Finnish Doctor and MP to be Tried Monday for Free Speech and Religion

[wvwvw]

Finnish Doctor and MP to be Tried Monday for Free Speech and Religion
Larry L. Beane



Here is an interview with Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a Finnish pro-life and Christian medical doctor, advocate for liberty, and longtime member of Parliament, (doesn’t that sound familiar?). She – along with Bishop Juhana Pohjola – were arrested, questioned under custody numerous times about their religious beliefs (she spent 13 hours in police interrogations), and charged with “incitement against a minority group” for a religious tract that she wrote that is used in churches. The booklet promotes the biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality, and was written in 2004. She is also the wife of a Lutheran priest.

This interview reveals how the prosecutors claim that they intend not to outlaw Bibles, but only belief in what Scripture teaches. This case has caused fierce debate in Finland, Europe, and the world regarding freedom of conscience, religion, and speech.

She and the bishop are being tried on Monday, January 24, and there are potential prison sentences if they are convicted.

Here is a Federalist article that gets into great detail about this case.

A journal for which I serve on the editorial board, Gottesdienst, has just awarded Dr. Räsänen with the Sabre of Boldness, which Bishop Pohjola had previously received in 2009. At that time, he was legally banned from wearing his clerical collar during a three-month suspension of his ministry. Dr. Räsänen’s response to receiving this honor can be found here.

She gave a particularly inspiring speech at her acceptance of the Kare Kristiansen Award in Oslo back in August, and you can watch it here. She is indeed a happy warrior, a steadfast confessor of the faith, and a rare politician committed to liberty.

Again, Monday, January 24 is the big day. The world is watching.

https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog...-and-religion/

[Lemminkäinen]

The general prosecutor said after her inaugural that she hates hate speech. The problem is that the law is so incoherent that people don't know what is hate speech.