Pope Bendict XVI on the Religious Freedom

God calls us first and freely. He invites us to freely participate in a relationship with him. But what happens if we deny ourselves that freedom? What if our society or government establish customs or policies that prevent us from freely choosing him? We would deny our own God-given human right to the freedom of religious expression. Pope Benedict XVI recently addressed the importance of the Second Vatican Council's teaching regarding religious freedom.

Catholic News Agency covers the story here.

Highlighting the fact that Mary "is an example for believers who's lives are spent searching for God," the Pope observed that, "to this theme, as well as to that of the relationship between truth and freedom, Vatican Council II dedicated careful attention."

This, he pointed out, resulted in the Declaration "Dignitatis Humanae", on religious freedom.

This fundamental human right, the Pope said, "derives from the special dignity of man who, among all the creatures of the earth, is the only one capable of establishing a free and conscious bond with his Creator."

"Vatican Council II thus reaffirms the traditional Catholic doctrine according to which man, in as much as he is a spiritual creature, can know truth and, thus, has the duty and the right to seek it.”

“On the basis of this supposition,” Benedict added, “the Council insists on religious freedom, which must be guaranteed both for individuals and for communities, while respecting the legitimate needs of public order."

The Holy Father stressed the fact that, as it hits its fortieth birthday, this conciliar teaching "is still highly pertinent.”

“In fact,” he said, “religious freedom is still far from being effectively guaranteed everywhere; in some cases it is denied for religious or ideological reasons; at other times, though recognized on paper, in reality it is obstructed by political power or, in a more underhand way, by the cultural ascendancy of agnosticism and relativism."

The Pope closed his remarks calling "for all men and women to be able to fully realize their religious vocation, which is inscribed in their very being."

When we Fools allow Reasonable elites to marginalize public religiosity in the name of "objective order", we allow them to deny us our right to religious expression. This denial of our rights can only erode the remaining rights of all members of society. This should come as no surprise to anyone; our societies, particularly in the West, have already defined the unborn out of humanity. Exactly how long will it be before our elites expand that definition of unhumanity?

We owe it to everyone in society to allow every person an opportunity to freely say "yes" to God. Let no Reasonable commentators convince us otherwise!