It's a church and state issue just to require people to disclose their religious affiliation. That alone, here in the US, would be extremely controversial, and our atheist and skeptic organizations and humanist organizations would be going batshit over it.Brian Peacock wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2019 8:25 amIsn't it just an administrative matter, like tax exemptions on charitable donations? Nobody is being compelled to donate some of their earning to their church any more than they're being compelled to donate to the local dogs home. The tax office is facilitating the donations on behalf of both parties while ensuring that a level playing field applies across the board.Forty Two wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:41 pmThey can do what they want, but if you had churches here in the US asking to have citizens required to register as either Catholic or some other denomination (or non-religious) and then if one picked a denomination, a State mandated 8% tax would be imposed and paid over to the official churches/synagogues, then you'd have a rather fair bit of outrage here that church and state are being mixed.
The ability to "demand" membership fees does not require the taxing authority to collect it for them.
They ARE being compelled - if you register as Catholic, then you must pay the 8% tax, whether you go to church or not. That's much different. The tax office is not merely facilitating donations. If it was, then you could register as Catholic and not donate anything.