From the Humanist Association - discuss

I would certainly be prepared to pay towards the upkeep of major church buildings, where did you get 3% from ? Could I stand by and watch Westminster Abbey fall into ruins, no way.

In a similar vain I am a member of the NT and RHS to support houses and gardens etc.

This is the sort of % for the Church Tax where I live. This does NOT go to buildings, as said in previous post, which are maintained by local Councils- but for staff, admin and services.

When in my County it was voted to be optional rather than compulsory, so called 'cultural' Christians vanished like snow in the sunshine.

Babel fish. This was an invention of Douglas A his Hitchhikers Guide books. It is a little fish that you put in your ear, it automatically translates any tongue into your own, clever little devil. If I remember correctly it uses brainwave energy.

The full technical functionality is explained here
hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Babel_Fish

There is also an online translator called babelfish, this is real and quite useful
www.babelfish.com/

As I am not a practising Christian , I would expect congregations to finance the day to day running of there services. So, no I would not pay 3% for that aspect. I am not aware that such a tax has ever been proposed in the UK in modern times.

I do not live in the UK GandTea, but it is quite normal in Europe. In Germany it is 8% of the taxes you pay. Here in Switzerland, it changes from Canton to Kanton- My Canton and Geneva have voted to make this voluntary- and it means our Churches are truly struggling to maintain workforce and services to the community, for the handicapped, elderly, alcoholics and drug users, Alzheimer sufferers, in OAP homes and hospitals, etc, etc. They sold many Vicarages and other buildings to cut expenses, and Vicar have to be shared among villages, some made redundant, some just not replaced on retirement, and staff and expenses cut to the absolute minimum- but now they just don't know what to do next.

And still those who have opted out expect to be married and buried in the Church, etc- and to just pay a small fee for the service. A neighbour even told me he told the Vicar who officiated at the dad's funeral (who had all opted out of paying the tax)- to play down the 'God' bit'- as he was not a believer. The hypocrisy beggars belief.

There's loads of space to build without knocking down churches

And their construction can still give cause for admiration today - unlike some later architecture!

Check your deeds GandTea - you may find you have a Chancel Repair Liability for upkeep of the building if not for day-to-day running of the church.
and it does not just apply if you live next door to a church

I have never investigated how UK churches are funded, I suspect some does come from our taxes, but I don't know. They survive, so must be funded somehow either from taxes, charity or in the case of the CofE from it's income from property. Mt DIL is RC and I know they donate quite a lot to support their church.
I am a hypocrite, I was married in church and my children were christened, guilty as charged.

DH and I have been to our local baptist church this morning-congregation of about 500. It's growing at such a pace it's becoming a problem!
Since the new year we have to had to have two services at the nearby local high school and one service in the church building which also acts as a community hub with play school, cafe, food bank and lots of other things too.
Everything is funded by members.
In fact today was a special 'thank offering' day. The money will be used to support Lebanon which has taken in so many refugees, helping refugees in Calais and refugees who have turned up in our own town too.
Thank offering is the correct term we have so much to be grateful for.

Thst is Glad News Newquay