kerkko.fi

Archbishop Jukka Paarma of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland met with Maryam Rajavi, leader of the CIA-backed Iranian terrorist organisation, People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), in Turku on 12 March 2010. Rajavi called on the Finnish Lutheran Church to support PMOI's base in Iraq, Camp Ashraf, the church reported.

"Around 3,400 PMOI members are living in difficult conditions in Camp Ashraf," Paarma told local daily Turun Sanomat. "Representatives of different churches have written letters about the issue. I will meet with some ministers of the Finnish government over the weekend, let us see what can be done about the matter," the archbishop said.

The church's press office reported that the goal of Rajavi's "National Resistance Council of Iran" is "to develop Iran into a democratic state that respects human rights, and where religion and state are separated." Turun Sanomat did do some googling and recalled that PMOI was, until very recently, on the EU's list of terrorist organisations.

The church quoted Rajavi as saying that religious leaders should "uphold universal ethical values." Rajavi expressed a wish that she could one day receive the archbishop in a Christian church in Tehran. Maybe she will invite the archbishop to PMOI's parade? The Finnish Lutheran Church has a long tradition of blessing military parades.