Dr. Päivi Räsänen on Her Hate Speech Conviction for Quoting the Bible

_{Wesley J. Smith
November 9, 2026

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Season: 6

Episode: 4

With: Wesley J. Smith

Guest(s): Dr. Päivi Räsänen

Duration: 51:14

Download: Audio File (70.36M)

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Can a person in a free country be convicted of hate speech for quoting the Bible or asserting a traditional view of moral issues based on biblical texts?

Apparently yes, because that is precisely what happened in Finland — to a member of parliament, no less. The supposed “criminal” joins us today to discuss her conviction and the issues of freedom of speech and religion that her prosecution raises.

Dr. Päivi Räsänen is a long-serving Finnish legislator and medical doctor. She completed her Licentiate of Medicine at the University of Helsinki in 1984 and subsequently worked as a physician in hospital-based clinical practice.

She was first elected to the Parliament of Finland in 1995 and has served continuously since then. Over the course of her parliamentary career, she has become one of Finland’s longest-tenured members of parliament. From June 2011 to May 2015, Dr. Räsänen served as minister of the interior, where her responsibilities included oversight of national internal security, the police and border forces, migration policy, and church affairs.

In addition to her government and parliamentary duties, Dr. Räsänen has played a visible role in Finnish public discourse. She has authored several books and has been an active contributor to national discussions concerning healthcare, ethics, family policy, and issues related to religious freedom. She continues to serve actively in Parliament and remains an influential figure in Finnish legislative affairs. Dr. Räsänen is a pro-life advocate.

Dr. Räsänen is married and is the mother of five children and grandmother to fifteen grandchildren.

Show Notes