Editorial: Israel Folau’s homophobic beliefs are not the views of the ‘silent majority’

Donors are flocking to a GoFundMe page set up with the premise of supporting “religious freedom”, but Israel Folau’s fight with Rugby Australia was never about religious freedom — and his views are out of step with the majority of Australians.

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Whenever people feel they are being left behind by social change, they call themselves the “silent majority” and leap online to find a community of like-minded souls to agree with them.

That’s what is happening with Israel Folau’s request for people to “support freedom of religion” by giving him their hard-earned money.

Israel Folau’s fight with Rugby Australia was never about religious freedom. Picture: Mark Kolbe

Donors are leaping aboard the footballer’s GoFundMe page to donate to one of this country’s highest-paid athletes — essentially because they share his reservations about gay people.

Folau lost his job as a Wallaby after Rugby Australia asked him to delete homophobic social media posts in which he said gay people were going to hell, and compared them to thieves and liars.

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Rugby Australia rightly drew a line, telling Folau it had an obligation to ensure the young people who idolise rugby players did not feel vilified.

Qantas, a major sponsor of the Wallabies, told Rugby Australia it would leave it to handle the issue. RA correctly anticipated Qantas, which has been one of the strongest corporate sponsors of diversity, did not want its brand associated with homophobia.

Israel Folau preaching at his church.

And now Folau, no doubt, will be taking succour from the $500,000-plus that has been donated to ensure he doesn’t have to dip into his personal fortune to pay his legal bills.

This was never about religious freedom. Nobody ever told Israel Folau he was not allowed to believe gays are going to hell, or preach such messages in his local church, or talk to his friends about it.

Rugby Australia’s edict was that, as one of its employees, he was not allowed to use his enormous rugby-inspired social media following to preach values that are totally at odds with the code’s best interests, or the best interests of its fans.

Employers impose rules like this all the time: While you work for us, you will adhere to our values in your public pronouncements. That was it.

For those who do share Folau’s view that LGBTI people are “going to hell”, take a look at the result of the marriage equality postal survey: 7.8 million Australians voted to allow same-sex marriage. 4.8 million voted against.

The “silent majority” clearly believes gay and lesbian people deserve the same rights as everyone else.

Originally published as Editorial: Israel Folau’s homophobic beliefs are not the views of the ‘silent majority’