06/20/2014, 00.00
VATICAN
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For pope, states and international organisations have a duty to protect religious freedom

Religious freedom is "intrinsically inherent in human nature." For pope, "Persecution against Christians today is even worse than in the first centuries of the Church, and there are more Christian martyrs today than at that time.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Laws, states and international organisations must "recognise, guarantee and protect religious freedom," which "encourages the development of relationships of mutual respect among the different denominations and healthy co-operation with the state and political society, without confusion of roles and without antagonism," said Pope Francis who spoke today about a "right that is intrinsically inherent in human nature," namely religious freedom, this in a world where Christians are persecuted as never before in history.

The pope expressed his thoughts and protest before a gathering of participants in an international conference sponsored by the Department of Law of LUMSA University and the School of Law of St. John's University on the theme, 'Religious freedom under international law and the global conflict over values.'

"Recently, the debate on religious freedom has become very intense, challenging both governments and religious confessions," the pontiff said. "The Catholic Church, in this regard, has a long history of supporting religious freedom, which culminated in the Declaration Dignitatis Humanae of the Second Vatican Council."

"Undeniably, all human beings are 'seekers' of the truth about their origin and destiny. In their mind and 'heart', questions and thoughts emerge that cannot be repressed or stifled, as they come from their innermost depth and are inherent in the intimate essence of the person."

"They are religious questions that need religious freedom to become fully manifest. They seek to shed light on the authentic meaning of existence, on the link that connects to the cosmos and history, and intend to pierce the darkness that would fall on human history if these questions were not asked and left without answers."

"Reason recognises in religious freedom a fundamental human right, which reflects humanity's highest dignity, that of seeking the truth and adhere to it. It recognises in it a prerequisite for deploying all human potential."

"Religious freedom is not only that of a thought or private worship. It is the freedom to live according to ethical principles resulting from the truth found, both privately and publicly. This is a great challenge in a globalised world, where weak thought also lowers the general ethical level, and in the name of a false notion of tolerance ends up persecuting those who defend the truth about man and its ethical consequences."

"Laws, states and the international organisations are therefore called to recognise, guarantee and protect religious freedom, a right that is intrinsically inherent in human nature, the dignity of being free, an indicator of a healthy democracy and one of the main sources of legitimacy of the state."

"Religious freedom, enacted in constitutions and laws and translated into coherent behavior, encourages the development of relationships of mutual respect among the different denominations and healthy co-operation with the state and political society, without confusion of roles and without antagonism."

"Instead of the global conflict of values, global collaboration for the common good ​​is made possible this way, starting with a core of universally shared values."

"In light of the acquisitions of reason, confirmed and perfected by Revelation, and the civil progress of nations, it is incomprehensible and worrying that in today's world there still is discrimination and restriction of rights for the mere fact of belonging and publicly professing a particular faith. It is even more unacceptable that there be persecution on the basis of religious affiliation! This is an insult to reason; it is an attempt against peace and humiliates man's dignity."

"I am pained to see that Christians around the world suffer such discrimination the most. Persecution against Christians today is even worse than in the first centuries of the Church, and there are more Christian martyrs today than at that time. This is happening more than 1,700 years after the Edict of Constantine, which gave freedom to Christians to profess their faith publicly."

"I sincerely hope that your meeting will show with insight and scientific rigour the reasons that require every legal system to respect and defend religious freedom."

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