Pope Francis: Punch a Guy For Insulting His Mother

Pope Francis would hit someone if that person cursed his mother? Really?

Is anyone else beginning to think of Pope Francis as the Church's Joe Biden?

From CNSNews:

Pope Francis began his visit to Asia's largest Catholic nation Thursday with a provocative statement about one of Europe's largest Catholic nations: Referring to the Paris attacks, Francis said there are limits to freedom of expression, especially when it insults or ridicules someone's faith.

...Francis defended freedom of speech as a fundamental right, and even a duty to speak out for the common good. But he said there were limits to free speech, especially when confronting another equally fundamental human right: the freedom of religion.

By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasbarri, who organizes papal trips and was standing by his side aboard the papal plane.

"If my good friend Dr. Gasbarri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch," Francis said jokingly, throwing a pretend 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."

He by no means said the violent attack on Charlie Hebdo was justified. Quite the opposite, he said such horrific violence in God's name couldn't be justified and was an "aberration." But he said a reaction of some kind was to be expected.

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Of course, there are limits to free speech, the old "shouting fire in a crowded theater" example.

I would expect the Pope to suggest people "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

I don't expect the Pope to say he'd punch a guy if he cursed his mother.

Is the Pope really that lacking in self-control? Come on. What about turning the other cheek?

It sounds as if the Pope doesn't think people are very capable of acting like Jesus, as if living the Gospel is expecting too much.

Take note, little Catholic kids. Punch your brother when he takes your toy and tell your mom and dad that the Pope says it's normal. It's OK.

Weird.

The right thing to do is to not be cruel and to not insult someone. But I certainly believe people have the right to be free to say what they want without fear of being KILLED!

Ridiculing someone, even about one's faith, is not the same as taking a life.

Islamic terrorism is most definitely not normal, civilized human behavior. It's not a normal reaction to a cartoon.

In terms of reaction, I'm sure the 17 slaughtered by the Islamists in Paris would have preferred being punched. Some of those killed in the Paris attacks were just bystanders, totally innocent.

I'm praying for Pope Francis. May God give the Holy Father the strength and wisdom to speak more like Jesus and less like Joe Biden.