Vatican says freedom of expression does not mean offending religions

Published: 2006-02-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican, commenting on a series of satirical newspaper cartoons that have outraged Muslims, said freedom of expression does not include the right to offend religious sentiments. At the same time, the Vatican said, violent reactions are equally deplorable. "Intolerance -- wherever it comes from, whether real or verbal, action or reaction -- always constitutes a serious threat to peace," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement Feb. 4. The cartoons, which make fun of the prophet Mohammed, were first published in a Danish newspaper last fall and have recently been reprinted in several European papers. Islamic anger has grown, along with popular demonstrations. In early February protesting Muslims burned or vandalized Western embassy buildings in Indonesia, Syria and Lebanon. The Vatican statement, without getting into the details of the cartoons, said "freedom of thought or expression ... cannot imply a right to offend the religious sentiments of believers," no matter what the religion.

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