Taxpayers subsidise priest's Alfa Romeo in Bielsko Biała

I was walking past a church in Bielsko Biała one Sunday a few weeks ago.

I was amazed to see a well-fed, ruddy-faced priest putting his things in his Alfa Romeo before driving off no doubt for a lovely big lunch.

This priest is known around Bielsko. He blesses companies in return for tax-free wads. He frequents bars in the area. He has a girlfriend. He drives an expensive car. He takes donations from poor people in church and takes his cut.

Hypocrisy aside, his income - as with all priests - is tax-free and consequently is a subsidy from the Polish government paid for by Christian and non-Christian taxpayers alike.

Surely, this is wrong on many levels?! Your pick which.

Vatican 'cashes in' by putting price on the Pope's copyright
timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article717916.ece

Indulgence
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence#Abuses

I wonder what kind of a woman would date a priest, for me that's pretty low in fact lower than him driving a pretty standard lookin Alfa Romao.

My priest has a push bike, must be why he's single, oh no hang on a minute - he's a priest that's why he's single!

I don't quite understand why people act so shocked when they see a priest looking well fed either, they haven't taken a vocation to starve themselves and the Catholic church has always been pretty wealthy!

That is an understatement.

There's blood in the water. Congregations are shrinking. 'Donations' are shrinking.

Sean it's always been the case and always will be, at the back of my old junior school there was the "catholic club" next to my junior school was the church and friary - doesn't take a genius to work out where the priest and brothers walking through my school were going at lunch :)

Such a hard life, but it's just accepted and in all honesty I don't have a problem, they give up (in most cases) a lot, the right to have a family, children etc, so if my priest pops in the pub for a swift one, good for him!

I would never deny a priest a drink because he has given up women :)

Although it always bothered me that a priest gives family counciling, even though he has no family of his own, which makes him unqualified for the job I think.

But I don't think that priests have such grand lives, that is why I posted about the Vatican, now they know how to spend a bob or two ;)

I know! It's crazy. I mean, you wouldn't take advice on living in the rainforest from a desert dweller.


A dark-minded woman.

Remember though that priest used to be able to marry but the Church realised the sense in banning it so that all earthly possessions could be passed to the Church rather than to the priest's family.

I think your point about the priest is not so much, that he is living the life of Reily
but that he is doing it without contributing to the tax authorises which pay for the roads that his car drives on.
Because he is a religious man and for some incredibly strange reason religions are not taxable and therefore a great money spinner?
Would i be right in my account of what you mean by this thread?

Absolutely! I'd like to see how religions survive without the subsidies.

Churches cost a lot to run. Religions need exposure and therefore churches everywhere. Religions need people to come to these churches regularly so the message can be enforced and reinforced. If they cannot afford to run these churches then what will happen to them? I think we know.

Cheers for the nudge back on track.

Alfa Romeo = fanny magnet

The priest knows this so thats how he rolls.

"religion is 99% ceremony and 1% faith"

I also thought it was strange that "God" does not have a physical form and does not need such a large house (church) with ornate gold sculptings, while homeless people sleep out in the cold streets.

I should let it be made clear that I am an Atheist, thank God :)

Jesus hung around with thieves, murders and prostitutes, he was not a member of any religion and he gave all his stuff away.
Now look at the church, which is supposed to represent him.

I think even religious people are becoming critical of the church.
The church no longer have the power they used, thank God :)

Usually the vulnerable type who looks to a priest for help when she is at her lowest point.

That's the kind they usually go for.

And single parents.

What about from the woman's perspective, the forbidden fruit and all :)

and small boys....ooops did i say that...?

I dont care how low a woman is, she should know it's completely and utterly wrong to enter into any kind of sexual relationship with a priest!


Nah, especially when some podgy bloke wearing a cassock is driving it! I can only imagine the kind of woman that would be attracted to that and she's amongst the lowest of the low, some women will do anything for money!


Whilst a woman who goes into a relationship with a married man is bad enough, one who desires a priest is sick in the head!

Or perhaps very cunning because if the priest devorces God, he gets half of everything.
Now i am just being silly.

The forbidden fruit comment was meant more as a religious pun.

Why is it women are not allowed to be priest again? Nun's sure but why aren't women allowed to say mass?

Whats the saying in Poland, the roads in hell are lined with priets!!

They are in the C of E no idea why not in RC, Franciscan friars are not allowed to give mass either - it's just the way it is.

Alfa Romeo was his gay lover, not the car ;)

Less of a need for subsidy now, eh?

The mantra of a good Catholic.

The mantra of a carefree, unquestioning **** more like

I never used the word ****, not ever.
But now that i have been reading it so much on here i caught myself saying it, twice.

I think i may have inadvertently started the use of the word on here. If so I apologise profusely.

Yeah, he thought his gay lover would be behind him all the way, prodding him when support was needed. His lover grew to dislike him. He got a bum deal and took it hard when his lover pulled out of the hole he had gotten into.

So it is you who have corrupted the fragile pure minds of the Polish forums and Athens?.
And you admit it openly!
The evidence before the court is
Incontrivertable, there's no need for the jury to retire.
Your sentenced to death by drinking hemlock or a pint of Guinness, whichever you prefer.

Since, my friend, you have revealed your deepest fears....Great song that.

Incontrovertible btw. Where's the bar, John? (which Floyd song is this from?)

Scandalous!


Can I get an Aaaa-men?


Preaching to the choir sister!

This is trully an outrage! 30,000 Polish priests not paying income tax, effectively subsidized by all of the hardworking taxpayers of Poland.

Now take that number of 30,000 and multiply it by a few hundred. This is the number of farmers in Poland who pay zero income tax, as farming in Poland is completely free from any income tax.

Are you proportionally a few hundred times more angry with farmers than with priests? And what kind of woman would date a farmer? ;)