The pontiff notes that two ‘opposing ideologies” threaten religious freedom and conscience: “secular relativism and religious radicalism – in reality pseudo-religious radicalism.” For him, the “real anger is fighting extremism and intolerance with as much extremism and intolerance, in attitudes as well as words.”
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis met with members of the International Catholic Legislators Network (ICLN) who are meeting for their annual conference.
In his address, the Holy Father said that “the situation has tragically worsened for Christians and other religious minorities in regions affected by fundamentalism," which is opposed to religious freedom.
During yesterday’s audience, the Pope said that believers must “consciously deal with two, equally menacing, opposing ideologies: secular relativism and religious radicalism – in reality pseudo-religious radicalism.”
At the same time, the “real anger is fighting extremism and intolerance with as much extremism and intolerance, in attitudes as well as words.”
The pontiff told ICLN members that Christian politicians are, first and foremost, called upon “to try to be a witness” and competently propose “bills based on the Christian view of humanity and society”.
In particular, those who are committed to promoting the common good "can and must also contribute to the crucial issue of freedom of religion".
Noting that this year's ICLN conference is centred on religious freedom and conscience, Francis turned to the conciliar declaration Dignitatis humanae, noting that whilst some regimes have "constitutions that recognise freedom of religious worship, they try to turn their citizens away from the practice of religion and make the life of religious communities very difficult and dangerous".
In today's world, "the situation has tragically worsened for Christians and other religious minorities” in places affected by the growth and deepening of "intolerant, aggressive and violent positions" that have provoked and still feed "discrimination, harassment and real persecution that are not always adequately dealt with by the established authorities.”