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A Finnish court has acquitted an MP who was on trial for his Christian faith
The verdict in the closely watched trial of a Finnish Christian MP was announced on Wednesday.
A court in Helsinki dismissed all charges against Päivi Räsänen, a physician and mother of five, and Juhana Pohjola, a bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, after a free speech trial that drew international attention.
The court said in a unanimous 28-page ruling on March 30 that “it is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts.”
It said that Räsänen had sought to “defend the concept of family and marriage between a man and a woman.” If some people found the statements offensive, it said, “there must be an overriding social reason for interfering with and restricting freedom of expression.”
It ordered the state pay legal costs to the defense of more than 60,000 euros (over $66,000).
Räsänen said: “I am so grateful the court recognized the threat to free speech and ruled in our favor. I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders after being acquitted.”
“Although I am grateful for having had this chance to stand up for freedom of speech, I hope that this ruling will help prevent others from having to go through the same ordeal.”
The charges against the 62-year-old Räsänen related to her comments in a 2004 pamphlet, her appearance in a 2018 radio debate, and a Twitter post in 2019.
The Prosecutor General charged Räsänen, who served as Finland’s interior minister from 2011 to 2015, with incitement against a minority group, arguing that her statements were “likely to cause intolerance, contempt, and hatred towards homosexuals.”
The charge against Pohjola concerned his decision to publish Räsänen’s pamphlet, “Male and Female He Created Them.”
Finland is a country with a population of 5.5 million people, bordering Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Around two-thirds of the population belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, one of the country’s two national churches, alongside the Finnish Orthodox Church.
Räsänen, who was chairwoman of the Christian Democrats party from 2004 to 2015, is an active member of the Finnish Lutheran Church. But she questioned her church’s sponsorship of an LGBT pride event in 2019.
On June 17, 2019, she asked in a Twitter post how the sponsorship was compatible with the Bible, linking to a photograph of a biblical passage, Romans 1:24-27, on Instagram. She also posted the text and image on Facebook.
“The purpose [of] my tweet was in no way to insult sexual minorities. My criticism was aimed at the leadership of the church,” she told the journal First Things.
Discussing the tweet in court, she underlined that it was directed at Church leaders and concerned an important topic facing the Church.
Police began investigating Räsänen in 2019. She faced several police interviews and had to wait more than a year for the Prosecutor General’s decision.
The International Lutheran Council described the decision to prosecute Räsänen and Pohjola as “egregious.”
It said: “The vast majority of Christians in all nations, including Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, share these convictions. Would the Finnish Prosecutor General condemn us all? Moreover, shall the Finnish state risk governmental sanctions from other states based on the abuse of foundational human rights?”
Addressing the pamphlet, which described homosexuality as “a disorder of psycho-sexual development,” Räsänen told the court that she was asked to write a text outlining Lutheran teaching on sexuality for members of her church, from her viewpoint as a politician, doctor, and Christian.
She said that the pamphlet was outdated given changes in research and legislation since 2004. But she said that it should still exist as a document testifying to the discussions taking place at that time.
Crowds of supporters gathered outside the court during the trial. The American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who spent two years in detention in Turkey, flew to Finland to give Räsänen a prayer pledge of support signed by Christians worldwide, organized by the Family Research Council.
A group of U.S. senators wrote on Jan. 24 to Rashad Hussain, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, expressing concern at the trial.
“We are greatly concerned that the use of Finnish hate speech law is tantamount to a secular blasphemy law,” they said.
“It could open the door for prosecution of other devout Christians, Muslims, Jews and adherents of other faiths for publicly stating their religious beliefs.”
The Christian legal group ADF International said that the prosecution argued in its closing statement that the word “sin” can be harmful.
“The Apostle Paul isn’t on trial here, but Räsänen is,” the prosecution reportedly said, calling for the defendants to be fined.
Räsänen’s defense argued that a guilty verdict would damage free speech in Finland. They suggested that that trial had become a theological debate on the question “what is sin?”, which they said was an inappropriate topic for a court.
The defense cited the 1976 Handyside v United Kingdom case by the European Court of Human Rights, which said that freedom of expression extended to ideas that “offend, shock or disturb the state or any sector of the population.”
Paul Coleman, ADF International’s executive director, who was present on the first day of the trial on Jan. 24, commented: “I would characterize the day as a modern-day Inquisition or heresy trial and the heresy was that Päivi and Bishop Juhana were on trial against the new sexual orthodoxy of the day.”
