The Co-livism Charter

A Civic Worldview for Maximal Freedom and Neutral Law

Version 2026.0 (Founding Charter)

(Amendments labeled as 2026.1, 2027.0, etc.)

Preamble

Co-livism is a civic worldview for living together in peace while disagreeing about the biggest questions.

It is not a religion. It makes no positive or negative claims about God, gods, ultimate truth, salvation, revelation, afterlife, cosmic purpose, or metaphysical certainty. It offers no sacred texts, priesthood, or compulsory rituals. It does not ask anyone to abandon their faith, spirituality, philosophy, or identity.

Co-livism exists for one central reason: human societies need a shared civic layer that allows profound diversity of belief—religious and non-religious—without turning the state into a referee of metaphysics or a weapon of moral dominance.

Co-livism affirms a simple social contract:

* Your freedom is maximal. * Your civil equality is non-negotiable. * The state remains neutral. * Public law and institutions belong to everyone—equally—regardless of belief.

This Charter is a living and evolving civic document. It is maintained through a transparent governance process. Its purpose is to remain clear, resilient, and useful across generations.

Article 1 — Definitions and Nature

1.1 What Co-livism is Co-livism is a worldview and civic ethic designed to support pluralism within a secular society. It is a shared framework for coexistence, expressed through values that can be justified through public reasons—reasons that any citizen can evaluate regardless of personal belief or non-belief.

Co-livism is meant to strengthen: * the integrity of secular institutions, * freedom of conscience, * civic peace, and * equal civil rights.

1.2 What Co-livism is not Co-livism is not: * a religion, sect, or church, * a substitute theology, * a spiritual monopoly, * a political party ideology, * a doctrine of metaphysical truth, or * a cultural identity hierarchy.

Co-livism cannot become any of the above without violating itself.

1.3 Who Co-livism is for Co-livism is for everyone living under a secular civil order: * believers, doubters, and non-believers, including but not limited to: theists, cultural theists, agnostics, atheists, deists, apatheists, ignostics, pantheists, panentheists, polytheists, antitheists, humanists, rationalists, or spiritual but not religious (SBNR); * those rooted in tradition and those seeking new forms of meaning; * those who practice rituals and those who reject them; * those who want spiritual community and those who prefer private belief.

Article 2 — The Core Premise

Co-livism is built on three premises.

2.1 Maximal freedom of conscience Every person has the right to form, change, or reject their religion or worldview without coercion, intimidation, or civil penalty.

2.2 Neutral public order The state must not privilege, enforce, or penalize any religion or worldview. The state exists to protect equal rights and civic order—not to arbitrate metaphysical truth.

Neutrality is neutrality toward metaphysical doctrines—not neutrality toward evidence of harm. When structural inequities measurably undermine equal civil standing, the civil order may adopt targeted remedies justified through public reasons and accountable outcomes.

2.3 One civil law In public life—courts, contracts, property, employment, education standards, public services, political authority—there is one binding system: the country's civil law within a secular framework.

Co-livism has no separate legal code. There is no "Co-livist law." The society's civil order is simply secular and informed by Co-livism values, expressed through publicly defensible reasoning.

Article 3 — Co-livism Values

Co-livism is grounded in values that are civic, universalizable, and compatible with pluralism.

Equal dignity Every person has inherent worth and equal standing in civil life, regardless of belief, origin, status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, consensual adult relationship structure, language, culture, or background.

Co-livism encourages the reduction of unnecessary suffering for sentient beings, including non-human animals, through publicly justifiable norms and policy.

Co-livism treats the moral status of emerging forms of intelligence as an open question, to be governed by transparent, evidence-based criteria and revisable thresholds rather than metaphysical claims. Where credible evidence indicates the capacity for suffering, experience, or vulnerability, the civil order should err toward protective safeguards consistent with public reason.

Freedom of conscience Belief, doubt, and non-belief are protected. No institution—state or private—may compel metaphysical allegiance as a condition of civil rights.

State neutrality The state neither endorses nor opposes religions or worldviews. It protects free practice while refusing to enforce sacred authority.

Non-domination No group may use institutions to impose metaphysical doctrines on others or convert spiritual power into civil power.

Reciprocity and equal freedom Each person's freedom is bounded by the equal freedom of others.

