From: lucifer@dhp.com (lucifer Anonymous Remailer)
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 1997 14:06:44 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: The Grand Compromise is Coming
Message-ID: <199706250601.CAA01869@dhp.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>By the way, I have no heard no good counters to my point that the "use of
>crypto in furtherance of a crime" is quite analogous to "freedom of
>religion shall not be abridged, but saying a heathen prayer in furtherance
>of a crime shall subject the heathen to an additional five years of
>imprisonment."

Two differences:

Saying a prayer, heathen or not, does not make the commision of the crime
easier.  Using a gun, or using crypto, does.

Saying a prayer can be done in complete privacy and silence, making it
impossible to tell whether someone is doing it.  Using crypto generally
involves some outward evidence.  It is not all in your head.

If some form of prayer were invented which did not have these properties,
then it might be forbidden.  The Marinsha prayer, shouted with the
appropriate intensity, paralyzes the hearer for several minutes.  Robberies
have become common using this method.  Making the Marinsha prayer
illegal in all circumstances is too broad, but criminalizing it for use in the
commision of a crime would be a plausible response.