The Danish European Mission does not typically work in Western Europe. This is because there is widespread freedom of belief and the church is free to share its message. But in our part of the world, which otherwise prides itself on defending and spreading freedoms globally, Bible-believing Christians can risk being fined.
On June 17, 2019, Päivi Räsänen shared a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, questioning her church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, for supporting Pride 2019. She also shared an image of Romans chapter 1:24-27, where the Bible talks about homosexuality.
Paivi was subsequently charged with hate speech, even under a section of the Finnish Criminal Code dealing with crimes against humanity. Paivi faced up to two years in prison. In March 2022 and November 2023, she was acquitted, but the prosecution appealed in January 2024 to the Supreme Court of Finland. At the time of writing, the Supreme Court of Finland has not decided whether the case can proceed there.
Norine and Andrew Brunson supported Paivi Räsänen
Another Christian who has experienced being falsely accused first-hand is Andrew Brunson. He spent two years in prison in Turkey, accused of espionage and being in league with terrorists. Together with his wife Norine, Andrew traveled to Finland and met personally with Paivi just before a court hearing and handed over signatures from American Christians.
I talk to Norine and Andrew on their recent meeting trip to Denmark, invited by the Danish European Mission. You can tell they have a message for Christians in the West.
Why did you support Paivi Räsänen?
- Firstly, it's striking that a public Christian is accused of simply saying what most Christians believe. Something that most of society considered perfectly legitimate just twenty years ago," Andrew replies with a serious look on his face. - Many believers can be afraid of being seen as hateful if they say what the Bible says.
- Secondly, Jesus demands obedience from his followers on a number of issues that are controversial in our time. These include respect for human life, opposing abortion, viewing marriage as a union between one man and one woman, following Christian sexual morality and believing that there are only two biological sexes. Biblical views in these areas can lead to the persecution of Christians in the West.
But don't we have freedom of speech and belief in the West?
- Unfortunately, when freedom of faith and religion clashes with the LGBTQ+ movement, we see examples of freedom of faith and religion losing out. We see this in hate speech laws like in Paivi's case. In the UK, there are several examples of Christians being accused of hate speech.
I suffered for my faith in a Muslim country. Now we see the West becoming hostile to those who want to follow Jesus. Mainstream culture will not persecute churches that conform to the world, but Christians who speak as the Bible says.
But can you compare Christian persecution in North Korea, for example, with what Christians in the West can experience?
Some say there is no persecution in the West. And no, I don't believe that the West is becoming like China or North Korea, but persecution can be cancelculture, where Christians lose their jobs because of biblical beliefs. Christians can be kept out of the elite of society, from jobs in the media, from ministerial positions in governments and from getting seats in parliaments.
How should the church relate to lgbtq+?
I don't expect everyone to follow a Christian morality. I believe that homosexuals and transgender people should be allowed to practice their lifestyle. But we Christians should have the freedom to live and speak according to our faith. We should not be forced to endorse a lifestyle that we disagree with.
Many Christians are confused about what to believe. Many pastors and leaders are afraid to teach what the Bible says so as not to be judged as hateful and because they believe this message will cause division. Many Christians believe that life is just about me being happy and doing good to others, especially among young people. They ask: "How can you tell my friends that what they are doing is wrong - they are good people." It's a watered-down gospel. The church has been marinated in values that are not in line with the Bible. The early church's views on sexuality also went against the culture of the time. The church must say what God says, and in that way we are obedient to Jesus.
How can the church in Europe prepare for persecution?
In prison, I found that persecution was much harder than I thought. Some people think that persecution automatically makes the church grow. In some countries the church grows under persecution, but in other places it is silenced.
Jesus talks a lot about persecution. We should expect persecution and prepare for it. God can give pastors strategies to prepare Christians for persecution. Christians must read what the Bible says about persecution.
Christians must fear God instead of men. We must not live to be popular in this world, but live with heaven in mind, for eternity. I developed that attitude in prison in Turkey," Andrew concludes.
