[scns]

> the Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and health care in the world.

Hm. In germany Catholic day care is funded by the state ie taxes by over 90%. Military chaplains 100%. Would be surprised if the difference is bigger in schools and hospitals. I heard that in France there is an actual separation of church and state and as a result the church is rather poor.

[graemep]

Germany is the only country that does that.

In the rest of the world the church is poorer but is still a leading provider of education and healthcare, especially in poor countries.

[zdragnar]

Tithes to the church are collected via taxes in Germany (Kirchensteuer), so you could argue the church itself is funded by taxes.

[oytis]

Government collects the tax for the churches from their members only, so the government here is merely an intermediary between church members and the respective organisations.