Homaranismo
Encyclopedia
Homaranismo is an Esperanto
word used by its creator, Ludwig Zamenhof
, to describe his philosophy of human interaction and behaviour. Based largely on the teachings of Hillel the Elder
, a 1st century BCE rabbi
, Zamenhof originally called this philosophy Hillelism. Firstly he only want to reform Judaism, because he hoped that Judaism without the strange dress code and purity requirements would not longer be the victim of antisemitic propaganda. The basis of Hillelism is the sentence with which you could, so Hillel, abstract the whole bible. This sentence is called the Golden Rule
: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
Zamenhof says about it:
With Hillelism we don't mean a new denomination, we mean a new corporate-religious order inside the old jewish religion, which exists for a long time. Everybody who lives ethical could take part in this religion with a clear conscience, however his religious views he had before, look like.
This base brought him the idea that this philosophy could be a bridge between the religions. So he renamed it into Homaranismo.
Zamenhof first described this philosophy around the year 1900 and published it anonymously in a brochure in 1906. He later published a revised version in 1913 under the name Homaranismo.
While many different motivations drew early Esperantists to that movement, for Zamenhof Esperanto was always a means by which to facilitate improved human relations, especially beyond boundaries of race, language and culture. Zamenhof's daughter Lidia
embraced this philosophy and taught it alongside Esperanto, and her adopted religion, the Bahá'í Faith
.
Doctrine and cult of the Homaranismo have many similarities to the civil religion
s of the French Revolution
, mostly to the Theophilanthropy
The symbole of the Homaranismo is a green star, which looks like the green star of Esperanto
.
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
word used by its creator, Ludwig Zamenhof
L. L. Zamenhof
Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof December 15, 1859 – April 14, 1917) was the inventor of Esperanto, the most successful constructed language designed for international communication.-Cultural background:...
, to describe his philosophy of human interaction and behaviour. Based largely on the teachings of Hillel the Elder
Hillel the Elder
Hillel was a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history. He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud...
, a 1st century BCE rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, Zamenhof originally called this philosophy Hillelism. Firstly he only want to reform Judaism, because he hoped that Judaism without the strange dress code and purity requirements would not longer be the victim of antisemitic propaganda. The basis of Hillelism is the sentence with which you could, so Hillel, abstract the whole bible. This sentence is called the Golden Rule
Golden Rule
Golden Rule may refer to:*The Golden Rule in ethics, morality, history and religion, also known as the ethic of reciprocity*Golden Rule savings rate, in economics, the savings rate which maximizes consumption in the Solow growth model...
: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
Zamenhof says about it:
With Hillelism we don't mean a new denomination, we mean a new corporate-religious order inside the old jewish religion, which exists for a long time. Everybody who lives ethical could take part in this religion with a clear conscience, however his religious views he had before, look like.
This base brought him the idea that this philosophy could be a bridge between the religions. So he renamed it into Homaranismo.
Zamenhof first described this philosophy around the year 1900 and published it anonymously in a brochure in 1906. He later published a revised version in 1913 under the name Homaranismo.
While many different motivations drew early Esperantists to that movement, for Zamenhof Esperanto was always a means by which to facilitate improved human relations, especially beyond boundaries of race, language and culture. Zamenhof's daughter Lidia
Lidia Zamenhof
Lidia Zamenhof was the youngest daughter of Ludwig Zamenhof, the creator of the international auxiliary language, Esperanto. She was born 29 January 1904 in Warsaw, then in the Russian Empire...
embraced this philosophy and taught it alongside Esperanto, and her adopted religion, the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
.
Doctrine and cult of the Homaranismo have many similarities to the civil religion
Civil religion
The intended meaning of the term civil religion often varies according to whether one is a sociologist of religion or a professional political commentator...
s of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, mostly to the Theophilanthropy
Theophilanthropy
The Theophilanthropists were a deistic sect, formed in France during the latter part of the French Revolution.-Origins:...
The symbole of the Homaranismo is a green star, which looks like the green star of Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
.
Excerpt from the declaration of Homaranismo
-
- I am a human being, and I believe that there are only human ideals and ideals linked to the country of origin; every ideal which brings hatred among peoples and entails the power of one ethnicity over another I believe it to be human egoism, which sooner or later must disappear and to which disappearance I must contribute according to my possibilities.
- I believe that all peoples are equally part of humankind, and I value every person only according to his personal values and actions, and not according to his/her origin. Every offense or persecutions of people because they belong to a different ethnicity, with a different language or religion, I regard it as a barbarity.
- I believe that every country does not belong to a particular group of people, but equally to every people who live in it, regardless of their language or religion; the mixing of the country’s interests with those of one or another group of people, language or religion I regard it as reminiscence of barbarian times, when there was only the right of fist and sword.
- I believe that in his/her own family life each person has the natural and indisputable right to speak whatever language or dialect he/she wants and to confess whatever religion he/she wants; nevertheless, when communicating with people from other origins he/she must, when it is possible, aim to use a neutral language and to live according to neutral religious principles. Every attempt of a person to impose his/her language or religion to other people when it is not absolutely necessary, I regard it as a barbarity.