News Archive

Petition to Delete the "Blasphemy Section" Rejected [2]

Giordano Bruno Foundation criticizes argumentation of the German Bundestag

2015/12/16

The Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag has rejected the petition submitted by gbs spokesman Michael Schmidt-Salomon to delete the blasphemy section 166 of the German Criminal Code ("StGB"). "In view of the dominance of CDU/CSU representatives in the Petitions Committee, we expected this result," said Schmidt-Salomon. "Nevertheless, the argumentation in the explanatory statement is astonishingly out of touch with reality. The responsible authorities seem to completely ignore the fact that this reactionary section further motivates religious fundamentalists to threaten artists who are critical of their beliefs".

"An Exceptional Person" [3]

Giordano Bruno Stiftung mourns the death of physicist and cabaret artist Prof. Dr. Heinz Oberhummer

2015/11/25

He was the epitome of the mad (physics) professor: In the night from Monday to Tuesday, gbs adviser Prof. Dr. Heinz Oberhummer died, who has found international recognition not only as an astrophysicist, but also as a non-fiction author and cabaret artist. A eulogy by Michael Schmidt-Salomon.

Evolution Should Be Taught in Primary School [4]

Expert group calls for curricular changes and presents new teaching material

2015/11/03

More than 80 scientists, pedagogues, and philosophers passed a resolution last weekend calling for the inclusion of education on evolution in primary school curricula. In light of the "fundamental importance of the understanding of evolution for the development of a contemporary worldview" it is "strange that children in primary schools learn so little about this topic" and evolution "is not taken into account in any state primary school curriculum in Germany," the resolution argues. After all, public schools should "not influence their students in accordance with a particular religion or belief, but give them access to central scientific knowledge".

"Secularism is the Solution - In the Refugee Dispute as Well!" [5]

gbs spokesman Michael Schmidt-Salomon takes a stand on the current refugee debate

2015/09/16

At the international conference "Give Peace A Chance: Säkularismus und globale Konflikte" ("Secularism and Global Conflicts") in May this year, Michael Schmidt-Salomon gave a lecture titled "Secularism is the Solution! - On religion and violence". Today's publication of the lecture text on the website of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung gave the gbs spokesman the opportunity to comment on the current debate on refugees.

A Gentle Kind of Enlightener [6]

Eulogy to Max Kruse, who not only gave Urmel to the world

2015/09/07

He descends from a famous family, his books were sold millions of times – and yet, Max Kruse remained modest all his life. Last Friday, Urmel inventor and gbs advisory board member Max Kruse died at the age of 93 in his hometown of Penzberg. Michael Schmidt-Salomon commemorates a good friend and foundation colleague.

Committee on Petitions Rejects Basic Legal Rights for Great Apes [7]

German politics falls behind international debate on animal ethics

2015/07/06

The Committee on Petitions of the German Bundestag rejected the petition "Basic Rights for Great Apes", which aimed at recognising chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orang-utans as legal entities. "We did not expect anything different, because from the traditional Christian point of view the abolition of the sacrosanct dividing line between humans and animals is an unheard of taboo infringement", explained the spokesman of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung, Michael Schmidt-Salomon. And yet, the petition was not in vain, "as it strongly stimulated the social debate on animal ethics".

"The Legend of the Christian Western World" [8]

gbs brochure published in German and English

2015/06/03

German politicians (especially the Christian parties, but also SPD and Die Grünen) like to speak of the so-called "Christian values" to which contemporary Europe allegedly owes so much. In fact, however, the popular reference to the "Christian Occident" (which is currently being stressed again in the debate on same-sex marriage [9]) is in clear contrast to the facts of European history, as a brochure recently published by the Giordano Bruno Stiftung in German and English shows.

"Mrs. Merkel, Open up Marriage to Everyone!" [9]

Giordano Bruno Stiftung supports appeal of LSVD

2015/05/28

At the conference "Give Peace A Chance" in Cologne, representatives of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung alongside Irish secularists celebrated the sensational success of the referendum on the equality of homosexual and heterosexual partnerships in marriage. Today the Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland (LSVD - Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany) and "Campact!" launched a corresponding initiative for Germany. The Giordano Bruno Stiftung firmly supports this campaign.

Schmidt-Salomon Cancels Laudatory Speech for Peter Singer [10]

Singer interview in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung causes irritation

2015/05/25

Michael Schmidt-Salomon, philosopher and spokesman of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung, cancelled his participation in the award ceremony for the Australian philosopher Peter Singer. This is because of a recent interview with Singer, published yesterday by Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ): "In this interview, Peter Singer represented positions which, in my opinion, not only contradict a humanistic-emancipatory understanding of politics, but also contradict his earlier positions," Schmidt-Salomon said. "In this situation, I have to stop things short, because I cannot give a laudation to a prizewinner when I can't judge which positions he actually holds."

"Leftists Supporting Such Reactionary Positions Is Disgraceful!" [11]

Severe criticism against left-wing supporters of anti-Singer protest

2015/05/21

Michael Schmidt-Salomon had already commented on the anti-singer protest [12] in Germany before his departure for Greece, where he discussed his book "Keine Macht den Doofen", which was popular with the Greek left. After his return from Athens, the philosopher and spokesman of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung once more added to his criticism, which was unusually severe against the left-wing supporters of the protest.

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