The state prosecutor has seven days to decide whether to lodge an appeal.
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വാഷിങ്ടൺ: അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര ബഹിരാകാശ നിലയത്തിൽ കുടുങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുന്ന ഇന്ത്യൻ വംശജയായ ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രിക സുനിത വില്യംസും ബുച്ച് വിൽമോറും ഒടുവിൽ ഭൂമിയിലേക്കുള്ള തിരിച്ചുവരവിനായി ഒരുങ്ങുന്നു. മാർച്ച് 16 ന് ഇരുവരും ഭൂമിയിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങുമെന്ന് നാസ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥർ സ്ഥിരീകരിച്ചു. ബോയിംഗ് സ്റ്റാർലൈനറിൽ 10 ദിവസത്തെ ദൗത്യത്തിനായി പുറപ്പെട്ട ഇരുവരും കഴിഞ്ഞ ഒമ്പത് മാസമായി ബഹിരാകാശ നിലയത്തിൽ കുടുങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുകയാണ്.
ജൂൺ 5 ന് ക്രൂവേർഡ് ഫ്ലൈറ്റ് ടെസ്റ്റിലാണ് വില്യംസും വിൽമോറും സ്പേസ് സ്റ്റേഷനിൽ എത്തിയത്. എന്നാൽ തിരിച്ചുവരാനുള്ള ദൗത്യം പരാജയപ്പെട്ടതോടെ ഒമ്പത് മാസമായി ബഹിരാകാശ നിലയത്തിൽ ഇപ്പോഴും തുടരുകയാണ്. കഴിഞ്ഞ വർഷം സെപ്റ്റംബറിൽ സ്റ്റാർലൈനർ ബഹിരാകാശ പേടകം ജീവനക്കാരില്ലാതെ തിരിച്ചെത്തി. എങ്കിലും, ആഴ്ചകൾക്ക് ശേഷം, നാസ ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികൻ നിക്ക് ഹേഗും റോസ്കോസ്മോസ് ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികൻ അലക്സാണ്ടർ ഗോർബുനോവും സ്പേസ് എക്സ് ക്രൂ-9 ദൗത്യത്തിൽ വിക്ഷേപിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഈ ഡ്രാഗൺ ബഹിരാകാശ പേടകത്തിൽ രണ്ട് സീറ്റുകൾ സ്പേസ് സ്റ്റേഷനിൽ കുടുങ്ങിയ ബഹിരാകാശ യാത്രികർക്കായി നീക്കിവച്ചിരുന്നു. ഫെബ്രുവരിയിൽ അവർ തിരിച്ചെത്തുമെന്നാണ് ആദ്യം നിശ്ചയിച്ചത്. ഇപ്പോൾ നാലുപേരും ഒരുമിച്ച് മാർച്ച് 16 ന് മടങ്ങും എന്നാണ് പുതിയ റിപ്പോർട്ടുകൾ.
മാർച്ച് 12, 13 തീയതികളിൽ വിക്ഷേപിക്കാൻ പോകുന്ന സ്പേസ് എക്സ് ക്രൂ -10 ദൗത്യത്തെ ആശ്രയിച്ചിരിക്കും 4 ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികരുടെയും തിരിച്ചുവരവ്. ക്രൂ-10 എത്തിയതിനുശേഷം സുനിത വില്യംസും ക്രൂ അംഗങ്ങളും പുറപ്പെടുന്നതിന് മുമ്പ് കൈമാറ്റ പ്രക്രിയ ഒരാഴ്ചയോളം നീണ്ടുനിൽക്കും. നാസ ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികരായ ആനി മക്ലെയിൻ, നിക്കോൾ അയേഴ്സ്, ജാപ്പനീസ് ബഹിരാകാശ ഏജൻസി ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികൻ തകുയ ഒനിഷി, റോസ്കോസ്മോസ് ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികൻ കിറിൽ പെസ്കോവ് എന്നിവർ ക്രൂ-10-ൽ ഉൾപ്പെടുന്നു.
