Click here to sign a petition to PayPal to protest against persecution of Pro-Family Christians
September 19, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Under pressure from homosexual activists, PayPal has decided to deny service to famed Brazilian pro-life and pro-family Christian activist Julio Severo.
In additon, at least two Christian organizations targeted by the same activists remain under investigation by PayPal and may also lose use of the service.
Severo, an Evangelical essayist who also translates for LifeSiteNews, maintains a highly influential blog in Portuguese that is read and commented on by politicians in Brazil’s federal government. He is also the author of several books, including a work on the homosexual movement in Brazil. (See his blog in Portuguese here and his blog in English here.)
Severo’s use of PayPal has been targeted in recent weeks by the homosexual group “All Out,” which has created an online petition to urge PayPal to dump Severo and nine other PayPal users as purveyors of “hate” and “extremism.” Severo’s site expresses love of homosexuals and a concern that homosexual behavior is destructive to those who participate in it.
Following the initiation of the campaign, Severo and several others on the list have been contacted by PayPal, asking for information on their organizations and implying that they are not in compliance with PayPal policies.
Following Severo’s response noting that he is not an organization, only an individual, PayPal responded today stating, “We appreciate your interest in PayPal. However, due to legal and regulatory constraints, PayPal Private Limited is unable to process donation payments for non-registered charities and non-profit organizations (NPOs); political party/organizations; religious institutions; personal/organizational fundraisers, etc in countries under its jurisdiction.”
“This is not a decision we make lightly, and we deeply regret any inconvenience or frustration this matter may cause you,” PayPal adds. “Please understand that this decision is final.”
The organization adds that it will not permit Severo to access any funds remaining in the account for 180 days, after which it will inform him of how to recover them.
Homosexual militants have sought to silence Severo for years, and the elimination of his PayPal account is the third major success scored in their campaign.
In 2009 Severo was forced to flee Brazil with his family after police launched an investigation of him for criticizing the behavior of homosexuals during their marches. Criticism of homosexual behavior is restricted in Brazil.
Homosexuals also managed to remove Severo’s blog from Blogger for a short period of time in 2008, after complaining about its content. However, following a massive outcry from Brazilian Christians, his site was restored.
“I am very worried, because PayPal caved in to gay militants and their hate campaign to have me excluded from PayPal,” Severo told LifeSiteNews.
“I use PayPal to pay for essential services for me and my family. And we are in a very limited situation, because we are away from Brazil because of gay and government persecution. Our resources are limited,” he added. “And now under pressure of my persecutors, PayPal is making sure that my ways to receive donations may be even more limited and hard.
“Millions of individuals use PayPal to receive money. Why cannot I receive too?” Severo asks and points out that “I am not a charity. I am only a Christian individual with a wife and four little children.”
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), who is also under investigation by PayPal, said that PayPal’s actions indicate an “open season on Christians” by homosexual activists.
“It is appalling if not shocking that PayPal dropped Brazilian pro-family hero Julio Severo, using some bureaucratic pretense,” LaBarbera told LifeSiteNews. “Apparently it’s now open season on Christians in the corporate world.”
“Julio has a highly effective blog – that’s why he became a target of the Homosexual Lobby. The Left can’t answer his ideas, so they target his funding. By dropping Julio days after the launch of All Out’s “gay” propaganda campaign, PayPal joins the ranks of anti-Christian companies who have taken sides in the Culture War—against committed believers.”
Contact information:
To sign a petition against the persecution of pro-family Christians targeted in PayPal campaign, click here.
Call PayPal at:
1-402-935-2050 (USA)
4:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM Pacific Time Monday through Friday
6:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM Pacific Time Saturday and Sunday
Email PayPal by clicking here and selecting “Email Us”. Non-account-holders can select the option to the right and will be given a form to fill out.
Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
* Homosexual activists seek to cut off PayPal accounts of pro-family organizations
* PayPal launches investigation of pro-family groups following homosexual complaints