Could declaring Bitcoin a religion protect it from Finacial Regulation?

firefop

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Quote from: organofcorti on November 08, 2012, 08:07:33 PM

This is all correct to a point. I don't think I'll be able to get human sacrifice legalised, even if religious.

However, afaik peyotl is legal for members of whichever church it is that believes taking the drug is a scarament.

The law doesn't really make a distinction between rituals which involve harming others... But the courts do. I have think under this vein even if laws were passed affecting bitcoin the courts would still dismiss those cases as being protected if it was a sacrament... simply because it doesn't harm anyone.

organofcorti

donator

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Poor impulse control.

Quote from: repentance on November 08, 2012, 08:01:53 PM

Quote from: firefop on November 08, 2012, 12:57:56 AM

Quote from: repentance on November 07, 2012, 11:24:21 PM

Tax exempt status is given to organisations, not their members. Even if you could somehow pull of registering a Bitcoin organisation as a religious organisation, only that specific organisation and it's subsidiaries would enjoy tax exempt status.

Sure, but making using the bitcoin network a sacrament (like any ritual in other religions) would make it impossible for bitcoin to be made illegal in the US.

What a crock of shit. Plenty of religious rituals are illegal in many Western nations and if you could just declare something a sacrament in order to prevent its use being illegal there'd be no illegal drugs (do you seriously believe that people haven't considered this in respect of illegal drugs in the past?).

While I believe that religions enjoy far too much protection, that protection is far from absolute. As has been pointed out already, the manner in which the US applies the principal of separation between church and state would impose limitations on how and where Bitcoin could be promoted if it was somehow brought under the umbrella of religion.

This is all correct to a point. I don't think I'll be able to get human sacrifice legalised, even if religious.

However, afaik peyotl is legal for members of whichever church it is that believes taking the drug is a sacrament.

repentance

hero member

Activity: 868

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Quote from: firefop on November 08, 2012, 12:57:56 AM

Quote from: repentance on November 07, 2012, 11:24:21 PM

Tax exempt status is given to organisations, not their members. Even if you could somehow pull of registering a Bitcoin organisation as a religious organisation, only that specific organisation and it's subsidiaries would enjoy tax exempt status.

Sure, but making using the bitcoin network a sacrament (like any ritual in other religions) would make it impossible for bitcoin to be made illegal in the US.

What a crock of shit. Plenty of religious rituals are illegal in many Western nations and if you could just declare something a sacrament in order to prevent its use being illegal there'd be no illegal drugs (do you seriously believe that people haven't considered this in respect of illegal drugs in the past?).

While I believe that religions enjoy far too much protection, that protection is far from absolute. As has been pointed out already, the manner in which the US applies the principal of separation between church and state would impose limitations on how and where Bitcoin could be promoted if it was somehow brought under the umbrella of religion.

remotemass

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ASMR El Salvador

Religion has to do with the Spirit.
Is there anything spiritual in bitcoin that could be bound to a faith?

justusranvier

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Quote from: firefop on November 08, 2012, 12:57:56 AM

would make it impossible for bitcoin to be made illegal in the US.

Statements like this betray a fundamental misunderstanding of the law and its relationship to the individuals which make up government.

arklan

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Quote from: firefop on November 08, 2012, 12:57:56 AM

Quote from: repentance on November 07, 2012, 11:24:21 PM

Tax exempt status is given to organisations, not their members. Even if you could somehow pull of registering a Bitcoin organisation as a religious organisation, only that specific organisation and it's subsidiaries would enjoy tax exempt status.

Sure, but making using the bitcoin network a sacrament (like any ritual in other religions) would make it impossible for bitcoin to be made illegal in the US.

pretty sure animal sacrifice is still illegal despite it's use in several religions, some of which ARE active.

firefop

sr. member

Activity: 420

Merit: 250

Quote from: repentance on November 07, 2012, 11:24:21 PM

Tax exempt status is given to organisations, not their members. Even if you could somehow pull of registering a Bitcoin organisation as a religious organisation, only that specific organisation and it's subsidiaries would enjoy tax exempt status.

Sure, but making using the bitcoin network a sacrament (like any ritual in other religions) would make it impossible for bitcoin to be made illegal in the US.

repentance

hero member

Activity: 868

Merit: 1000

Tax exempt status is given to organisations, not their members. Even if you could somehow pull of registering a Bitcoin organisation as a religious organisation, only that specific organisation and it's subsidiaries would enjoy tax exempt status.

FreeMoney

legendary

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Strength in numbers

Smiles are even less regulated than religion. Bitcoin = smile imo.

Akka

legendary

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Merit: 1001

And though it was the world made believe that Satoshi has left us.

And many felt great despair. But then the holy algorithm reviled the truth.

Satoshi ascended into the blockchain from where he will guide us until eternity.

