Justice determines removal of videos of André Valadão from social networks

This Tuesday (11), the Federal Court in Minas Gerais determined the exclusion of two videos by Pastor André Valadão from Youtube and Instagram. The decision responds to a request from the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), which pointed out the existence of “discriminatory speech” against the LGBTQIA+ population in services held on June 4 and July 2 of this year at the Lagoinha Baptist Church, in the United States .

In the speech considered more critical, Valadão spoke about the consequences of homoaffective activism and mentioned that currently, in the LGBT charts, one sees “naked men and women, with their genitals completely exposed dancing in front of children”. “That door was opened when we treated as normal what the Bible already condemns. So now it’s time to take the strings back, saying ‘no, no, no. You can stop, reset!’. Then God says: ‘I can’t anymore. I already put that rainbow there. If I could, I’d kill everyone and start all over again. But I promised myself I can’t, so it’s up to you,’” he continued.

For MPF prosecutors, the statement can be interpreted as an incitement to violence against homoaffective people. According to federal judge José Carlos Machado Júnior, author of the injunction, the pastor’s statements “exceeded the limits of freedom of expression and belief”.

“The content of the statements (…), even if uttered in a context of religious manifestation, exceeded the limits of freedom of expression and belief, offering a potential risk of inciting in listeners and faithful, feelings of prejudice, aversion and aggression towards citizens of a different sexual orientation than that defended by him”, he argued.

André Valadão says that there is no allusion to aggression or threat in his speech

Since last week, when videos with the statements began to circulate on social networks, Valadão stated that what is circulating is just a cut of an excerpt from his preaching, isolated from the rest of the speech, in order to decontextualize his speech. This Tuesday, he released a note on the repercussions of the case. See the full text:

“I’ve been introspective and prayerful to understand the avalanche of events these last few days. My life and my family’s have been exposed, lies and distorted interpretations have spread. But today I found peace and I want to put things in their right places.

First: I do not admit, I have never admitted and I have never incited any of the faithful who listen to me to attack, injure, offend or cause any kind of harm, physical or emotional, to anyone. I repudiate any attack and use of physical or verbal violence against people because of their sexual orientation. I am against any hate crime and incitement to violence. As a Christian, I hold that God loves the sinner. And sinners we are all, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23. We depend, without exception, on the forgiveness, mercy, and grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Despite all the media repercussion of what I said at the service on July 2nd, I have to say that none of our faithful interpreted what I said the way the press reported it. There are no reports of aggression or threats.”