Holy See Warns Against Religious Intolerance

(March 24, 2009) The Holy See's representative to the United Nations is expressing concern at increased intolerance against Christians, not only in countries where the religion is a minority, but also a majority. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's permanent observer at the U.N. offices in Geneva, said this in an address March 16 before the ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. He noted that in many parts of the world, "religious minorities, including Christian minorities, still face daily discrimination and prejudices." "The Holy See expresses its concern," said the representative, "on the increasing situations of religious intolerance and calls upon States to take all the necessary measures -- educational, legal and judicial -- intended to guarantee the respect of the right to freedom of religion and to protect religious minorities from discrimination." He referred to a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe at the beginning of March in Vienna, Austria, on the topic of "Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians." The archbishop noted that many States are "increasingly siding with a new secularist policy that aims at reducing the role of religion in public life." He stated that "the Holy See calls upon these States to be inclusive and to recognize the important role religions can play within society." "Religions," the prelate added, "in fact, contribute to the promotion of moral and social values, which go beyond an individualistic concept of society and development, seeking the common good as well as the protection and the respect of human dignity.” He affirmed that the freedom of expression can best be protected by "the implementation of the universal principle of freedom of religion."