Finland Convicts Christian MP for Quoting the Bible: Court Orders Church Pamphlet Destroyed
Finland's Supreme Court convicts Paivi Rasanen of hate speech for a 2004 church pamphlet on biblical marriage, orders its destruction, and fines her thousands.
Finnish Supreme Court Convicts Christian Parliamentarian for Biblical Marriage Pamphlet in Landmark Hate Speech Ruling
Finland's Supreme Court has found Christian parliamentarian Dr. Paivi Rasanen guilty of hate speech in a narrow 3 to 2 decision announced on March 26, 2026. The conviction centers on a 2004 church pamphlet titled "Male and Female He Created Them," which presented biblical teachings on marriage and sexual ethics.
Rasanen, who has served in Finland's parliament since 1995 and as Minister of the Interior from 2011 to 2015, was convicted alongside Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola for "making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group." The court also convicted the Luther Foundation Finland, issuing it a separate 5,000 euro fine.
The Supreme Court simultaneously acquitted Rasanen unanimously on a separate charge stemming from a 2019 Bible verse tweet, in which she quoted Romans 1:24 to 27 while questioning how the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland could sponsor an LGBT Pride event.
Both Rasanen and Pohjola have been ordered to pay fines equivalent to 20 days of wages, amounting to thousands of dollars, plus legal costs. The court further ordered the permanent removal of the pamphlet from all public and digital access, with existing copies to be destroyed.
I am shocked and profoundly disappointed that the court has failed to recognize my basic human right to freedom of expression. I stand by the teachings of my Christian faith, and will continue to defend my and every person's right to share their convictions in the public square.
Dr. Paivi Rasanen, following the verdict
Two lower courts had previously acquitted Rasanen on all charges, but prosecutors appealed twice to reach the Supreme Court. ADF International's Sean Nelson called the decision "Truly Year Zero, Orwellian thinking," noting that no one had originally filed a complaint about the 20 year old pamphlet.
Finland Criminalizes Christian Speech: Rasanen Convicted Over Biblical Views on Marriage
U.S. Representative Riley Moore described the conviction as "part of a broader trend where Western countries are prosecuting Christians." Father Benedict Kiely warned that Rasanen "is the canary in the coal mine for freedom of expression and religious freedom in Europe."
Rasanen has announced she is taking legal advice on appealing the verdict to the European Court of Human Rights, stating: "This is not about my free speech alone but that of every person in Finland. This case is not the end of the matter."
The Crusader's Opinion
Let this sink in. A Christian woman quoted the Bible and now a Western government has convicted her of a crime, ordered the destruction of a church pamphlet, and fined her thousands of dollars. This did not happen in North Korea. This did not happen in Iran. This happened in Finland, a European democracy that claims to uphold human rights. The hypocrisy is staggering. These same governments that lecture the world about tolerance have zero tolerance for the Word of God. If a Muslim, a Buddhist, or an atheist published their views on marriage, no court would touch them. But quote Scripture? That is now a criminal act in the so called free West. Every Christian must understand: what happened to Paivi Rasanen can happen to any of us. The Bible itself is on trial. And we will not be silent.
Take Action
- Sign the Petition: Stand with Paivi Rasanen by signing ADF International's petition at adfinternational.org/campaign/free-speech-on-trial
- Donate: Support persecuted Christians worldwide through www.TheShepherdsShield.org
- Donate: Give to Open Doors USA to defend the persecuted church
- Contact Your Representatives: Urge your elected officials to publicly condemn Finland's criminalization of biblical speech and support international religious freedom legislation
- Share This Story: Post this article on social media and ask why mainstream media is silent about a Western democracy convicting a woman for quoting the Bible
- Pray: Lift up Dr. Rasanen, Bishop Pohjola, and all Christians facing legal persecution for their faith across Europe
