Pope Benedict XVI spoke with President George W. Bush Wednesday on the topics of morality, God and politics, kicking off his U.S. visit on a controversial note. While the pope and president were in agreement on a variety of subjects, most notably the overt condemnation of the practice of terrorism, regardless of moral or religious justification, they differed on a variety of key issues. The two shared an opposition to abortion, gay marriage and embryonic stem cell research, but disagreed most notably on the topics of the Iraq War, the death penalty, the Cuban trade embargo, environmental policy and social welfare programs. The pope also hinted of concerns surrounding what many perceive to be Bush’s punitive immigration laws, calling for humane treatment for immigrants and their families, according to the Associated Press.
The pope also made certain statements about the place of freedom, justice and truth in politics many believed to be troubling, prompting some very pertinent questions. He touched upon the subject of freedom, a central American value, stating it is a gift that calls to mind an air of personal responsibility. In remarks made at the White House, he explained, “the preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good, and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate,” stressing the importance of the free individual’s duty to the collective.
There are few who would reject this humanitarian call for selflessness and empathy, but in a sickening political twist, Bush responded to the pope’s words with the following message: “We need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth. In a world where some see freedom as simply the right to do as they wish, we need your message that true liberty requires us to live our freedom not just for ourselves.”
No surprise that the president missed the point of the pope’s message, which, despite its religious undertones, stressed an empathy and compassion that goes completely unnoticed in Bush’s response. In the age of globalization and increasing diversity, it is completely preposterous to make an argument against the existence of moral relativism.