Public reason Public policies must be justifiable through reason and evidence, accountable outcomes, and the protection of equal rights—not revelation, sectarian authority, or metaphysical claims that others cannot reasonably evaluate.

Civic resilience under crisis In times of war, terror, or national emergency, emergency measures must be publicly justified, narrowly tailored, time-limited, and subject to oversight—never used to impose sectarian rule, collective punishment, or permanent second-class citizenship.

Compassion with boundaries Care is a civic virtue, but compassion cannot become a tool for coercion, discrimination, or the erosion of equal rights.

Civic peace and lawful resolution Disagreements are settled through lawful processes and peaceful discourse, not sacred exception or moral intimidation.

These values are not a replacement for personal morality. They are the minimum civic ethics required to coexist under one neutral public order.

Article 4 — Spiritual and Ritual Freedom

4.1 The freedom to practice and create meaning Co-livism affirms the right of individuals and communities to: * worship or not worship; * pray, meditate, gather, fast, celebrate, mourn; * form spiritual communities, schools, charities, and cultural institutions; * create new philosophies and ritual traditions; * change beliefs, convert, syncretize, or disengage.

This freedom is protected so long as it respects civil rights and does not claim civil authority over others.

4.2 The freedom to exit Co-livism affirms the right of any person to exit any spiritual, religious, or philosophical community without civil penalty, intimidation, or coercion.

4.3 Speech, critique, and disagreement Co-livism affirms peaceful critique, debate, scholarship, satire, and disagreement about ideas—religious and non-religious—while maintaining the civic standard of non-violence and lawful conduct.

Article 5 — The Blind Law Principle

5.1 Civil equality Civil rights and obligations do not depend on a person's religion, worldview, rituals, or metaphysical claims. The civil order does not privilege or penalize citizens based on belief, origin, status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, consensual adult relationship choices, language, culture, or background.

5.2 No parallel legal authority No religious or worldview legal system—formal or informal—has binding authority over civil life.

People may voluntarily follow spiritual guidance in their private lives. But civil institutions—courts, registries, contracts, rights, duties—operate under one secular legal framework.

Adults may form households and intimate partnerships by consent. Civil standing is not conditioned on relationship structure; where civil law permits, parties may use private contracts to govern relationships, property, support, and inheritance, subject to safeguards against coercion and harm to dependents. Such contracts must meet civil standards of informed consent, clarity, registration where required, and protection of dependents, and are void where coercion or exploitation is evidenced. Private contracts may not create a parallel adjudication system that denies parties equal civil remedies or due process.

5.3 Equal access to public institutions Public services and institutions are provided without discrimination. They do not demand adherence to any belief system as a condition of participation.

5.4 Neutrality is not enforced invisibility State neutrality does not require citizens to hide their beliefs in public life. Individuals may wear or display personal religious or philosophical symbols in public institutions, including schools, provided this does not involve coercion, harassment, or the institution acting as a vehicle of endorsement or exclusion. The state's duty is to remain neutral in its power—not to demand cultural uniformity from its people.

Co-livism rejects the idea that pluralism is achieved by suppressing visible difference. Co-livism does not treat visible religious expression as incompatible with a secular public order.

Article 6 — The Public Reason Standard

Co-livism introduces a civic discipline:

If a policy is to bind everyone, it must be justified in terms everyone can evaluate.

Public reason is a standard for the justification of binding public power—not a restriction on who may speak. Citizens may argue from any moral, spiritual, religious, or philosophical source in civic life. The responsibility to translate binding rules into reasons that all citizens can evaluate lies with public institutions and officials (courts, regulators, public agencies, and officeholders), not with personal conscience.

This does not mean citizens must abandon faith. It means civil power must be exercised with reasons that do not depend on: * "because my scripture says so," * "because my metaphysics is true," * "because my sacred authority commands it."

Civil power must not be justified by claims of divine entitlement or prophecy—such as promises of land, sovereignty, supremacy, or permanent privilege. Such claims may guide private faith, but they cannot serve as binding public justification.

This discipline applies most strictly to decisions that shape the foundations of civil life: basic rights, equal standing, the design of public institutions, and the conditions under which public power may be used.

In crisis conditions, the burden of justification rises: institutions must show necessity, proportionality, least-restrictive means, and a clear expiry date, with transparent review.

