Pope Francis on Thursday defended freedom of speech but said there are limits and that "you can't make a toy out of the religions of others."
Francis spoke about the Paris attacks while en route to the Philippines. He defended freedom of expression as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak one's mind for the sake of the common good "without offending."
Seventeen victims and three terrorists died in the three-day rampage of violence across France last week. The offices of the satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, which had published cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammed, were attacked.
The pope stressed that the terror attack was not justified, but said a reaction could have been expected.
"You cannot provoke," the pope said. "You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit. Every religion has its dignity."
Francis, who has called on Muslim leaders in particular to speak out against Islamic extremism, was asked by a French journalist about whether there were limits when freedom of expression meets freedom of religion.
"There are so many people who speak badly about religions or other religions, who make fun of them, who make a game out of the religions of others," he said. "They are provocateurs."
He made similar statement a week earlier in a joint communique with four French imams.
"Considering the impact of the media, their leaders are invited to offer information that is respectful of religions, their followers and their practices, thus favoring a culture of encounter," the joint statement said.
Francis also briefly discussed reports that U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials had warned that he could be a target of Islamist militants.
Francis expressed confidence in Vatican security measures, Canada's CBC News reported. The pope said he was more concerned about others being injured if an attack took place.
"I am in God's hands," he said, then adding lightly: "Am I afraid? You know that I have a defect, a nice dose of being careless. If anything should happen to me, I have told the Lord, I ask you only to give me the grace that it doesn't hurt because I am not courageous when confronted with pain."
Contributing: Associated Press
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