A Finnish MP is under investigation for hate crime after criticising the nation’s largest denomination for endorsing an LGBT festival.
Päivi Räsänen, shared Romans 1:24-27 on Facebook, and added: “How can the church’s doctrinal foundation, the Bible, be compatible with the lifting up of shame and sin as a subject of pride?”
The investigation is ongoing but Räsänen says she has the “wonderful privilege” of receiving prayers and support worldwide.
‘Self-censorship’
Räsänen highlighted her concern that if “quoting the Bible is considered even ‘slightly’ illegal”, it could “lead to self-censorship among Christians”.
“Many, especially the young people, are afraid that if you are labelled as a Bible-believing Christian, it will hinder your career and social acceptance.”
Romans 1:24-27 says: “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
Man-woman marriage
Finland legalised same-sex marriage in 2014, but the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland still officially teaches marriage as being between a man and a woman.
Almost 8,000 members left the church when a previous Archbishop commended the same-sex marriage Bill as it was passed.
In 2011, Christian housing manager Adrian Smith was demoted, and his salary cut by 40 per cent for posting on Facebook that same-sex weddings in churches would be “an equality too far”.
He was supported by The Christian Institute, and successfully sued his employers over a breach of contract after the High Court ruled in his favour.
Also see:
‘Hate crime’ law restricts speech and puts police under pressure, says Telegraph
Police uphold free speech for street preachers
CI Podcast: Hate Crime