Enlightenment in the 21st century
Campaign to Abolish the "Blasphemy Law" (§166 StGB) Launched
By the 10th anniversary of the "Charlie Hebdo" attack on 7 January 2025, the so-called "blasphemy law" (§166 of the German Penal Code) should be history! This is the goal of a parliamentary petition that can now be signed. In fact, the governing coalition has a historic opportunity to remove this "censorship law" (as Kurt Tucholsky described it), which dates back to the German Empire, from the Penal Code.
Giordano Bruno Foundation Releases Video on 2024 Focus Theme
The "International Union of Geological Sciences" may announce as early as August 2024 that we are no longer in the "Holocene" – the "warm period within the current ice age" that has existed for 11,000 years – but in the "Anthropocene," the "geological age of humans." This would officially mark the beginning of a new era not only for humanity but for the entire Earth.
A year full of crises and opportunities
In 2023, the Giordano Bruno Foundation celebrated "100 Years of Evolutionary Humanism" – despite the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, war, and climate change. The year was overshadowed by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Hamas attack on Israel. However, there was a silver lining as an increasing number of politicians began to recognize the urgent need to defend the open society against its resurgent enemies.
Towards a new era in confronting Islamic fascism
For many years, the Central Council of Ex-Muslims and the Giordano Bruno Foundation have been warning of the dangers associated with the totalitarian ideology of Islamism. Following the massacre of Israeli civilians and the jubilation among some parts of the local Muslim population, German politicians are now also calling for a clear stance against anti-Semitism and Islamism. These pithy words should now be followed by concrete action.
With his "Treatise on Critical Reason", he became one of the most important proponents of Critical Rationalism
As announced by his family, the German sociologist, philosopher, with a focus on philosophy of science, Hans Albert (founding advisor of the Giordano Bruno Foundation and namesake of the Hans Albert Institute founded in 2020) passed away today, October 24, 2023, at the age of 102.
ifw calls for the abolition of Sections 218 et seq. of the German Criminal Code
"A regulation on abortion outside of the German Criminal Code is constitutionally permissible, if not constitutionally required." This is the conclusion reached by the Institut für Weltanschauungsrecht (ifw, Institute for Secular Law) in its statement, which was submitted to the "Commission for Reproductive Self-Determination and Reproductive Medicine" last week.
Abuse survivors were not allowed to demonstrate with the "Hammock Bishop" in Rome
The Italian police prohibited the victims of the Catholic abuse scandal from demonstrating in front of the Vatican with the internationally renowned sculpture of the "Hammock Bishop". The banner "Aufklärung auf Katholisch", which shows the late Pope Benedict XVI, was also not allowed to be displayed at the demonstration last Saturday. Alleged reason: denigration of a head of state. In Meloni's Italy, freedom of expression is evidently held in low regard.
fowid publishes analysis on the religious distribution in Germany
Only 48% of Germans were still members of one of the two mainstream Christian churches in 2022, while the proportion of non-denominational people has risen to 44%. This is according to data published today by the Research Group on Worldviews in Germany (fowid). The strength of the trend towards secularization is also reflected in the fact that only 6 percent of the population still practice their faith.
Giordano Bruno Foundation welcomes the rejection of a new law on assisted suicide
The bill by MPs Lars Castellucci et al., which proposed the reintroduction of the "Euthanasia Prevention Paragraph" 217 of the German Criminal Code, was rejected in today's session of the German Bundestag. The Giordano Bruno Foundation welcomes the decision, rendering a renewed appeal to Karlsruhe unnecessary.
Members of parliament reprimanded for »gross foul play against the democratic rule of law«
In 2015, 140 incumbent members of the Bundestag voted in favour of the unconstitutional Section 217 of the German Penal Code, which prohibited professional assisted suicide in Germany from 2015 to 2020. In light of the impending new regulation of assisted suicide, the MPs in question have now received a "yellow card" to remind them of the foul they committed against the democratic rule of law back then and to prevent them from making the same mistake yet again.