How to start an official religion and get it legally recognised

Why is it so hard?
I cant find information anywhere, this is really annoying me because it should be a simple thing to do considering everyone has the right to believe what they want.

Does anyone know how to make my religion official? Or do I have to spend thousands of dollars on a lawyer..

All I want is for the beliefs of my religion to be legally recognised so that I have a legal pardon in doing particular things such as vaccinations and other things.

Help me please.

reply to post by ThrowCatsAtCacti

Do the "other things" have to do with tax exemption? Hmmm?

ETA All joking aside, I guess the first requirement would be a large group of like-minded individuals. If L Ron Hubbard can do it, so can you!

reply to post by ThrowCatsAtCacti


Perhaps it is somewhat like starting a political party where you need a particular number of members?

A statement of beliefs or creed? Particularly silly, over the top clothing?

An enemy, real or imagined for you to revile?

reply to post by chr0naut
[morereply to post by LightSpeedDriver

There should be a way for anyone to do it regardless of how many people believes in it..

reply to post by ThrowCatsAtCacti

Jediism and The Flying Spaghetti Monster might be worth googling. Apparently these are vaguely religion like and have a large number of followers. Damn funny too, way more so than Scientology. In fact, The Flying Spaghetti Monster religion is one of the most cerebral things I have ever read. Created in protest by some university lecturer I believe. A parody religion.
ETA Spaghetti Monster
Jediism

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


The church of the flying spaghetti monster is not a real religion. It is a tongue in cheek satirical commentary on religion and the absurdity of it all. Being a pastafarian does not mean you worship an invisible flying spaghetti monster in the sky who guides out lives with his noodly appendage. It just means you use evidence and logical conjecture to come to your own conclusions about religion, as opposed to just swallowing what somebody in a robe and a funny hat tell you.

As to the OP, I remember some time ago a group tried to make a religion where using drugs was part of their worship. It didn't fly. I'm pretty sure there is a lengthy review process as well as you needing to have some political pull. I say worship who and how you want. Why does it need to be officially recognized?


Ramen

Get yourself ordained, NOW! At the Church of the SubGenius! Tax Free! And Unvaccinated!

www.subgenius.com...

reply to post by ThrowCatsAtCacti


It is very very easy and not really that expensive. First you become ordained. You can do that here. Then you get the paper work from the site to show you are ordained.
Then you must find at least six people to join your church. These six people take positions in your church like treasurer. Each state has specific requirements as to the positions held and minimum amount of "Parishioners". Without knowing your State I can not help you locate the paperwork but it is as simple as looking it up. Request your info. While waiting for your paperwork to arrive, you go here and file your EIN(Tax ID number) with the Federal Government(they have specific times and days for online applications, don't forget to click non profit.) When your paperwork shows up fill it out completely, attach the fee(varies by State), attach your ordination paperwork and mail it in. Poof you are done. Registered and recognized.