Antti Pekola faces backlash over anti-LGBTQ remarks in Porin diocese

Antti Pekola, a city council member for the Conservative Party in the Porin diocese, has sparked controversy once again with his anti-LGBTQ comments. In a recent text published in the Satakunnan Kansa–Länsi-Suomi newspaper, Pekola urged adherence to a biblical verse suggesting that homosexuality should be punishable by death. He emphasized that “the fundamental message of the Bible is not ‘love,’ but a Christian’s responsibility for their actions,” and highlighted Leviticus 20:13, which states that those who engage in sexual relations with the same sex should be put to death.

When contacted by Yle, Pekola clarified that he speaks in metaphors and does not advocate for violence against homosexuals. He explained, “It’s just a metaphor to indicate that this should not be done. It comes directly from biblical text, and I have no basis to oppose Moses.” Pekola expressed his desire to incite discussion, claiming he feels isolated despite hearing similar sentiments in private conversations.

Pekola’s comments were prompted by a piece from local pastor Tuija Kruus, who questioned why resistance to change is often justified by scripture, pointing out that a well-known biblical letter to the Corinthians emphasizes love.

Tomi Lähdeniemi, the editor-in-chief of Satakunnan Kansa, stated that Pekola’s message was published deliberately and was not interpreted as inciting violence. He described the notion of encouraging harm through Pekola’s words as absurd.

Pekola has a history of expressing homophobic opinions, including a 2018 call for his church to end collaboration with a group promoting sexual equality, claiming discussions around homosexuality confused youth. In 2022, he stirred controversy during an election campaign by labeling equal rights for same-sex couples as a “perversion,” although he later deemed his response a mistake.