Чужак в чужой стране

           "Whatdoyouthinkthey’lltrytodotohim?"

           "Converthim,ofcourse.Thengettheirhandsonhisfortune."

           "Ithoughtyouhadthingsfixedsothatnobodycoulddothat?"

           "No,Ijustfixeditsothatnobodycouldtakeitawayfromhimagainsthiswill.Ordinarilyhecouldn’tevengiveitawaywithoutthegovernmentsteppingin.Butgivingittoachurch,especiallyapoliticallypowerfulchurchliketheFosterites,isanothermatter."

           "Idon’tseewhy."

           Jubalsighed."Mydear,religionispracticallyanullareaunderthelaw.Achurchcandoanythinganyotherhumanorganizationcandoandhasnorestrictions.Itpaysnotaxes,neednotpublishrecords,iseffectivelyimmunetosearch,inspection,orcontrol–andachurchisanythingthatcallsitselfachurch.Attemptshavebeenmadetodistinguishbetween‘real’religionsentitledtotheseimmunitiesand‘cults.’Thiscan’tbedone,shortofestablishingastatereligion?whichisacureworsethanthedisease.Inanycase,wehaven’tdoneit,andbothunderwhat’sleftoftheoldUnitedStatesConstitutionandundertheTreatyofFederation,allchurchesareequalandequallyimmune–especiallyiftheyswingabigblocofvotes.IfMikeisconvertedtoFosterism?andmakesawillinfavorofhischurch?andthen‘goestoheaven’somesunrise,itwillallbe,toputitinthecorrecttautology,‘aslegalaschurchonSunday.’"

           "Oh,dear!Ithoughtwehadhimsafeatlast."

           "Thereisnosafetythissideofthegrave."