Pope Francis: One Cannot Insult the Beliefs of Others

Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, stated that freedom of expression is not absolute, especially if it leads to the insult or mockery of others' beliefs. According to the Associated Press, during his trip to the Philippines on Thursday, January 15 (25 Dey), in an interview with reporters on the plane, he referred to the Paris attacks and emphasized that freedom of expression is not only a fundamental human right but also a duty to contribute to the common good by expressing one's thoughts. The Pope humorously pointed to one of his companions standing next to him, saying, 'For example, if my good friend Dr. Gaspari insults my mother, he will get a punch from me.' He jokingly extended his fist towards him and said, 'This is natural. One cannot provoke others. One cannot insult the beliefs of others. One cannot mock the beliefs of others.' Regarding the Charlie Hebdo attack, he stated that such a heinous crime cannot be justified in the name of God and described it as a 'deviation.' However, Pope Francis acknowledged that this type of reaction was somewhat expected. Following the attack on the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris and a Jewish supermarket that left 17 victims, many international figures and public opinion defended the right of this satirical magazine to publish controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Nevertheless, others pointed out that freedom of expression generally has specific limitations in all countries. For example, in some democratic and free countries, Holocaust denial is illegal, and in others, hate speech based on racist prejudices is prohibited. The Associated Press further reports that the Vatican and four prominent Muslim leaders in France recently issued a joint statement condemning the Paris attack and called on the media to treat religions with respect. Pope Francis also urged Muslim leaders to condemn extremism. In response to a French journalist's question about the relationship between freedom of expression and freedom of religion, he said, 'Many generally insult religions or the religion of others. They are provocateurs. What happens to them may be what could happen to Dr. Gaspari, of course, if he insults my mother. There are limitations.' After the Paris attack, the Vatican dismissed reports of a possible attack on the Vatican as insignificant. Vatican officials stated that they had not received any specific threats but remained vigilant. Pope Francis expressed particular concern for the safety of those who come to see him in large crowds and mentioned that he had discussed implementing 'precautionary and safety measures' with Vatican security officials. He added, 'I am worried. But I have a weakness, and that is a bit of recklessness. I am somewhat reckless about such matters.' However, the Pope admitted that in his prayers, he has asked God that if something is to happen to him, it should not be painful. He added, 'I am not brave in the face of pain. I am very cowardly.' The leader of the world's Catholics concluded, 'My fate is in God's hands.'