They didn't just destroy the ancient religions. They also dismantled all the schools of philosophy that competed with Christianity, including the Epicurean Gardens which embodied the apex of intellectual, scientific, and humanist achievement during the Hellenistic Era.

The constitutional guarantee of free expression means the govt can’t imprison you for saying something, it does not mean people must applaud what you say if it’s ignorant or hateful. Or that the networks must give you a platform.

Also, Confucius, Epicurus and other humanist philosophers from antiquity have always recognized that shame is the natural tool societies use to discourage certain behaviors, which is why leaders must be great role models in Confucianism. This is particularly true when we know that there are no gods or absolute values guiding us. Higher expectations from everyone save a society from mediocrity.