{"id":14294,"date":"2019-05-17T15:25:06","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T14:25:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/?p=14294"},"modified":"2025-09-19T11:33:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T10:33:36","slug":"israel-folau-sacking-upheld","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/israel-folau-sacking-upheld\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel Folau sacking upheld"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Will<\/a>
Will Israel Folau wear an Australian rugby shirt again?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Australian rugby legend Israel Folau has been sacked by Rugby Australia for posting Christian beliefs on social media.\u00a0 Another Aussie rugby player has also been in trouble for celebrating Christ’s resurrection.<\/p>\n

Both New South Wales Waratah’s star Israel Folau and Queensland Red’s Samu Kerevi posted over Easter on Instagram.<\/p>\n

Sinners need to repent<\/h2>\n

It is Israel Folau who has attracted most of the wrath. His post gave a list of sinners drawn from the Apostle’s Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians with a warning that \u2018Hell awaits you’ and an admonition \u2018Repent! Only Jesus saves.’<\/p>\n

Here’s the offending Bible passage.\u00a0 The apostle uses two different Greek words to describe passive and active sodomites respectively.\u00a0 Moreover he says the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit liberated those caught up in these sins:<\/p>\n

1Cor 6:9\u00a0 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,\u00a0 10\u00a0 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.\u00a0\u00a011\u00a0 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meme lists eight sinners<\/h2>\n

On 4th April 2018, again on Instagram, another user asked him what God’s plan for homosexuals was. Israel Folau replied \u2018HELL. Unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.’ He cited his Christian faith when explaining his views in a column for PlayersVoice<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Rugby Australia’s CEO, Raelene Castle, said that they accepted Folau’s position, though they did not agree with his views. He would not be sanctioned by the organisation.<\/p>\n

\"Israel<\/a>
Israel Folau posted this ‘meme’ but did not even mention homosexuals in the accompanying copy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One year later, on 10th April 2019, Mr Folau posted the widely-available image (of a kind known as a \u2018meme’) on Instagram. Despite listing seven other sinners along with \u2018homosexuals’, the media found gay activists rather than drunks and fornicators to condemn the post.<\/p>\n

The next day, Rugby Australia announced their intention to terminate his contract \u2018in the absence of compelling mitigating factors’.<\/p>\n

Dismissal upheld<\/h2>\n

According to the BBC<\/strong><\/a>, a three-person panel has now found the full-back guilty of a \u2018high level breach’ of RA’s player code of conduct. The panel has upheld the dismissal.<\/p>\n

Israel Folau has won 62 caps for Australia, playing mainly at full back. He has scored 32 tries in a six-year international career. In the domestic competition, he has scored an astonishing 300 points from 60 tries for Waratahs over the same period. As it happens, he became Super Rugby’s top try scorer just before the current row began.<\/p>\n

Izzy Folau is widely regarded as Australia’s current best player. He was seen as crucial to any Australian hopes of a good showing in this autumn’s rugby world cup.\u00a0 And he refuses to back down.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Indeed, New Zealand commentator Bill Ralston wrote<\/strong><\/a>: \u2018With him gone, the Aussies will inevitably blame any defeat they suffer at the hands of the All Blacks on his absence.’<\/p>\n

\u2018Anachronistic’ attitudes<\/h2>\n
\"It<\/a>
It takes two New Zealand All Blacks to bring down Israel Folau.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mr Ralston went on to say Mr Folau’s \u2018attitudes reflect what the clergy have been saying for the past couple of thousand years and it is only in more recent, sinful times that they have become anachronistic.’<\/p>\n

He asked several of his gay friends how they felt about Folau’s eight Instagram commandments. \u2018Most simply rolled their eyes. They know what the God squad think of them already. “Who cares?” seems to be their common response.<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, the Australian Rugby Union obviously cares because it’s firing him for it. Is it an overreaction; an attempt to compensate for rugby’s macho past? The tragedy from a Rugby World Cup perspective is that Folau was the Wallabies’ great hope.<\/p>\n

\u2018I guess what he posted could be seen as hate speech but, seriously, these days, does anyone take offence at being told they are “destined for hell”? As an agnostic idolater, I am not worried or offended. I doubt if the gay community is, either.<\/p>\n

\u2018First, he did not advocate violence, he did not ridicule or abuse in a conventional sense. He simply posted a religious warning that any of those eight groups of folk were going to hell. To be hurt by that, you would have to believe in hell in the first place.’<\/p>\n

Of course homosexuals may play<\/h2>\n

Quite. Moreover never has Israel Folau said homosexuals, nor for that matter drunks, thieves, liars and adulterers, should not play rugby until their day of judgment. If they are up to it, that is.<\/p>\n

