Quote:
Originally Posted by Schroeder
I don't think that is true. We've had the choice in school to either attend to religious classes or do something called "Werte und Normen" (could be translated to values and standards [standards might be a poor translation, I'm not sure of that]). So there is a choice to avoid religion.
I'm also not aware of any blasphemy laws and have never heard of any being enforced here.  |
ok, this is maybe better now. In the 80s you had to attend religion class, if your parents didn't opt you out, untill the age of 14. In senior high school (Oberstufe to the Germans) we had in fact the choice between religion and philosophy.
Blasphemy: you may want to check out StgB 166
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/stgb/__166.html
One example when it was enforced was the most cost-intensive process which the satire magazine "Titanic" lost, against the catholic church. They had a poster with Jesus on the cross subtitled "Ich war eine Dose"("I was a tin can", commercial for recycling)
Crosses in school/court. Kindergarden/schools/youth clubs run by the church, but funded by the public. Church representatives in the control board (Aufsichtsrat) of the public media. All examples of no real seperation of state and religion.
In my opinion religion is a private matter, if you offend someone in a personal way, there are laws for this, religious beliefs need no special protection.