Co-livism distinguishes between moral voice and legal justification: moral voice may be rooted in any tradition and may carry urgency that defies translation; legal justification must remain publicly accessible, evidence-aware, and compatible with equal rights.

Public reason includes harms that can be evidenced, including preventable suffering and exploitation. Where private arrangements create civil effects (property, inheritance, guardianship), the state's role is to enforce clarity, consent, and protection of vulnerable parties.

Public justification must be assessed for accessibility across education, socioeconomic background, language, and culture. When a justification systematically excludes the people most affected, institutions must provide clearer formulations, alternate evidence pathways, and documented engagement with impacted communities.

Policies may be inspired by values that overlap with religious traditions, but they must stand on public reasoning and the protection of equal rights.

Article 7 — Civic Boundaries and Non-Coercion

Co-livism recognizes that pluralism fails when coercion enters.

7.1 No coercion in belief No one may be threatened, punished, excluded, or deprived of civil standing for belief, doubt, conversion, or non-belief.

7.2 No civil privilege for metaphysical conformity No group may claim special civil power by being "more correct," "more pure," or "more sacred."

7.3 No sacred exemptions that reduce others' rights Freedom of practice is protected. But it cannot be used to reduce another person's civil equality, safety, or autonomy.

Article 8 — Co-livism and the State

8.1 Co-livism does not govern Co-livism is not a ruling ideology. It is a civic worldview that informs a secular society's ethical posture.

8.2 Secular civil law is the only law The country's civil law is the only binding legal authority in public life. Co-livism may inspire civic values, but it does not claim legal supremacy.

8.3 The state protects pluralism A secular state under Co-livism protects: * religious freedom and non-religious freedom, * equal access to institutions, * lawful dissent, and * civil peace.

Article 9 — The Living Charter Principle

This Charter is meant to remain alive, evolving, not frozen.

It will be reviewed annually and may be amended to:

* improve clarity, * address new forms of coercion or discrimination, * strengthen neutrality, * refine governance mechanisms, or * expand protections in ways consistent with Co-livism values.

However, amendments must never transform Co-livism into:

* a religion, * a compulsory doctrine, * a political weapon, or * a mechanism of civil privilege.

The Charter must remain capable of addressing new realities, including new forms of sentience, intelligence, and vulnerability.

Article 10 — The Co-livism Charter Council (Governance)

10.1 Purpose

The Co-livism Charter Council ("the Council") is the steward of this Charter.

Its responsibilities:

* maintain the Charter as a coherent civic document, * publish annual review and proposed amendments, * defend neutrality and equal dignity, * prevent drift into sectarianism, ideology, or capture, * run transparent processes and publish dissent, * publish an annual Public Justification Review, documenting how major amendments meet accessibility standards and how minority and impacted-group objections were addressed.

The Council will maintain a transparent, evidence-based framework for evaluating moral status claims involving non-human animals and artificial agents, with revisable criteria and thresholds.

The Council does not make laws. It updates a charter of civic values and guardrails.

10.2 Structure and Seats

10.2.1 Voting members: 12

The Council has 12 voting members, grouped into three blocs of equal size, each representing a function rather than a political identity:

A) Neutrality Guardians (4 seats) Mission: protect state neutrality, prevent worldview favoritism, resist mission creep into civic religion.

B) Pluralism & Freedom Stewards (4 seats) Mission: protect freedom of conscience in practice, especially for minorities, dissenters, converts, and non-aligned citizens.

C) Public Reason & Systems Builders (4 seats) Mission: keep the Charter legible, implementable, and grounded in public reason, institutional realism, and civic stability.

This design forces every amendment to satisfy neutrality, freedom, and practicality.

10.2.2 Non-voting roles: 2 Ombuds

Two independent, non-voting roles exist to protect integrity:

1) Process Ombud (non-voting) Ensures compliance with procedures, disclosures, conflict-of-interest rules, transparency, and publication requirements.

2) Rights & Neutrality Ombud (non-voting) Flags any amendment that may reduce neutrality, civil equality, or freedom of conscience. Publishes objections and forces escalation to higher thresholds where applicable.

