Tim Stanley in the Telegraph highlights the chilling case of Finnish MP and former Interior Minister (i.e., Home Secretary) Päivi Räsänen, whose prosecution by the state for her traditional Christian views on sex is a “canary in a coal mine” showing free speech in the West is dead – sacrificed in favour of banning ‘insults’.
Päivi Räsänen is a doctor, longstanding MP and former interior minister. In 2019, police opened an investigation into her for “incitement against a minority”. The accusation is based upon a tweet in which she asked why the Lutheran Church sponsored a Pride event; a debate in which she said God intends us to be straight; and a booklet she authored nearly 20 years ago that argued homosexuality is a developmental disorder.
The Finnish police concluded that no crime had been committed, but the prosecutor-general decided to charge her anyway. In 2022, Räsänen went to court: three judges, no jury, no witnesses and not even a victim to say they took offence. The judges decided in Räsänen’s favour; the prosecutor, who won’t take no for an answer, simply brought the case back via appeal. The second trial wrapped up last week, and if Räsänen is found guilty, she could face jail.
According to Paul Coleman, the executive director of ADF International, a religious advocacy group that threw its weight behind Räsänen, the prosecutor opened by insisting that this case is not about theology: you can quote the Bible as much as you like, the issue is how you interpret it, and Räsänen had done so in such a way that caused harm.
By Coleman’s account, the trial then became very theological indeed, with undergraduate-level questions such as: “What is the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament? Why are some passages of the Bible interpreted literally?”
It’s this line of inquiry that I think establishes Räsänen’s story as a canary in a coal mine. Until now, progressives seemed content to try to separate religion from the public sphere. But here we witness an agent of the state taking a big step into the private sphere, seeking not only to silence a point of view but also to challenge its intellectual basis and refute it.
There’s no escaping the inquisition. Räsänen might evoke the defence that she hates sin but loves the sinner, but the prosecution stated that this isn’t good enough in a modern society. Calling actions a sin insults the people who do them, and given that one’s identity can be defined by acts, it amounts to an attack on their very being. One might reply that many Christians feel a calling to evangelise, so stopping them from performing that particular action threatens their identity, too. Thus we see the consequences of European countries passing well-intentioned equalities legislation that seeks to safeguard every characteristic under the sun. Sexual preference is protected; so is religious belief. But what happens when they come into conflict?
Even if the judges once again find in Räsänen’s favour, the problem, of course, says Stanley, is that the case was brought at all. And it fits a pattern.
Here in the U.K., a street preacher was arrested in 2019; this year, a Tory councillor says he lost his job after tweeting that pride is a sin (indeed it’s the sin that led to Satan’s rebellion and humanity being cast out of Eden). A different Tory councillor, Anthony Stevens, tweeted his sympathy for these people – and was in turn arrested for an alleged hate crime. Stevens did not appear publicly to endorse the theology of either man; he was standing up for their right to express it. Not to be able to say something is bad enough. Not to be able to say that someone should be able to say something is surreal.
At one point the Finnish prosecution reportedly said of one of Räsänen’s arguments: “The point isn’t whether it is true or not but that it is insulting.”
“How dumb, depressing and scary,” says Stanley.
Worth reading in full.
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Claiming ulez has any public benefits is on a par with claiming the Holocaust had some plusses for the Jewish community.
Or Nazi’s built some nice roads.
They did. You can still drive on them. I wasn’t keen on pretty much everything else they did.
I was in a discussion about Clean Air Zones the other day, and decided to do a bit of digging. Deaths from Asthma is what is usually quoted as justification, but these total 1,400 a year in the UK, not in the top 10 causes of death, and less than the excess deaths since lockdown by some margin.
Then I thought I’d compare India, you know with thick smog in the cities and wood and dung fires in the villages. Asthma sufferers in the UK 8% of population, India 3% of population. Curious, don’t you think. I mean, ULEZ and CAZ are all about revenue generation, but I’d like to understand why with filthy air, (and I’m old enough to remember filthy air here), India can have just a third of UK cases. Anyone explain it to me..?
Higher jabbed populations in UK?
Adjuvants are suspected to increase incidents of autoimmune disorders.
This data is from 2016, well before jabs. I suppose I’m curious about our modern lifestyle and intolerance of cold atmospheres and bacteria in general (…kills 99.,9% etc). Is anyone doing grown up research about it, I wonder, perhaps with an unpopular answer.?
I think AYM is right. Adjuvants have been used in vaccines since the 1920’s.
And over the last few years many kids have allergies to peanuts for God’s sake
WHY –
https://vaccinationinformationnetwork.com/peanut-allergy-yet-another-vaccine-related-epidemic-2/
Kids had virtually no immune disorders until after the 1980’s – which coincided with – guess what.
Now nearly 50% of kids suffer from –
Asthma.
Eczema.
Autism.
Obesity
And no doubt cancers in later life – if they get there.
WHY. Wild animals do not suffer from these problems, neither do 3rd world countries (although they are catching up).
I would refer people tp “Vaccinepapers.org” – but that page is no longer available.
