"To kill in the name of God is an aberration." - Pope Francis

Weighing in on last week's terror in France and the debate over freedom of expression it stirred, Pope Francis said en route to the Philippines on Thursday that, while no one should "kill in the name of God," neither should they "insult other people's faith." 

The Pope made clear there was no justification for the killing of 17 people in three separate terror attacks, including a massacre in and around the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The assailants were reportedly Islamist extremists, some of whom called out "Allahu akbar," which is Arabic for "God is great," as they singled out the magazine, French authorities and Jewish people.

"One cannot make war (or) kill in the name of one's own religion," Francis said on his way to the Philippines. "... To kill in the name of God is an aberration."

Still, even as he decried the violence and generally spoke in support of freedom of expression, the pontiff said that such freedom must have its limits.

He didn't mention Charlie Hebdo specifically, or its cartoon depictions of Mohammed, something that many Muslims find offensive. A previous cartoon was one reason the Paris magazine was targeted, and it didn't back down afterward, with its post-attack cover showing Mohammed again, this time crying and holding a sign with the rallying cry "Je suis Charlie," French for "I am Charlie."

Still, even without talking about the magazine by name, the Pope prefaced his remarks by saying, "let's go to Paris, let's speak clearly." He then referred to recent violence there, as well as the debate about freedom of expression.

Francis said on his flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Manila that everyone had not only the liberty, but also the obligation, "to say what he thinks to help the common good."

But he added that this should be done without giving offense, because human dignity should be respected.

If a friend "says a swear word against my mother, then a punch awaits him," Francis said. Vatican Radio reported that he then "gestured with a pretend punch" directed at the friend, Alberto Gasparri -- an action that many journalists interpreted as a joke.

"It's normal, it's normal," he said of such a response. "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith."

Talking about the "punch" comment specifically, Vatican spokesman Thomas Rosica said Thursday that it was "spoken colloquially and in a friendly, intimate manner among colleagues and friends."

"The Pope's expression is in no way intended to be interpreted as a justification for the violence and terror that took place in Paris last week," Rosica said.

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