I have lived in Finland for a very long time. Compared to my native England, it is safe, efficient, well-organised, and, on most measures, simply a better place be and to bring up children. But as I explored in my book The Silent Rape Epidemic: How the Finns Were Groomed to Love Their Abusers, two aspects of Finnish society trouble me: Intense social conformity and a relative lack of interest in freedom of speech. Both came into play in the recently-settled Hate Speech case—or almost settled— against former Interior Minister, Dr Päivi Räsänen, former leader of the evangelical Christian Democrat Party. She has been found Not Guilty of “insulting” homosexuals and the verdict was recently affirmed on appeal.

#Breaking from Finland. The Court of Appeal has made its decision. Christian politician @PaiviRasanen is acquitted of all charges – again. The decision was made by three judges and it was unanimous.

Follow this freedom of speech case on Evangelical Focus: https://t.co/qGSGHoxOUw pic.twitter.com/CjrenOCBxO

— Evangelical Focus (@Evan_Focus) November 14, 2023

But prosecutor Anu Mantila says she will appeal the verdict to Finland’s Supreme Court.

The trouble began for Räsänan in 2019, when she naively assumed that simply repeating what the Bible says about homosexual behavior could not possibly be a crime. Räsänen criticized the Finnish Lutheran Church for being a “partner organization” in that year’s “Helsinki Pride,” adding that “sin and shame” should not be a source of “pride.” Räsänen also posted an image of Bible verses that, from her perspective, encapsulate the traditional Christian view on homosexuality. These included “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman. That is detestable” (Leviticus 18: 22) and Romans 1:24-27, which describes homosexuality as “shameful.” These verses were included in her 2004 pamphlet [Male And Female He Created Them, by Päivi Räsänen, PDF]. She also said “insulting” things on a radio talk show.

Räsänen found herself prosecuted for “Hate Speech”—which obviously suggests that quoting the Bible in Finland is a crime if the quote offends a fringe minority. The case was so extraordinary that it drew international attention, and of course was particularly shocking to Americans who still, by and large, value free speech. [Free Speech On Trial, Alliance Defending Freedom International]

We stand with Päivi!

We defend freedom of speech – the foundation of a free & democratic society.

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