I wonder why – nothing to do with bigpharma is it.
May they rot in hell.
Which, by all non partisan accounts, have exploded since WWII; now, what could possibly have caused that?
I suspect the differences between UK and India are linked to diagnosis. I have worked with lots of people who claimed to be asthmatic when the reality was they were just unfit. Doctors are happy to write prescriptions and the ‘patients’ are chuffed to bits to be ‘victims.’
‘Where’s mi puffer?’
How many neo asthmatics had their immune system function tested prior to that prescription? I suspect none.
I know I did not; severe allergies that peaked in my mid 30’s (or so I thought) were attributed to some form of asthma by GP and I was prescribed steroids… had all childhood jabs. Circa 2016 developed extremely severe Anaphylaxis….now every day I have to be on red alert.
Still, to my knowledge, immune system never tested….Ig3/Ig4 capacity? GP now very arsey about ANY testing regimes, and will not consider this course of action until some ill health event occurs – their words , not mine.
Having visited Delhi and seen the summary of the causes of air pollution, the primary one was road dust, by a large margin, followed by diesel particulates because of the mass of very old and unmaintained lorries and buses. Just resurfacing Delhi’s (main) roads and replacing these old lorry/bus engines with modern units would provide a massive cut in air pollution. I would also imagine the situation in Delhi is replicated in most major cities.
I know they built nice roads, that is why I made that remark. —–But I am so glad you were not keen on other things they did. ——-ULEZ is more than just a revenue generator though. It is all part of the GREEN war on cars and on the western world in general.
Very tempted to link that sort of comment with “some thing and someone else” but on balance I will stop there…
ULEZ does not save lives –
leaflet to print at home and deliver to neighbours or forward to politicians, media, friends online.
Muslim Khan lying? Wow. Shocker. Particulate pollution is down 98% since the 70s. There isn’t a pollution issue from cars. They emit trace amounts.
Now maybe address the marketing and terror campaign for Rona and the safe and effective mantras which were splashed everywhere (and still are). Oh wait. People who oppose Pharma end up dying. Maybe pass on that one.
I would vote for a chair, a turnip, or a pile of dogshit before I voted for this parasite.
The dirty little secret is that much ulez funding derives from investors in green energy/battery powered vehicles.
Where does Khan invest his own money?
He loves a one way bet…….
As a chemist in a former life, I had to chuckle at the reference to “reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) particles”. I assume it’s just another example of the Telegraph employing technically illiterate interns to comment on scientific matters.
Boris & Khan were both elected on mandates to lower public transport prices or stop them rising. This has caused big problems with the finances, hence the increase in the LEZ to bring in more money.
It has nothing to do with pollution as the cars are not stopped entering but charged to enter.
The other increase in pollution is the slow movement of buses through the City caused by the increase in cycle only lanes, even though buses are the greener solution, as they can transport greater numbers per metre of road space than cycles.
The electoral procedure is also changing in 2024 favouring Khan unless another notable Independent stood on the Left.
Exactly. It was always about money, they just needed a reason for the charges. The fact that if you pay you can enter, even in a smoky fume spouting old banger, completely torpedoes their argument The real problem of pollution is the London Underground.
I despair that Khan could get another term if the electoral procedure changes favour him. He’s ruining the city I was born in and spent a large part of my life in. I haven’t been to London for ages but I remember it with great affection. Getting rid of the Routemaster buses was a major blow.
Why shouldn’t my ex-wife enter London.
Hahahaha! Good one, Roubles 😀
I agree it is very sad and I am fortunate to have wonderful memories of my time in London.
Our world seems to be changing with the young folk no longer having the same need or interest to explore as we had. I do not know why and expect to be shouted down and down ticked for these thoughts.
Good shooting ATR; he did not perform well when he was summoned to a session of ? Westminster Council ? to “discuss” this. The video of the person with the air quality monitor going from road to Underground immediately in the vicinity tells you everything.
How will he be sanctioned; appears to me that the punishment is in inverse proportion; bigger the lie by a person in a position of trust in the tax payer funded public sector the diminution of any sanction shrinks further. Banning from any future public office should be the de minimus punishment to be enhanced the bigger the lie.
Sorry, do you know I thought I was living in the UK for a moment.
Khan lied. Quelle surprise (not).
ULEZ is about control, surveillance, money and forcing poor and marginalised people out of their cars.
Seconded 👍
Passed without a “lobby clearing division”, imho.
Not the first time this man has ‘misled’ in order to impose his own way.
“The Vice-Chancellor of Imperial College, who was at the reins during the Covid modelling scandal and the Ulez data scandal, has been given the biggest pay rise of any V-C in the UK. Her salary ‘bump‘ of £186,000 brings her total remuneration, including salary and benefit, to £714,000.”
Presumably funded by W Gates.
“The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is set to criticise Transport for London (TfL)”. Criticise!! The ASA should fine Kahn in the form of all ULEZ charges to date being returned to the vehicle owners, and all future ones declared null & void by the same token, effectively scrapping the scheme.