How to Start a Religion or Kingdom of Moon or Heaven Whatever!
Have you ever felt dissatisfied with existing religions? Have you ever become fed up with the lack of tolerance within many existing religions? If you are inspired to create change, you can start your own religion. It may take a lot of effort to organize your religion and get it officially recognized. If it is something you are moved to do, however, it will be very rewarding to see your work lead to a thriving membership.
- Because you are dissatisfied with the ones that currently exist.
- Because you are deeply inspired and/or have glimpsed secret knowledge that you would like to share.
- To perform weddings and other ceremonies in your own way.
- As a joke.
- To be critical of other religions.
Select a name for your religion. The name of your religion should reflect its purpose and foundation, so do not choose it carelessly. Think about the central beliefs or messages of your religion, and try to reflect these in the word or phrase that will serve as its name. Names for religions invented in the past include:
- Discordianism
- The Church of All Worlds
- The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
- Scientology
- Eckankar
Develop a list of your religion’s core tenets. These might explain things like how it views relationships between people (Should you be charitable toward others? Act on your own interests?). These principles might also contain philosophical arguments, which can explain how your religion views the world differently than others. For instance, your religion’s principles might contain arguments proving the existence of its god(s), if any.
- If you want to, write a sacred text or holy book that explains all these things.
Read about historical examples. If you are looking for inspiration while planning your religion, you can look into the histories of other religions. Studying the world’s major religions can give you ideas, but you can also read about more recent examples of invented religions, such as:[3]
- L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology.
- The Church of All Worlds, inspired by Robert Heinlein’s science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land.
- Discordianism, and its foundational text Principia Discorda.
Learn the benefits of official recognition. Churches that are recognized as nonprofit according to Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 501(c)(3) are automatically considered tax-exempt. You do not have to apply for this protection if you meet the code’s guidelines. This tax exemption can provide financial and legal protection to your religion, allowing it to practice freely according to its principles.[4]
- Though tax exemption is automatic for recognized churches, you can still apply formally for it. This might be a good idea if you just want to be sure your religion qualifies for this protection, or if you think that officially applying will give it some legitimacy.
- If you want to apply for tax-exempt status for your religion, use IRS Form 1023-EZ. or Your countries tax and religious-exempt forms.
Meet the guidelines for legally establishing a church. The IRS uses the term “church” broadly, taking it to mean any recognized religious group. The primary guidelines for recognition stipulate that any revenue the church earns may not be used to financially benefit an individual or shareholders or to influence political decision-making (lobbying). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will consider whether or not a religious group officially qualifies as a church if it meets some combination of features, including:
- It has a creed and worship practices
- It has a formal leadership
- It has a clear history
- Its membership is distinct from other religious groups
- There is a recognized course of study to ordain leaders in the religion
- The religion has some form of foundational texts or literary tradition
- There are recognized or regular places to worship
- The religion has a regular congregation and services
Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Even if you qualify for tax-exempt status, you will want to apply for an EIN number from the IRS. This number will be necessary if your religion ever has any employees.[6]
- Even if your religion is tax-exempt, you must withhold income tax on its employees.
Offer lots of programs. Worshiping and increasing understanding of your religion’s core tenets might be the most important aspects of your services. However, offering additional programs can increase the sense of community among your religion’s members, while still keeping people close to the religion itself. Consider incorporating activities like:
- Music for services and entertainment
- Game nights
- Potlucks
- Sports
- Reading groups
- Social gatherings (youth groups, retiree meetings, etc.)
- Community service (beautification projects, prison outreach, food drives, etc.)