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Internet Deconstructing State Church in Finland
Agnostic writes "Freethinkers of the city of Tampere, who advocate separation of state and church in Finland, created a Web site
in 2003
to assist people in resigning from the church. The Web site soon became a big success in Finland. 39% of all resignations in 2004 went through the web site and 69% of all resignations in 2005. In the same process 22% more people resigned from the church in 2005 than in 2004. The most common reason cited for resigning from the church has been saving church income tax (1.3% on average)."
Nothing for you to see here. Please move along..
I resigned from the church ages ago, where's the site to help people resign from the state?
for "resigning" from AOL
The most common reasons cited for resigning from the church have been saving church income tax (1.3% on average)
In medieval England, wasn't the church tithe 10%? They're lucky its only about one percent!
Money is more important than jesus
You bet money is more important than some old Jewish bloke who lived 2000 years ago!
Over here in olde yurp' a lot of countries are old monarchies and as such, when christianity became popular, kings would mandate by law or edict that everyone else adopt this new God.
:)
So when democracy came about, the laws about christianity and the "state church" just kinda stayed on the books
To be fair, it's fairly simple to opt-out of, and one does get something in return for the tax (christenings, weddings, funerals etc. are all free of charge).
Internet used to get people out of sending money to the church? Splits voluntary religious power from mandatory state power?
I see a new threat to Freedom lurking on the horizon, ready to enter the Republican Party platform as "them" in the "us vs them" Terror War just in time for 2006 Campaign Season.
Didn't I hear about some "Cathedral vs Bazaar" terrorist manifesto praising the Finnish cyberterrorists attacking America's beloved Microsoft?
We've got to rip these Internets out by the roots!
--
make install -not war
what!?!? missionary is subversive? I thought that was the one position that wasn't going to get me into trouble.
If you think imaginary property and real property are the same, when does your house become public domain?
That is just subversive
Subversive? We're talking about combatting Lutheranism, here. There's nothing more subversive than Lutherans. They have managed to completely take over most of the upper midwest of the US, causing Minnesota to have thousands of lakes in which to hide their underwater fortresses (called "Perches"), and making almost everyone chant their subversive mantras, "Oh yah, you betcha" and "Well, OK then!"
Their prophet, Garrison Keillor, uses his vast network of National Public Radio stations to broadcast his "Pray At Home Companion" show directly into the minds of members, who then send in money and get back tote bags with subliminal messages embroidered onto them by Hmong immigrants working in Wisconsin sweat shops. Keillor's goal? Transition to a sinister god-like form known as a "Lex Lutheran," which allows him to have a hot, but dumb, female sidekick.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Zeus is so going to kick your ass.
Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it. --Mark Twain
Ya but Santa Clause is real right .. !? You have me worried here.
\u262D = \u5350
>I won't be mentioning which religious organizations tend to do this, but they all seem to belong to one religion, at least in the U.S.
Haven't been to Utah much, have you? Or Idaho? Where I live, I have *three* completely different religions showing up semi-regularly at my door asking me to join them. I always say I can't coz I'm too busy waxing the goat in preparation for MY religion and ask if they'd like to join. They always say no, even though my religion involves cute blond women and free chocolate chip cookies. Shows how smart THEY are.
Nostalgia's not what it used to be.
If they believe this, then is it not a theological statement?
Me, I believe I shall have a sandwich. Is that not a theological statement? I also have quite a bit of faith in the fact that the sun will, once again, rise tomorrow. Is that not also a theological statement?
For a less flippant example, many people believe that poverty is a large source of the world's problems, and they work to eliminate it. Is this a theological statement, and action?
Whew, in that case I'm being ripped off pretty badly (paying way more in taxes than my public school education was worth).
I prefer to look at it as paying to keep most rugrats and punks off the streets, if only for six hours a day and half the year. I'd gladly pay more if it'd keep them busy all day long, all year round.
When I went through this process, it was not yet possible to resign through Internet. I had to visit the church office and the priest wanted to have a serious discussion with me. I was a bit rude and cut it short...
Wow, that's hardcore. When I did the same in Sweden, all I had to do was print and sign a letter and send to my church and BAM! Straight to hell!
Being bitter is drinking poison and hoping someone else will die