[Carry_Okie]

The "validity" of any religion is not material for First Amendment protection. Wicca is about as fabricated as one can get, but it's still a legitimate faith so far as the First goes.

Upon what basis? The Universal Life Church? The Church of Euthanasia (no joke)? Who gets to decide what constitutes a religion? You will note that, by "admitting" religions as "official" we have quietly allowed government to define what constitutes "religion" on the basis of tax status! Thus, by conferring that power, we have allowed government to dilute the meaning of Free Exercise under the First Amendment.

[highball]

There has to be some sort of federal determination (how else do we determine what types of chaplains to have in the army?)

I'm also uneasy about the tax-exempt status, but so long as we are not going to tax churches, the government needs to be able to define what's a religion and what's just a business wanting a tax exemption.

But yes, any church that can pass those basic tests is equally valid in the eyes of the state. That's the way it has to be.