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Bill: Emergency Secular Bill
Details
Submitted by[?]: Dorvikische Volkspartei
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: July 3033
Description[?]:
| http://classic.particracy.net/viewnews.php "A mass suicide has been reported in Kordusia. A cult known as "Dorvik's Children of God", led by infamous zealot Ronald Adams, was found in their usual meeting place, with all 95 members dead." |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Government policy concerning the visitation of foreign missionaries.
Old value:: The government selectively screens which religions are permitted to send missionaries to the nation. Certain religions are approved and travel is unregulated.
Current: The government requires foreign missionaries to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Proposed: The government determines which missionaries are permitted to visit on a person by person basis.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards evangelism and religious advertising.
Old value:: Religions are permitted to freely promote and advertise themselves.
Current: Religions are permitted to freely promote and advertise themselves.
Proposed: Religious organizations are not permitted to actively promote themselves or advertise, however evangelism is permitted by individuals.
Article 3
Proposal[?] to change
Taxation of religious institutions.
Old value:: Recognized religions are not taxed.
Current: No religions are taxed.
Proposed: Religions are treated as companies, and all profit is taxed, however, charitable donations are not taxed.
Article 4
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy with respect to prayer in schools.
Old value:: Teacher-led prayers in schools are encouraged.
Current: Teacher-led prayers in schools are forbidden, except in religious schools.
Proposed: Teacher-led prayers in schools are forbidden, except in religious schools.
Article 5
Proposal[?] to change Government policy concerning religions.
Old value:: There is an official state religion, but membership is completely voluntary.
Current: There is no government policy concerning a state religion.
Proposed: There is no government policy concerning a state religion.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 20:12:21, November 19, 2010 CET | From | Dorvikische Volkspartei | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, May I first express our sympathy for the families who tragicly lost loved ones in this unfortunate incident and our thoughts are with them. Mr. Speaker, may I use such an unfortunate example such as this one to indicate how dangerous religion can be, and thus, propose this secularisation attempt in the interest of Dorvik and her people. |
| Date | 00:41:39, November 20, 2010 CET | From | . | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, We express our deepest sympathy to those close to the victims of this terrible tragedy. The actions of those who too part in this were deeply misguided and wrong. It is not clear whether any of those who took part had Christian allegiances, but if they did, their behaviour gravely violated Christian principles. It is regrettable the GSP are exploiting this tragedy in order to push through their anti-Christian agenda. The restrictions they are proposing here are unwanted, unnecessary and unjustified. Nor would they have done anything to stop this incident taking place. |
| Date | 00:50:24, November 20, 2010 CET | From | Dorvikische Volkspartei | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, We are not exploiting, we are taking action, something the CPU didn't do in the previous administration. In addition, we are not anti-Christian we are pro-Secular. These laws will have little effects, if any, on Christian peoples' lives. |
| Date | 01:10:49, November 20, 2010 CET | From | . | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, If the GSP thinks this Bill will have no effect upon Christians in Dorvik then they are living in a fantasy land. This Bill will mean: - Our churches will lose a large amount of their income through taxation, even though they are community-centred and not profit-making organisations. - Schools will be forbidden from including prayers in the school day. - Churches will be forbidden from engaging in evangelical outreach work. Even for a church to publish a small leaflet to be given to those interested in our faith would be illegal under this legislation. - We will not be able to invite prominent Christian figures from abroad to visit our country without having to jump through hurdles of Foreign Office bureaucracy. |
| Date | 01:14:49, November 20, 2010 CET | From | Dorvikische Volkspartei | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, We cannot possibly reply to comments that are intended to alarm the public over a matter that would benefit the nation. |
| Date | 01:38:10, November 20, 2010 CET | From | Lormish National Congress | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr Speaker, The LNC agrees some some minor reform regarding religious laws is certainly warrented but disagrees with the political opportunism that the GSP uses to pass legislation. It is certainly a tragedy that cults of this nature exist but far more effective legislation could have been passed to try and prevent this happening again in the future rather then this obvious ploy of passing a political inspired agenda. |
| Date | 01:46:37, November 20, 2010 CET | From | Dorvikische Volkspartei | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, This is not politically inspired agenda, its a step towards a fairer society. Whether the tragedy took place or not we were always going to propose this bill. What we're proposing is the right to choose to live a religious or non-religious life. Currently, the law is promoting living a religious life. |
| Date | 01:55:42, November 20, 2010 CET | From | . | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, There is nothing in the current law which requires citizens to adopt either a religious or a non-religious outlook on the world. People are free to choose. By contrast, if this Bill passes, the religious activities of citizens will be severely curtailed. They will not, for example, be allowed to form organisations which produce literature the government deems to be "evangelising". |
| Date | 01:58:08, November 20, 2010 CET | From | Dorvikische Volkspartei | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, How can promoting prayer in state schools not be promoting a religious lifestyle? |
| Date | 02:04:50, November 20, 2010 CET | From | . | To | Debating the Emergency Secular Bill |
| Message | Mr. Speaker, There is no reason non-believing children should not use prayer time as a time for private contemplation or meditation rather than worship. Nor is there any reason teachers should not allow pupils who feel strongly enough about the matter to step out of prayer time. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||
| yes | Total Seats: 254 | ||
| no |
Total Seats: 246 | ||
| abstain | Total Seats: 0 |
| Random fact: Whilst the use of non-English languages can be appropriate for nation names, party names, constitutional titles and other variables, English is the official language of communication in the game. All descriptive texts and public communications should be in English or at least appear alongside a full English translation. |
| Random quote: "Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit." - Eli Khamarov |