Åke Green is a Pentecostal Christian pastor who was sentenced to one month in prison under Sweden's law against hate speech. On February 11, 2005 an appeals court, Göta hovrätt, overturned the decision and acquitted Åke Green. On March 9, the Prosecutor-General appealed this decision to the Supreme Court.

In 2002, the Swedish parliament included references to sexual orientation in a list of groups protected against persecution in the form of threats and expressions of disdain. The list appears in a section of Swedish criminal law (Brottsbalken) known as The Act on Persecution of Minoritygroups (Lagen om hets mot folkgrupp).

Green's lawyer maintained his client's religious freedom had been violated.

The Sermon

At his church in Borgholm, Green described homosexuality as "abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumor in the body of society," and homosexuals as "perverts, whose sexual drive the Devil has used as his strongest weapon against God." He also said that a person cannot be a Christian and a homosexual at the same time.

He insisted that homosexuality is chosen, not inborn, and claimed that "[e]verybody can be set free and delivered."

At the end of his sermon, Green said: "We cannot condemn these people — Jesus never did that either. He showed everyone He met deep respect for the person they were (...) Jesus never belittled anyone."

Controversy

The sentence has raised a controversy all around the world, with disputes between those who see it as a victory for human rights and freedom from intolerance, and those who see it as an attack on religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Despite his forgiving sentiment, Green became a cause celebre for American radical anti-gay preacher Fred Phelps, who has labeled anyone who held the belief that God could love sinners as being eternally damned. Nonetheless, Phelps installed a monument praising Green on his website. (All of the other "monuments" to people on Phelps' sites actually express joy at the death of that person.) Phelps also launched a new website www.godhatessweden.com [1], partially in tribute to Green. Green subsequently denounced Fred Phelps for this. [2] "I think it is appalling that people say things like that," Green said, "it is extremely unpleasant."

Responding to the sentence, Sören Andersson, the president of the Swedish federation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (RFSL), said that religious freedom could never be used as a reason to persecute people.

See also

• Christian views of homosexuality
• Religion and homosexuality
• Special rights

External links

• English translation of the sermon