Recently, I paid a visit to Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, to survey a local project called "morality class." The project is promoted by local authorities to tackle declining social morality, as witnessed in several incidents that occurred over the past year. The class is attached to grass-roots civil organizations such as village and neighborhood committees, and its role is to promote morality, virtue and good ethics through talks among voluntary participants.

The form of the college's activities seems a bit similar to that of Christian churches, where a mentor organizes participants to sing songs that promote positive social values, and read or watch stories about other people's good deeds. The participants also have group discussions of stories around themes such as how to treat one's parents. Some local government organizations have also set up their own morality classes, though their focus is more about warning officials to stay away from corruption and to serve the public faithfully. One of the classes I have visited in a government department has a list on which there are all the infamous corrupt officials across China's history.

While this morality class project has been beneficial to society, some accuse the class of being a copycat of Christian church, and even dismiss the idea by arguing that only religion can cure society.

It is true that religions can cultivate people's values and help them stick to moral principles.

However, it is also worth noting that religions also convey certain cultural and political ideologies that may be locally incompatible. Not to mention the in-fighting between different religions, which may end up disturbing social harmony.

During the Enlightenment in Europe in the 18th century, intellectuals such as Voltaire often held up China as a source of "moral teachings" separate from religion. Voltaire's interpretation of French translations of Confucian texts led him to see the possibility of "natural religion," stemming only from human nature and interaction with the world.

An idealized vision of China as a harmonious and peaceful country, based partially on the astonishing scale and sophistication of early Qing (1644-1911) culture, inspired many Enlightenment philosophers to non-religious visions of morality.

So morality building isn't a patent that solely belongs to religions in modern society. It can also be achieved through civil-orientated lectures. Monotheistic religions build their moral systems around God, so that humanity actually has a passive role.

In a civil moral system, where the core is humanity, people can exercise good deeds not to receive divine forgiveness, but for the sake of others and the harmony of the society. They will not force their values upon the others since they all share the common values that originate from their hearts.

Besides, concerns jabout whether building a civil moral system will obstruct religious freedom are unnecessary, for in a civil moral system, where no religions takes dominant role, different religions can coexist peacefully and people can truly be free in picking their beliefs. The West has a long history of religious wars and uprisings, such as the Thirty Years War in Germany between Catholics and Protestants (1618-48). This barely took place in ancient China with a comprehensive set of civil ethics.

The Chinese society now suffers a moral decline mainly because its intellectuals have been denying the country's old traditions in favor of Western religions. Their advocacy that China is helpless due to a lack of faith has confused the public and society.

We should stay calm and have confidence in our culture, which can ensure good social ethics.

The author is a freelance writer based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn