If Folau can be sacked for quoting it, we must ban the Bible

The absurdity of the Israel Folau saga is that when this matter is heard in the Federal Court, he will be asked to swear an oath using the same book he was sacked for quoting from, writes Peta Credlin.

There’s a lot at stake for Israel Folau in his fight against Rugby Australia.

But more at stake for us. To characterise his social media post as a hateful rant that warrants the sack from his employer is wrong.

These weren’t his words. He is a man of deep Christian faith and, whether you agree with him or not, he quoted a passage from the Bible.

RELATED: Behind the Israel Folau GoFundMe saga

The absurdity of it is that when this matter is heard in the Federal Court, he will be asked to swear an oath using the same book he was sacked for quoting from.

When Parliament returns tomorrow, almost all of the Coalition MPs will take their oath of office the same way, while the vast majority of Labor MPs will instead make an affirmation, using no religious book.

If we allow people to be sacked for quoting the Bible, what next? Picture: iStock

If getting sacked for quoting the Bible is upheld at law in this country, then it surely follows we must ban the Bible for its offensive content.

MORE FROM PETA CREDLIN: Euthanasia isn’t dying with dignity, it’s suicide

At least, there’ll be a push to diminish its standing.

Some want to use Israel Folau to legislate religious freedoms or worse, reopen the left’s battle for a national Bill of Rights. That’s why people like Gillian Triggs and George Williams have joined the debate, hoping to use the public’s support for Folau to reinvigorate the cause.

MORE FROM PETA CREDLIN: Do coal-hating hipsters realise their hypocrisy?

Beware Australia. This is a fight for free speech, not a trojan horse to shut down relevant criticism of religion (“Islamophobia” comes to mind) which badly drafted religious freedom laws would do, or dangerously remake our culture, like the EU rights charter has done.

Peta Credlin is a News Corp Australia columnist and Sky News presenter.

Originally published as If Folau can be sacked for quoting it, we must ban the Bible