"Peter F. Hamilton - A Night's Dawn Companion - The Confederation Handbook" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Peter F)

speculation on an eventual total unity, although this must still be several centuries
distant.

Of more immediate concern to current religious leaders is the declining numbers of
the faithful. The impact of a technological society on the tenets of basic faith has
never let up. At the start of the twenty-seventh century, less than 5 percent of the
population now attends regular worship. Ironically, on Earth, the most technology-
intensive planet in the Confederation, the massive population base supported by the
arcologies means that this same 5 percent gives the major religions there a larger
following than at any time since the early twentieth century.

The Christian Unification of 2044 means that all Christians now have access to the
confessional, priests are both male and female, and celibacy is no longer practiced,
while contraception is actually endorsed, especially on Earth.

Cult religions continue to flourish, although these tend to center around their own
founder, and diminish after that founderтАЩs death unless an even more charismatic
successor can be found.


Colonization
Adamists have colonized 861 terracompatible planets, and an average of five new
planets are opened up for colonization each year. Settlement rights belong to the
discoverer (provided the discovery is filed with the Confederation to establish a legal
claim), although most scoutships are owned by either institutions or governments.
Establishing a colony is not a cheap proposition, and requires considerable financial
backing which few individuals can provide. Thus, independently owned scoutships
usually sell on the settlement rights to institutions. The criteria for establishing a
settlement are as follows.
Biological clearance
This entails proving that native organisms do not harbor a bacteriological threat.
Given the efficiency of todayтАЩs Adamist immunology systems, it would have to be a
highly potent xenoc bacteria or virus which could pose a threat to human life. Only
seven newly discovered planets have been disqualified on these grounds in the last
hundred years. The existence of native vegetation which has human-compatible
protein structure is also a big plus factor in favor of settlement, especially if the
species then proves popular, and even more so if the planetary climate is unique (see
Norfolk,page 162 ). Clearance certification is given by the Confederation assessment
board, which reviews the results of the ecological analysis team which the owner of
the new settlement rights needs to provide. The Confederation does not undertake any
analysis work itself.

It is not legally necessary to have Confederation certification before opening a planet
to settlement; however, because of the boardтАЩs impartiality this certificate is a
guarantee of safety, and only the most foolhardy of colonists would attempt to settle a
planet when certification has not been applied for.

Indigenous sentient species
These are an automatic disqualification for settlement. In the case of a xenoc species
which had not yet achieved an industrial-level civilization, further contact is