From "More Details on the Proposed Brazil Law to Jail Pastors who Preach Homosexual Activity is Sin" by Gudrun Schultz, posted 3/22/07 at Lifesite.net
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, March 22, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Legislation under consideration by the Brazilian Senate that would make any public expression of opposition to homosexuality a crime poses a serious threat to religious freedom in the country, a legal expert warned earlier this week.
...Dr. Zenóbio Fonseca, a juridical consultant and college professor, said Christians would be particularly vulnerable to conviction and jail sentencing for teaching against homosexuality, as the legislation would affect "any individual or group--including churches--that doesn't accept homosexual behavior or sexual orientation as an acceptable practice or social pattern in any public or private place."
Dr. Fonseca cited articles 8º-A and 8º-B of the bill, which would penalize any attempt to restrict homosexual expression:
"Article 8-A: To hinder or restrict the expression and the manifestation of affection in public or private places open to all people, because of characteristics foreseen in the 1st article of this Law: Penalty: between 2 (two) and 5 (five) years of incarceration".
"Article 8-B: To forbid the free expression and manifestation of affection of a homosexual, bisexual or transgender citizen, when these expressions and manifestations are allowed to other citizens: Penalty: between 2 (two) and 5 (five) years of incarceration".
While some have argued that religious freedom would be protected under the Brazilian Constitutional guarantee of freedom of faith, religion and worship, Dr. Fonseca pointed out that the legislation would establish sexual orientation as a universal human principle under the Constitution.
...Even if churches would be excused from the legislation's effects, individual Christians would be affected when, "in living and defending Christian values, the daily practice of their faith conflicts with homosexuality."
"That is the worst threat of the bill," Dr. Fonseca stated, "because it will hit any Christian expressing a view contrary to the free expression of the sexual orientation ideology and its values, that have been institutionalized as government programs, in the politics favorable to the GLBT population, in the federal program Brazil Without Homophobia, through the Ministry of the Culture, Education, Health and National Secretary of Human Rights."
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