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
On this episode of “Preach” for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year C, Amirah Orozco joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to offer a woman’s perspective on the adulterous woman that draws insight from liberation theologies.
The altercation capped a month-long saga surrounding the Satanic group’s “black mass,” which founder Michael Stewart had sought to perform in the Capitol so that “God will fall and Kansas will be embraced by the black flame of Lucifer.”
As people of faith, we must defend migrants and refugees at a time when the state is increasingly moving to dehumanize them.
Francis' willingness to be seen in all his infirmity serves as an example to young and old alike that fragility is part of the human condition—and should be embraced.