On: I Can't Do Anything for Fun Anymore; Every Hobby I...

[maxxxxx]

If you add church to charity giving then Germans give a lot to charity through the “Kirchensteuer” (church tax)

[EADGBE → maxxxxx]

Sounds like a tithe.

FWIW, many churches (and members of congregations) separate tithes and gifts.

[bdowling → EADGBE]

It is a tithe because it is a percentage of income that goes to the church. But it’s implemented through a tax collected by the government and withheld from paychecks. It would be unconstitutional in the U.S., but it’s a thing in Germany and some Scandinavian countries.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_tax

[jen20 → bdowling]

The UK too - it can destroy the value of a property.

[EADGBE → jen20]

The church tax occurs on property or on income?

[maxxxxx → EADGBE]

The difference to the US is that in Germany you have to explicitly opt out.

[usrusr → maxxxxx]

Only if you opted in before (e.g. by your legal guardian at the time)

[maxxxxx → usrusr]

Which pretty much everybody when I grow up. I wonder if that has changed.