Kolya on 28/1/2010 at 17:06
Quote Posted by SD
Clearly it only applies to people who are baptised into a church, since you're only allowed to be baptised if your family pays the tax. So it only applies to most people in Germany, then. But that's okay - Kolya doesn't have to pay it, so it's not an infringement on anyone's freedoms :rolleyes:
For the large majority to whom church tax applies, it very much
is an opt-out thing. This requires you to fill in a form and, in most regions, pay a fee of up to 60 euros in order to officially leave the church that you never consciously joined in the first place. So much for freedom of religion.
You can leave the church by your own will as soon as you turn 14, before that your parents have to agree. This is usually a long time before anyone pays the tax for the first time. So your born-into-church-tax-scenario is fiction.
Quote Posted by SD
Additionally, by opting out you forfeit the right to a church burial, to have your children baptised and to be married in a church. Nice to know there's no bitterness from the establishment to those who opt out!
That has nothing to do with Germany but with the churches. And quite frankly I think it's understandable they don't offer their services to non-members.
Quote Posted by SD
My facts are pretty straight, thanks, and even if they weren't,
Even if you are wrong you can still be right on other things? Bring it on.
Quote Posted by SD
that doesn't change the fact that censoring fairly innocuous video games
Short answer: There's no censorship in Germany. For a longer explanation read this excellent (
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=58682#post663747) post by TheOutrider.
Quote Posted by SD
banning Holocaust denial are grave infringements on freedom of speech that have no place in a supposed liberal democracy.
There are limits to freedom of speech that I'm sure you're aware of: Defamation, Fraudulent Misrepresentation, Deceit and (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incitement_to_ethnic_or_racial_hatred) Incitement to Ethnic or Racial Hatred (in Germany: (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volksverhetzung) Volksverhetzung) and Insulting the Memory of Deceased. The last two apply when someone publicly denies the fact that is the Holocaust on German ground.
And as far as I care, anyone who feels this infringes on his freedom of speech too much can go to hell.
EDIT: As much as I respect your opinion on most things and usually agree with you, you just have this shtick with Germany and se Germans that is so obviously a personal dislike, that watching you clutch at straws to make it seem legitimate is no fun at all.
Mr.Duck on 28/1/2010 at 17:55
Quote Posted by Lytha
I could name a lot of reasons to leave Germany, but seeking asylum because sex ed in schools interferes with whatever they want to indoctrinate their offspring in homeschooling? What a bunch of loonies.
Good riddance.
Holy crap....SHE'S ALIVE!!!
:D
june gloom on 28/1/2010 at 19:28
Quote Posted by ZergMasterBaiter
Thank God I live in Canada. All the religious fundamentalist nuts are moving into USA these days :devil:.
oh god dammit would you just stop posting
ZergMasterBaiter on 28/1/2010 at 19:33
Quote Posted by dethtoll
oh god dammit would you just stop posting
Are you a religious fundamentalist nut?
TTK12G3 on 28/1/2010 at 19:34
Quote Posted by MrDuck
Holy crap....SHE'S ALIVE!!!
:D
She's been hanging out in the nether forums for several months now. Where have you been? ;)
AR Master on 28/1/2010 at 20:20
Quote Posted by ZergMasterBaiter
Are you a religious fundamentalist nut?
yeah i hope you aren't *sneer* RELIGIOUS, dawkins doesn't look kindly upon such things, peace be upon him
june gloom on 28/1/2010 at 20:25
Quote Posted by ZergMasterBaiter
Are you a religious fundamentalist nut?
I'm not even religious. Lurk more.
Sgt_BFG on 29/1/2010 at 12:32
Haha silly Germans
Gryzemuis on 30/1/2010 at 14:42
Quote Posted by SD
My facts are pretty straight, thanks, and even if they weren't, that doesn't change the fact that censoring fairly innocuous video games and banning Holocaust denial are grave infringements on freedom of speech that have no place in a supposed liberal democracy.
Can you say "fuck" on US public tv ? Nope. All hell will break lose. And you will get a hefty fine (hunderds of thousands of dollars for the network, I believe). Now that's an infringement on freedom of speech. Can you show a naked person on US public tv ? Can you show a couple fucking ? The whole nation falls over in a hissy fit if you show a nipple.
Everywhere there are rules on decency. In Germany, they have a rule where they find it indecent to deny the holocaust. If there is one country that has the right to forbid denying the holocaust, it is Germany.
That doesn't mean I agree with it. My country has freedom of speech. But you can not print or sell "Mein Kampf". Officially forbidden by law. Of course I think that book is nonsense and not worth printing or reading. But if someone wants to, they should be able to. But my country is not Germany. I can fully understand it when Germany is a bit more strict about the holocaust.
Quote:
Germany is still quite a backwards place in many ways.
The real backwards place in the civilized world is the USA. The country is slowly being run by religious fanatics. This process started somewhere 30 years ago (with Reagan), and is still continuing. You might not even notice it, because you got used to it. Or because you're too young. Someone should kick those Christian-dogs back into their doghouses where they belong.
Chimpy Chompy on 30/1/2010 at 15:23
SD isn't american
