IBKA Brief Information

Koppelschloss WK I
"Gott mit uns!" ("God with us!") in World War I - belt buckle of the soldiers of the German Emperial Army

 

Koppelschloss WK II
"Gott mit uns!" in World War II - belt buckle of the soldiers of Hitler's Wehrmacht

 

God? - Not with us!
With us for human rights and understanding among nations
A suggestion by IBKA

IBKA Brief Information
International League of Non-Religious and Atheists


The history of mankind - a history of inhumanity. A leading part in it had and have the organized religions. An unprejudiced view into the religious history of crime (specially the christian) shows that bloodshed and carnages can be traced throughout the history of mankind.

An end of religious violence and intolerance is not in sight. On the contrary: hardly a day passes by without acts of violence committed by militant religionists. People who abandon religious dogmas are frequently socially excluded and slandered as morally inferior. Some even have to fear for their lives.

Within christianity - behind the backs of more or less indifferent church members - a strong trend toward fundamentalism is developing. Fundamentalist organizations - whether they appear in public like, for example, christian fundamentalist parties or are more operating in secret like Opus Dei - have the goal of making their religion-based values compulsory for the entire society.

Even in countries in which non-religious people are not under physical threat, they are subject to discrimination - for example, when in Germany children who are not attending the denominational religion lessons must attend substitute ethical lessons or when non-denominational people who have chosen a social profession cannot find employment in some regions because of the dominance of church-owned social institutions.

In International League of Non-Religious and Atheists e. V. (IBKA) non-religious people united to promote religious and philosophical freedom and to advocate their political interests. IBKA is determined to follow the path of international cooperation and partnership with like-minded enlightened groups and human beings to defend the hard earned rights of freedom against the representatives of organized religions.

And these are the essentials of IBKA, according to its by-laws:

  • The achievement of universal human rights and promotion of international understanding, based on religious and philosophical freedom.
  • Complete separation of state and church/religion/philosophy.
  • Achievement of individual self-determination against traditions as well as religious and philospophical norms.
  • Promotion of understanding among nations on the base of human rights, especially freedom of religion and philosophy.
  • Promotion of rational thinking and tolerance and of the ability of individual self-determination.
  • Accomplishment and promotion of adequate educational, social and cultural institutions (such as secularized kindergartens, schools, church-free hospitals, homes for old people etc.)
  • Support of humanitarian aid by non-religious and atheists
  • Information about nature, function, structures, and claims to power of religions and their institutions.

To reach these widely claimed goals, IBKA needs your support - no matter if you are non-denominational, humanist, agnostic, or atheist. You may also belong to the large group of people who are, be it for professional or social reasons, under pressure to be a member of a religious community or church.
Members of IBKA will be informed on a regular basis by letters and invited to conventions, workshops or seminaries. They obtain - besides other well researched materials - our in enlightened circles highly estimated magazine MIZ, in which well known writers comment on the positions and activities of non-denominationals and atheists. Religions/sects are examined and the relationship between state and church/religion is scrutinized as well as the social influence, claimed by the major churches. Beyond that, members of IBKA can meet competent sources from whom information and legal advice can be obtained. IBKA deals not only with criticism of religion, but also with the individual and social aspects of the lives of non-religious people.

Membership fee is 50 euro per year. It is possible to pay a reduced fee of 25 euro: (1) for members of organizations that are corporate members of IBKA, and for members of friendly organizations with the same objectives; (2) for spouses and partners of members paying the full fee; (3) for people with low income. Donations are tax-deductible.


Copyright © 1997-2005 IBKA e.V.