JAIL TIME FOR SWEDISH PASTOR
His crime? Compiling a list of Bible verses which condemn homosexuality -- and then preaching against homosexual behavior, calling it "abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumor in the body of society."

According to a CT article, Soren Andersson, president of a Swedish federation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, said religious freedom is never a reason to offend people. "Therefore," he told journalists, "I cannot regard the sentence as an act of interference with freedom of religion."

Nope -- wouldn't want to offend anyone! Can you imagine if we edited from the gospels all the parts that are offensive? Can you imagine if we started throwing Americans in jail for saying offensive things -- the whole nation would be incarcerated!

Sweden has struggled with the issue of religious freedom at various times throughout history. The early Mission Friends of the pietistic awakening were oppressed by the government because they offended the state controlled church -- accusing it of impiety. This isn't really a new issue. Sweden wants to appear to be an open society but it has become so open that it has once again taken to oppressing its critics. It will be interesting to hear how Amnesty International weighs in on this one.