Pope Francis Says There Are Limits To Free Speech

[Mr Josh 3]

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) - Pope Francis said Thursday there are limits to freedom of expression, especially when it insults or ridicules someone's faith.

Francis spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines, defending free speech as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak one's mind for the sake of the common good.

But he said there were limits.

By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasparri, who organizes papal trips and was standing by his side aboard the papal plane.

"If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch," Francis said, throwing a pretend punch his way. "It's normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others."

Many people around the world have defended the right of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to publish inflammatory cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed in the wake of the massacre by Islamic extremists at its Paris offices and subsequent attack on a kosher supermarket in which three gunmen killed 17 people.

But recently the Vatican and four prominent French imams issued a joint declaration that denounced the attacks but also urged the media to treat religions with respect.

Francis, who has urged Muslim leaders in particular to speak out against Islamic extremism, went a step further when asked by a French journalist about whether there were limits when freedom of expression meets freedom of religion.

Francis insisted that it was an "aberration" to kill in the name of God and said religion can never be used to justify violence.

But he said there was a limit to free speech when it concerned offending someone's religious beliefs.

"There are so many people who speak badly about religions or other religions, who make fun of them, who make a game out of the religions of others," he said. "They are provocateurs. And what happens to them is what would happen to Dr. Gasparri if he says a curse word against my mother. There is a limit."

In the wake of the Paris attacks, the Vatican has sought to downplay reports that it is a potential target for Islamic extremists, saying it is being vigilant but has received no specific threat.

Francis said he was concerned primarily for the faithful, and said he had spoken to Vatican security officials who are taking "prudent and secure measures."

"I am worried, but you know I have a defect: a good dose of carelessness. I'm careless about these things," he said. But he admitted that in his prayers, he had asked that if something were to happen to him that "it doesn't hurt, because I'm not very courageous when it comes to pain. I'm very timid."

He added, "I'm in God's hands."

 

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[monsterdreams 1,529]

I'm guessing he means we can't speak about locking up the children for him

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

I think if you can't make fun of someone's faith (off course not by insulting people on purpose), you get scary stuff, like what happened in the middle ages.

money and religion should never dictate the way people should behave, it needs to stand apart from human principles.

[Vernier 3,786]

Of course he would say that :smh:

[Paco 3,040]

I think if you can't make fun of someone's faith (off course not by insulting people on purpose), you get scary stuff, like what happened in the middle ages.

money and religion should never dictate the way people should behave, it needs to stand apart from human principles.

[christinahoney 383]

Pope is right.

 

I think if you can't make fun of someone's faith (off course not by insulting people on purpose), you get scary stuff, like what happened in the middle ages.

money and religion should never dictate the way people should behave, it needs to stand apart from human principles.

 

If making fun of someone's faith is OK then it's also OK to make fun of races and s-xuality imo. It's just as much a part of an individual as religion can be.

[UC PiXELVISION 353]

I believe in freedom of speech. But there is a time and place for everything. Just because youCAN Say it didn't mean you should.

[Mr Josh 3]

Pope is right.

 

 

If making fun of someone's faith is OK then it's also OK to make fun of races and s-xuality imo. It's just as much a part of an individual as religion can be.

You're not born with a religion.

[christinahoney 383]

You're not born with a religion.

 

You're not born with cancer or HIV either so I guess it's OK to joke about that, too.

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

Pope is right.

 

 

If making fun of someone's faith is OK then it's also OK to make fun of races and s-xuality imo. It's just as much a part of an individual as religion can be.

Religion is different from race and s-xuality, those things can't be compared.To some people it might not seem that way, but religion isn't something you are born with, it's something that's given/forced/indoctrinated by birth/nurture.

A religion is something you as a human can stand apart from, as in looking objectively at it. Skin color and s-xuality is something you are born with. Either way freedom of speech is necessary, I would not want an authority dictating what I should do, follow, etc. 

 

and making fun of something, can be different than hurting people on purpose. 

[Luiz 4,253]

and i do think its ok to make gay jokes and black jokes and its ok for me to tell you you're a moron for doing so but its not ok for me to go punch you in the head for it no matter how much i want to.

[christinahoney 383]

Religion is different from race and s-xuality, those things can't be compared.To some people it might not seem that way, but religion isn't something you are born with, it's something that's given/forced/indoctrinated by birth/nurture.

A religion is something you as a human can stand apart from, as in looking objectively at it. Skin color and s-xuality is something you are born with. Either way freedom of speech is necessary, I would not want an authority dictating what I should do, follow, etc. 

 

There's a difference between freedom of speech / opinion and freedom to ridicule. But of course, I understand your point, you're not born with religion.

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

There's a difference between freedom of speech / opinion and freedom to ridicule. But of course, I understand your point, you're not born with religion.

read my edited post ;)

[Mr Josh 3]

You're not born with cancer or HIV either so I guess it's OK to joke about that, too.

Completely non-comparable. 

 

Oh and you can be born with either.

[NewYorkCity 10,536]

You're not born with cancer or HIV either so I guess it's OK to joke about that, too.

it's not something that you chose to have in your life.