News

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

  See Part I at https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07082810.html

  SAO PAULO, August 29, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com)

LifeSiteNews.com: What are the tactics used by the pro-abortion and homosexual movements in Brazil?

Julio Severo: They are undermining rights linked to family and sexuality. There are pervasive propaganda efforts showing that women are vulnerable and need state protection. Then they are trained for empowerment, to understand that the ideal life is to enter the work force, put the children in the dayschool, etc.

  In the sexual area, abortion has been systematically presented as a health issue, not a criminal issue.  IPPF [International Planned Parenthood Federation] has been very active in the abortion debate in Brazil, introducing statistics on the abortion impact on Brazilian women. There are also similar reports by the Alan Gutmacher Institute.  Brazil is a signatory of CEDAW [Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women] and other UN documents, without any opposition, because the Brazilian people were not aware of their risks.  Only recently have pro-lifers been getting involved in the role of our government in the UN, but I fear that it is too late, because Brazil has already signed all major UN documents.

LifeSiteNews.com: What has been the effect of the election of Luiz Lula on the politics of human life and human sexuality in Brazil?

Julio Severo: Disastrous for two reasons:  1) He was supported by a majority of Christians, who were misled by progressive Catholic and evangelical leaders. 2) He himself misled Christians to become president, because during the election campaigns he told everybody that he was a God-fearing man, that he respected family values, that after his victory he would not let his government promote and get involved in the abortion and homosexual issues. Then you can see that many people were misled.

LifeSiteNews.com: How were they misled?  What has Lula’s conduct been since he entered office?

Julio Severo: Now abortion and homosexual “rights” are advancing in a fast pace. He has publicly defended and supported gay parades. He has publicly defended explicit sex education. He has publicly spurned moral and Christian values.  His Minister of Health has publicly supported abortion. His Minister for Women Affairs, who worked in the Brazilian delegation in the UN supporting abortion rights, is now promoting such “rights” in national policies for women.

LifeSiteNews.com: Does the content of Lula’s sex education programs contradict traditional sexual morality?

Julio Severo: Yes, because it has transmitted values, but not traditional values.  Such education accepts sex without marriage, sex only for pleasure—for children and teens!  It teaches them how to avoid pregnancy and sexual diseases, but it does not teach them how to get prepared for marriage.  In fact, it does not teach in any way anything positive about marriage, husband, wife, etc.  Children at school cannot be exposed or taught about the traditional role for men and women.  Instead, they learn that women can do anything men do. Sports cannot be limited for one sex only in schools. For teens, education is more elaborated and “advanced”.  In the schools, there is no mention of “wife” or “husband”.  Usually, government propaganda uses “wife” and “husband” in negative contexts, like wife-battering, etc.

LifeSiteNews.com: You wrote a book in 1998 called “The Homosexual Movement” in Portuguese. Why did you choose to write this book in 1998, and what is it about?

Julio Severo says: Well, the initial inspiration came in March 1995. It was a spiritual urging, in fact.  I felt God telling in my heart that I should write a book on the homosexual movement, but I was afraid, because in that time to get involved in homosexual issues was shameful. Yet, after some time I decided to answer to this urging.  And I saw the confirmation of such a need when ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) had its first meeting in the Southern Hemisphere, in Rio de Janeiro, in July 1995 (I think that this is the right month, but I am not sure).  It took three years to be written.  When it was published, many people said that it was unnecessary.

LifeSiteNews.com: Does it only cover homosexual activism in Brazil, or worldwide?

Julio Severo: It discusses the timid activism in Brazil, presenting evidence that Brazilian groups were receiving support and know-how from American groups. It also showed many examples of the aggressive advance of the homosexual movement in America and Europe and how Brazilian groups would eventually copy their American and European counterparts.  Back in late 1990s people used to tell me that Brazil would never suffer such violent promotion of the homosexual agenda.  Now, my book is very outdated, because the Brazilian gay movement ran ahead of all the warnings of my book!

LifeSiteNews.com: You have recently written another book, this time on prayer.  Is it also related to human life and sexuality issues?

Julio Severo says: Yes! It teaches how to pray for our families, work and about government. It teaches also how to pray against the promotion of abortion and homosexual issues. This book has my pro-life imprint!

LifeSiteNews.com: Recently, homosexual activists attempted to silence your blog, juliosevero.blogspot.com.  At that time, the Brazilian philosopher Olavo de Carvalho wrote in a national newspaper: “Julio Severo, as a reprisal against his moral crusade, now has his social and professional life totally destroyed. He is the most discriminated against and persecuted of Brazilians.  He cannot confront, alone, a gigantic mass movement subsidized by billionaire foundations that, having made itself out to be a victim persecuted by a solitary and poor adversary, now shows a monstrous, cynical, and perverse dishonesty.”  What kind of persecution have you received from the homosexual movement in Brazil?

Julio Severo: The initial persecution was by a homosexual government official in my former town.  Frequently, I have received threats by email. There was also an explicit threat against me, published online.  Besides, there are articles calling me names and inventing homosexual lies about me.

LifeSiteNews.com: What were the threats?

Julio Severo: More recently I was informed about attempts by Luiz Mott [the leader of Brazil’s homosexual movement] to find my address. The article online said “Vamos dar um fim físico ao maníaco Julio Severo”; Let us physically destroy the maniac Julio Severo.

LifeSiteNews.com: These threats are on homosexual websites?

Julio Severo: They have been posted in major leftist websites.  I have received an email where gay writer Fabricio Viana threatened to sue me. I have received it in August. My lawyer told me that while they do not know my physical address, I am secure.

LifeSiteNews.com: What are your thoughts about Brazil’s future?  Do you see any signs of hope?

Julio Severo: I think Brazil is in a fast spiral destructive course. Its great weakness was believing the left and liberal ideology.  These ideologies are eating the Brazilian society as a cancer, eroding family and religious values.  I think that the only hope is a strong pro-life and pro-family movement detached from the leftist contamination so common in Brazilian politics and society.

LifeSiteNews.com: Do you see such a movement emerging in Brazil today?

Julio Severo: I see a very small pro-life movement, and the good news is that Evangelicals are getting involved.

  For more information about Julio Severo’s struggle in Brazil:

  His blog in English: https://lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com
  His blog in Portuguese: https://juliosevero.blogspot.com
  His email can be found at this address: https://www.blogger.com/profile/03079977728841299575

  Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

  Plan to Shut Down Blog of Brazil Pro-Family Leader Backfires