After explaining the purpose of the Note which is also to "explain some aspects of the relation between the Lord’s missionary mandate and the respect of everybody’s religious freedom" and stating that "these aspects have important anthropological, ecclesiological and ecumenical ramifications", the Vatican document goes on to recall that, "however, questions are increasingly asked today about the legitimacy of suggesting to others so that they can endorse it what one considers true for oneself. Such suggestion is often regarded as an attack against other people’s freedom". According to the Note, "this view of human freedom, detached from its inseparable reference to the truth, is one of the expressions of that relativism, which, by not recognising anything as final, leaves as the ultimate standard only the self, with its whims, and under the appearance of freedom it becomes a prison for everyone". "Relativism" is described like this: "A legitimate plurality of positions has given way to an undifferentiated pluralism, based on the assumption that all positions are the same: this is one of the most widespread symptoms of mistrust in the truth that can be seen in today’s contexts". (2 continued)
