Thought for the future.

[dsrtao]

I just realized that, whenever I have a question which I believe has a factual answer, I immediately start thinking of appropriate keywords. Since I essentially have access to Google, etc, on a 24/7 basis, this is a very efficient method of pondering...

[The question that sparked this insight was, "what constitutes a religion, anyway? Does the IRS have a definition? Does Pastafarianism count?

The answers: generally, "(1) a sincerely held belief in a sacred or transcendent reality and (2) an organization whose purpose and practice is to express that belief".

The IRS has a 14 point definition, but it's badly flawed:

1. a distinct legal existence,
   
2. a recognized creed and form of worship,
   
3. a definite and distinct ecclesiastical government,
   
4. a formal code of doctrine and discipline
   
5. a distinct religious history,
   
6. a membership not associated with any other church or denomination,
   
7. an organization of ordained ministers,
   
8. ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies,
   
9. a literature of its own,
   
10. established places of worship,
    
11. regular congregations,
    
12. regular religious services,
    
13. Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young,
    
14. school for the preparation of its ministers.
    

Pastafarianism's status has not been tested, but it could conceivably pass.

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

"Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young,"

Hunh? So Judaism isn't a religion, because it holds its classes on Saturday?

Flawed, yes. But I think Pastafarianism really only lacks (1), (3), (8), (10), (11), (12), (13), and...(14). But implementing (14) online, with a Flash anim ordaining you, will solve (14), (3), (7), and (8). And having websites where you can "worship"...no, wait, that's TOTSE.

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

I had always imagined that the IRS recorded such things, not out of a census concern as much as giving some indication of where your donation dollars go.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

The IRS doesn't define religion. The IRS defines "tax free status for a religion".

FSM does not care what the IRS thinks. It just oozes love and red-sauce.

[jducoeur]

Wow. That goes beyond "badly flawed" -- it's a pure throwback to 19th century assumptions. It almost hits the "any religion, so long as it is Just Like Christianity" definition...