What does it mean for a body of practices/beliefs to be considered a "religion"? Some people claim that a religion is officially recognised once it becomes tax exempt, but this is not true. Any charitable organization can claim tax exemption, and this often includes religious organizations that are serving the community. Just because your organization has been officially recognised as a charity, d oesn't make it an "official religion" as there is no such thing as an "official religion" in UK and US law. Religious freedom laws allow individuals to manifest their personal religion, expressing their beliefs, in any way they see fit, so long as they are not in violation of other laws. So, if the law cannot tell us what is and isn't a religion, who can? The Cambridge dictionary defines religion as "an activity which someone is extremely enthusiastic about and does regularly". The Oxford dictionary says religion is "a pursu...