[Other Sport] Israel Folau - Christian Martyr

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This is the contradiction. You are allowed to tell me I'm not going to heaven and no-one thinks anything of it. Folau tells me that, and he's banned.

Remember he was not condemning homosexuals alone. He was also condemning people who get drunk; people who have sexual intercourse outside marriage; people who lie; single people who have sex with other single people; people who steal; people who don't believe in God; and people who worship false gods. All of those things, apart from stealing, are legal. Why do homosexuals get special protection that fornicators do not get? There are a lot more fornicators, after all.

There is a problem with the most vocal elements of the LGBT lobby, in that they are intolerant. I mean to say, Martina Navratilova got chucked out of the club for having the wrong views on LGBTness! It's a very narrow church. (So to speak.) Tolerance means allowing other people to have different views; it does not have to mean agreeing that those views are right. Tolerance means allowing the unmarried couple to live together, the menage a trois to continue, the homosexuals to live together, the married man to have an affair with his neighbour, without starting witch hunts or burning them in effigy; tolerance means you accept that they can live that way but it doesn't mean you have to approve.

Plenty of people don't like Christians and say so in pretty strong terms. It doesn't mean they are intolerant.

Bollocks. You seriously don't get it.

 

[Beach Hut]

It's basically an employment matter. It's in his contract that he cannot publicly say these type of things, it's now the 2nd time he's said theses things.
When you play for the National team you represent all Australians.
It's similar to when Glenn Hoddle had a go at people with disabilities.

So 3 Australian cricketers caught blatantly cheating are allowed back after a ban, yet he might be totally banned for life ?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Glenn Hoddle didn't "have a go at people with disabilities". He expressed a pretty mainstream Buddhist view, that what you do in a previous life affects where you are now. Humans have been wonderful in previous lives, fruit flies rather less wonderful.

He said it at least twice, publicly. It didn't get much publicity the first time because England were playing well. The second time, England were doing badly so the professional troublemakers in the press decided to stir the pot.

Could a Buddhist ever have a responsible job in the UK?

Again, bollocks. Hodders is not a Buddist. He's a . . . .(wait for it) . . .Christian (of the not very clever wing).

 

[dsr-burnley]

Again, bollocks. Hodders is not a Buddist. He's a . . . .(wait for it) . . .Christian (of the not very clever wing).

Hoddle basically invented his own religion. The reincarnation bit has no basis whatsoever in Christianity, but is mainstream in Buddhism.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Wow,

I thought the only subject you'd be able to write that much about would be "the art of long ball"!

It scores goals!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Hoddle basically invented his own religion. The reincarnation bit has no basis whatsoever in Christianity, but is mainstream in Buddhism.

Indeed. 'A bit thick' would be my verdict.

 

[Acker79]

What would people's reaction be if he was muslim? I can see two schools of thought -

the right saying if he was muslim all you liberals would be preaching religious tolerance, it's political correctness gone made, you snowflake

and

the left saying if he was muslim you'd be condemning him for hate, condemning him for trying to convert us islam is all about growing islam and wiping out other beliefs!

So, at some point, maybe now unless people still have a few arguments to throw out there, just to keep the thread interesting, can we all start imagining he is a muslim preaching hate and conversion to his religion, and then every start arguing that hypothetical. Could be fun to see lots of posters swich sides (though not all, I know you don't fit into the above generalisation)...

 

[Eeyore]

Religion?

FFS

There is no god. Who cares what some fool thinks 'god' has told him?

This isn't even about 'theology' (the philosophical analysis of ghosts). This nobber has chosen a position because it suits his homophobia.

Tis a Greek word

Theo- (Theos) means God

You obviously didn't go to bible college

 

[colinz]

So 3 Australian cricketers caught blatantly cheating are allowed back after a ban, yet he might be totally banned for life ?

It depends on what's written into your employment contract. I think Folau can return if he makes a public apology, the 3 cricketers have.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Tis a Greek word

Theo- (Theos) means God

You obviously didn't go to bible college

I went to confirmation studies. St Nick's, Portslade. The Reverand Hellaby (sic). He was more than happy to talk to himself and then pass the class. Emotional. (not).

Top Theo? Kojak? Walcot. Not very good. Who knew?

 

[Eeyore]

I went to confirmation studies. St Nick's, Portslade. The Reverand Hellaby (sic). He was more than happy to talk to himself and then pass the class. Emotional. (not).

Top Theo? Kojak? Walcot. Not very good. Who knew?

Theodore Roosevelt ? That's the only one I can think of.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Isn't that something about not getting tattoo's ?

Of which Falau has two sleeves done, highlighting his potential hypocrisy. On matters of sexuality Falau takes a very strict interpretation. Re tattoos, not so much. That may well be due to his pacific island heritage though. Tattoos are very much a cultural thing.

My own personal view? Cant argue with what [MENTION=29192]Brighton Lines[/MENTION] said in post #4.

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

 

[colinz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQf5jL3a4iU

 

[darkwolf666]

A proper Christian would prioritise the teachings of Jesus over those of the older 'discovered' Deuteronomic books of law. Jesus says nothing about homosexuality (or tattoos) - though of course, if Jesus had followed Mosaic law he would not have been brought up to be in favour of them.

Under Mosaic law are you allowed pictures on your body made up of lots of little tiles?

 

[Pavilionaire]

No.

He is entitled to believe that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God. I believe it isn't.

His reference to the hell awaiting homosexuals, among others, on the face of it may seem aggressive and hateful. From the outside it can appear that way. However, his call, from his religious viewpoint, was to repent and be saved. I don't regard this as the same thing. He was not making a hateful discourse in his own eyes, not like, say, an extremist who calls for all such people to be prosecuted or even put to death.

Cultural norms shift over time. Only half a century ago the warped understanding of the acceptance of a number of things was much different to today. And that lack of reason was aggressive and hateful. We have changed. I do not think Israel Folau is a hateful person. I just think he has a wrong and outdated understanding of salvation and relatedness to the creator. My view might be different of others who say similar things because I believe their views are fueled by hatred.

The decision to ban him has its source not in reason but fear of a political backlash. He should be challenged not banned. That is how we develop a productive discourse in society.

But that doesn't deal with the issue that he's voluntarily put out there his personal views that conflict with the beliefs and values of his employer, values which they regard as integral to their sport.

He's acted unprofessionally and compromised rugby by his actions. He deserves his ban.

 

[father_and_son]

Everyone has the right to think what they think. Expressing it in a public forum is fraught because most people with 'extreme' views generally dislike having them challenged, but it remains ok so long as it doesn't incite hatred/violence/etc.

Those in a position of being a public role model who have signed a behaviour contract who then break their contract lose their jobs, just as they could for ANY other breach of their contract.

He had a right to his Christian beliefs but not the right to breach his contract.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Is he dead?

He was thrown to the Lions though and ended up losing - quite literally in fact - he made his international Rugby Union debut for Australia against them in Brisbane in 2013 in a 21-23 defeat for the Wallabies.

 

[WATFORD zero]

As I understand it, no one is stopping him playing amateur rugby.

It's his employers who have objected to what he said and therefor won't pay him to play rugby. I can think of more than a few occasions during my working career where I may have been seeking alternative employment if I had said what I really thought

 

[jamie (not that one)]

Not just homophobic comments... "Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators - Hell awaits you."

When's someone going to stand up for us drunks, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators?

I'm doing my best through actions not words.