Pope Francis on Charlie Hebdo: 'One cannot make fun of faith'


During a recent press interview on his flight to the Philippines, Pope Francis spoke about freedom of speech and the recent Paris attacks, along with Charlie Hebdo's new cover. Francis said that while "one cannot make fun of faith," "to kill in the name of God is an aberration."
Pope Francis explained that "there is a limit" to freedom of expression, saying that "every religion has its dignity," and that dignity should be respected. While he condemned the Paris attacks, Francis also said that those who say inflammatory remarks are likely to experience retaliation.
"If [a close friend] says a swear word against my mother, he's going to get a punch in the nose," Francis said. "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith." He added, however, that one should never "kill in the name of one's own religion."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Pope returns to Vatican after long hospital stay
Speed Read Pope Francis entered the hospital on Feb. 14 and battled double pneumonia
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas megachurch founder charged with sex crimes
Speed Read Robert Morris, former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, is accused of sexually abusing a child
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pope Francis suffers setback with respiratory episodes
Speed Read The 88-year-old pope continues to battle pneumonia
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US Christianity's long decline has halted, Pew finds
Speed Read 62% of Americans call themselves Christian, a population that has been 'relatively stable' for the past five years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with 'complex' illness
Speed Read The Vatican says their leader has a respiratory infection, raising new concerns about his health
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Aga Khan, billionaire spiritual leader, dies at 88
Speed Read Prince Karim Al-Hussaini's philanthropy funded hospitals, housing and schools in some of the world's poorest places
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden awards Pope Francis highest US civilian honor
Speed Read President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pope seeks inquiry on if Gaza assault is 'genocide'
Speed Read In a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis considers whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of 'genocide'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published