Can we legally form a church?

POSTED BY: Hixie129
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 7, 2006 01:29
VIEWED: 30648
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HIXIE129

Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:24 PM

Couldn't' we legally apply to the government as a formal religion and form our own church?

Religion: Whedonism (based on the writings of Joss Whedon's Firefly/Serenity)
Bible: The transcripts of all the shows collected together to from a book. Additional interviews with Joss would become letters to the churches from Joss. We could have them translated in the different language of the religious members.

Head of the Church: Joss Whedon
Apostles:
1) Mal
2) Zoë
3) Wash -- and Martyr
4) Book -- and Martyr
5) Inara
6) Jayne
7) Kaylee
8) Simon (hey, this really works!)
9) River
10) Serenity
11) River's feet (this is one of my favorite Apostles. I could worship her feet all day long.) We might even form a monastic sect where day and night her feet are worshipped.
12) Saffron

Some doctrine. Members of this church meet weekly for services to hear the 'verse contained in the good news of Joss Whedon. Daily pray is watching a Firefly episode. ???

Members promote love and give evangelical support. We could send out missionaries for the conversion and salvation of those who have not heard the verse and also to help bring the show back on TV. ?????

We collect money during services, bingo nights and church showings of the episodes and movie.
Money goes to support evangical missionaries and movie sequel. ?????

Deacons are people who hosts shindigs and or weekly services. ???

Church Holidays:
1) Joss birthday
2) Apostles birthdays
3) The first day firefly appeared on TV
4) Death of firefly (last day it appeared on FOX)
5) Day the movie first appeared in Theaters (different day for each part of the globe where movie opened.)
6) ?

Just some thoughts in my head, there is much more that needs fixing, all input welcomed. Maybe it should be fashion in a more eastern flavor, I am not familiar with eastern religions but I'm opened to anything.

Believe!

GROUNDED

Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:58 PM

This is exactly the kind of thing that's going to up the fandom's credibility...

ROSS52

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:09 PM

you might be able to legally.. but um, no. How about let's not.

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:14 PM

The Book of Joss

Behold, that there was Buffy the Vampire Slayer which was a Box Office bomb, which begat Buffy the Vampire Slayer which was a UPN smash hit, which begat Angel that I did not watch, which begat Firefly the Big Damn TV show, which began Serenity the Big Damn Movie and all the generations from Buffy the Vampire Slayer which was a Box Office bomb to Serenity the Big Damn Movie were 13.
And in the day of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which was a UPN smash hit and Angel which I did not watch, there came Firefly, the Big Damn TV show.
Lo, for the Fox Network caused a great plague of locusts to come upon Firefly and consumeth the bounty of the Market, and Firefly was rendered asunder and a locust did fly up Joss’ nose and Joss did sneeze and blew forth a Big Damn Movie.
And Joss went unto the Land of Fox TV and spake, saying “Fox Network why hast thou caused a plague of locusts to come upon Firefly and consumeth the bounty of the Market, such that Firefly was rendered asunder and a locust did fly up on my nose that I did sneeze and blew forth a Big Damn Movie?”
And Fox Network smote him on the head, saying “the bounty of thy nose is great but it shall never bring forth Firefly unto the land of Fox Network TV.”

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

HIXIE129

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:15 PM

Well, if you want to believe in something why not this?

MER

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:19 PM

Actually, if it's Whedonism, it should include Buffy and Angel b/c well, in in a way, Buffy's kind of holy. Angel, he's seeking for redemption..very saint or fallen guy type of stuff.

But I'd say what you have there is Fireflyism which is part of the Whedon religion. lol I could swear I sound scary right now...

(So all in all, yes, it's possible for a religion-I__I;;)

GRIZWALD

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:27 PM

Baptism would be in Mudder's Milk, naturally--and we could have our first internicene split over whether one should be baptized by immersion or sprinkling. (I am going to be of the immersion camp.)

NUCLEARDAY

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:34 PM

Capital idea! (Also, Finn, that cracked me up but good :)

I heretofore decree Whedonism as the official religion of my universe.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/showblog.asp?b=3323➒

________________________________________________
You can take my hope when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

ARTCAT81

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:49 PM

Actually Firefly/serenity has been compared to a religion by several critics already,
"Is it a show or a religion"

Browncoats are the shiniest folks in the 'verse

DAVESHAYNE

Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hixie129:
Couldn't' we legally apply to the government as a formal religion and form our own church?

In the USA it's not that hard to qualify but it is lot of paperwork and hasle to go through for some minor tax benefits. The easiest is to be an ordained minister of an already recognized church (you can probably still do this online) and then form a breakaway sect. Once you do that you need to incorporate with a board of directors. Then of course the IRS will be very interested in the finances of your new religion. They take a dislike to people who try to use the religious exemption as a tax dodge.

Or if you just want to be a religion without worrying about the IRS you don't need permision at all - just start preachin' brother.

David

"A lot of people are asking me, you know, what exactly is Firefly? It's a tv show you morons!" - Joss Whedon

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