04/07/2019
Israel Folau issued a Tweet that paraphrased a Bible passage, saying: “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters” would all go to hell, unless they repented.
The disgusting implication that people should have to repent, or apologise, for being different, most especially in respect of sexuality and religion, is abhorrent.
This was obviously the view of Rugby Australia, who considered his obscene tweets to be a breach of his contract and fired him. They had every right to do so. Folau wears the jersey of the Australian Rugby team and represents them on the public stage. When he issues a tweet, he is doing so as a very famous employee of Rugby Australia. When his public statements bring the game of rugby into dispute, and tarnish the name of Rugby Australia, they have every right to terminate his contract.
Many contracts of employment include morality clauses. Every such contract that I can remember signing has included a clause referring to bringing the company into disrepute.
'Bringing the company into disrepute' generally refers to the employee acting in a way which is incompatible with the employer's public profile or values. It would include doing something which would ordinarily be offensive or which reflects badly on the employer by association.
Folau's tweet most certainly breaches such a clause.
Sydney’s Anglican Archbishop, Glenn Davies, has defended Folau’s “right as a citizen to speak of what he believes without threat to his employment”. In 2018, this Archbishop instructed 34 Anglican headmasters and headmistresses to sign an open letter demanding the law continue to allow them to sack gay teachers and expel gay students. Clearly, his xenophobic behaviour towards members of the LGBT community is the driver behind both his persecution of gays and his support for Folau. It is also, I believe, hypocritical.
The fact that he feels he has been wronged, does not mean that he has been. If he, as an individual, wishes to hold such antiquated and ill-judged views, that is his right.
But, when he shares them in such a public manner as a tweet to his 135,800 followers he is associating Rugby Australia with those views.
Had Falou apologised for his tweet and perhaps sought to engage with the LGBT community in developing his understanding and empathy with those who are different to him, maybe you could see a way back for him into his national team. However, he hasn't apologised and he hasn't reached out to those he insulted; instead, he has made the situation worse by seeking funding for his ill-judged legal action against Rugby Australia.
If people of faith wish to create more division and hatred in this world, then stirring up illogical attacks against people who don't hold the same views as them is a surefire way of doing it. But it shows us that extremism in religion is just as rife in the Christian faith as any other.
The ugliness of these religious zealots must be something that the rest of society stands up to and condemns.
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