Could declaring Bitcoin a religion protect it from Finacial Regulation?

[crazy_rabbit]

The title says it all- tax exempt status, the act of transacting Bitcoins an act of faith with the scripture of the blockchain?

One could even argue it might protect Bitcoin from being outlawed in countries that recognize freedom of Religion.

[flynn]

Satoshi is our prophet !

[Yuhfhrh]

Yes. Lets do it.

[Vod]

Religions are based on faith, not reality.  Once you understand the bitcoin protocol, there is no mystery to it.

[crazy_rabbit]

Religions are based on faith, not reality.  Once you understand the bitcoin protocol, there is no mystery to it.

No mystery? You mean like the imaginary disappeared pseudo Japanese crypto genius who created, lead his disciples and disappeared? You mean that no mystery? :-)

There is plenty of mystery here, and faith. People buying coins have faith in it's value. People who do transactions on first confirmation have faith in no double spends. We ALL have faith there isn't some government super computer crunching away this very moment intend of outrunning our BTC chain and pulling a 51%.

This whole thing is based on faith. Faith in numbers, in math, in the 'invisible hand of the market', faith in the very idea of remaking the world to be a more fair equitable place.

[MoonShadow]

I doubt it would matter in the least, but go ahead.  Crazier things have been done.

[crazy_rabbit]

Some easy reading for the evening:

A tax guide for the IRS
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf

Anyone have any experience with registering a religion? Form a brief Google search there seems to be no need to register outside of tax purposes.

[Pieter Wuille]

My faith in humanity would be lost if this helped in the slightest.

[crazy_rabbit]

My faith in humanity would be lost if this helped in the slightest.

But certainly the humor in it would have at least some redeeming value. :-)

[flynn]

Burn the Unbelievers !

[lebing]

My faith in humanity would be lost if this helped in the slightest.

As far as legality in general goes, this would be great if it was the exception and not the rule.

[Roger_Murdock]

Lots of people have made money their religion, and that certainly hasn't prevented regulation in the past.

[MysteryMiner]

Filesharing is recognized as official religion in Sweden. Why Bitcoins cannot be a religion too?

Yes there is no faith in false promises or fairy tales, the engineering of Bitcoin is more solid than Boeing 747. But we might develop some rituals like washing anus before sending bitcoin payment. That will make it a true religion.

[n8rwJeTt8TrrLKPa55eU]

Filesharing is recognized as official religion in Sweden. Why Bitcoins cannot be a religion too?

Bitcoin is simply math, and there's a nice tradition of math-based religion going back 2500 years:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoreanism

[Gabi]

+1 to declaring bitcoin a religion!

[BorderBits]

You do have to say a little prayer everyday in hopes that you don't get scammed or lose all your coin in hacks by Chinese relics dealers and such. 

[Spekulatius]

But we might develop some rituals like washing anus before sending bitcoin payment. That will make it a true religion.

You should always wash your anus before making bitcoin transactions!

@ OP: Ask those guys: http://www.scientology.org/

[crazy_rabbit]

You do have to say a little prayer everyday in hopes that you don't get scammed or lose all your coin in hacks by Chinese relics dealers and such. 

+1

[BitcoinINV]

Look up the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, they tried something similar with weed. If flew for a little while then the Goverment got pissed and reversed its choice.

http://www.ethiopianzioncopticchurch.org/

[Akka]

I just leave this here:

http://www.bitcoinchurch.org/