I read the article in full, twice. What was so objectionable about what he said?
As did I and I'm not sure why I'm surprised some are upset about a comment he made in a joking manner.
Personally, and after also reading his comments to my Parents, we all had the same reaction. It's about time someone who is considered a major and important person in this World of ours said this!! Honestly, and yet another example of it dying, it's just plain common sense what he was saying and nothing he said wasn't anything that me, my Parents and my Cousins who were staying w/us this week after his Mom died, didn't say ourselves when talking about the attacks.
And no, the comment HH made jokingly was not a part of what we talked about, but I've done something like that when I thought it would help get my point across in a non aggressive manner and that is all the Pope meant. For those willing to see it in the manner intended that is.
As HH was trying to get across, free speech has responsibilities. Part of that is knowing when satire goes too far. They knew what they doing at Charlie Hebbdo, it had been explained to them just why it was so insulting to Muslim people, and in turn got them targeted by the extremists, but they kept on doing it anyway. I am not saying they deserved what happened. Never that.
It scares me though how many people these days seem to think they can say whatever they want, regardless of the circumstances, and when the predictable reaction happens? " Well, it's a free society and I have the Right To Free Speech."
Wrong!!
Free Speech is not a right. It is a privilege and as w/most privileges, comes certain responsibilities and one of those is being able to know when to stop and think first. There is a huge difference between what is actually funny/going after certain sacred cows in a satirical manner and saying or printing something that disrespects a major....representation (couldn't think of another way to say it) of one of the World's Major religions. Especially after being told just why it is so upsetting, going ahead to continue to disrespect and insult that Religion and those who are of the Muslim faith under the shield of "Free Speech"? That's not satire, or funny, but a sad example of a direction this World of ours is headed down that scares me.
*That* is what the Pope was trying to get across today and I say once again it is about time someone w/his stature in the World said it!! That some are focusing on one little part of his comments that were taken out of context and getting boiling mad... Not only boggles my mind, but proves my point and is sad IMO.
BTW, I will take Pope Francis, a Pope who openly shows his humanity and walks his talk, over a Pope who dealt w/several scandals by doing nothing *and* actually defending some of those....critter creatures who are now proven Pedophiles, any day and twice on Sunday. And I'm not even Catholic.
I hope what I just said makes sense, as it's been a long and stressful few days here and I'm really tired. It's just I was so glad to see the Pope stood up and said what he did. It needed to be said too sadly.
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(don't always believe what the media want you to think 
