Asked by a French reporter on a flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines on Jan. 15 to compare freedom of religion and freedom of expression as human rights, Pope Francis condemned violence in the name of God but said freedom of expression should be limited by respect for religion and that mockery of faith can be expected to provoke violence. Pope Francis linked his answer to the attacks Jan. 7 at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, apparently in retaliation for the newspaper’s publication of cartoons mocking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. “One cannot offend, make war, kill in the name of one’s own religion, that is, in the name of God.” The pope said freedom of expression was a “fundamental human right” like freedom of religion, but one that must be exercised “without giving offense…. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith; one cannot make fun of faith.” The pope said those who “make fun or toy with other people’s religions, these people provoke…. There is a limit. Every religion has its dignity.”
Pope Suggests Limits On Free Expression
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
“Deep cuts” to SNAP and Medicaid will “inflict real suffering on these families…. SNAP and Medicaid are not luxuries, they are lifelines for millions of children across our country.”
It was one of the first times Leo has spoken unscripted at length in public, responding to questions posed to him by the children.
The Vatican has named the judges that will preside over the trial of disgraced Father Marko Rupnik.
For so many of us, Roger Haight marked off a breathtakingly wide horizon in which we, agreeing with him or not, could fulfill our mission for God’s people.