In the name of Satoshi, the blockchain and deflation.

In eternity.

Bitcoin.

crazy_rabbit

legendary

Activity: 1204

Merit: 1001

RUM AND CARROTS: A PIRATE LIFE FOR ME

Quote from: DanielBTC on November 06, 2012, 06:50:38 PM

BTCitcoinspels

Genesis 1

In the beginning Satoshi created the algorithm and the bitcoin-client.
Now the bitcoin network was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of financial freedom was hovering over the waters.
And Satoshi said, "Let there be Genesis Block," and there was a Genesis Block.
Satoshi saw that the Genesis Block was good, and he separated the Genesis Block from the darkness.
[..]

Cry

ALLLELUIIAHHH!

And praise Satoshi it was good!

Jaw3bmasters

full member

Activity: 196

Merit: 100

Another block in the wall

Quote from: DanielBTC on November 06, 2012, 06:50:38 PM

BTCitcoinspels

Genesis 1

In the beginning Satoshi created the algorithm and the bitcoin-client.
Now the bitcoin network was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of financial freedom was hovering over the waters.
And Satoshi said, "Let there be Genesis Block," and there was a Genesis Block.
Satoshi saw that the Genesis Block was good, and he separated the Genesis Block from the darkness.
[..]

Cry

ALLLELUIIAHHH!

Where's the revised international version?

DanielBTC

hero member

Activity: 788

Merit: 1001

BTCitcoinspels

Genesis 1

In the beginning Satoshi created the algorithm and the bitcoin-client.
Now the bitcoin network was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of financial freedom was hovering over the waters.
And Satoshi said, "Let there be Genesis Block," and there was a Genesis Block.
Satoshi saw that the Genesis Block was good, and he separated the Genesis Block from the darkness.
[..]

Cry

ALLLELUIIAHHH!

organofcorti

donator

Activity: 2058

Merit: 1007

Poor impulse control.

Quote from: Phinnaeus Gage on November 06, 2012, 06:14:12 PM

I sent you that idea via PM and assumed it was going to remain private, but I now see you took it upon yourself to tell the whole community. I duly hope you don't decide to mention what flavor bath salts we discussed.

~Cackling Bear~

I cannot see how having the whole community lining up to wash your anus would be a bad thing.

As for bath salts, I guess that will remain a surprise for the washer.

conspirosphere.tk

legendary

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Merit: 1064

Bitcoin is antisemitic

Since many here seems to be anally-obsessed, we could opt for cerimonial enemas. So the tub girl and goatsee could be our icons.

Phinnaeus Gage

legendary

Activity: 1918

Merit: 1570

Bitcoin: An Idea Worth Spending

Quote from: organofcorti on November 06, 2012, 05:34:44 PM

Quote from: conspirosphere.tk on November 06, 2012, 05:32:17 PM

Due to the crypto-paranoid spirit required to survive more than 15 minutes, we might reckon each other with a secret handshake and/or other signs (a QR?).

Quote from: MysteryMiner on November 03, 2012, 05:33:38 PM

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

A secret anus washing ritual.

I sent you that idea via PM and assumed it was going to remain private, but I now see you took it upon yourself to tell the whole community. I duly hope you don't decide to mention what flavor bath salts we discussed.

~Cackling Bear~

organofcorti

donator

Activity: 2058

Merit: 1007

Poor impulse control.

Quote from: conspirosphere.tk on November 06, 2012, 05:32:17 PM

Due to the crypto-paranoid spirit required to survive more than 15 minutes, we might reckon each other with a secret handshake and/or other signs (a QR?).

Quote from: MysteryMiner on November 03, 2012, 05:33:38 PM

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

A secret anus washing ritual.

conspirosphere.tk

legendary

Activity: 2352

Merit: 1064

Bitcoin is antisemitic

Alternatively we could go for a micronation. We would be in good company:
http://micronations.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_micronations

I suggest an anarchist, virtual one. Due to the crypto-paranoid spirit required to survive more than 15 minutes, we might reckon each other with a secret handshake and/or other signs (a QR?).

organofcorti

donator

Activity: 2058

Merit: 1007

Poor impulse control.

Quote from: MysteryMiner on November 03, 2012, 05:33:38 PM

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

Yours or someone else's? You don't identify the anus to be cleaned. I think washing someone else's would make it way more religiony.

TraderTimm

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Merit: 1121

Quote from: casascius on November 04, 2012, 01:33:26 AM

Calling Bitcoin a religion would do nothing to advance the cause of freedom nor invoke any legal protection, and would make us look psychotic and out of touch.

Yes, I agree. The last thing bitcoin would need is the opening to be called a "cult", even if the church was purely a non-regulation move.

Why make things harder for ourselves?

Topic: Could declaring Bitcoin a religion protect it from Finacial Regulation? (Read 4875 times)