Finland Prioritizes Equality Laws Over the Bible
June 14th

In Western Europe, where same-sex marriage and abortion are widely accepted, many people express indifference toward faith in God.

In 2018, the American non-profit public opinion research agency Pew Research Center described the religious landscape in 15 Western European countries, revealing that while a majority of people identify as Christians, they do not actively practice their faith. The report explained that although most Western Christians supported same-sex marriage and abortion, many also admitted they “don’t care” about believing in God. Pew Research identified secularization as the defining characteristic of Western European religion. While most people consider themselves Christians, church attendance is low, and many are reluctant to engage in religious practices.

In 14 countries surveyed excluding Italy, the proportion of self-identified Christians who had distanced themselves from church attendance surpassed that of those who actively attended church services. Faith among non-churchgoers was also found to be weak, with only 24% believing in the God of the Bible. Meanwhile, 51% expressed belief in vague spiritual concepts, such as “a higher power” or “the spiritual existence of the universe.” Support for same-sex marriage and abortion was widespread, with religiously unaffiliated individuals and self-identified Christians expressing similar levels of approval.

In Finland, where Christians make up 80.3% of the total population of 5.58 million, the majority belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Other religious groups include the Russian Orthodox Church, Pentecostal congregations, and evangelicals, who comprise about 10% of the population. However, many Finns are members of the church due to social custom rather than personal faith, and church membership continues to decline.

Committed to equality laws since the 1980s, Finland legalized same-sex marriage in 2017

In Finland, an anti-discrimination legislation
called the “equality law” was first enacted in 2004. Actually, the practical application of anti-discrimination policies began in the 1980s. The European Union played a significant role in shaping the country’s legal stance on discrimination, which is codified in the Finnish Criminal Code. Chapter 11 of the Criminal Code addresses war crimes and crimes against humanity, with Section 10 specifically targeting hate speech and discriminatory expressions. The law prohibits threats, defamation, or insults based on “race, color, birth, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or disability,” with penalties ranging from fines to up to two years in prison.
Also, from 2002 to 2017, before same-sex marriage was legalized in Finland, a civil union system was in operation to guarantee rights similar to marriage for same-sex couples. The Finnish Parliament amended the Civil Code in 2014 and legalized same-sex marriage in 2017. In the first month after legalization, 87 same-sex marriages were registered, and 770 same-sex couples previously in civil unions transitioned to marriage. Public support for same-sex marriage had been rising since the 2000s. In 2014, survey of Evangelical Lutheran Church clergy revealed that 44% supported same-sex marriage, while 41% opposed it. As the Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland stated in 2014 that he supported
    
 same-sex marriage, members of the church continued to leave. The Finnish parliament recently passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, and Archbishop Kari Makinen stated that he welcomed it. In response, thousands of Finns registered on the “Leave the Church” website and formally withdrew from the church, with approximately 12,000 resignations recorded over the last weekend of November that year. Pastor Björn Vikström noted, “People have begun to protest the decisions of Parliament. Since they cannot leave the government or Parliament, some are directing their frustration toward the church and the Archbishop’s remarks.”

In 2017, the Finnish Parliament confirmed the legalization of same-sex marriage by rejecting a citizen petition calling for the withdrawal of the law on February 17. In Finland, same-sex marriage was already legislated in 2014, allowing same-sex couples to marry legally and giving them the right to adopt children. However, the church’s endorsement of the legislation led to strong opposition, particularly within religious communities, resulting in a surge of individuals refusing to pay church taxes.

》Prayer Points

1. Since the 2000s, evangelical denominations and organizations have assessed secularization or
secularism as the biggest challenge for Christian countries in Europe and the Americas. According to a 2018 survey by Pew Research Center in the United States, secularization is the defining characteristic of Western European religion. Let us pray that God controls the unfortunate notion of “not caring about believing in God.”

1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.(2 Timothy 4:1-2,NIV)

2.Finland has enacted equality and anti-discrimination laws under the banner of “equality,” using legal measures to regulate society, eventually legalizing same-sex marriage. Let us pray that the schemes of Satan, the ruler of this dark world, behind these developments will be exposed by the truth of the Bible and broken down.
May the Church in Finland return to the gospel of the cross, repent, and live by faith alone. Let us intercede that a community of witnesses will stand in prayer, fighting until both the church and the nation are restored according to Scripture.

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(James 4:7-10,NIV)

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