Humanism is love of life, humanity and solidarity. Humanism is enlightenment. Humanism is the promotion of a good life, concern for individual and collective well-being, in the “here and now” – in conscious responsibility for future generations. Humanism is therefore also the fight against all inhumane conditions. Humanism focuses on communication about the human, on human needs, starting from the real world. Humanist thought and action starts from the human being and is aimed at the human being; in this sense, humanism is worldly oriented.
Humanism places human dignity as a central value in which mutual recognition as (fellow) human beings is expressed. As a well-founded human conviction, dignity cannot be proven in a scientific sense and has no objective validity. However, it is possible to appeal to other people to share this conviction and to accept human dignity as a guiding principle. If human dignity, its establishment and defense, becomes the guiding principle, this also results in a self-commitment to practical action. This self-commitment can be seen as an element of commitment to an ideological humanism. On this basis, we consider our humanism below to be a secular, practical humanism.
The responsible self-development of a person is of the utmost importance in the humanistic view of life – because people can only give meaning to their lives themselves. We consider the resulting diversity of lifestyles and cultures to be worthy of appreciation and support. In order for this pluralism to succeed and for the socio-political conditions to enable and guarantee this diversity, humanism is committed to universalism, which always takes others into account even when formulating its own particular interests. It assumes that by formulating binding norms for all, the individual’s right to self-determination must be reconciled with their responsibility for their fellow human beings. This universalist idea is expressed, for example, in universal human rights.
Respect for the dignity of every human being also includes respect for (individual) religious beliefs, even if they seem strange and inaccessible or even absurd. Every individual’s right to self-determination, which is derived from human dignity, also includes their right to religious development – as long as this is done in a socially responsible manner. If religions and world views or their individual and collective practice are directed against human rights, show authoritarian tendencies, represent a sole claim to truth or restrict people in their free development, they must be criticized.
On the other hand, religions – both individually and collectively – can make a significant contribution to human needs. Our humanism can also be inspired by this. Humanism, too, must ultimately (further) develop a “Conditio Humana” and ask itself the question: What does it mean to be human in this world? It must develop a positive relationship to the so-called “ultimate questions” and to the inaccessibility of human life: With what and how does our humanism appeal to people’s emotions? How do non-religious humanists deal with finiteness – their own and that of others? How do they communicate their inner feelings (for example, in nature or when listening to music)? How do they describe wonder at the world and what meaning does it have for them? How do they describe and name areas of the spiritual such as self-absorption and contemplation? And finally, how do humanists talk about self-awareness or dignity as the basis of human relationships?
If humanism opens up to these questions and enters into dialog, it can also comprehensively fulfil its promise of support and orientation and reach and accompany the “whole person”. The importance of this aspect becomes clear not only in exceptional situations such as end-of-life care or “pastoral” support in acute emergencies, but also in the culture of celebration, advice on living wills or humanistic life skills lessons.
This aspect of being able to reach, touch and accompany people in all their facets is important for our humanism, be it as ideological cultural cultivation conveyed through festivals and celebrations or in practical social work. Humanism without practiced humanity is reduced to an assertion without practical relevance. Humanism requires humanitarian practice in order to be able to substantiate its claims, its image of humanity in terms of equality and justice, human love and compassion. Otherwise, its core concern, the formulation of the specific idea of a good human life, would remain a mere intellectual game.
In its practice, it aims to humanize individuals and society in order to promote its view of life and assert its values. On a socio-political level, humanism provides ethical orientation and offers justifications for or against humanitarian practice in the interest of self-determination in social responsibility. Examples of this are our stance on humane dying or abortion. In this way, humanism and humanist associations that organize and cultivate humanism make a significant contribution to an open, democratic society. In order for this contribution to be developed and introduced in an appropriate form, broad promotion and support, including from the state, is both sensible and welcome.
Humanistischer Verband Deutschland – Federal Association
The Executive Board
Berlin, 15.12.2021
