Tag: Päivi Räsänen

The Politicization of the Police

When someone faces criminal charges for voicing their beliefs, everyone—whether they agree or not—should pay attention. The reality is that if the government can threaten and punish Caroline or Päivi for their convictions, they can punish anyone.

How to Fight the Good Fight

We should be fueled by a smart and hopeful attitude. It is no coincidence that hope is one of the three theological virtues in Christian tradition. It teaches us that however difficult our circumstances are, we must never fall into despair.

The Bible as Hate Speech

To understand this case, it is helpful to read this passage carefully. It shows how counter-cultural the Bible can be for 21st century Westerners.

Freedom of Speech: Päivi Räsänen Acquitted

Over two years, Päivi Räsänen was subjected to more than 13 hours of police interrogations requiring her to justify her remarks, interrogations she considers “perfectly absurd.”

Finland Promotes Freedom of Religion Abroad; Punishes Religious Freedom at Home

Finland explicitly says “violations against human rights and religious freedom cannot be tolerated anywhere;” just days later, a politician is put on trial for expressing her religious convictions. Nina Shea captured the irony with biting concision: “Finland acts like a pyromaniac at home and like a fireman for Pakistan when it comes to freedoms of religion and speech.”

We must protect free speech—Enough is enough!

Criminalizing the speech of half a billion people is a serious matter and those pushing for it must come up with something more convincing than ‘hate is hate.’ Enough is enough!