Everyone not only has the freedom, the right, but also the obligation, to say what they think in order to promote the common good. The obligation (…) We have the obligation to speak openly, to enjoy this freedom, but without offending others (…) We cannot provoke others, we cannot insult their faith, we cannot mock their faith (…) [My predecessor] spoke of this post-positivistic mentality, post-positivistic metaphysics, which ultimately led to the idea that religions or expressions of religion are a sort of subculture which are tolerated but insignificant; they are not part of our enlightened culture. This is one legacy of the Enlightenment. All those people who belittle religions, who mock them, who “toy with” other people’s religion, they antagonize others (…) There is a limit. Every religion has dignity, every religion which respects human life, the human person. I cannot mock it. This is a limit.

(scroll down for answer)

.

Pope Francis

Answer to French journalists at the

Press Conference on the Flight to Manila

January 15, 2015.