Would you pay a "Church tax"?

Tiddlypeeps

Seaneh wrote: »

The catholic church makes nothing even close to "profit" in Ireland.

It's run at a massive loss in the vast majority of parishes.

Source?

And why did you put profit in quotes?

wilkie2006

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

what about us non catholics? i feel sorry as it is for people paying into the catholic cult but now the animals could force a tax on people.
let the animal in the vatican sell off all the nazi gold and art

NON-CATHOLIC ON BOARDS ALERT!!!!

Here lads, I've caught one!!! Jaysus, heathens and Protestants get everywhere these days...

Gurgle

Seaneh wrote: »

The catholic church makes nothing even close to "profit" in Ireland.

It's run at a massive loss in the vast majority of parishes.

I'm impressed that you know this for a fact, when there are no published figures for the collection plates. It seems the only part of the finances that can actually be pinned down is the property portfolio.

I guess it's difficult to hide a hospital or a 300 foot spire.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0606/1224317368627.html

anncoates

Didn't read whole thread but I always thought the idea of such taxes was that non- adherents of the religion didn't pay?

The problem in this country is obviously in terms of church control of hospitals and schools so many non-believers have to use the facilities in the absence of decent secular alternatives.

Dolbert

Boards says NO!

Lawrence1895

Sergeant wrote: »

It isn't mandatory to pay in Germany, and is also collected by the regional authorities on behalf of the various Protestant denominations. If you don't believe or want to pay then you do not need to, however you also lose the right to get married in a Catholic church, have your children christened by the church, be buried in a graveyard ran by the denomination in question and so forth.

As far as I know, they take the tax out of your payslip, unless you opt out of the church.

But I'm not 100% sure, since I left the church (Lutherian) two days after my 14th birthday

admiralofthefleet

wendell borton wrote: »

We dont pay it here and we are still fooked.


It seems fair to me, if your avail of the services provided by the church funerals, weddings etc. you should pay for them.
There would also be a lot more financial acountability as the gov. would know what income the churches take in.

its a cult that is registered as a charity. thats how they got away with the household charge

Duiske

jokettle wrote: »

Isn't it similar to paying tithes? And if so, wasn't that common enough here not too long ago?

The first clash of the Tithe War took place on 3 March 1831 in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny when a force of 120 yeomanry tried to enforce seizure orders

We sorted that out in Graignamanagh. Send the Pope down here. We'll teach'em a thing or two.

mackerski

As has been alluded to, we already do pay a church tax. I'd be well up for changing the system to an explicit opt-in (not opt-out) church tax that you only paid if you were a member. My tax burden wouldn't go down, but at least I'd have the pleasure of knowing it was being better spent.

N17er

Those pesky continental prodestants with their sneaky taxes.

stoneill

I think it's a brilliant idea - Church Tax! - oh yeah, I'd pay that alright, and I would encourage everyone to pay. And I'd make sure that if you didn't that you would get excommunicated and then were would you be not being able to receive sacraments!

Malari

stoneill wrote: »

I think it's a brilliant idea - Church Tax! - oh yeah, I'd pay that alright, and I would encourage everyone to pay. And I'd make sure that if you didn't that you would get excommunicated and then were would you be not being able to receive sacraments!

That's the only thing that's important to many Irish Catholics. That they can marry, have their kids do communion and confirmation, and be buried in a catholic ceremony. I'd say there could still be quite a few people paying it.

Manach

To spite this incompetent government and its army of tax gathers - YES.

Lawrence1895

Malari wrote: »

That's the only thing that's important to many Irish Catholics. That they can marry, have their kids do communion and confirmation, and be buried in a catholic ceremony. I'd say there could still be quite a few people paying it.

Not sure, but don't they pay loads of money to the priest, if they need those things?

Malari

Lars1916 wrote: »

Not sure, but don't they pay loads of money to the priest, if they need those things?

Well, yeah, that's my point. That if you are already paying to be entitled to do these things, surely it's not that different to just pay a tax instead and have them included.

1ZRed

I'm thinking of starting up my own religion. Basically you drink, sleep around and do whatever you like without any moral repercussions.

"Mass" is every Friday at the local GAA club. Free drink all night.

All I ask is you call me God and have a good time :P

antodeco

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

TIL some people don't know what opt-out means

Today I learned what TIL means!

the groutch

we're already paying the victims of paedo priests on their behalf, is that not enough?

