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Chapter 30

           TheChurchofAllWorldsisnotreallychurch."

           "Thenwhatisit?"

           "Uh,primarilyit’salanguageschool."

           "Repeat?"

           "ToteachtheMartianlanguage."

           "Well,noharminthat.ButIwish,then,thathewouldn’tcallitachurch."

           "Well,Iguessitisachurch,withinthelegaldefinition."

           "Look,Ben,arollerskatingrinkisachurchaslongassomesectclaimsthatrollerskatingisessentialtotheirfaithandapartoftheirworship.Youwouldn’tevenhavetogothatfarsimplyclaimthatrollerskatingservedadesirablethoughnotessentialfunctionparalleltothatwhichreligiousmusicservesinmostchurches.IfyoucansingtothegloryofGod,youcanskatetothesameend.Believeme,thishasallbeenthreshedout.TherearetemplesinMalayawhicharenothingtoanoutsiderbutboardinghousesforsnakes?butthesameHighCourtrulesthemtobe‘churches’asprotectsourownsects."

           "Well,Mikeraisessnakes,too,aswellasteachingMartian.But,Jubal,isn’tanythingruledout?"

           "Mmm?that’samootpoint.Thereareminorrestrictions,adjudicated.Achurchusuallycan’tchargeafeeforfortunetellingorcallingupspiritsofthedeadbutitcanacceptofferings?andthenletcustommakethe‘offerings’becomefeesinfact.HumansacrificeisillegaleverywherebutI’mbynomeanssurethatitisnotstilldoneinseveralspotsaroundtheglobeandprobablyrighthereinthisformerlandofthefreeandhomeofthebrave.

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