‘Secular Blasphemy’: Her Tweet Was Considered A Crime In ‘The Happiest Country In The World’

For the sixth time in a row, Finland has ranked happiest country in the world. Ten lucky visitors can even apply to receive a promotional “masterclass” in happiness from the national tourism department—the theory being that there is something innately happy, and exportable, about Finnish values and lifestyle. But what about the country’s stifling free speech record? Post on Twitter and risk a prison sentence under the country’s “hate speech” law. Can true happiness prevail amidst that kind of censorship?

Crimes of “hate speech” are very much a reality in the so-called happiest land on earth. Longstanding Finnish Member of Parliament, and former Minister of the Interior, Paivi Räsänen can attest to it. One year ago, Räsänen was unanimously acquitted by the Helsinki district court for her “crime” — posting Bible verses to Twitter in 2019 with regard to a debate on marriage and sexuality. Her church was hosting a Pride parade. In a tweet, Räsänen raised the question as to whether this conformed with Scripture. Four years later, she is still facing the crushing force of the Finnish State’s prosecutorial wrath over her tweet.