how would I go about setting up my own religion?

Question

and what exactly would I need to do to make it "official"?

guys I apreciate the concern for my soul but really its unrequired, the question isn't about what I belive personaly or wether or not Jesus loves me.

I'm just curious about how people set up their own religions and what you have to do to get it recognised as a "real" religion

although if I did set up my own religion it would be about pie, everyone loves pie.

Answer 1

Two things I can suggest:

You will have to go to your local county office or possibly state representative's building to be recognized get and complete the necessary documentation.

You will have to hold regular meetings which are readily posted/available to followers or potential followers.

You will become exempt from paying property taxes after being officially recognized, make sure your local town assessor is aware of your worhip services and properly documented legality.

I am just providing general information, there are many more details involved, I don't know them off the top of my head.

Answer 2

Well... let's see. First you go and find a hermit wearing some shabby camel hair wrap, preferably hanging around some brook or running water. Then go and fast for 40 days, and some pimp dude will proposition you something. Then go and change some five gallons of bottled Evian water into a Chardonnay or Merlot. Then pick up some fellas from the docks, the local IRS office, etc...

Then plan on walking on water and stopping a monsoon. Also, make sure that you can feed a stadium full of fans with a can of sardines, some pita bread [pizza PIE optional here] and free sodas... Bring a mega phone and extra batteries when you talk to the crowds from time to time.. Oh yeah, make sure you can also fix paraplegics and blind, deaf-mutes back to normalcy... You may be asked to exhume a body or two and bring them to life...

After all is said and done, have a good chow down with the fellas and party all night long... Then someone will report all the raucus you're causing and he calls the cops. And if you don't 'fess up to what they want to hear, they're gonna crucify you...! But not to worry, you ought to be able to crawl out of your own grave in 72 hours or so... Just follow the rabbit hole of the Easter bunny.

That should be "official" enough after two millennia, eh? LOL.

And of course there's also the shorter version: Become a Jim Jones copycat, pick up a Gideon's Bible from a motel room, and bring a huge punchbowl of Kool Aid... but don't get caught now.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Hmmm, how to set it aside from a simple cult is the hard part. I think one of the main aspects is a religious text, so you probably want to get crackin' on that. Then you'll need followers, and lots of them, so make sure your message is good and consistant. Also, a promise of after-life would be important, and making sure the followers have incentive to reach for this after-life by following your religion is important. Also, remember that religion does not fund itself, so ask for donations so your ministry can continue. Ummm, a deity might be good, though Buddhism doesn't really have one, more of a leader who achieved its ideal, so if you want to go that road you can... Yeah, I think you should be good with that.

Answer 4

Well, basically, you would need to set up a doctorine, and gather followers. find monetary support, and make yourselves public.
most religions have taken centuries to form (with the exception of scientology...which was started on a bet that he couldnt make people follow his created religion from a fantasy/sci-fi novel)
however, if you are truly serious, you will have to be willing to put in the time, effort and most likely the funds. until you have enough of a following to branch out and create multiple places of worship (or whatever you choose to name your type of service) you will not have enough people to be classified as a religion.
however, according to the laws (at least the last time i checked!) is that if you have a doctorine, and at least one follower, you are technically a religion, however, getting people to respect and believe you is another story all together.
good luck!

Answer 5

Just do it. Jesus Christ didn't go to the Romans and apply for a permit or license to start a religion. Be careful, though. You don't want to end up crucified.

Hey pastorJ, you probably get a kick out of going around telling people they're going to burn in hell, right?

Answer 6

Your religion is your beliefs about life, afterlife and the creation of life so determine what you believe and why and finding sources to support what you believe is how you would create your own religion but I'm pretty sure to get it made official you would have to find followers and to get it acknowledged world wide you would have to get many followers.

Answer 7

Well you just believe whatever you want and hopefully you'll discover how much Jesus loves you and you'll come to Him before it's too late and you end up in hell with all the other people who started their own religions and found out they were wrong only it was too late.

Answer 8

You officially just created a religion, congrats! Now all you need to do is name it, start a cult or something, and start spreading the word about "Pie".

Answer 9

There are entirely too many religions out there now, and they are having a hard time at getting it right.

Answer 10

Ask Satan. He's in the business of counterfeiting the truth. Be careful though, after this life, that first step's a doozy!