Pope comments on the Paris Attack

[caligula]

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Pope Francis said there are limits to freedom of speech, especially when it insults or ridicules someone's faith, in comments that the Vatican later said Friday did not mean justifying the attack on the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo.

But he said there were limits.Francis spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines on Thursday, 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.

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

"If my good friend Dr. Gasbarri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch," Francis said half-jokingly, throwing a mock 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."

His pretend punch aside, Francis by no means said the violent attack on Charlie Hebdo was justified. Quite the opposite: He said such horrific violence in God's name couldn't be justified and was an "aberration." But he said a reaction of some sort was to be expected.

The Rev. Thomas Rosica, who collaborates with the Vatican press office, issued a statement early Friday stressing that the pope was by no means justifying the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

"Pope Francis has not advocated violence with his words on the flight," he said in a statement.

He said Francis' words were "spoken colloquially and in a friendly, intimate manner among colleagues and friends on the journey." He noted that Francis has spoken out clearly against the Paris attacks and that violence in God's name can never be justified.

Many people around the world have defended the right of 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.

Others, though, have noted that in virtually all societies, freedom of speech has its limits, from laws against Holocaust denial to racially motivated hate speech.

Recently the Vatican and four prominent French imams issued a joint declaration that, while denouncing the Paris attacks, urged the media to treat religions with respect.

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

"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. Gasbarri 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 safety of the faithful who come to see him in droves, 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."

Ano'ng masasabi nyo dito? Is the Pope right to say that freedom of speech has its limit?

[jamesbond]

not that i'm a Catholic per se, yes i agree... we all wanted peace, the world wants it... imagine if you are walking on a Paris street and someone yelled "Jihad!" and started firing their guns... what a waste of lives... innocents are butchered haplessly without fear or remorse... freedom of speech has its potentials and its limits, nobody has the right to oppress one's beliefs and views on certain issues and opinions... respect is what counts most...

[Prime™]

Freedom of speech has its limits? I suppose so. Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's right to do it. If you're deliberately trying to insult other people and their beliefs, is that still freedom of speech or just being a douche? I'm not saying this what happened here, pero I do not see the point why draw him? What for? People are unpredictable, and some people get offended by nothing, edi eto pa kaya? There are weirdo Jihadist who will use every opportunity to give credence to their madness but their are also Muslims who are moderate and sensible ones who you are also alienating.

It's easy to hide in the statement na there is freedom of speech, but we are human beings with our own sensibilities and sensitivities. I remember when a popular news anchor said na sana sa Japan nalang tumama ng buo yung isang devastating na bagyo. Yeah, sure she's free to say it, but I thought it was a stupid thing to say. It's was very insensitive, careless and self-centered. It's free speech, pero it was completely unnecessary at best, and simply hurtful.

Ganoon din tingin ko about this. If bawal for them to draw a certain figure, edi bawal. You can deliberately fart in someone's face, I suppose there are no laws specific for that in most countries and you are "free" to do it, pero you can be rest assured that guy you did it to would get offended and sulk quietly at best thinking that you're a moron or would lash out on you and give you a piece of his mind.

This also goes the same for those wicked Jihadist who spew nothing but hatred. I suppose it's free speech, pero it's the kind of rethoric that belongs to the garbage, same with racist, bias and prejudiced comments and gestures.

I support the idea that if you're a person immigrating into a different country, you should be prepared to assimilate and to respect their laws, their rules and respect their customs. Nag migrate ka eh, sira ka pala kung gusto mo yung bansa na pinuntahan mo pa ang mag a-adjust para sayo.

Live and let live, right I liberty and happiness and all that jazz is awesome and I feel we all deserve it. Pero yung nakakasakit ka na just because you feel you're entitled to say it eh siguro mali na yoon. I don't feel that there should be laws against this cause it's so easy to abuse, pero it should be common sense na wag ka ng manakit ng kalooban nung iba lalo na with the intention to provoke or to malign others. Hitler had relative free speech. It was evil, and it was garbage. It's the kind of speech I wish the collective people in his time, did not heed and did not listen to.

At least that's my opinion anyway.

[fayt]

There no such thing as Absolute Freedom. Whatnever you will do, there is law or retrictions that we have to abide. Even Adam and Eve, though they enjoy the freedom of being first born, still they have to abide the Law of God.

You can go everywhere but you cannot go to restricted area...
You can do anything in your home but not to destroy them


Freedom of Speech? Yes. Absolute Freedom of Speech? non existent. If you go beyond of what 'freedom' is offer to you, then there will be a buyback for that..

Note: Hindi ko sinasabi na tama yun ginawa ng Al/Isis/etc.. You just limit yourself in anything you do dahil we are just bounded by limitations/laws/retrictions...

[Heathcliff]

Freedom of Speech is one of the most sacred among hundreds of Human Rights... But I strongly believe that this particular right is a privilege and it MUST be exercised with the highest level of responsibility...however, too many people justify their too biased actions and beliefs thus. resulting to an indignant abuse of  this so called privilege .

True indeed, i find what happened to those Charlie Hebdo journalists ... Callous , cowardly and too repulsive...

But i find it equally abhorring to elevate  this kind of tragedy into a heroic defence of Freedom Of Speech... Which , obviously was deliberately exploited and abused...

[chazer]

couldn't agree more with Pope Francis' statement and Miss Schy, of course! 

Truly, men were gifted by God of the power of  freedom and reasoning.  One of those freedom being enjoyed by man is the freedom of speech but that freedom is not altogether absolute.  That freedom also has its responsibility...

Clearly, the pope said that we should never make fun of others' religion or beliefs.  it's too personal for all of us.  it attacks the very reason we are what we are now and we want us to be.

though, the manner it has responded to such violent acts, is very unwise.

We should always be very responsible for everything that has come out our mouths.

as what the bible has said, men does not sin from every thing that is put into his mouth, but by every thing that has come out of it.

[caligula]

I understand where you're all coming from. Tayo kasi, we're not known as provocateur. Kung maaring maiwasan ang confrontation, we bit our tongue least we risk offending kahit na we know the other side is wrong.

Who set the limit sa kung ano ang dapat mong sabihin? If you're prepared to face the consequences of what you will publish then nothing should stop you from doing so. Nothing  should be exempt when it comes to ridicule, not religion, not politics, not anybody. Freedom of speech is in the bill of rights, so it is a right and not a privilege. True, it's not absolute, kaya nga we have slander and defamation albeit subject to trial and argument.  Kung sasabihin nyo na we should not disparage Islam dahil it is holy and these crazy jihadists will seek fatwa to kill you, then you just accepted defeat and acknowledge their twisted value is more important than yours.