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josephdavid
Guest
This was sent to me by a so-called “Progressive Catholic” who in my opinion is anti-Catholic.
Would like anyone’s imput on this.
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Would like anyone’s imput on this.
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thegame
Guest
Really bad ideas, but in the U.S. could never happen anyway. Making people give is in opposition to Christian theology!
I don’t think, as a Catholic, I want to hear about what England has done on this particular subject. Seems to me this would be their second biggest mistake - just behind their history of Anti-Catholicism. Otherwise, I like England.
A bigger issue is how nations with socialist programs not only tax everything, - and alot by the way, and ultimately collect less revenue because they hamper productivity by screwing with free will.
We have a Political Party in the U.S. who wants to do this (the one on the left) - but we’ll never have to worry about Chruch taxes because they would be deemed unconstitutional.
I don’t think, as a Catholic, I want to hear about what England has done on this particular subject. Seems to me this would be their second biggest mistake - just behind their history of Anti-Catholicism. Otherwise, I like England.
A bigger issue is how nations with socialist programs not only tax everything, - and alot by the way, and ultimately collect less revenue because they hamper productivity by screwing with free will.
We have a Political Party in the U.S. who wants to do this (the one on the left) - but we’ll never have to worry about Chruch taxes because they would be deemed unconstitutional.
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DaveBj
Guest
On the other hand, a church that renounced its tax exemption could be as political as it wanted to be, and no one could prevent it. Something to think about.snip
We have a Political Party in the U.S. who wants to do this (the one on the left) - but we’ll never have to worry about Chruch taxes because they would be deemed unconstitutional.
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didymus
Guest
My understanding is that if you are Catholic a tax is withheld to support the Church and the clergy are paid by the government, Catholic schools are funded by the state, &c. This is all a holdover from the Reichskonkordat negotiated in 1933.
Catholics may opt out of the payroll deduction but I certainly can’t imagine a priest turning away a lapsed Catholic who wanted to return to the sacraments because s/he wasn’t paying the tax.
I think there is a similar payroll system in place for Lutherans.
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thegame
Guest
That would be a disaster for The Catholic Church - Religion is poisoned by politics much easier than politics is poisoned by religion.
The current Pope handles issues perfectly. He makes “environmental” issues known, but would never give specific policy advice or dissaproval to a gov’t.
Not in the U.S.A. What country are you talking about?
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Digitonomy
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Nohome
Guest
In Germany, you pay a church tax as a percent of your income and it goes to one of the the denominations recognized by the state. In this manner, nearly $4 billion is transferred annually.
Germans can declare they have left the church and they do, about 100,000 each year. This is declared to the state, not the church. State revenue is about 70% of the church’s income in Germany, the rest comes from direct donations.
So the church really doesn’t deny sacraments because they have no way of knowing who doesn’t pay. That said, there have been some cases where sacraments have been denied for not paying and their are cases where they have been granted because of a private donation.
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Nohome
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Most of Europe. France and Turkey are ot exceptions that come to mind immediately.
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Digitonomy
Guest
Do you know further details about how this works? How does the state know which religion you are to begin with - is it something you declare when you first start paying taxes, or is it automatic and dependent on the state in which you live? And if you declare you have left the Church, are you now paying less taxes, or is your tax redirected to another entity?
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Hlafdige
Guest
In Germany and Austria, the church tax system is left over from the time of Hitler, who confiscated church property and in „recompense“, created state taxation of church members in favor of their respective churches (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox) – hoping, of course, that they would thereby lose members.
In Germany, church membership is declared on the residence form which every resident is required to file in the locality where they live. The tax is collected by the state. In Austria, you register with the parish or faith community and although they inform the state of your status (so that they have legal rights to their financial claims), the churches themselves are responsible for collecting the contribution, which amounts for most Catholics to about 1.1% of your taxable income. Some countries, I believe, have a culture tax which goes to the church if you belong to one, otherwise you can support scientific research or the arts.
In Germany, church membership is declared on the residence form which every resident is required to file in the locality where they live. The tax is collected by the state. In Austria, you register with the parish or faith community and although they inform the state of your status (so that they have legal rights to their financial claims), the churches themselves are responsible for collecting the contribution, which amounts for most Catholics to about 1.1% of your taxable income. Some countries, I believe, have a culture tax which goes to the church if you belong to one, otherwise you can support scientific research or the arts.
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Jabronie
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cathgal
Guest
Pay taxes to National church in Britian…like Church of England?
Speaking for themselves I say. Doubtful if it was Catholic.
Speaking for themselves I say. Doubtful if it was Catholic.
Unless they know who’s rich or poor, this cannot be a good idea.
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Nohome
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