NAIC Church Criteria
N.A.I.C. is a Real Church
There are established criteria that various governmental agencies use in looking at or determining whether or not a church is, in fact, a practicing religious entity or jurisdiction. We recognize these modern standards, which uniformly apply to all religious organizations and meet most, if not all, of the criteria. We strongly recommend that all N.A.I.C. Independent Branches, at the very least, attempt to meet and document independently the following criteria. The following criteria indicate a preponderance of evidence to support the practice of N.A.I.C. religious expression.
However, we reserve the right to practice our Native and Indigenous religious beliefs, Christian beliefs, expressions, and practices, including our traditional Medicine or religious therapeutics, as we deem most appropriate, as is our rights under several Federal and State codes. We also affirm our rights to practice under the Puerto Rican U.S. territory statute.
There are millions of pages of documentation explaining and elaborating the fundamental principles of Native American Religion and Native Christian Religious expression! We do not have to create some master list to prove that the practice of Native American religion is a real thing, a good and traditional religious practice older than all others that could be listed! We determine what will constitute the nature of our religious expression of our religious beliefs. God first and U.S. Title second gives us that right- Federal Code (R.L.U.I.P.A.– A.I.F.R.A.). We do not need to debate, justify or apologize for our beliefs, expressions, beliefs, or acts of expression, whether ritual, ceremonial, medicinal, or philosophical. Having said this, I also want to reiterate that we function as a Christian and Native American Church, Faith-based Religious Organization, and Tribal Organizations and meet additional obvious criteria generally recognized as valid for all churches or Faith Based Religious Organizations.
The Meyer’s Test:
1. Ultimate Ideas
2. Metaphysical Beliefs
3. Moral or Ethical System
4. Comprehensiveness of Beliefs
5. Accoutrements of Religion
a. Founder, Prophet, or Teacher
b. Important Writings
c. Gathering Places
d. Keepers of Knowledge
, e. Ceremonies and Rituals
f. Structure or Organization
g. Holidays
h. Diet or Fasting
i. Appearance and Clothing
j. Propagation
I.R.S.
In addition, The I.R.S., in its 501c3 guidelines for recognition as to whether an organization qualifies as a church, spells out the following:
- A distinct legal existence;
- Recognized creed and form of worship;
- A definite and distinct ecclesiastical government;
- A formal code of doctrine and discipline;
- A distinct religious history;
- A membership not associated with any other church or denomination;
- An organization of ordained ministers;
- Ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies;
- A literature of its own;
- Established places of worship;
- Regular congregations
- Regular religious services;
- Sunday schools for the religious instruction of the young;
- Schools for the preparation of its ministers.
N.A.I.C. currently meets the above criteria through its independent State of Florida incorporation and operation as a church/ religious organization (naic-florida-corp-charter); N.A.I.C. is established as an I.R.S. 508c(1)(a) Compliant FBO/ Church (Faith Based Organization).
N.A.I.C. Legal Compliance, Registrations, and Organization under Law
Our teaching -practice, and supervision of regular ceremony held both at our primary location and other sites as appropriate; we also network and co-sponsor ceremonies with other N.A.I.C. Independent Branches on a regular basis; our organization is ruled by a duly elected board of directors and a multi-member board of advisers/ Medicine Elders, our formal Code of Ethics, Authorized Membership Agreement, Articles of Religious Practice, our growing list of formally ordained Full and Lay ministers, conducting ceremony– teaching- and practicing the healing calling we believe as our primary calling or mission, N.A.I.C. Ordained ministers receive credentials and authorizations after completing a proscribed course of studies either in person, via distance learning or both in our N.A.I.C. Seminary and College (NAIC-edu.org, ThaiYogaCenter.Com, We have distinctive literature published on all significant facets of our healing work, healing, traditional, indigenous, and religious practice (BeardedMedia.Com), regular congregations and regular religious services. We operate two distinctive accredited and or recognized religious schools issuing five different Certificate and five different religious degrees (NAIC-edu.org, ThaiYogaCenter.Com, LearnThaiYoga.Teachable.com) in compliance with the authority of the Florida State D.O.E. as well as other recognition and or accrediting bodies.
