Is the Pope spreading “conspiracy theories”? — It is sad to say that this is especially true in the West the space for true freedom of speech is increasingly limited – said Leo XIV in his New Year's speech to the ambassadors in the Vatican.
Wow! Anyone who expressed similar opinions recently was considered a heretic in Europe, especially in Germany. We heard it firmly back then: there is no problem with freedom of speech, everyone can say what they think! Our freedom would be threatened only by authoritarian regimes abroad and authoritarian forces at home, whose influence must be combated by all available means — if necessary, also by prohibitions, sanctions and other contemporary forms of exclusion.
This defensive reflex was strengthened by the fact that the new US administration had repeatedly drawn attention to the disappearance of freedom of speech in Europe. Almost a year ago, Donald Trump's vice president, JD Vance, caused a scandal at the Munich Security Conference by presenting a thesis that the Holy Father repeats today.
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Since then, Europeans have been repeating: we will not allow Americans to lecture us on democracy. Especially when defenders of “freedom of speech” they themselves do not care about the freedom of their critics. In biblical terms, both sides behave as in the parable of the splinter and the beam: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the plank that is in your own eye??
This is not a MAGA pope at all
Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has nothing to do with Trumpism. Even as a cardinal, he stood on Platform X opposite Trump and Vanceand as pope he condemned the “inhumane treatment of immigrants in the USA.” Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon called him “the worst choice for Catholics in the MAGA movement” and an “anti-Trump pope.”
Therefore, one cannot dismiss his words as “American interference” when this apolitical pope speaks clearly about freedom of speech today. In the West – and Leo XIV's formulation refers to the Christian West, Europe and the USA – “a new language has evolved in the manner of Orwell, which striving for ever greater inclusivity, it ends up excluding those who do not conform to the ideologies by which it is fueled“.
A new Orwellian language that goes under the banner of inclusiveness but even more sharply excludes others: it is one of the most accurate descriptions of the dynamics that have been dividing societies on both sides of the Atlantic for years. The main message of the Pope's speech is: a philosophical reflection on what happens when “words lose connection with reality”and language “in its meanders of semantic ambiguity is increasingly becoming a weapon.” Then – as Leo quotes St. Augustine – language ceases to be a connecting system of signs, “so that a person prefers the company of his own dog to that of a person from a foreign country.”
George Orwell in front of a BBC microphonePublic Domain / Wikipedia
It is a surprising signal when the Pope quotes the socialist George Orwell, whose dystopia “1984” drew conclusions from the totalitarian re-education projects of the 20th century. Comparisons to Orwell's “Newspeak” are today readily dismissed as exaggerated and inappropriate — as if the literary warning could only be applied to the present day when there is an official “Ministry of Truth” and “non-persons” are eliminated by “evaporation.”
This is, of course, absurd: also “reporting points” to fight “hate speech”, “bans on lies” and EU regulations against “disinformation” and “propaganda” are based on the logic that empowers the state to define truth — and discriminating against citizens who do not agree with this definition.
The historical irony is the fact that today it is the Vatican that defends freedom of speech, while “progressive” circles support its regulation. After all, it was the Catholic Church that once created the most powerful denunciation system in the world – Inquisition – and burned heretics for doctrinal disputes, for example whether during the mass bread and wine actually or only symbolically turn into the Body and Blood of Christ.
A warning for politicians who dream of censoring controversial opinions
It turns out that this thousands of years of experience, including the most terrible mistakes, is more valuable today than ever. A young institution like the European Union, whose representatives act increasingly authoritarian in the name of democracy and freedom, it is this experience that is missing the most — especially in a crisis. “Because they know not what they do”?
Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany, and Pope Leo XIV. Vatican, May 18, 2025EPA/Fabio Frustaci / PAP
The Pope's warning should make Christian politicians in Germany reflect. The message of the New Testament, as Jesus said, was a “scandal” from the beginning. From the moving of mountains to the miraculous multiplication of bread, from the Kingdom of God to the Son of God – from the perspective of the authorities of that time it was all a mixture of fake news, disinformation, inciting crowds and undermining the authority of the state.
The idea of freedom of speech, like all civil rights, grows deeply from the Christian worldview. Conservatives in particular should take this to heart. instead of dreaming about censorship of media critical of the government. Freedom of speech is not a side issue, but the essence of our freedom: we live in strange times, and we need a pope to remind the secular authorities of this.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
