Religion of peace shows a nasy streak. No, not Islam this time:
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis said Thursday there are limits to freedom of speech, especially when it insults or ridicules someone's faith.
Francis spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines, 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.
But he said there were limits.
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 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."
Did the pope actually say that? You insult my mother, and I'll punch you in the face? I don't mean to sound hopelesly quaint, but whatever happened to turn the other cheek? Can priests now go into church on Sunday and say with a straight face that violence is never jusified?
Love the way the dispatch starts -- "ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE." Not sure why, but it made me chuckle.
