Freedom of Speech in Europe?

[Who Me]

Finnish Politician Faces Supreme Court for Bible Tweet​

– Tomorrow, the Supreme Court of Finland will hear the landmark case of Finnish parliamentarian Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who stand accused of “hate speech” for publicly expressing their Christian beliefs. The case, which began over a 2019 tweet quoting the Bible, will now be heard at the nation’s highest court following two unanimous acquittals—first by the Helsinki District Court in 2022 and then by the Court of Appeal in 2023.

The Supreme Court’s decision will determine not only the fate of the defendants, but also set a precedent for the future of free speech and freedom of religion in Finland and across Europe.

“In a free society, it should never be a crime to share a Bible verse or express beliefs rooted in faith. The burden of the legal ordeal of the past few years has been challenging, but I remain hopeful that justice will prevail — not only for me, but for the wider principle of free speech in Finland. No one should face criminal charges for peacefully voicing their convictions,” said Räsänen ahead of the trial.

Räsänen, Finland’s former Minister of the Interior, faces two criminal charges for expressing her deeply held beliefs on marriage and sexuality—through a 2019 tweet and a 2004 pamphlet published by Bishop Pohjola. All are prosecuted as “agitation against a minority group,” a charge listed under the section of the Finnish Criminal Code concerning “War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.”

If convicted, Räsänen and Pohjola face thousands of euros in fines and the censorship of the tweet and the church booklet, which express traditional Christian teachings.


taken from https://adfinternational.org/news/tomorrow-finnish-politician-faces-supreme-court-for-bible-tweet


Please pray about this, that the defendants will know Gods peace, that justice will be done.

 

[Lambie]

It's just another way that Satan is using people to try to eradicate Christianity.

 

[JesusFan]

It's just another way that Satan is using people to try to eradicate Christianity.

Yes, as in many places anyone calling out Islam as not being the so called religion of peace gets tagged and jailed as being "hate monger"

 

[Lambie]

Yes, as in many places anyone calling out Islam as not being the so called religion of peace gets tagged and jailed as being "hate monger"

As a Lutheran (LCMS), we don't believe that we all worship the same God when it comes to non-Christian churches. I know there are some denominations that believe that, but that denies so much of who Jesus is and what He has done for us at the cross and His resurrection.

 

[JesusFan]

As a Lutheran (LCMS), we don't believe that we all worship the same God when it comes to non-Christian churches. I know there are some denominations that believe that, but that denies so much of who Jesus is and what He has done for us at the cross and His resurrection.

In all of the religions on earth, only we who are VChristians have the true God, Yahweh, blessed trinity, and the Jews know of Him, but as long as rejecting Jesus as their messiah, do not know Him, Muslims and all others worship a false god, really satan

 

[hawkman]

Another article about this crazy stuff .

Finland's Top Court To Rule On Whether Quoting Bible Is A Crime

Finland's Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday about whether quoting the Bible is illegal 'hate speech' under its war crimes laws.

thefederalist.com

Clip from link above .


During interrogations, Rasanen said, the police asked her to defend the Bible’s book of Romans and Christian theological concepts such as sin and shame, making the interrogation specifically about her religious beliefs, typically an internationally protected characteristic. Rasanen said she was interrogated by police so many times it became a joke in national media that “Paivi Rasanen is going to have another Bible study in the police station.”
After each of her three interrogations, Rasanen said the police gave her two weeks to recant her Christian beliefs and publicly apologize, or they’d file charges: “I said, ‘I do not apologize [for] what the Apostle Paul has stated, because it’s not my opinion, it’s what the word of God says.'”
The interrogations “reminded me about these times when Christians were interrogated in the Soviet Union, for example, for their Christian beliefs or having Bibles and so on, those stories that I had heard from these communist countries,” Rasanen said. “I was so shocked that something could happen like that in Finland, in a country that has long ruled in Christianity and the rule of law and freedom of speech and faith.

In fact, European hate speech laws such as those being used to prosecute Rasanen and Pohjola are a direct result of post-World War II communist influence from the Soviets.

 

[miamited]

Well, what was the outcome? Did the defendant prevail as they did in the lower courts, or no? When I google it I get a chat box that says the Supreme Court did not uphold the charge.

Now, the article first published on this thread says that this is a landmark case and will set the tone for religious freedoms, yada, yada, yada. So, if my chat box is correct, it looks like God won. So, religious freedom to quote the bible is safe all across Europe... if the article is correct about the case setting some precedent for Europe. I'd say that's worth believers rejoicing over!

 

[miamited]

Jesus said that we should count it all joy when we are persecuted for his name's sake.

 

[friend of]

Literally charging people as criminals for posting on social media now.

 

[miamited]

Literally charging people as criminals for posting on social media now.

What nations are doing that?

 

[friend of]

What nations are doing that?

UK for sure. Look into it. Police are knocking on doors of people who post "wrongthink"

 

[friend of]

What nations are doing that?

Search:

"UK jailing people for posting on Facebook"

 

[Freedomtofly]

Search:

"UK jailing people for posting on Facebook"

It doesn’t happen often and there is usually a back story to what has happened. It’s often reported out of context.

 

[miamited]

Hi friend of

Do you believe that anyone should be able to say anything on a platform that goes all over the world?

 

[miamited]

Hi friend of

Do you believe that authorities should not be able to use social media posts that someone has made as evidence of wrong doing?

 

[friend of]

miamited I believe in freedom of speech.

 

[JesusFan]

Search:

"UK jailing people for posting on Facebook"

Islam pretty much Being allowed to run wild over there now, so "hate speech" woudl be anyone saying anything negative about Allah and his prophet

 

[Corn Pop]

Hi friend of

Do you believe that authorities should not be able to use social media posts that someone has made as evidence of wrong doing?

Speech has limits like threatening or inciting violence crosses the line and that is when speech becomes an offence. Aside from that speech should be free freedom to critisise and speak what you want and what you believe without interference and state persecution. Not people being investigated because they said something someone else found offensive.

Hate speech laws have no place in a free democracy. When you start making speech a crime because someone feels offended and does not agree with or like what you said and you get in trouble for it that is going down the wrong path.

 

[Freedomtofly]

Islam pretty much Being allowed to run wild over there now, so "hate speech" woudl be anyone saying anything negative about Allah and his prophet

Just to give some updates, a recent Judge has deemed that people can be critical of Islam. Someone was taken to court and they won the case against them.

 

[Corn Pop]

Just to give some updates, a recent Judge has deemed that people can be critical of Islam. Someone was taken to court and they won the case against them.

One case and one judge so everyone everywhere is all good?

No one should even be before a judge for critisim of anything to even start with.

Ok, as you said a judge has ruled people in there court room under there ruling can be critical, but you do know there are many courts and many judges right?, and it's not a judge that charges and arrests or summons people. That judge might get another 1000 cases thrown in there face for the exact same thing and they might throw it out, another judge might throw 1000 people in jail for it