The real problem with our Israel Folau outrage

Having an opinion on whether or not Israel Folau’s social media post broke the rules of his contract is one thing, but why are we not acknowledging that those throwing their arms up don’t believe in Hell anyway?

Hands up all those who believe in hell? How about heaven?

Most people would assert, I suspect, that there are no such places.

I was bought up a Catholic and taught the dogma of that faith as a child by nuns who painted a vivid and terrifying picture of the flames and torments of hell. To ensure we were suitably terrified, we were given “holy pictures” which depicted the sufferings of those souls doomed to its fiery pit for all eternity which was where we were told we’d be headed, no questions asked, if we committed a serious sin and died before making it to confession.

RELATED: Who cares what a footy player thinks?

I take a more circumspect view these days, choosing to believe in a higher being and an afterlife of some sort while uncertain as to what form this might take. I’ll find out if I’m right in due course but hope it’s not any time soon.

What I find intriguing is the level of absolute fury the well reported remarks of Israel Folau, condemning drunks, gays, fornicators and others to hell have generated.

The level of absolute fury over Folau’s comments condemning drunks, gays, fornicators and others to hell have generated has been astounding. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

I would hazard a well-founded guess that none of the people who have expressed their outrage believe in hell so why all the fuss? What does it matter if someone says you are going to a place which you don’t believe exists?

If he’d said he believed that when they died, the souls of the fornicators and all the rest would be placed on a raft which would then sail off the edge of the earth, the earth being flat, there’d be laughter and derision but no hysterical calls for his sacking.

RELATED: Whose freedom of speech is more important?

You can’t reasonably be upset by the prospect of going somewhere which you believe exists only in someone else’s mind.

The other possibility is that all those people crying for Folau’s head to be delivered — like St John’s if you’ll excuse a blatant biblical reference — on a platter, harbour a fear he may be right and hell really does exist.

If this is the case, then I can understand their ire. I’ve still got some of those holy pictures filed away somewhere and it’s not the sort of place you want to be going.

Many of those taking issue with Folau’s comments don’t believe or Heaven and Hell in the first place. Picture:AP/Rick Rycroft

Think Brisbane on a really hot, stinking, humid summer’s day and throw in some fire and brimstone. Not nice.

If, then, you harbour the faintest suspicion Folau is right in his estimation of hell, you must surely also accept the existence of heaven and if you accept a vision of heaven then you don’t have to move much further to embrace one of God.

Does this then mean Folau’s accusers are closet believers, who publicly reject religious belief while privately wondering if they are backing the wrong horse?

RELATED: Folau’s fall is a taste of what’s to come

I’ve taken the coward’s way out. I reason that if I’m right then I’ll be laughing when my time comes and if I’m wrong, then I’m not going to know any different.

All that’s required of me in the meantime is to treat other people as I would have them treat me and to follow the dictum which was drummed into us as children, which was to do the right thing.

I don’t always succeed but I give it a good shot. If more people tried to do so, the country would be a better place.

[e-mail]

Originally published as The real problem with our Israel Folau outrage