Inteersting New York Times series:  In God’s Name:  Favors for the Faithful: 

Articles in this four-part series examine how American religious organizations benefit from an increasingly accommodating government

• In God’s Name As Exemptions Grow, Religion Outweighs Regulation, by Diana B. Henriques:

An analysis by The New York Times of laws passed since 1989 shows that more than 200 special arrangements, protections or exemptions for religious groups or their adherents were tucked into Congressional legislation, covering topics ranging from pensions to immigration to land use. New breaks have also been provided by a host of pivotal court decisions at the state and federal level, and by numerous rule changes in almost every department and agency of the executive branch.