charity .................You could give charity to Jesus as a point of contact were a minister may pray for you which would also be charity , or the work of the minister who receive payment for His works , there will be no reward in Heaven for payment for the grace of God , Jesus will say `no crown here , you got your reward ` where faith is not expressed .................In Acts 8 a man called Simon who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria tried to give money to buy the Holy spirit and Apostle Peter cursed the deed and payment was not received .............. In Matthew 21: 12-13...``Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple and over through the tables of the money changers , and the seats of them that sold doves .........and said to them ``It is written My house will be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves ..``.......... Today the believer are the Temple of Holy Spirit , so if people are buying the free charity of the grace of God , then they are making the temple of Holy Spirit a den of thieves .....``
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