We are working on a brand new version of the game! If you want to stay informed, read our blog and register for our mailing list.
Bill: Recognised Religions
Details
Submitted by[?]: Gao-Showa Imperial Party
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: October 2436
Description[?]:
| OOC: a long debate might be needed to sort out the points I feel. I felt a conditional system would work better than individual recognition of fiaths due to the large and vague number in game. IC: To prevent abuse of people's beliefs and to protect those faiths which legitimately seek the benefit of their worshipers and society as a whole the GSPP proposes that religions which meet certain set standards will be officially recognised and recieve special protection under the law. To be recognised a religion must meet the following conditions: 1) The religion may not force worshipers to give material sacrafice to the institutions of the religion as part of worship 2) The religion must be able to prove it provides a meaningful benefit to the communities in which it exists 3) The religion may not promote activities opposed to the constitution or stability of the state 4) The religion may not promote activities which are against the laws of the state |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change
Taxation of religious institutions.
Old value:: No religions are taxed.
Current: Religious taxation policy is left to the local governments.
Proposed: Recognized religions are not taxed.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change The governments stance on religious schools.
Old value:: Any religion may set up a school, with no regulations.
Current: Religious schools are allowed, but are strictly regulated. Only recognised religions may set up religious schools.
Proposed: Only recognised religions may set up religious schools, with no regulations.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 16:37:01, July 23, 2007 CET | From |  Socialist Party of Greater Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | We cannot support this bill. The Mormon people have suffered for too long under laws like this. |
| Date | 17:19:08, July 23, 2007 CET | From | Gao-Showa Imperial Party | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | Well the idea would be to protect legitimate religions like the church of the latter saints while making sure that cults like scientology, etc cannot claim religious status to get tax benefits for what is in reality a profit making organisation. |
| Date | 19:36:51, July 23, 2007 CET | From | Plutocratic Utopian Front | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | We are in favor of the government aiming a more critical eye toward the religious organizations of the country, but do not believe in creating a tiered system. The criteria regarding lawfulness and non-coercion are important and should be applied to all organizations regardless of their purpose. The crux of this issue will be in deciding which groups have provided a "meaningful benefit" to the community. Spiritual fulfillment can only be subjectively defined. We worry that some groups will receive preferential treatment based on arbitrary decisions from the government. All religions should receive equal treatment, perhaps different treatment than they receive currently, but equal nonetheless. |
| Date | 23:07:00, July 23, 2007 CET | From | Gao-Showa Imperial Party | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | We understand the concerns with creating a tiered system but we believe that steps need to be taken to stop inidviduals abusing the law for personal gain. The meaningful benefit clause was brought in primarly due to statements by the PUF elsewhere about taxing religion. We are willing to take any proposed ammendments to the conditions to protect religions which legitimately seek a spiritual benefit to their worshipers. The main point is that this will keep religions equal but will stop people pretending to be religious for reasons of finance or political power, etc. |
| Date | 23:36:09, July 23, 2007 CET | From | Progressive Liberal Party of Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | Every one should be free to chose a religion, no one should be taxed or what so ever because they do not worship a recognized religion. The state should not interfere in religion and let the religion and the people free to choose! |
| Date | 01:02:45, July 24, 2007 CET | From | Gao-Showa Imperial Party | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | so we let people get away with defrauding innocent people out of their money tax free and let extremists set up schools which indoctrinate children into violence? I don't think we should let these people defame the name of religion. |
| Date | 19:35:08, July 24, 2007 CET | From | Socialist Party of Greater Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | My question is what body of the government will decide what constitutes a recognized religion. I believe if we are going to do this, then the Imperial Diet should vote on which religions are recognized and which are not. |
| Date | 20:16:40, July 24, 2007 CET | From | Progressive Liberal Party of Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | There should not be any kind of religious school just because of the reason your named. We are against any involvement of the government in peoples liberties. People should chose their own religion, any religion. |
| Date | 05:10:41, July 26, 2007 CET | From | Socialist Party of Greater Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | OOC: I have changed my mind. I will vote yes. |
| Date | 20:24:03, July 28, 2007 CET | From | Socialist Party of Greater Hulstria | To | Debating the Recognised Religions |
| Message | Please put this to a vote. |
subscribe to this discussion - unsubscribe
Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 378 | |||||
| no | Total Seats: 73 | |||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 49 |
| Random fact: Particracy isn't just a game, it also has a forum, where players meet up to discuss role-playing, talk about in-game stuff, run their own newspaper or organisation and even discuss non-game and real-life issues! Check it out: http://forum.particracy.net/ |
| Random quote: "The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions." - Robert Lynd |