Gurgle

the groutch wrote: »

we're already paying the victims of paedo priests on their behalf, is that not enough?

There certainly should be a special tax to cover that 'special' arrangement. What was the kickback for paying compensation out of state coffers? Does Bertie get a penthouse in hell?

Sariah

I already pay a tithe so it wouldnt really make a difference to me.

Franticfrank

The church tax in Austria was started by Hitler, wasn't it? And they're happy enough to keep it. In Germany, its absolutely ridiculous - what they just signed off on could destroy the church there (hopefully anyway). Statistics show only half of Germans consider religion important anyway. Its basic blackmail - pay us or you don't get to communion, you don't get married, you don't a funeral, you get Fup all. Let them off, I'd rather spend my money on beer.

Shenshen

mike65 wrote: »

I find the very concept bizarre but several European countries have one.


In Germany the Catholic Church is getting worried by the numbers who are opting out and so are threatening to withdraw all privileges, which includes work in Catholic run bodies like schools and hospitals.

How are Churches funded here? Is it just by passing the plate, donations and maybe sales of land/property?

Would you prefer an official tax with an opt out/in that carries sanctions/privileges?

Well, I opted out of it back in Germany, and I don't see why I wouldn't here, seeing as I'm an atheist.

I doubt they'll introduce it here, though, as it would most certainly reveal the number of actual Catholics in this country, and I'd be very surprised if that was anywhere near 40%

SmilingLurker

No, but I am a non believer. I think that those who use their services should pay, not taxpayers. Separate church and state, and let the people pay per pew.

IMO Churches should be taxed like any other organization....

Shenshen

Franticfrank wrote: »

The church tax in Austria was started by Hitler, wasn't it? And they're happy enough to keep it. In Germany, its absolutely ridiculous - what they just signed off on could destroy the church there (hopefully anyway). Statistics show only half of Germans consider religion important anyway. Its basic blackmail - pay us or you don't get to communion, you don't get married, you don't a funeral, you get Fup all. Let them off, I'd rather spend my money on beer.

Well, technically it was started by Napeleon. The church tax and the fact that the state will collect on behalf of the church is compensation for the secularisation of church-owned land.

Fuinseog

Franticfrank wrote: »

The church tax in Austria was started by Hitler, wasn't it? And they're happy enough to keep it. In Germany, its absolutely ridiculous - what they just signed off on could destroy the church there (hopefully anyway). Statistics show only half of Germans consider religion important anyway. Its basic blackmail - pay us or you don't get to communion, you don't get married, you don't a funeral, you get Fup all. Let them off, I'd rather spend my money on beer.

pay the club membership or f off. you are either catholic or not. a lot of anti catholic bigots here harp on about catholics being paedos yet still expect to marry in a church or get their off sprig into a catholic school.

Fuinseog

ilovesleep wrote: »

Wasn't Enda Kenny gone off to rome or the vatican or somewhere, just this weekend gone to visit the pope. And after his almighty speech issued last year and all.
Off topic, I know, but god knows what he's scheming up.

As for a church tax, I was raised as a catholic but have very little faith. I do believe that there is something there and some sort of an afterlife but I will not and do not want to support the catholic church or anything to do with them because of the past and what they are known for.

Priests raping boys

Women placed in madaline laundries and the nuns who were supposed to care for them, abusing them and humilating them.

Sheer fcuking sadists.

unless you are some silly little teenager jumping on the bandwagon you could have put a stop to it. where were all the anti catholic bigots in the eighties? why did they not speak out?

Show Time

i will in my backside hand over money to that bunch of kiddie fiddlers.

Fuinseog

Show Time wrote: »

i will in my backside hand over money to that bunch of kiddie fiddlers.

you sound like a true loyalist. maybe you should throw a pipe bomb at the Romans when they going to church.

Fuinseog

Show Time wrote: »

i will in my backside hand over money to that bunch of kiddie fiddlers.

you probably intend to have your off spring make their communion , if only for the sake of the money.

Zebra3

Fuinseog wrote: »

unless you are some silly little teenager jumping on the bandwagon you could have put a stop to it. where were all the anti catholic bigots in the eighties? why did they not speak out?

