On 10 April, Israel Folau, a high-profile Australian rugby union player, posted a summary of 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 on social media. He added that: ‘hell awaits people who don’t repent.’
Folau also sent a Tweet criticising the Tasmanian parliament, which has become the first Australian state to make it legally optional to list gender on birth certificates.
These actions caused an inevitable firestorm of protest from several quarters. The result of which has seen Folau sacked from the national team. From being first on the team list, Folau has been axed after being found guilty of breaching their code of conduct. He was also told he would not be able to return to the National Rugby League either, where he started his career.
Furthermore, his sponsor dropped him for his ‘homophobic’ post.
Wise as serpents?
In 2018 he had been warned not to use social media in controversial ways, as he had posted something similar. Was it sensible of him to repeat the ‘offence’ knowing that he risked losing his positive influence as a Christian over people if he were to be removed from his prestigious position? Is a social media post going to convince anyone that they are a sinner? Should he have obeyed his employers and abided by the rules they laid out for him (these are disputed and form the basis of the legal wranglings taking place)?
Yet, in relation to the 1 Corinthians text, why were opponents not worried about swindlers, idolaters, or the greedy being greeted by the fires of hell? Why was it that those who vilified Folau did not note that sin and hell are imaginary for the unbeliever?
Whatever the answers, what unfolded draws attention to the downward trajectory of society into a world where the Ancient Greek ideals of relationships have swamped Christian ethics.
Guilt by association
For liking Folau’s message, England player Billy Vunipola was also given an official warning by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The 26-year-old posted a message that supported Folau for speaking of his Christian beliefs, adding that ‘man was created for women to procreate.’ This also led to widespread condemnation. In fact Vunipola was booed at his next match.
Easter message
Samu Kerevi of the Queensland Reds rugby team took to Instagram around Easter to post the text of John 3:16 with the comment: ‘Thank You, Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love You, Jesus.’ At this, some fans felt Kerevi was siding with Folau.
Kerevi then issued the following: ‘I apologise to anyone 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’. He later clarified on Instagram: ‘To be clear, I’m not apologising for my faith in Jesus Christ my Saviour... God will always come first in my life and many other professional rugby players.’
Adding his support, Taniela Tupou, a fellow player, said ‘all the other Pacific Islands rugby players’ should be sacked too as we have the same Christian beliefs’.
Haskell puts the boot in
In an online interview, James Haskell, the recently retired England forward, used obscene language as he discussed Folau and his beliefs. He stated that taking an orthodox view of the Bible is a ‘road map to killing people’. Unsurprisingly, his tirade did not receive a sanction by the RFU.
All Bible-believing Christians are finding that, as more Christians kick into touch the culturally unfavourable parts of the Bible, the unbenevolent are able to score easy points. Haskell did just that.
Haskell calls people to imagine: ‘Waking up every day… wanting to… act in a certain way [but not being] able to do it.’ and to imagine ‘how uncomfortable that would be.’ He claims this on behalf of those he viewed as being attacked by Folau. However, it is now the likes of Folau, Vunipola, Tupou, and many other Christian athletes (or otherwise) who are now having to wake up each day unable to be who they want to be.
Last month en ran a news item on home schoolers which it stated wasn’t about home schooling, and similarly this piece on rugby players isn’t just about rugby.
