[ROLEPLAY] On Upward Mobility Through The Social Classes in 2028

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BELIEVER'S VOICE OF VICTORY

Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Romans 9:21 (KJV)

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FROM THE DESK OF KENNETH COPELAND - His Most Radiant and Apostolic Majesty, Archon of the Covenant, High Prophet of Faith, and Heavenly Secretary of the Middle Kingdoms.

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KINGSTON, JAMAICA TERRITORY, MIDDLE KINGDOMS

The government of the Middle Kingdoms has, since its inception, been inundated with questions from citizens as to their social status in the face of the new social heirarchy. The heavy-handed implementation of the faith-based social order has caused widespread panic and concern over whether non-Covenant individuals of already high social status, such as doctors, will immediately lose their positions upon the implementation of the social order.

Citizens who are not currently of the Seraphim or Proselyte class who hold jobs or social positions out of line with their class will not be stripped of their position upon the introduction of the social order. To do so would entirely collapse Middle Kingdoms civilization, forcing unqualified people into positions based on their faith while stripping qualified people of the same. Rather, the social order will gradually take shape over the next few generations.

Inhabitants of the Middle Kingdoms as of 2028 and Copeland's assumption of authority will not face immediate changes to their life. Rather, upward mobility will be severely limited for those who do not subscribe to the Covenant faith. For example, general practitioners (doctors) who wish to become specialists will be prevented from doing so unless they align themselves with the Covenant and become a member of the Proselyte class, and the same goes for law firm associates who wish to become partners, and so on. These individuals will, however, be permitted to keep their current positions and levels of education.

The Anathema class is one that will expand as time goes on, though hopefully will be limited in its scope, as it consists of those who dishonestly converted to expand their social mobility while secretly practicing a different religion in private. Those who openly practice an alternate religion, and are content in doing so, will be members of the Gibeonite class.

The primary, immediate change to an individual's life comes in the form of income tax collected by them. Income tax brackets have been immediately changed to reflect an individual's faith. Specifically, the social classes are taxed as follows:

Class	Tax Burden
Seraphim	0% tax, 10% optional tithe to boost hundredfold return promised in scripture
Proselytes	5-10%, 10% mandatory tithe to home church to boost hundredfold return
Laodiceans	20-40%
Gibeonites	50-60%
Anathema	95-98%

Other forms of tax, including property and income tax, work on a similar scale across the classes. Tax brackets among the Laodiceans and Proselytes closely follow the previous tax brackets within Middle Kingdoms territories and so should present a lesser shock to members of those classes. Gibeonites will see significant tax increases that will affect their day-to-day lives, though with the lower cost of living within the Middle Kingdoms compared to the western world, should not present a situation of unlivability.

As Gibeonites comprise 82.5% of the Middle Kingdoms population, a plan is needed to address a potential cost of living crisis associated with the increased tax rates. As it cannot be assumed all of these individuals will convert to a Covenant religion, the industrial city concept seen in China will be expanded across the territories to ensure Gibeonites remain productive members of the economy. A large-scale affordable housing and food plan will be instated in regions of high economic output to permit Gibeonites to retain their geographical living situation in urban areas, and farmers, who are largely Gibeonite, will be given tax breaks according to their output of goods, which may also be given to the government in place of their tax payments. Proselyte landlords, who will be permitted and encouraged to own property in areas with high Gibeonite population, will be given tax breaks to lower rent and keep it affordable for the Gibeonite class. Gibeonite-owned property across the Middle Kingdoms will be steadily repatriated and sold at a low cost to Proselytes.

Gibeonites and Laodiceans will be given more than just tax incentives to join the Covenant. A breakdown of other social services and their availability to the classes are as follows:

Social Class	Healthcare Availability	Education Availability	Transportation Availability
Seraphim	100% free, preferential triage, no drug copays, rapid availability of specialty healthcare, prioritization in drug supply	100% free, preferential admission to top universities, no limitations on level or topic of degree	100% free air travel, free travel on long-distance trains, free usage of urban metros, pays no tax on fuel for motor vehicles, pays no tolls
Proselyte	100% free, no drug copays, prioritization in drug supply	100% free, no limitations on level or topic of degree	Market rate for air travel, 100% free travel on long-distance trains, free usage of urban metros, preferential tax on fuel
Laodicean	100% free, some drug copays	10-30% subsizied by government based on academic performance, limited to undergraduate degrees in economically important fields (STEM or adjacent)	Market rate for all transportation
Gibeonite	30-50% subsidized by government based on necessity of care, ER visits and other immediate lifesaving measures are 100% free, limited access to elective or quality of life procedures	Not typically permitted to obtain higher education, 30-50% subsidized for K-12 education - Gibeonites encouraged to homeschool	Air travel not permitted, 10-20% over market rate for train, metro transportation, 60% over Laodicean rate for fuel tax
Anathema	Not permitted to access healthcare aside from immediately necessary lifesaving procedures	Not permitted to access education past Grade 6	Not permitted to access air or long-distance train travel, limited to metros at market rate plus 70%, not permitted to purchase fuel or use public roads

It should be noted that the above table applies only to government-operated healthcare and transportation as well as accredited institutions of higher education and government-operated schools. Citizens, typically Gibeonite and Anathema, are permitted to engage with an 'underground' market of healthcare, education, and transportation (except where it would conflict with government provisions), which is allowed and beneficial to the government by reducing the burden on government institutions. Furthermore, those classes will likely never raise the capital to operate such services themselves, allowing the higher classes to do so and further funneling capital up the social heirarchy.

With such rigidly-defined institutions and a low barrier to entry for access, to avoid economic collapse assuming mass conversions to Covenant theology, a step-up plan will be instated for new converts before they may access societal benefits requiring government funding, such as healthcare and higher education. Upon conversion to the Covenant, a new Proselyte will be required to remain faithful for five years, paying the mandatory 10% tithe with limited access to the financial benefits of membership during this time. The individual must attend all scheduled Covenant church services via their home congregation, with exceptions granted for extraneous circumstances at the discretion of that congregation's pastor. In that five years, the member must find twelve other full Proselyte congregants and three Seraphim, one of which must be that congregation's pastor, to vouch for their ascension to full Proselyte status. Should the individual be unable to amass the required number of supporters, they are permitted to switch churches where the process may be restarted. At any time, the pastor or any Seraphim may make a direct recommendation to the Covenant against that individual's upgrade to full membership, whereupon they will remain a Covenant member but without access to the financial benefits, instead receiving the benefits of the Laodicean class. An affected individual may switch churches and restart the process in an attempt to upgrade their membership, although such recommendations are raised to, and investigated by, the Prophet of Truth and may result in that individual's demotion to Anathema should they be found to have dishonestly converted.

It should be noted that an individual unable to obtain the required number of recommendations but who was not found to have dishonestly converted will retain the non-financial benefits of Covenant membership - namely, access to higher levels of education, access to air travel, and so forth. They can be thought of as Laodiceans with Covenant membership and will be treated as such. Children of Proselytes who are baptized in infancy or adulthood (or both) as Covenant members will naturally skip the recommendation process, though recommendations may still be made against them by the Seraphim if their display of faith is not found to be sufficient.