Pope decries leaders who invoke religion for violence
Pope Leo condemned political leaders who invoke religious beliefs to justify conflicts or nationalist policies, calling it a form of blasphemy or a serious sin that disrespects or insults God.
Leo, the first pope of the United States, did not name specific leaders in his message ahead of the Catholic Church’s World Peace Day, celebrated on January 1, but called on religious believers to resist such uses of faith.
“Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common to drag the language of faith into political fights, to sanctify nationalism, to legitimize violence and armed struggle in the name of religion,” the Pope said.
“Believers must actively refute such blasphemies that profane the holy name of God, above all by the testimony of their lives.”
Leo also warned against the use of artificial intelligence in war in the four-page message published annually by the leader of the 1.4 billion-member church.
“There is a growing tendency among political and military leaders to evade responsibility as decisions about life and death are increasingly delegated to machines,” he said.
“This marks an unprecedented and devastating betrayal of the legal and philosophical principles of humanism that underpin and protect every civilization.”
Leo, who was chosen by the world’s cardinals in May to succeed the late Pope Francis, has spoken out several times in his first year about the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
He also condemned violence in the name of religion on his first overseas trip as pontiff, telling Christian leaders across the Middle East during a trip to Turkey in November they must “strongly reject the use of religion for justifying war, violence, or any form of fundamentalism”.
In his new message, the Pope also lamented the global increase in military spending, citing figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showing military spending worldwide will rise by almost 10 per cent in 2024, reaching a total of US$2.7 trillion (A$A4.1 trillion).
Leo warned against “a confrontational logic that currently dominates global politics, deepening instability and unpredictability with each passing day.”
