Welcome to the Church of Thermal Ascension

We are a newly formed church. Our believers can fly.

Our Beliefs

  • The Sun supplies all energy in our Universe thanks to the magical power of Fusion. (Fusion will be with us in t + 30 years.)
  • We will be lifted aloft by the power of the Sun.(And cast down by the Darkness.)
  • Our lives are a contest where the Sun triumphs over Gravity.(xcontest.org keeps the Holy records.)
  • True enlightenment can only be found through Altitude.(Ridge Soaring does not count.)
  • The Sun is immortal. (We define immortality as lasting less than 10 billion years.)

Our Rules

  • Defy gravity whenever possible.(Practice often missing the ground.)
  • Use the power that the Sun bestows upon you.(In every way possible.)
  • Help those less capable than yourself.(You were once less capable.)
  • Avoid always the Cumulonimbus.(You are a puny human.)
  • Repack your reserve often. (Don't assume your God will be in a good mood when you need him.)
  • All soaring aircraft are equal. (Some are more equal than others.)
  • Each day of the week is sacred. (No days are reserved for work.)
  • No donations are accepted. No fees are charged by the church.(Give only to your local club.)

Contact

Email our High Priest

What constitutes a “religion”?

    The leading High Court case regarding the meaning of the term “religion” is The Church of New Faith v Commissioner of Pay Roll Tax (1983) 154 CLR 120. In this case, the High Court of Australia (full court) unanimously held to be a religion, a church that followed the writings of the scientologist Ronald Hubbard (Church of New Faith). In their deliberations, Wilson and Deane JJ held that the following principles could be used as indicators in determining whether a collection of ideas and practices constitute a religion:

  • • the ideas and practices involve belief in the supernatural;
  • • the ideas relate to people’s nature and place in the universe and their relation to things supernatural;
  • • the ideas are accepted by adherents as requiring or encouraging them to observe particular standards or codes of conduct or to participate in specific practices having supernatural significance;
  • • the adherents must constitute an identifiable group or identifiable groups;
  • • the adherents themselves see the collection of ideas and/or practices as constituting a religion. In the same case, Mason ACJ and Brennan J held similarly, that a religion involves: • belief in a supernatural being, thing or principle; and
  • • the acceptance of canons of conduct in order to give effect to that belief.