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Religious objections

What difference is there between my ethical position and anothers' religious practice?

In Canada a religious sect known as the Hutterites has been granted an exemption from having photos included on their driver licenses.

Apparently most Hutterites take the Christian first commandment instruction against graven images very seriously and think it is wrong to render pictures of people (while others aren't so worried, as long as the images aren't idolised).

Now, I don't have a problem with photos on a drivers license, it makes sense to me as a way of confirming the person with the license is the person it was issued to. But I do have a lot of very strong objections to other ideas a government might have about regulating me.

But I'm not a member of any religious organisation, so if I make an objection to some requirement - let's say routine finger printing - I won't be doing it by saying 'my faith does not allow it'. Even though in practice that's equivalent to my saying 'my ethics do not allow it'. I have to argue as an individual for my position.

Arguing as an individual doesn't get you very far against entrenched interests, ever. I'd need to band together with others who agree with me into a pressure group and functionally behave as if we were a religious denomination. Which to my mind is all any religious sect is (and probably ever should be) to authorities - a well delineated group of specific opinions, easy to identify and count.

Does this mean it would be a good idea for any sizeable group of dissenters to form an ad hoc religious body for the express purpose of being recognized? Screw electing a president of your society, appoint a pope!