A Response from Dr Räsänen
Dear Burnell F Eckardt
I am deeply grateful and touched for this award. Thank you very much. This kind of support means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
The main hearing of the charges brought against me and Juhana by the Prosecutor General will take place on 24 January at 9.30 am at the Helsinki District Court. I await the court proceedings with a calm mind. I will appeal to the Constitution of Finland and to international conventions that guarantee freedom of speech and religion. I believe this is my calling as a Christian. I will not back off from my conviction based on the Bible and I am ready to defend freedom of speech and religion in all necessary courts.
Thank you for all the prayers. I hope that Christians would not be afraid to speak up during these challenging times and that my case would set a positive precedent for the future regarding Christians and their right to express their faith in the public.
I intend to defend free speech and freedom of religion at the court and my intention is to defend the right to believe in God’s Word and speak according to it in the public. It is absolutely vital that Christians have the liberty to teach and speak about God’s Holy Word also at those times when Christianity and the values that derive from it go against the tide and challenge the current ethos and thinking.
For your information (and if you want to distribute) a new video about the case, made by ADF international.
God bless you and thank you so much for the award and for your valuable support!
Best wishes,
Päivi Räsänen
MP