Bering against adults raping kids doesn't make you a bigot. :rolleyes:

Boombastic

When the raise the age of consent (currently 13) in the Vatican, I will consider their agendas, until then they are just peados and peado enablers & everyone who contributes is just supporting their cause

Fuinseog

Zebra3 wrote: »

Bering against adults raping kids doesn't make you a bigot. :rolleyes:

it is when you single out Catholics and ignore secular: child abuse, rolleyes:sometimes within the family.
the same crowd who go on about black sheep within the church support Norris and his 'something to be said for paedophilia'. he should should have been put on the spot and forced to explain himself without advisors and spindoctors. if a bishop said what he said they would be out of a job.

Fuinseog

Boombastic wrote: »

When the raise the age of consent (currently 13) in the Vatican, I will consider their agendas, until then they are just peados and peado enablers & everyone who contributes is just supporting their cause

i think Norris wanted to lower the age of consent here. he supported Cathal O searcaigh special interest in young boys. he had to be elected to the senate. what kind of people voted for him?

admiralofthefleet

Fuinseog wrote: »

i think Norris wanted to lower the age of consent here. he supported Cathal O searcaigh special interest in young boys. he had to be elected to the senate. what kind of people voted for him?

what kind of priest preached from the pulpit while at the same time abused children. animals

whatdoicare

Don't believe in God, don't go to mass, didn't get married in a church, won't be baptising my kids or sending them to a Catholic school, don't want to be buried in a Catholic ceremony - so obviously I won't be opting in.

I think there's nothing wrong with this tax - it'd be no harm to get people to really assess signing their kids up to this religion and taking sacraments that they have no real interest in just for the sake of doing it.

Why don't we pay a Neverland tax while we're at it? Since that's another place I never, ever go and is also based on fantasy.

oppenheimer1

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Would quickly see a drop in the number of people claiming to be Catholic in the census if this was brought in

People really misunderstand this "Church Tax" they have in Germany. Firstly it is not a tax, its essentially a donation to the church collected by the state on behalf of the church. The Church pays for this service. Workers can opt out of paying the donation if they so please however the donation is Tax deductible so those that opt out end up paying more tax which would leave them with the same net income (or perhaps less).

Right or wrong, I don't know, but we should at least understand the system if we are going to discuss it.

kowloon

Fuinseog wrote: »

you sound like a true loyalist. maybe you should throw a pipe bomb at the Romans when they going to church.

THE TROUBLES!!!

Knight who says Meh

Fuinseog wrote: »

it is when you single out Catholics and ignore secular: child abuse, rolleyes:sometimes within the family.
the same crowd who go on about black sheep within the church support Norris and his 'something to be said for paedophilia'. he should should have been put on the spot and forced to explain himself without advisors and spindoctors. if a bishop said what he said they would be out of a job.

Are secularists an institution which was and still is highly influential in this country, which hold itself up as moral guardians and has leaders who have willingly protected their own interests through a cloak and dagger cover up?
I must have missed that bit being the old bigot that i am.....

Knight who says Meh

Fuinseog wrote: »

you sound like a true loyalist. maybe you should throw a pipe bomb at the Romans when they going to church.

And this post explains to me your fondness for the word 'bigot'.
Monkey see.......

Ghost Buster

Would i pay a church tax?
if i believed in a religion and that my eternal salvation depended on my adherence to that religion and its associated god then "Yes".
But in my circumstance 'NO"

And i would go out on a limb and say the the majority of those who tick 'Catholic' on the census would also say 'NO"

Show Time

Fuinseog wrote: »

you probably intend to have your off spring make their communion , if only for the sake of the money.

If you are going to address me try and say something that either makes sense or is coherent.

starbelgrade

Show Time wrote: »

If you are going to address me try and say something that either makes sense or is coherent.

dhakhehc e-e-kskskksaa[

nachocheese

84% of you guys marked "Catholic" down on the census, yet 84% aren't stepping up to say you'd support them with your taxes.

What a farce. I'm sure the same people are more than happy to use their facilities for baptism/christening/communion/confirmation/wedding/funerals.

The same 84% are the reason that Irish children, in 2012, are still receiving the same amount of religious instruction in their schools weekly as science.

Farce.

JustFrank

protip :give them some monopoly money for there imaginary cause .I seen enough Fr. ted to know were that money would be ending up ..