in his 1986 article Religion and State in Germany: West and East, theologian Jurgen Moltmann cited a few statistics that were absolutely startling to me:
The German system of religion is, even today, a system of involuntary church affiliation. One is Catholic or Protestant by virtue of birth and becomes a Christian through infant baptism.
Yes, but you may declare that you leave the church at age 14 or later (many people do when they start working the first time).
Many have left the churches since then. Nowadays I would estimate church affilation to be at 75 percent or less even in West Germany. The East is more likely at 25 percent or so. I would have to look up the exact numbers.
It's not 10% of your income, but 9% of your income
tax (8% in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg). For example if your effective income tax rate is 20%, then the church tax is 1.8% of your gross income.
It's exactly the same as 30 years ago.
