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Pope on Charlie Hebdo: There are limits to free expression
[TBO] Pope Francis said Thursday there are limits to freedom of expression, especially when it insults or ridicules someones faith.We probably need a papal nonsense category. Francis spoke about the Gay Paree terror attacks while en route to the Philippines, defending free speech as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak ones mind for the sake of the common good. But he said there were limits. If there are limits then someone defines the limits. Therefore the speech is not "free" but "allowed," which is subject to change at whim. 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. Its normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. So the Pope whipped out his rosco and blew Alberto away on a plane full of people? Oh. It was just a pretend punch. That's what those Moslems did to all those people in Gay Paree, right? Many people around the world have defended the right of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo ...  A lefty French satirical magazine, home of what may well be the majority if the active testicles left in Europe...to publish inflammatory cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed in the wake of the massacre by Islamic bully boyz at its Gay Paree offices and subsequent attack on a kosher supermarket in which three gunnies 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. Treating religions with respectis a matter of taste. Being disrespectful nowadays earns you a social or even a legal penalty. The auto-da-fe is gone. Being disrespectful to Islam results in frothing at the mouth, probably widespread apoplexy, and, of course, murder. What logically justifies premeditated murder? If Islam offends me am I entitled to mass murder Moslems? Francis, who has urged Moslem 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 just did that. But he said there was a limit to free speech when it concerned offending someones religious beliefs. ... which would mean that murder is "understandable," which leads to "condoned." 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. Right. To understand is to forgive. So even though it's against divine and human law to murder people, if you understand the motivation it's forgiven. Right, Herr Himmler?... The ghost sez he quite agrees, and could you turn the heat down a little. In the wake of the Gay Paree attacks, the Vatican has sought to downplay reports that it is a potential target for Islamic bad boys, 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. Did he say anything to the Swiss Guards?... Oh. Wait... 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 Gods hands. I think that faithful are probably praying for a miracle about now. Posted by: Fred 2015-01-16 |
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