The Apostasy of the Syt

[Syt]

Well, after years and years of dragging my feet about this, I've finally filed the request for quitting the Lutheran Church.

My parents had me baptized/confirmed, because, well that's what you do, even if you don't believe in God, or think that the clergy are aloof weirdos.

Church membership incurs fees that are collected by the financial authorities on behalf of the churches at the same time your tax/social security is deducted from your salary payout. I paid, IIRC, 20, 25 or so EUR/month in Germany.

In Austria the church sends you a bill every couple of months. They charge you based on your income. I never disclosed my income to them, so they went with a EUR 10,000 annual income estimate in 2008 (which has by now grown to 14k, but is still way below my actual income).

Leaving a church has to be done through the magistrate. I've previously been too lazy to do that, but I've noticed you can now file the request online, for free (you only have to provide proof of belonging to the church in question, e.g. the bill they send you).

I've just paid my last overdue church fee, filed the request and now await confirmation in some form (and probably a letter from my church about how sorry they are to see me go or some such).

Soon I'm officially a heathen, apostate etc.

[Duque de Bragança]

Damn, no more Lutheran jokes on Syt.

[Caliga]

Grandpa Johnny is crying from heaven.

[Legbiter]

 

I shall pray for you Syt. 

[Admiral Yi]

I can see how it might be OK to pay a retainer to a church so you have someone on call if you need a church wedding or church funeral, but 25 euro seems pretty steep.

If you apostosize, aren't you still on the hook for an equivalent pagan tax?  I vaguely recall something like that in Germany.

[Syt]

Well, it just feels more honest this way. I don't believe in God or a higher power (though I consider it impossible to disprove the existence of such an entity with 100% certainty).

Doesn't mean I don't respect religious beliefs.

[Syt]

I can see how it might be OK to pay a retainer to a church so you have someone on call if you need a church wedding or church funeral, but 25 euro seems pretty steep.

If you apostosize, aren't you still on the hook for an equivalent pagan tax?  I vaguely recall something like that in Germany.

They used to have it, but not any more IIRC. In Austria no such thing exists.

[Admiral Yi]

Does the tax mean Teutonic churches skip the offering part of the ceremony?

Does that mean you don't get to sing the Doxology?

[Syt]

Does the tax mean Teutonic churches skip the offering part of the ceremony?

Nope, the plate/bag still goes around during mass, if that's what you mean. Usually it's for a specific cause; or at least it was in my hometown in the early 90s.

Does that mean you don't get to sing the Doxology?

The what? (I looked at the Wiki article in English and German, and I could honestly not say.)

[Admiral Yi]

The song you sing after you hand over your loot.

"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

[Brazen]

Church membership incurs fees that are collected by the financial authorities on behalf of the churches at the same time your tax/social security is deducted from your salary payout. I paid, IIRC, 20, 25 or so EUR/month in Germany.

How 17th Century. Best the church I got baptised at got was 20p in the collection on school services.

[Syt]

The song you sing after you hand over your loot.

"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

I've attended 2 dozen services in my lifetime, tops, so I honestly don't recall whether or not there was a specific song while the alms were collected. It may have been one of the hymns that were picked out by the pastor for the service/sermon for that week.

[Duque de Bragança]

Church membership incurs fees that are collected by the financial authorities on behalf of the churches at the same time your tax/social security is deducted from your salary payout. I paid, IIRC, 20, 25 or so EUR/month in Germany.

How 17th Century. Best the church I got baptised at got was 20p in the collection on school services.

That's something expats in Germany discovery very quickly. Among the first questions asked when registering at the city hall. Sometimes, they're told to pretend they are not religious to avoid pretend it, despite baptism. Lately, German churches have been using baptism archives abroad so some people had some bad surprises.

[derspiess]

  End of an era, or something.

[Valmy]

You will always be a beloved child of God to me Syt