X-Message-Number: 22996 Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 17:42:59 -0500 From: RANDY WICKER <> Subject: Cryonics as religion? --Boundary_(ID_Hgv4npy1IwzIgSrkNuF3vQ) Content-type: text/plain; charset=Windows-1252 Cryonics as religion was not for Charles Platt. He wrote: >Since a religious belief system is incompatible with the >processes of science, I assume you are suggesting we don't >try to pretend anymore that cryonics is based on >science...right? Well, I wouldn't say that. At the old www.summum.org site they said the IRS "considered anyone who provided burial services to be a religious organization and tax exempt." Perhaps, that has been changed. Now this is what they say: Summum is a 501(c)(3) and 170(b)(1)(A)(i) organization incorporated in the State of Utah, USA in 1975. One of the by-laws and basic tenets of Summum s worship is the practice of Modern Mummification and Transference. On May 28, 1986, the Internal Revenue Service ruled that conducting and facilitating Mummification and Transference in accordance with the tenets of Summum s religious worship is exempt from federal taxation. Summum first introduced the public to Modern Mummification in 1986 at the National Funeral Directors convention. Since that time, Summum has continued to research, develop, and refine the exoteric and esoteric art and science of Modern Mummification. Today, Summum is the only organization in the world to offer this remarkable and distinguished service. This is obviously more of a moneymaking operation than it is a religion. They try to sell you services for over $100,000 of which about $32,000 goes for the mummiform, a casket in your likeness a-la-Tut. Randolfe H. Wicker Founder, Clone Rights United Front www.clonerights.com Spokesperson, Reproductive Cloning Network, www.reproductivecloning.net Former CEO, Human Cloning Foundation, www.humancloning.org 201-656-3280 (Mornings) --Boundary_(ID_Hgv4npy1IwzIgSrkNuF3vQ) Content-type: text/html; charset=Windows-1252 [ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=22996