News Archive

"The Bus Campaign Comes Just in Time!" [2]

The discontent about the "Church Republic of Germany" is growing

2019/04/19

Why do Germans have to travel to Switzerland to die self-determined? Why do unintentionally pregnant women have to undergo compulsory counselling? Why are physicians like Kristina Hänel being criminalized? Why does the German state grant the churches more than 500 million euros a year and why is it forbidden to dance on Good Friday? The discontent about religious patronizing in the "Church Republic of Germany" is growing – no wonder that the anticipation of the secular bus campaign "Schlussmachen jetzt!" is big.

"§ 217 StGB does not help the protection of life, but self-proclaimed life protectors!" [3]

Statement by Michael Schmidt-Salomon before the Federal Constitutional Court

2019/04/16

Philosopher and spokesman for the board of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung, Michael Schmidt-Salomon, demanded the deletion of the paragraph without substitution in the oral hearing on the constitutional complaints against § 217 StGB. We document his statement translated from German.

An Assistant to the Dying Who Loved Life [4]

Obituary for Uwe-Christian Arnold

2019/04/13

Uwe-Christian Arnold 2015 bei der Aktion "Lassen Sie das doch den Klempner machen!" vor der Frankfurter Paulskirche

He would have been so happy to participate in the oral hearing of the Federal Constitutional Court on § 217 StGB in the coming week, but his cancer was too far advanced: Yesterday, Friday, Uwe-Christian Arnold, "Germany's best-known suicide assistant", died in his apartment in Berlin. On the evening before his death he issued his statement for the Federal Constitutional Court, his political legacy. An obituary by Michael Schmidt-Salomon.

Deutsche Bahn Bans Advertising for Secular Bus Campaign [5]

A question of neutrality

2019/04/08

Deutsche Bahn has banned large posters to advertize the "Secular Bus Campaign" that will start at the beginning of May in Berlin's railway stations. Reason: "lack of neutrality". While this assessment is correct - though it does not apply to the poster series, which explicitly promotes the neutrality of the state, instead it applies to Deutsche Bahn AG, which stands partial on the side of the churches.

"Papal State? No, Thanks!" [6]

The "Secular Bus Campaign 2019" starts on May 4

2019/04/07

10 years ago, the "Secular Bus Campaign" had the motto "Happy without God". The message that a meaningful life does not need a God is nowadays established in society, but political conditions have changed little. For this reason the "Bus Campaign 2019" starting in May calls for the abolition of all state regulations that discriminate against nonreligious people.

Whose State is This? [7]

Discussion on the "Church Republic of Germany" and presentation of the "Secular Bus Campaign 2019" on April 6 in Berlin.

2019/03/07

"Whose city is this?" is the motto of this year's Berlin Foundation Week - "Whose state is this?" asks a high-profile panel on April 6 in the Meistersaal at Potsdamer Platz. The participants agree on the decisive point: 100 years after the adoption of the Weimar Constitution and 70 years after the implementation of the Basic Law there must be a stop to the unconstitutional church privileges as well as a stop to the religious restriction of civil liberties from the cradle to the grave.

Relax! A Philosophy of Serenity [8]

Official presentation of the new book by Michael Schmidt-Salomon on March 10 at Haus Weitblick (ATTENTION: event is fully booked!)

2019/02/19

"A wisdom book for the 21st century - original, positive, and pleasantly unagitated" - With these words Piper Verlag announces the new book "Entspannt euch!" ("Relax!") by Michael Schmidt-Salomon, which the author will present to the public for the first time on March 10. Admission to the event in the "Haus Weitblick" (headquarters of the Giordano Bruno Stiftung in Oberwesel) is free, prior registration is urgently required.

After 100 Years: Stop State Payments to the Churches – Now! [9]

Alliance "BAStA" calls on politicians to take action

2019/02/18

More than half a billion euros of state payments per year are currently transferred by the federal states of Germany to the churches - in addition to all the money with which the state finances church social institutions. 100 years ago, the abolition of these state benefits was laid down in the Weimar Constitution. Yet despite the fact that this demand for abolition was reiterated in 1949 in the Basic Law, the money still goes to the Protestant and Catholic Church today. And despite massively shrinking membership numbers of the churches, the sum increases annually.

A Transparent Tactical Maneuver [10]

Commentary on the proposed reform of § 219a StGB

2019/01/29

The media praised yesterday's draft bill to reform the controversial § 219a StGB as a success. In fact, however, it is a transparent tactical maneuver to defuse the street protests and preserve the outdated German legislation on abortion, which stands in diametrical opposition to the constitutional requirement of worldview neutrality. A commentary by Michael Schmidt-Salomon.

"Now More Than Ever: Away with §219a StGB!" [11]

gbs supports nationwide campaign day for sexual self-determination on 26 January

2019/01/14

The so-called compromise proposal to modify § 219a of the German Criminal Code ("Advertising for Abortion"), which the government coalition presented in December 2018, does not improve the situation of physicians, pregnancy conflict counseling centers, and unintentionally pregnant women whatsoever. Therefore, the "Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung" ("Alliance for Sexual Self-determination"), including the gbs, calls for a "nationwide campaign day for the abolition of § 219a StGB" on 26 January.

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