HVD supports calls for modern holiday laws

“We have no sympathy for a ban on public or non-public screenings of films on church holidays.” This was emphasized by Frieder Otto Wolf, President of the Humanist Association of Germany, on Tuesday evening in Berlin with regard to ongoing fine proceedings against a Bochum-based initiative of non-denominational and non-religious people. The legal department of the city of Bochum had initiated proceedings to fine a member of the “Religionsfrei im Revier” association 1,000 euros for publicly announcing and holding a film screening on March 29, 2013 (Good Friday). The fine proceedings were welcomed by the International Federation of Nondenominational and Atheists in North Rhine-Westphalia, which has agreed to support the initiative by covering the legal costs. “In principle, we also welcome this controversy and hope that it can be resolved in favor of a contemporary interpretation of religious freedom in Germany,” Wolf continued. The initiative’s criticism that the city of Bochum is trying to enforce an anachronistic public holiday law is apt. He also believes that there are no good reasons for forcing even non-denominational, non-religious and people of other faiths to refrain from attending movie screenings or dance events on church holidays. “From our humanist perspective, we can fundamentally affirm the meaning of public holidays as moments of pause or reflection for society as a whole,” Wolf emphasized. “However, the existing laws in many federal states contain regulations that clearly contradict the requirement of ideological and religious neutrality stipulated by the Basic Law and patronize growing social groups. If freedom of religion and freedom of opinion really apply in this country, such discrimination must stop.” In view of the new controversy, non-denominational politicians and politicians of other faiths should see themselves called upon to play a constructive role in reshaping the existing laws, says Frieder Otto Wolf: “Criticism of privileges should go hand in hand with positive alternatives to complete arbitrariness.” Further information:
Homepage of the initiative: http://religionsfrei-im-revier.de/