In the northern European nation of Finland, a prominent Christian woman
is currently on trial for simply questioning her church's sponsorship
of a "Pride" event and for sharing her biblical worldview
via Twitter and on national radio.
According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, Paivi Rasanen, a Finnish medical
doctor, who is an active member of Parliament, and former Minister of the Interior,
a mother, and a grandmother, has been charged with the crime of "ethnic
agitation" which falls under the "war crimes and crimes against humanity"
sections of that nation's criminal code.
The Finnish government is overreacting to Paivi's strong Christian faith,
which they have deemed as "hateful and criminal". In other words,
the outraged, self-righteous "powers-that-be" are actually unnerved
by this woman's unshakable defense of the sin crushing,
soul-redeeming, eternal truth found within the Word of God.
As Hebrews 4:4 attests: "For the Word that God speaks is alive
and full of power; it is sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life, the soul,
and the immortal spirit, and of joints and marrow, the
deepest part of our nature, exposing and sifting and
analyzing and judging the very thoughts and
purposes of the heart."
According to an email I received from Alliance Defending Freedom,
"If someone like Paivi can be targeted and pursued by the government...
interrogated for more than a dozen hours...endure an onerous trial and
countless lies spread about her by the media...then it can happen to any one of us."
Although Dr. Rasanen was successfully acquitted once, the unlawful
harassment by her own government and the news media continues.
She recently had to appear in court a second time to face more
charges of "hate speech" after she dared to post Bible verses about
sexuality on social media which the prosecution contends is hate
speech targeting the LGBTQ community in Finland.
However, this strong Christian sister sees the attack on her faith
as a sure victory for the Lord Jesus Christ and the message
of the Gospel in Finland.
In a recent interview with the newspaper, Hungary Today, in
which she thanked the Christians in that nation for rallying to
her defense, and for their prayers and support, Paivi said:
"I trust that the entire process is in God's hands and that this all
has a purpose. I pray that this process would still open chances
to testify about Jesus and the message of the gospel in public.
There were several live broadcasts and press conferences from
the courthouse to Finnish homes and I had many chances to tell
what the solution to the problem of sin in the word of God is.
And now I pray that also tomorrow I would get a chance to tell
about the gospel to the public."
Please pray for this courageous sister in the Lord.
In many nations around the world today, Christians are treated as second
class citizens, daily threatened with persecution, being thrown into prison,
or executed for their faith. The Bible is forbidden in many places
in the world, and yet, in some of the most restricted countries like
Iran and China, the underground church continues to flourish,
regardless of the threats, for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, in the United States of America, where citizens have
always had the right to freedom of speech and expression, as well
as the right to exercise their faith as guaranteed by our Constitution,
our God-given rights are being undermine by forces of both
spiritual and human wickedness in high places of power.
We are witnessing an increase of government-initiated persecution,
targeting evangelicals, or Bible-believing Christians, true political
conservatives, and those involved in the pro-life movement.
The Biden Administration has been shameless in its improper
use of federal agencies in order to intimidate and harass
patriotic, law-abiding American citizens of faith.
Many state governments are no better.
Not so long ago, a pro-life father of seven children was arrested
before his family after a federal raid on his Pennsylvania home,
charged with violating the FACE Act after a 2021 altercation
with a volunteer outside a PA abortion clinic.
Signed into law by former President Bill Clinton, the federal
Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act or FACE, prohibits
the following three things: (1) the use of physical force, threat of
physical force, or physical obstruction to intentionally injure,
intimidate, interfere with or attempt to injure, or intimidate,
or interfere with any person who is obtaining an abortion;
(2) the use of physical force, threat of physical force, or
physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate,
interfere with or attempt to injure, intimidate or interfere
with any person who is exercising or trying to exercise their
First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of
religious worship; (3) the intentional damage or destruction
of a reproductive healthcare facility or a place of worship."
Although Catholic pro-life activist Mark Houck readily admitted
that he shoved 72 year old clinic escort Bruce Love to the ground,
he claimed he was merely acting in defense of his 12 year old son
after Love continually blocked the boy's space and yelled at him.
Although he was later acquitted of the assault charge against him,
not long after this incident, Mark Houck's home was unexpectedly
raided by federal agents and Pennsylvania state police early
on a Friday morning in September, 2021.
As his wife, Ryan-Marie recalled, "A SWAT team of about 25 came
to my house with about 15 vehicles and started pounding on our door.
They said they were going to break in if he (Mark) didn't open it.
And then, they had about five guns pointed at my husband,
myself, and basically at my kids."
This unprecedented incident conducted by agents of the US
federal government backed up by state police reminds me of a
raid by the Gestapo during WWII, or one conducted by the members
of the Russian militia, which use to drag away from their homes in
the middle of the night those accused of treason against the State
in the time of the former Soviet Union.
Mark Houck described the tactics used by the government
that day as "recklessness and an act of terror". He is right.
Of course, the FBI had their own version of the event
which took place on that morning almost three years ago.
According to a statement later released by the agency:
"While it's the FBI's standard practice not to discuss such operational
specifics, we can say that the number of personnel and vehicles
widely reported as being on scene Friday is an overstatement,
and the tactics used by FBI personnel were professional,
in line with standard practices, and intended to ensure the
safety of everyone present in and outside the residence."
This still does not explain why a man with no previous criminal
record was treated so harshly and later placed in handcuffs and
shackles like a convicted felon inside the federal building in
Philadelphia on the day of his arrest.
At the time of this incident, an attorney for Mark Houck accused
the Department of Justice of targeting the pro-life activist, "solely
to intimidate people of faith and pro-life Americans."
I tend to agree with this statement. Under the tutelage of current
Attorney General Merrick Garland, the FBI has been used to
specifically target law-abiding citizens of this country for
merely exercising their rights under the Constitution.
If this is not true, as Merrick has claimed, then why have FBI
agents been known to show up unexpectedly on the front
doorsteps of concerned parents, to interrogate
bewildered fathers and mothers who have openly
challenged their local school districts over the
immoral curriculum being forced on
their children in the classroom?
In an interview with Fox News, Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) stated:
"Who would have ever thought that you would have an American president
make a decision to leave Americans behind in Afghanistan now directing
the DOJ to try to silence parents and actually separate parents from
what their children can do inside schools?"
Although this is my own speculation, I think Mark Houck's troubles began
when he rightly stepped in and defended his son from this agitating stranger
at the peaceful demonstration being held outside the city abortion clinic.
Bruce Love initially pressed assault charges against Mark Houck,
however, when the case came up in court, the plaintiff never even
bothered to show up. Why? Could it be that the whole incident was
planned in advance in order to set the stage for the dramatic raid
on Houck's residence and subsequent arrest by the FBI?
Today Mark Houck and his family are thankful to God
and the jury, which deliberated for less than an hour,
before acquitting him of all federal charges.
Mark is now running for Congress to represent the people
of Pennsylvania's First District. If elected to public office,
he hopes to be able to join the committee formed by
Representative Jim Jordan which focuses on the
abuse and mismanagement of federal agencies
which have been and are being utilized in order
to fulfill the political agenda of the radical Left.
It seems to me that the tyrannical overreach of
one of the most sordid and corrupt administrations
in the history of the United States of America shares
the stinging rebuke within the Declaration of Independence,
in regards to the indictment against the despotic King of England.
It reads as follows. See if you agree:
"He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing
his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure
of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
And especially...
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms
of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."
If there was ever a time for intercessory prayer warriors
willing to stand in the gap for the soul of America,
that time is now.
May God continue to shed His grace on this nation and our people.
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