Christian Official Faces Second ‘Hate Speech’ Trial for Citing the Bible in a Tweet: A renowned member of Finland’s parliament is scheduled to make a second court appearance to defend herself against “hate speech” accusations related to a social media post referencing Bible verses, more than a year after a district judge dismissed the allegations against her.
Päivi Räsänen, a 62-year-old medical doctor and grandmother has been scheduled for her second court hearing on August 31 pa.m and September 1 at the Helsinki Court of Appeal in the Northern European country’s capital.
Her second court hearing came after the Helsinki District Court unanimously dismissed the hate speech charges over her and Bishop Juhana Pohjola’s Christian beliefs about marriage in February 2022.
Päivi Räsänen said in a press release according to FOX News that she is “ready to defend her freedom of expression in all necessary courts.”
In a 2019 tweet, Räsänen questioned her church’s sponsorship of an LGBTQ Pride event and linked to an Instagram post that featured an image of Romans 1:24-27.
Notwithstanding the unanimous acquittal, Räsänen said in a news statement that the protracted four-year inquiry had entailed false claims, protracted police questioning, district court hearings, and an imminent appeal hearing
“The content of my writings and my speeches represents the classical Christian view of marriage and sexuality, the same as the Churches have generally taught for two millennia,” Räsänen wrote in a press release. “I do not condone insulting, threatening, or slandering anyone, and my statements have not included content of such a nature.”
The Finnish lawmaker, however, said the complaint “openly attacks the core teachings of the Christian faith,” after prosecutors previously compared the Bible to Mein Kampf.
When the allegations were first made public, the state prosecutor of Finland stated that Räsänen’s comments were intended to incite intolerance, contempt, and hatred toward homosexuals.
During the first trial, prosecutors read unrelated Bible verses as “bad” speech, allegedly that the use of the word “sin” could be harmful.
Räsänen said the trial has a “deterrent effect of curtailing freedom of expression and religion.”
“If writings based on biblical teachings were to be condemned, that would mean a serious restriction of freedom of religion. It is natural that this would raise concerns among Christians both in Finland and internationally,” she said.
Räsänen added that she is ready to defend freedom of speech and religion in, “all necessary courts, even the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.”