ക്രൂ-10 എത്തി ബഹിരാകാശ നിലയത്തിൽ സ്ഥാനം പിടിച്ച ശേഷം, ക്രൂ-9 ഭൂമിയിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങും. നാസയുടെ ക്രൂ-9, ക്രൂ-10 ദൗത്യങ്ങൾ സ്പേസ് എക്സിന്റെ ക്രൂ ഡ്രാഗൺ ബഹിരാകാശ പേടകം ഉപയോഗിച്ചുള്ള കൊമേഴ്സ്യൽ ക്രൂ പ്രോഗ്രാമിന്റെ ഭാഗമാണ്. 2024 ഓഗസ്റ്റിൽ വിക്ഷേപിച്ച ക്രൂ-9, നാസയുടെ നിക്ക് ഹേഗിനെയും റോസ്കോസ്മോസിന്റെ അലക്സാണ്ടർ ഗോർബുനോവിനെയും വഹിച്ചാണ് പോയത്. ഇതിൽ വിൽമോറിനും സുനിത വില്യംസിനും വേണ്ടി രണ്ട് ഒഴിഞ്ഞ സീറ്റുകൾ മാറ്റിവച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
യുഎസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ് ഡൊണാൾഡ് ട്രംപും സ്പേസ് എക്സ് സിഇഒ എലോൺ മസ്കും നടത്തിയ കുടുങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുന്ന ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രികരെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള പൊതു അഭിപ്രായത്തിന് ശേഷമാണ് ഈ കൈമാറ്റം നടന്നതെന്ന് റിപ്പോർട്ടുകൾ ഉണ്ട്. എന്നാൽ പൊതുജനാഭിപ്രായങ്ങൾ വരുന്നതിന് മുമ്പ് തന്നെ തീരുമാനം പുരോഗമിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു എന്നാണ് നാസ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥർ പറയുന്നു. ബഹിരാകാശ പേടക നിർമ്മാണത്തിലെ കാലതാമസം സാധാരണമാണെന്നും ജനുവരി അവസാനത്തോടെ എൻഡ്യൂറൻസിലേക്കുള്ള മാറ്റം അന്തിമമാക്കിയെന്നും നാസയുടെ കൊമേഴ്സ്യൽ ക്രൂ പ്രോഗ്രാം മാനേജർ സ്റ്റീവ് സ്റ്റിച്ച് വിശദീകരിച്ചു.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com
After an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are finally preparing to return to Earth. The two astronauts, who initially embarked on a 10-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, faced multiple technical setbacks that left them stranded in orbit. As per media reports, NASA has now confirmed their long-awaited return date—March 16.
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2023, as part of a crewed flight test for Boeing’s Starliner. However, what was meant to be a short demonstration mission soon turned into an indefinite stay on the ISS due to persistent technical failures in their spacecraft. Starliner, unable to safely bring the astronauts home, was ultimately sent back to Earth without a crew in September 2023.
o facilitate their return, NASA made alternate arrangements. In September, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov launched aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as part of the Crew-9 mission. Their spacecraft included two reserved seats for Williams and Wilmore. Orinally set to return in February, NASA officials confirmed on Friday that all four astronauts will now return together on March 16.
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us news
Man facing 5 years to life in prison after taking weapons to church, threatening to kill worshipers
A man who attempted to attack a Virginia church armed with a gun and a couple of knives has been convicted of multiple counts and is facing at least five years in prison, or even life.
A jury found Rui Jiang guilty on Thursday of charges that include attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in the free exercise of their beliefs, transmitting threats online and a firearms violation.
Jiang faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, but could be sentenced to life. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 18, according to the United States Department of Justice.
On Sept. 23, 2023, Jiang made multiple threats of violence on social media against Park Valley Church of Falls Church. A Maryland resident saw these posts and alerted authorities.
On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, a Sunday, an off-duty police officer at the church discovered Jiang’s vehicle on the property, as did other members of the congregation.
Church members detained Jiang until authorities arrived. When arrested, Jiang was found to be carrying a loaded legally purchased handgun, an extra ammunition magazine, and two knives.
In a statement released at the time, Fairfax County police said they and other police departments “acted swiftly” and, as a result, “were able to stop a potential active shooter.”
“Since the arrest, detectives from our Threat Assessment Management Unit have been assigned to assist with the investigation,” local authorities said at the time. “TAM detectives assisted with the execution of a search warrant at Jiang’s home. Evidence supporting Jiang’s intent to cause harm was recovered from the scene.”
In December 2023, the Prince William County Police Department announced that it was adding the charge of attempted aggravated murder to earlier charges of carrying a dangerous weapon to a place of worship and making threats of bodily harm.
