Akronism: Difference between revisions
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The Church of Akrona operates in many areas that in other areas would be the exclusive province of the government, most primarily in administering the social safety net. Things like homeless shelters and food banks are all religious operations in Acronis, and programs such as the national healthcare system, the national pension program, and unemployment insurance are all administered and funded by the Church. Only in one circumstance - the national healthcare system - does the Church receive taxpayer funds from the civil government to operate any social program. All other programs are funded by mandatory tithes paid by Church members and some businesses (in the case of unemployment insurance and national pensions). Acronians are expected to pay ten percent of their income to the Church. The Church of Akrona is the largest single employer in the Acronian Empire.
===Criticism===
It is in this capacity that the Church of Akrona draws the most criticism. Because the Church administers all Acronian social programs, in order to receive these benefits, one must be a member of the Church in good standing, and therefore accept the Church's significant rules on personal and moral conduct. Foreign citizens resident in Acronis are not able to access unemployment insurance, pensions, or even food or housing assistance unless they join the Church, and must either pay out of pocket for medical care or purchase private healthcare insurance, which only exists in a very limited capacity in Acronis. Residents who hold other religious faiths, or no faith, are similarly restricted, even if they were born in Acronis. And most controversially, non-members of the Church cannot participate in the criminal justice system without a Church "sponsor." Only the sponsor, a member in good standing, may file charges on behalf of a non-member, even in cases of major crimes such as sexual assault or murder. In cases where the victim is alive, Church rules require the victim to attend religious services in order to keep their sponsor, though strictly speaking, are not "required to publically profess belief in, or even personally believe, in the tenets of the Church" in order to maintain sponsorship. The sponsorship program, while itself a compromise instituted in the late 19th century in the face of significant social backlash, continues to face sustained criticism from non-members of the Church domestically and internationally, as well as from members of the Church itself.▼
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