Although the Finnish Bible trial ended with a favorable verdict, the prosecutor of the case says she will appeal the court’s acquittal.

From Fox News. At the end of March, a Finnish criminal court delivered a unanimous decision of “not guilty” in what has become widely known as the “Bible Trial.” The court found Christian member of Parliament and grandmother Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola not guilty of “hate speech,” striking a major blow against an increasingly aggressive secular worldview and a win for the very foundational values of Western Civilization – freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

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At least, for now. Last week, the Finnish prosecutor announced she would appeal Räsänen and Pohjola’s acquittal….

The Finnish general prosecutor has accused Räsänen of three counts of “ethnic agitation”: the first for a tweet directed at the Evangelical Lutheran Church for their sponsorship of Helsinki Pride 2019 and containing a picture of a Bible quote, the second based on a 2019 radio debate, and the third for a 17-year-old pamphlet describing her Christian views on marriage and sexuality.

The prosecutor charged the bishop with “hate speech” merely for publishing the “controversial” booklet online. The court threw out each of these charges, again unanimously….

The court should be applauded; they got it right. The prosecution brought a frivolous case to the court and sought a decision that would have had a disastrous impact on both free speech and freedom of religion in Finland and across the West….

But this isn’t over yet.

The prosecutor’s decision to appeal the case is not only absurd. It paints a clear picture of what is to come for people of faith if the West continues barreling down a path that is increasingly hostile to free speech and, especially evident in this case, Christian belief….

When the curtain is pulled back, the anti-free speech and anti-religious ideology simply cannot win on the merits of the arguments. The purpose of politicized prosecutions like this one, win or lose, is to chill free speech and scare religious expression out of the public square….

We call on all people of goodwill to join us in praying for Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola and stand with us all in defense of our cherished fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

On hearing the verdict of “not guilty,” Päivi Räsänen said that it had been “a privilege” and “joy” to “speak about the Gospel,” even as the investigations and trial have proved difficult….

How are you praying for Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola? Share this article to encourage people to pray.

(Excerpt from Fox News. Photo Credit: Canva)