\"Gareth<\/a>
Gareth Thomas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Disbelief in hell did not stop a host of twitter users taking to the ether. Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas, who simultaneously retired from international rugby and \u2018came out’ in 2009, tweeted: \u2018I don’t write this with hate or anger after Israel Folau’s comments. I write with sympathy. To everyone who reads it, don’t be influenced by his words. Be the better person and be YOU. Whoever YOU is.. Hell doesn’t await YOU. Happiness awaits YOU.’<\/p>\n

No over-statement there, Gareth.<\/p>\n

Moata Tamaira, whoever he or she is, did not \u2018mind Israel Folau being a Christian in the privacy of his own home (or church) but could he not flaunt it everywhere? Like, there could be kids, you know?’<\/p>\n

Well, yes, Moata, there could be.\u00a0 Responsibility towards the next generation is just one reason us Christians feel obliged to exercise our prophetic duty.<\/p>\n

Building a \u2018new inclusive society’<\/h2>\n

One Adam Thomson decided: \u2018It has become painfully clear that Israel Folau just doesn’t belong in the game of Rugby Union. His continued spread of religious fanatical bigotry is beyond dangerous to the values of the game, and to the new inclusive society we are working so hard to build.’<\/p>\n

Thanks, Adam, for sharing what is really behind the outrage. It’s to do with being seen as politically correct. In 2013, the Australian Rugby Union started an \u2018inclusion policy’ to \u2018stamp out homophobia throughout rugby in Australia’. There would be \u2018anti-homophobia programs for young players, along with high-profile players taking a leading role in public awareness campaigns.’ Christians, of course, are not \u2018included’ in the new inclusive society.<\/p>\n

The announcement was timed to coincide with the countdown to something called the \u2018Bingham Cup’, known as the gay Rugby World Cup, which was held in Sydney in August 2014. Israel Folau supported the Bingham Cup, as it happens.<\/p>\n

ARU chief executive Bill Pulver said<\/strong><\/a>, \u2018Obviously, it’s consistent with other policies we have to eliminate all forms of discrimination and treat everybody with respect and dignity.’<\/p>\n

Same-sex \u2018marriage’<\/h2>\n

Mr Pulver even went so far as to endorse same-sex \u2018marriage’ in his ARU capacity in a vote in Australia in November 2017.<\/p>\n

Israel Folau wrote in his 2018 article<\/strong><\/a>: \u2018I didn’t agree with Bill Pulver taking a stance on the same-sex marriage vote on behalf of the whole organisation, but I understand the reasons behind why he did.’<\/p>\n

I think we all do. It’s that political correctness again. This side of the world, England rugby No8 Billy Vunipola supported Israel Folau with an Instagram post which said: \u2018Man was made for woman to pro create that was the goal no?’ He was issued with a formal warning by the Rugby Football Union for this \u2018homophobic comment.’\u00a0 He was also summoned to talks by the RFU.<\/p>\n

\"Committed<\/a>
Samu KereviCommitted Christian Samu Kerevi captains Queensland Reds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thank you Jesus<\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, fellow rugby star Samu Kerevi has apologised for \u2018offending’ fans after declaring \u2018I love Jesus’ in an Easter Instagram post.<\/p>\n

The Queensland Reds captain shared a Bible verse on his Instagram account. The Fijian-born sports star posted a picture of him from a recent match with the caption: \u2018For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’
\nThe 25-year-old added: \u2018Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love you Jesus.’<\/p>\n

The Daily Mail headlined the story<\/strong><\/a>: \u2018This is Australia in 2019: Rugby star apologises for “offending fans” after declaring “I love Jesus”.’<\/p>\n

The irony was, most fans supported Mr Kerevi. Just a minority questioned \u2018whether he would show publicly declare his support for gay Australians.’<\/p>\n

No backing down<\/h2>\n

Even in his \u2018apology’, the rugby ace did not back down. Mr Kerevi dedicated it to \u2018anyone that I have offended in giving praise to our God on a weekend that we take off to celebrate his sacrifice for you and I’.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Queensland Rugby declined to comment \u2018as Kerevi had quoted a text from the Bible celebrating Easter’.<\/p>\n

READ<\/strong>: Luke 14:27,33; John 3:16, 7:7, 15:8; 1Cor 6:9-11; Eph 6:13; Phil 3:8,14, 4:13; 2Tim 4:2: Rev 7:13-14..<\/p>\n

PRAY<\/strong>: For justice as God sees it. Thank God for the stand of men like Messrs Folau, Kerevi and Vunipola. Praise God for their Christian faith.\u00a0 Izzy Folau is a man prepared to walk away from rugby for his Christian faith. He is an example to us in that regard. And at a time when Christians feel obliged to apologise just for posting resurrection truth, pray for Christians in sport, pray for confusion amongst those using sport to promote wickedness and out of that, repentance.<\/p>\n

We’ll value your support.\u00a0 Find out how to join Christian Voice and stand up for the King of kings<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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