10.3 Eligibility Rules (Anti-capture)

10.3.1 Required qualifications Council members must:

* explicitly affirm an agnostic stance regarding metaphysical ultimate truth (no claim of certainty), * affirm commitment to state neutrality, equal civil standing, and freedom of conscience, * disclose relevant affiliations, funding, and leadership roles.

10.3.2 Disqualifying roles (hard bans)

No one may serve as a voting or non-voting Council member if they are:

* a current elected political official, minister, or political appointee, * a senior officer of a political party or a professional political operative directing campaigns, * a formal religious authority (clergy, religious judge, governing council member, or equivalent), * a professional lobbyist whose role is to advance sectarian or partisan agendas.

10.3.3 Cooling-off period

A person who held any disqualifying role must wait 5 years after leaving that role before becoming eligible.

10.4 Selection Mechanism (Legitimacy + Anti-elite Capture)

The Council's 12 seats are filled through a hybrid method:

6 seats elected by Charter Fellows Charter Fellows are a civic membership body that affirms Co-livism's neutrality principles and agrees to non-coercion. Fellowship is a civic commitment to neutrality and non-coercion, not a political affiliation or belief test. (Fellows are not clergy, not party structures.)

4 seats selected by an Independent Nomination Panel A panel of retired judges and civic ethics experts selects candidates via published criteria and public interviews.

2 seats chosen by Sortition (Civic Lottery) Two seats are filled by random selection from a pool of qualified applicants who meet eligibility rules. This protects the Council from becoming an elite club.

All selection steps must be documented publicly.

10.5 Terms, Rotation, and Continuity

* Term length: 4 years * Staggering: 3 seats rotate each year (to maintain continuity) * Max consecutive terms: 2 * Removal: only for misconduct, proven conflicts of interest, or rule violations, through a transparent process reviewed by the Process Ombud and the Nomination Panel

10.6 Amendment Classes and Voting Rules

Co-livism needs two amendment types: ordinary updates and constitutional protection of the load-bearing beams.

10.6.1 Class I — Ordinary Amendments

Examples:

* clarifying language, * adding definitions, * strengthening protections without changing core principles, * improving governance procedures.

To pass:

* 8 out of 12 votes (two-thirds), and * at least 2 votes from each bloc (Guardians, Stewards, Builders).

10.6.2 Class II — Constitutional Amendments

This includes any change affecting:

* state neutrality, * the Blind Law principle, * civil equality and non-domination, * the non-religion nature of Co-livism, * Council eligibility rules, * voting thresholds and amendment mechanics.

To pass:

* 10 out of 12 votes, and * at least 3 votes from each bloc, and * a public consultation window of 60–90 days with published responses to major objections.

10.6.3 Non-regression rule (core protection)

No amendment may reduce freedom of conscience, civil equality, or state neutrality relative to the previous version. If the Rights & Neutrality Ombud flags potential regression, the amendment is automatically treated as Class II.

10.7 Transparency and Publication Duties

Every year, the Council must publish:

* the updated Charter version number and change log, * proposed amendments (redline format), * rationale in public reason terms, * impact analysis (who is affected and how), * dissent statements (minority opinions), * final vote tally by bloc.

Article 11 — Integrity Clauses (Self-Defense Against Corruption)

11.1 No sacred authority

No Council decision may invoke sacred authority as binding justification.

11.2 No monopoly on moral truth

The Council may steward civic ethics but must not claim moral infallibility.

11.3 No identity hierarchy

Co-livism rejects systems that rank citizens by purity, belief, origin, or belonging.

11.4 No conversion into ideology

If Co-livism is used to enforce metaphysical conformity or political domination, it betrays its purpose.

11.5 No capture by wealth or creed

Co-livism rejects the capture of public institutions by concentrated wealth, external patronage, or sectarian/nationalist doctrine.

Article 12 — Closing Declaration

Co-livism is the agreement that makes disagreement safe.

It is the civic promise that: * you may search for meaning in your own way, * you may gather, worship, doubt, or refuse worship, * you may raise children with your values, * you may love and live as yourself, * and you may do all of that without fearing that someone else's metaphysics will become your civil fate.

The state is not a temple. The civil order is not a sermon. The law is not a theology.

Co-livism is the civic layer that lets human diversity breathe—without turning freedom into fragmentation, and without turning unity into coercion.

End of Charter