You seem to be a sea of contradiction there: you ask about deactivating the Merit System, only to ask in the next line if there is any chance of a bonus. The bonus seems to have got the horny side of phonetics, to the extent that you are considering getting married to merit come Xmas season.
It all seems like a metaphor of marriage: can I deactivate it-> no -> marry and bonus?
Agree with you that there is no reasonable reason to de-activate merit system.
With the system, and new rank requirements, my promotive steps in the forum become much harder, but I like it.
Some day, I will collect enough merits to rank up to Full Member rank, and at that time I deserve it from my intensive efforts.
Ranking up like this will make more sense, and I imagine that how happy I will when that day come.