Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

> There is no list of "recognized" religions kept anywhere.

Recognition of your religion would likely be determined at the time of your trial.

Should that be the courts right? I would argue no.




No. It would not. The court has no right to decide if your religion is legitimate or not. The IRS and the government does recognize certain religious _organizations_ (e.g. churches for tax exemptions), but the state cannot pass any judgement on the underlying belief system when they recognize these institutions. This is what the Establishment Clause clearly protects.

Sources: http://www.irs.gov/irm/part7/irm_07-025-003.html#d0e1146 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Establishment_Clause




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: