Our society no longer needs religion to answer most of our questions; I believe that religion is responsible for a lot of evil done in this world.

In the new society, religion will not be criminalised, people are still free to hold any belief they desire and may continue to attend religious meetings. However any part of their religion that is used to oppress or abuse (emotionally or physically) another living being will no longer be tolerated.

Religious beliefs will no longer be considered as an excuse or a ‘pass’ for anything.

Religion will be regulated

This is going to be one of the tough pills to swallow for many people but a welcome change for many others. As I mentioned above, religion will still be allowed in the new system. People will always be free to believe what they wish and will also be allowed to meet to discuss their religions. The last thing this society ever wants to do is prevent free expression.

That said:

Religion will be severely neutered under the new order.

• ALL places of worship (Churches, Mosques, Synagogues etc.…) will be repurposed into secular buildings, if the building has no historic or cultural value and the land can be used for a higher purpose then the building will be demolished (Cultural value includes graveyards, with burials as recent as 125 years).
• Religions will no longer be officially recognised in any way. Religious meetings will now be given the same regard as secular meetings; they will take place in community centres, in the homes of members or another hired venue. Being a part of a religion under Aretecracy will be no different than being part of a very passionate book club in terms of rights.
• All religions will lose the power to control anything. No religion has the right to own a building, to influence the outcome of any events or dictate any sort of ‘preferred practice’. Any religion found to be causing oppression or fear mongering will be refused access to any official meeting place and all practicing members of that religion will be refused access to/ejected from the meritocracy and will be ineligible for child birth assessments until the religion can prove it has changed it’s ways or the individual can prove they have left the organisation. Dogmatic religion has held a dangerous sway over the hearts and minds of people for too long and far too much evil has been done in its name. The government will never tell you what you can or can’t believe, however it WILL NOT give anyone the power to use that belief against another living being.
• Religious beliefs will no longer make you exempt from any laws. So if your religion requires the sacrifice of an animal for example then that animal will also have to be used for meat or else you will be tried for the murder of that animal.

Religious Holidays

There will no longer be an official concept of a ‘religious holiday’. However people are welcome to celebrate their religious events if they wish to. Days formally associated with religious holidays of each country which previously allowed people to take a day off work will become national holidays instead. How each individual chooses to spend those days will be up to them.

Shops may continue to sell paraphernalia related to those holidays. From a personal point of view, nothing will really change around this area, however these holidays will no longer be officially recognised as religious.

Religious Morality

Religion should not be needed for morality.

Good people are good regardless of who might be watching, or what sort of reward or punishment may be waiting for them after they have passed on. THIS is the sort of world we want to encourage. If a person needs to believe in a higher power in order to guide their moral compass then there is something fundamentally wrong with that person.