[Lukasz]

Nice headline, sure to get the blood pumping. A few relevant facts: (1) In Germany, citizens have the option of either designating that 8% of their taxes go to a church, or of opting for that tax money to go directly to the state.

First of all, liberal German bishops adopted this system because they consider it more profitable to local clergy. This system is in fact destructive for the church. German clergy will be more and more dependent from the state.
What is more, Catholics are not the clients of the church and they have full rights to boycott such unCatholic solutions. Vatican court is on the side of the people on this issue anyway.
A pity that they cannot force German bishops to act like real Catholic shepards should act...

[wideawake]

First, this system was forced on the German episcopate by the state. It was not their idea.

Second, the Vatican has fully supported them on this. Quite rightly so. Perhaps you are unaware, but the way you exempt yourself from church tax in Germany is by publicly renouncing your church membership. You either go to a magistrate or to the parish office in person and formally renounce your allegiance to the church of your baptism. Someone who publicly proclaims that they are no longer a Catholic has excommunicated himself and forfeited the sacraments. In fact, the gall of someone demanding the sacraments after openly committing apostasy is morally repugnant.

Third, many Germans who pay no church tax - because they are poor and do not have sufficient taxable income - are still very welcome. The issue is not one of payment, but of public renunciation of the Church.