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Why Germany's Catholics turn their back on the church

Why Germany's Catholics turn their back on the church – DW – 07/01/2023

https://www.dw.com/en/why-germanys-catholics-turn-their-back-on-the-church-an-example/a-66082963

Over half a million German Roman Catholics left the church last year alone. Why do people break with the institution? DW's Christoph Strack caught up with one of those who have done so.

11 comments

Aesculapius

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It's hard to keep folks in an organization built around morality when the organization doesn't share the same moral ideals of the folks who are in it. Hiding the sexual abuse of minors and the atrocious treatment of "sinners" (e.g. LGTBQ+ people) are very well known. The article touches on another large one that gets less press and that is the role of women in the church. Despite women's suffrage in the US being passed over 100 years ago. The Catholic church is not organized in a way to be flexible. On the contrary, they are dealing with over 2,000 years of institutional tradition. The "faithful who are waiting for reforms" have waited long enough and are moving elsewhere. Either the church learns how to change or they will continue to whither.
source: one of the faithful who stopped waiting over 10 years ago.

Rabbithole

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Preach!

GataZapata

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The protestant church has similarly sharp declines, but not as high absolute numbers of people leaving afaik. I also left church last year. No church tax for me. And they fuck kids

HubertManne

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I would love a church tax here. Would like to see how many of the "religious" politicians would pay the tax to keep up the charade.

PhictionalOne

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You misunderstand. Church tax in Germany means that the state is the tax collector for the church. Every individual registered as either catholic or protestant has to pay.

The church itself gets a certain tax exemption and so on. The only theoretical advantage is that the churches are a part of Bureaucracy and somewhat accountable. But as I said theoretically.

Scimmia

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Don’t you have to pay a tax every year to the church in Germany if you are a member? I guess tougher economic times may also motivate many people deregister.

Xeelee

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That was the motivation for me to leave. The first time i saw "Kirchensteuer" on a pay slip, i said "right, that's it". That was almost 40 years ago, though.

xuxebiko

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yet some still support child abusers in the name of 'faith'.

ElectronBadger

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It's high time. Still too few and too late, though.