re legal definition of religion e p unl edu edgar pearlstein writes it s my understanding that the u s supreme court has never given a legal definition of religion this despite the many cases involving religion that have come before the court can anyone verify or falsify this has any state or other government tried to give a legal definition of religion according to the legal practices of today s america i imagine the legal definition of religion if defined may resemble the following any system of belief or practice to which people are committed for the benefit of society which must in the opinion of secular thought be isolated from political and educational influence should any system of belief or practice to which people are committed be harmful or void of any benefit to society in the opinion of religious thought as defined in the previous paragraph isolation of such from political and educational influence would constitute unreasonable censorship and an unlawful violation of civil rights someday perhaps they ll legalize benevolence
