News Archive

"Tragic Misunderstandings"

Interview with Michael Schmidt-Salomon on the protest announcement "Stop Peter Singer!"

2015/05/14

On Tuesday, the left-wing daily "Junge Welt" published an article strongly criticising the planned award for "animal suffering reduction" to the Australian philosopher Peter Singer. Shortly afterwards, drastic comments on the Internet were calling for "the guy to be put up against the wall". Humanistischer Pressedienst (Humanistic Press Service) had a conversation with Michael Schmidt-Salomon, who was invited by the organisers of the prize to give the laudation for Peter Singer on May 26 at the Berlin Urania.

In Humanity We Trust

gbs publishes English version of documentary "Hoffnung Mensch"

2015/05/06

In recent months, we repeatedly received requests for an international (English) version of the gbs foundation film "Hoffnung Mensch". Filmmaker Ricarda Hinz has now elaborately produced this version. Susan Bonney-Cox took on the part of the off-speaker, Phil Bonney, Toni Dunham, and Katie Jordans acted as voice-over speakers. The script was translated by Robert Spence and Angela Lahee. Since the German title "Hoffnung Mensch" cannot be adequately translated into English, Michael Schmidt-Salomon proposed a new title for the English version of the film: "In Humanity We Trust". Please enjoy!

Petitions Committee Examines Petition to Abolish "Blasphemy Paragraph"

Giordano Bruno Stiftung sincerely thanks all supporters and draws a first conclusion

2015/03/10

The petition submitted by gbs spokesman Michael Schmidt-Salomon after the attack on "Charlie Hebdo" to delete the "blasphemy paragraph" 166 StGB (German Criminal Code) has attracted more than 11,000 signatories - significantly more than 98 percent of the petitions submitted to the German Bundestag so far. The Giordano Bruno Stiftung would like to thank all those who contributed to the spreading of the petition, and is now awaiting the outcome of the parliamentary inquiry, which is likely to take several months.

Petition for the Abolition of the "Blasphemy Paragraph" Published

Giordano Bruno Stiftung calls for the strengthening of freedom of art, press, and expression

2015/01/20

The Petition Committee of the German Parliament published the petition for the deletion of the so-called "blasphemy paragraph" 166 StGB (German Criminal Code) on its website. The paragraph threatens artists with prison sentences of up to three years if they "insult" religious or ideological confessions in their works in a way that is likely to endanger public peace. The petition can be signed from now on. The subscription period ends on 17 February, 2010.

After Terrorist Attack on Charlie Hebdo: Abolish the Blasphemy Paragraph 166 of the Criminal Code!

The state should protect artistic freedom - not the feelings of religious fanatics

2015/01/08

"Public peace is not disturbed by artists who satirize religions, but by fanatics who cannot react to criticism appropriately," declared Michael Schmidt-Salomon, gbs spokesman, after the attack on the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo". Worldwide expressions of solidarity after the assassination were encouraging, but not sufficient by any means. In Germany, for example, the so-called "blasphemy paragraph" (§ 166 of the German Criminal Code, StGB), which gives the ominous impression that "religious feelings" are more important than the freedom of art, must be abolished.

Against Islamism AND Xenophobia

Islamists and "patriots" are more similar in their basic beliefs than they suspect

2014/12/15

In the past several weeks, thousands of people have responded to the calls of "Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes" (Pegida - "Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident"). This was followed by a broad social debate, in which it was unfortunately all too rarely discussed how much the thought patterns of the "patriots" resemble the basic premises of those Islamists they criticise. The Giordano Bruno Stiftung has taken this opportunity to publish a brochure to raise awareness of this issue.

Effective Altruism

How can we improve the lives of as many sentient beings as possible?

2014/08/14

Effective Altruism (EA) is a philosophy and a social movement that aims to make the best use of the limited resources both time and money to improve the lives of as many sentient beings as possible. Together with gbs Switzerland, the Giordano Bruno Stiftung Germany has now launched a project on Effective Altruism.

"Life's Unfair, but Beautiful"

Humanist and gbs adviser Fiona Lorenz died at age 51 in Potsdam, Germany

2014/07/31

She fought for more than thirteen years against recurring tumours in her body. On Tuesday morning, social scientist and author Fiona Lorenz died in Potsdam at age 51. A eulogy by Michael Schmidt-Salomon.

Constitutional Goal Speciesism?

The rejection of the petition "Basic rights for great apes" by the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag is perplexing

2014/06/03

The "ZEIT" newspaper considered the initiative "Grundrechte für Menschenaffen" ("Basic Rights for Great Apes") worth a cover story, but the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag rejects the publication of the corresponding petition. Main petitioner Michael Schmidt-Salomon filed an objection against this and dismantled the Petitions Committee's peculiar reasoning.

"Thou shalt pay for thy Church Days thyself!"

Art campaign "11th Commandment" criticizes subsidization of major religious events at Kirchentag in Regensburg

2014/05/29

The art action campaign "11th Commandment" drew attention to the constitutionally problematic subsidization of major Church events on the fringes of the Katholikentag ("Catholics Day", a bi-annual religious festival) in Regensburg. It featured a "tablet of stone" almost three metres high, alongside an equally large Moses stretching his forefinger warningly up to the sky.

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