how many religions own registered trademarks?

You seem to understand the function (and definition) of trademark better than the scientologists...

It's worth noting, however, that in some cases religious symbols, coats of arms and national symbols, are protected by law from registration or use as trademarks - which gives them protection somewhat similar.

Scientology is not a great example of the use of trademark in religious or even non commercial contexts - part of the reason it maintains so many is because it is run very much on international corporate lines, and relies heavily on marketting to the public. It's religious or non profit status is sufficiently dubious that the Charities Commission in the UK refused it charitable status.

If you're after numbers of trademarks held by various religious groups, you could try searching trademark databases (e.g. http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm/t-find/t-find-text/tmtsea... )for likely symbols. Often it's not as simple as one religion "owning" X many trademarks - the marks will be owned by independent organisations that are religious in nature - all very hard to come up with a solid number for any one religious.

The trademarks are from the religious writings of the founder, L Ron Hubbard. He wrote them. They were his. He bequeathed them to The Religious Technology Center upon his death, so that they could continue to ensure the purity of the scriptures. What you see on the internet, is not the original scriptures. The only way you get those is to study the materials, from the source. You can read all 18 of the books - they are in almost every public library on the planet, thanks to RTC, who wanted you to have the actual books rather than the altered and twisted data purported to be Scientology that's on the internet. Do you think that's acceptable? Your question makes me wonder. My religion doesn't own the trademarks. RTC does. You have been given false data.

Besides, what does having registered trademarks have to do with whether it's a religion or not?

You should include the catechisms of Scientology in your study so you have all data. You can find it here:

http://www.whatisscientology.org/

You're probably trying to make some kind of a point here by using the word "commercial" in your definition, but the fact of the matter is that there are many trademarked images affiliated with all sorts of real religions, not just artificially created ones like scientology.

The universal symbol for the Episcopalian Church is most likely copyrighted in the U.S.:

http://www.ascepis.org/EPISCOPAL%20SHIELD%20BEST.j...

and I'm sure other churches own their own copyrights as well. I don't know how many, as I'm not sure there's any easy way to count or track them.

My religion is Scientology and I understand very well why our religious knowledge and techniques are protected. What's your religion by the way if you have any?

Scientology has its own methods like Buddhists have meditations. These methods must be protected. They work only when they are used precisely and should be used only by people who were trained to do so.