“The additional charge against the accused stems from the ongoing investigation and analysis of digital evidence obtained during the search warrant executed at his residence in Falls Church,” authorities stated at the time.
“Based upon the recent analysis of the digital evidence, physical evidence collected at the time, and the social media postings on accounts used by the accused depicting the church with threatening language, indications were the accused intended to cause harm, injury, and death to the church congregation.”
Jiang was indicted in March of 2024, with investigators finding a note that he had written to the families of his potential victims.
“To the families of those men about to be slain — I am sorry for what I have done and about to do. May your tears not be cried in vain, but to celebrate how your loved ones had lived,” read the letter in part, as quoted by authorities.
Authorities also found evidence of anti-religious sentiment, as seen with various social media posts that Jiang had allegedly written before the attempted mass shooting.
Sources:Christian Post
In today’s cultural climate, where truth is often subjective, and goodness is increasingly questioned, beauty remains a universal language that transcends barriers. Conservative Jewish and Christian scholars agree that beauty originates from God, who is the ultimate source of all that is good, true, and beautiful. Beauty is not merely aesthetic but a reflection of God’s perfection, order, and glory.
The three conditions of beauty
Thomas Aquinas identifies three key attributes that define beauty:
1. Integrity (a statue with missing limbs would lack integrity and thus lose its beauty.)
2. Proportion (harmony): Beauty depends on the harmony or proper relationship between the parts of a whole. This reflects an ordered and rational structure. (Music is beautiful because of the balance and proportion of its notes.)
3. Clarity (brightness or radiance): Beauty is enhanced by the ability of something to reveal its essence clearly and intelligibly. (A work of art is beautiful when it reveals the truth about the subject it represents.)
God as the source of all beauty
God is supremely beautiful because He is perfect, complete, and the cause of all order and harmony in creation. Aquinas writes, “God is beauty itself” because His essence is pure actuality, free of any deficiency”. All beauty in the created world reflects divine beauty. Just as light emanates from the sun, beauty in creation flows from God as its source.
David said in Psalm 27:4 — “One thing I ask from the Lord … that I may gaze on the beauty of the Lord,” — which shows that God’s beauty is moral, spiritual, and transcendent. His holiness, righteousness, and majesty embody beauty in its purest form. The phrase “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 29:2; 96:9) encapsulates the Old Testament’s view of beauty as inseparable from holiness.”
Since the Protestant Reformation, many sectors of the Church have rejected beauty, opting for simplicity out of fear of idolatry. This overreaction has stripped the Church of one of its most compelling apologetics for the Gospel.
Below are ten reasons why embracing beauty is essential for the Church’s mission in the world.
1. Beauty reflects the nature of God
God is the essence of beauty. From the beginning, creation itself testifies to His splendor: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). The intricate shapes and multi-varied colors of the cosmos, an awe-inspiring sunset, the majesty of the mountains, and the complexity of the human body all point to a Creator who delights in beauty. When the Church neglects beauty, it neglects a vital aspect of God’s nature. By embracing beauty, we bear witness to the God who encapsulates both the good and the beautiful.
2. Beauty is an act of worship
Far from being idolatrous, the creation of beauty can be an act of worship. In Exodus 35–36, God anointed Bezalel and Oholiab with His Spirit to craft the Tabernacle, filling it with intricate designs, gold, and images of cherubim. These artisans used their skills to glorify God, demonstrating that beauty has a sacred purpose. When the Church embraces beauty in its buildings, music, and creative expressions, it reflects the worship seen in Scripture, where excellence and artistry are offered as gifts to God.
3. The Church is meant to depict Heaven on earth
The Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon were designed to reflect heavenly realities (Hebrews 8:5). Their beauty pointed to the perfection of God’s throne room and the original harmony of Eden. In the same way, the Church is called to reflect Heaven on earth. Through beautiful art, architecture, and liturgy, we provide a foretaste of God’s kingdom, inspiring people to long for the ultimate restoration of all things.
4. Beauty draws people to God
Beauty is a universal language that transcends culture, time, and religion. While theological arguments and moral debates often divide, beauty has the power to unite.
5. Beauty affirms human dignity as the Image of God
Genesis 1:27 teaches that humanity is made in God’s image. Some theologians suggest this means we are God’s “icons,” called to reflect His glory. We fulfill this divine calling when we create beauty—whether through art, music, or innovation.
