Does the Catholic Church believe in tolerance? The answer is yes, but not on the grounds of moral relativism

The Philosophical Basis for Religious Liberty

by Michel Therrien

Religious Liberty has been on our minds a lot lately. The HHS mandate, same-sex marriage initiatives, and recently, the Duck Dynasty controversy with television network A&E, have put the issue squarely before us. 

In late December, CNA published an article about Camille Paglia, a 1960’s generation “feminist lesbian professor” who is reported to have “harshly criticized” A&E’s decision to suspend Phil Robertson because it violates the right of free speech.

What has occasioned this brief note on religious liberty is Paglia’s denunciation that some gay activists in this country have fallen into “fanaticism.” 

She also states, “that this intolerance … toward the full spectrum of human beliefs is a sign of immaturity, juvenility.” 

Her reason for these indictments is striking: “in a democratic country, people have the right to be homophobic as well as they have the right to support homosexuality [emphasis mine].” 

In other words, a democracy should tolerate every moral conviction, even if it is wrong, as she evidently condemns homophobia to be. 

Such a claim goes well beyond the issue of free speech, touching more upon the rights of religiously informed moral beliefs within the public square, which is actually a question of religious liberty.

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