I have a friend who claims that he has started his own religion and gotten it nationally recognised. He claims all it takes to do this is a lot of paperwork and several trips to a notary. If this is true, where can I go to get my own religion nationally recognised, and what new rights/privelages/responsibilities come with being the founder of a new nationally recognised religion?
Is this in the U.S.? I guess you just go apply at the Federal Department of Religion. They give out official certificates of “Paths to Salvation” and stuff like that. 
Actually, I think you’re friend set up a church that the IRS recognized as valid and granted it exemptions from certain taxes.
Or you friend could just be full of it.