6. The rejection of beauty undermines evangelism
When the Church distances itself from beauty, it distances itself from one of God’s most attractive aspects. Many people are drawn to Christianity not through arguments but through the beauty of a cathedral, the majesty of sacred music, or the elegance of a well-crafted liturgy. By embracing beauty, the Church provides a powerful apologetic that appeals to the senses and emotions, drawing people to the Gospel’s truth.
7. Beauty inspires the next generation of cultural creatives
Historically, The Church has patronized the arts, producing some of the world’s greatest artists, composers, and architects. From Michelangelo to Bach, these cultural creatives were inspired by their faith to depict the beauty of God. By prioritizing beauty, the Church can once again raise up a generation of artists, engineers, scientists, and innovators who reflect God’s glory in their work. This enriches culture and serves as a compelling witness to the world.
8. Beauty points to the atonement
Colossians 1:20 states that through Christ, God reconciled all things to Himself. This includes not only humanity but also the entirety of creation. The atonement is not merely about forgiving sins but restoring creation to its original beauty and harmony.
The Old Testament often uses beauty to symbolize redemption and restoration. Isaiah 61:3 speaks of giving “a crown of beauty instead of ashes,” pointing to God’s transformative power
By embracing beauty, the Church participates in this redemptive work, offering a glimpse of the new heavens and new earth where all things will be made beautiful again.
9. Beauty counters the secular narrative
Beauty offers a counter-narrative in a culture dominated by utilitarianism and pragmatism, where value is measured by functionality and profit. Life without God leads to nihilism and hopelessness, as we have seen in the writings of German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche. When the Church embraces beauty, it challenges the secular worldview and invites people to experience a reality that transcends the material.
10. Beauty aligns with the mission of reconciliation
The Christian faith is fundamentally a story of reconciliation — between God and humanity, between individuals, and ultimately between all of creation and its Creator (2 Corinthians 5:18–19). Beauty serves as a signpost of this reconciliation, demonstrating the restoration of order, harmony, and radiance where there was once brokenness.
Beauty acts as a foretaste of the renewed creation in a fractured world marked by division, suffering, and decay. The resurrection of Christ is the ultimate act of restoration, turning the horror of the cross into the beauty of redemption. Just as an artist takes raw, unformed materials and crafts them into something beautiful, God shapes history toward His ultimate beauty of cosmic harmony and perfection.
Sources:Christian Post
Indian Christians step up protests against anti-conversion law
More than 50,000 Christians in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state gathered to protest a government plan to revive a stringent 40-year-old...
ഉത്തരേന്ത്യയിലെ റായ്പ്പൂർ ചർച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് സഭയിൽ വിശുദ്ധ സഭാ ആരാധന മദ്ധ്യേ ഒരു കൂട്ടം സുവിശേഷ വിരോധികൾ കയറി അക്രമം നടത്തി.
റായ്പ്പൂർ : ഉത്തരേന്ത്യയിലെ റായ്പ്പൂരിൽ കർത്തൃദാസൻ പാസ്റ്റർ പ്രവീൺ ലോറൻസ് ശുശ്രൂഷകനായ ചർച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് സഭയിൽ മാർച്ച് 9 ഞാറാഴ്ച്ച രാവിലെ വിശുദ്ധ സഭാ ആരാധന...
Christian man abducted, humiliated and paraded on donkey for gathering dead branches for kindling
Pakistan — Muslim landowners in Pakistan abducted a Christian laborer, shaved his head and facial hair, blackened his face and...
സുനിത വില്യംസും വിൽമോറും ഭൂമിയിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങുന്നു, ലാൻഡിംഗ് തീയതി പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച് നാസ
വാഷിങ്ടൺ: അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര ബഹിരാകാശ നിലയത്തിൽ കുടുങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുന്ന ഇന്ത്യൻ വംശജയായ ബഹിരാകാശയാത്രിക സുനിത വില്യംസും ബുച്ച് വിൽമോറും ഒടുവിൽ ഭൂമിയിലേക്കുള്ള തിരിച്ചുവരവിനായി ഒരുങ്ങുന്നു. മാർച്ച് 16 ന് ഇരുവരും...
Man facing 5 years to life in prison after taking weapons to church, threatening to kill worshipers
A man who attempted to attack a Virginia church armed with a gun and a couple of knives has been...
10 reasons beauty is powerful apologetic
In today’s cultural climate, where truth is often subjective, and goodness is increasingly questioned, beauty remains a universal language that...
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