"In accordance with the Gospels, freedom is a fruit maturing under the sun of truth. A certain modern culture, especially in the West, upsets this principle, replacing it with the following one: ‘you’ll practice freedom, and freedom will make you true". According to Card. Bertone, Secretary of State of the Vatican, that is the "central formula of a new secularized, agnostic and sometimes atheist gospel, in which freedom prevails over everything". Yesterday afternoon, in delivering the "lectio magistralis" to the world of culture, the teachers and the students of the State University of Byelorussia, Bertone faced the topic: "Faith and reason: talking about God to today’s man", confirming that "in the link of truth with freedom, the first one prevails. If we regard faith and reason as two directions meant for the knowledge of truth, the competition of principle between them will disappear". On the other hand, "rationalism and atheism conceived the man-God link in this way: the more man goes ahead of God, and the more he becomes alienated, depriving himself of something essential". "Today, those who talk about religion and faith have often got the impression of looking like clowns", noticed the cardinal, pointing out "how difficult it is to talk about religion and God to today’s man, in a cultural context of gradual secularization". According to Bertone, "not only are those who listen tempted by incredulity": "the threat of uncertainty is also spreading among believers".
