In July, Finland’s Interior Minister, Päivi Räsänen, caused a significant uproar within the country by expressing her strong disapproval of the country’s liberal abortion laws. In a speech delivered at a Lutheran missions gathering in Kankaanpää, a municipality in southwestern Finland, Räsänen criticized the lack of protection afforded to unborn human beings in Finland, stating that animals are afforded greater protection under the country’s laws.
In her address, she underscored the fact that Finland and Sweden are the only two Western European countries that do not permit health care workers to decline participation in an abortion. Dr. Rasanen additionally observed that Finnish legislation mandates that animals be slaughtered in a painless manner, yet unborn human beings lack any legal protection from the excruciating pain of an abortion.
In addition, she cited Acts 5:29, noting that individuals may encounter circumstances where they must assess their actions, weighing whether they are prepared to challenge public opinion, peer pressure, and even the law if these conflict with the Word of God. The Archbishop and two bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (CoF) promptly declared that she does not represent that Church.
In a letter dated July 12th addressed to the Finnish newspaper HBL (Huvudstadsbladet), Räsänen elucidated her stance, stating, “In my capacity as a physician, I have been compelled to contemplate the nexus between abortion legislation and my personal beliefs. Nevertheless, it is possible to refrain from performing an abortion, thereby preventing the termination of a nascent human life, by relinquishing one’s position.”
Räsänen proceeded to clarify that he had not called for the violation of any laws; instead, he had sought to initiate a legislative process that would permit healthcare professionals to exercise their conscience rights and avoid being compelled to perform abortions.
Following her groundbreaking speech, which attracted considerable criticism from numerous members of her professional community, the Director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Global Outreach (MCCL GO) Scott Fischbach recently engaged in a discussion with Dr. Rasanen at the Finnish Parliament House. The two leaders addressed the topic of abortion in Finland and Minnesota, as well as the issue of fetal pain and the adverse effects of abortion on women’s health.
In a statement released subsequent to the meeting, Fischbach asserted that…
“It is a real honor to meet with the Interior Minister of Finland today. Her courage to speak out for the unborn from the highest levels of government is very noble. Igniting a national conversation about abortion and keeping the human rights cause of life in front of the people is a tremendous victory!”
As indicated in a statement released by the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), approximately 24% of the state’s population can trace Finnish ancestry, while 23% adhere to Lutheranism.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
