Tell me again: how did the legalisation of homosexuality improve our society? Criticism of homosexual behavior is now all but impossible in Australia without putting your existence at risk.
ARL boss Peter Beattie has released a statement saying ‘Folau doesn’t pass our inclusiveness culture’ and ‘after talking to some commissioners tonight, we don’t support him playing rugby league again’.
Since when is “inclusiveness culture” a thing and since when are Christians forbidden from speaking about their beliefs?
Israel Folau’s multi-million dollar Wallabies contract to be TORN UP after posting another anti-gay message on social media
Rugby Australia has vowed to terminate Folau’s multimillion-dollar contract unless he can explain his social media post, in which he declared that hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”.
- Folau, 30, shared a ‘warning’ to people including homosexuals in Instagram post
- The star fullback said they were going to hell unless they repented from ‘sins’
- Rugby Australia said post was ‘unacceptable’, integrity unit was investigating
- Devout Christian has shared similar sentiments in the past and been warned
Rugby Australia will tear up Israel Folau’s contract after the star’s latest anti-gay message on social media.
Both Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Rugby Union made attempts to contact Folau and his representatives since he made the controversial posts on Wednesday night.
But the 30-year-old hadn’t responded to either organisation by Thursday night, Rugby Australia said, as it announced the probable end of his career.
‘In the absence of mitigating circumstances, it is our intention to terminate his contract,’ an RA statement on Thursday.
Broadcaster Alan Jones says the decision to sack Israel Folau over his latest social media attack on homosexuals is a “slippery slope” for free speech in Australia.
“Out there, people now are terrified of saying anything; they don’t know what they can say,” Jones said on 2GB on Friday morning.
The devout Christian has shared similar sentiments in the past and was warned by Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle. Pictured: Folau’s post on Wednesday
‘Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport. We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts.
‘Israel has failed to understand that the expectation of him as a Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs employee is that he cannot share material on social media that condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality.’
The star player sparked outrage when he shared a ‘warning’ to ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters’ to Instagram on Wednesday, saying ‘hell awaits’ them.
The devout Christian had shared similar sentiments in the past and was previously warned not to do so by Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle.
In February, Folau signed a multi-million dollar contract extension with the New South Wales Waratahs and Rugby Australia until the end of 2022.
Widely considered as one of the game’s best players, Folau became Super Rugby’s all-time leading try scorer on Saturday.
His post on Wednesday warned that those ‘living in sin will end up in Hell unless you repent’.
‘Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him,’ Folau posted alongside two bible verses.
The star fullback also retweeted a story about Tasmania allowing gender to be optional on birth certificates.
A Rugby Australia spokesman said Folau’s post was ‘unacceptable’ and that the organisation’s integrity unit was ‘engaged on the matter’. Pictured: Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle
‘The devil has blinded so many people in this world, REPENT and turn away from your evil ways. Turn to Jesus Christ who will set you free,’ Folau tweeted.
In April 2018, Folau said gay people deserved to go to ‘HELL… unless they repent of their sins and turn to God’.
Folau made the comment on Instagram in reply to a question about God’s plan for gay people.
His comments forced a meeting with Ms Castle and Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore, after major Wallabies sponsor Qantas said Folau’s statements were ‘very disappointing’.
Ms Castle acknowledged Folau had caused ‘grief to some people’.
‘Israel has presented his situation to us, where his views are, where his beliefs are,’ Ms Castle said.
Widely considered as one of the game’s best players, Folau (pictured) became Super Rugby’s all-time leading try scorer on Saturday
‘But at the same time Rugby Australia has also got a policy and a position of inclusion and using social media with respect.
‘Now both of us are going to go away and continue that dialogue, and work through how we continue to use how our social media platforms in a way that can ensure that all of our stakeholders are respected in the use of social media.’
He made headlines in April last year when he threatened to walk away from the game all together rather than back down on his religious beliefs.
During 2017’s same sex-marriage vote, Folau tweeted that he would not be supporting any change to the existing law.
‘I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions, but personally, I will not support gay marriage,’ he said.
Folau married New Zealand netball star Maria Tutaia in 2017.
He was raised as a Mormon and switched to the Australian Christian Churches with his family in 2011.
Surprisingly, Folau was once the poster boy for the world’s leading gay rugby tournament, the Bingham Cup.
Folau and teammate Ashley-cooper also posed for a cover photo in 2014 for the Star Observer – a magazine for the lesbian, gay bisexual transgender and intersex communities.