Common Quote by Pope Leo XIII
“If unbridled licence of speech and writing be granted to all, nothing will remain sacred and inviolate; even the highest and truest mandates of nature, justly held to be the common and noblest heritage of the human race, will not be spared. Thus, truth being gradually obscured by darkness, pernicious and manifold error, as too often happens, will easily prevail.”
About This Quote
Source Encyclical: Rerum Novarum, 1891
Unrestricted speech erodes sacred values, allowing falsehoods to dominate.
In simple terms: Free speech can destroy what is holy.
Key Takeaway
Guard sacred truths against unchecked expression.
Themes
freedom of speech
truth
sacred values
Mood
cautionary
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- media regulation
- education
- public policy
Key Concepts
ethics
social order
information overload
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance free expression with protecting core values?
- What safeguards prevent misinformation from prevailing?
A Different Perspective
Truth can be drowned by noise if not protected.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
