Folau’s fall is a taste of what’s to come under Labor
If you think the treatment of rugby star Israel Folau is the worst we’re going to see, think again. If elected, the Shorten Labor government has got its own grand plans of what comes next, writes Miranda Devine.
As Israel Folau was being crucified by Rugby Australia in a code of conduct hearing over his use of Bible quotes on Instagram, faithful Christians glimpsed a frightening view of the future if Labor wins power in two weeks.
Rainbow activists have been after Folau for over a year. He was a big scalp to act as a deterrent for others, and who cares if he’s been driven to despair over nothing.
Rugby boss Raelene Castle’s insensitivity has been devastating to the sport, since more than half of players, from the grassroots up, are, like Folau, of Polynesian background and devout Christians.
MORE FROM MIRANDA DEVINE: Virtue police punishing Folau are missing the point
Whatever way Folau’s case goes, Rugby Australia looks to lose a reported $12 million. Its Polynesian players (who comprise more than half the playing stock) are mutinous, as we saw from Wallabies star hooker Taniela Tupou’s Facebook post last week: “Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs.
“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had nothing to do with rugby anyways.”
It’s painful to watch.
Yet, if Labor wins the election, Folau’s persecutors will only be empowered, as any notion of religious freedom flies out the window.
Bill Shorten responded reassuringly to a question in Friday’s Sky News debate from grandmother Kerry about Folau being “thrown to the lions”.
“People of faith are entitled to practice their faith,” he said. “There should be freedom of religion on this country.”
He used the same soothing language to me in a Catholic school in Perth earlier in the week when I asked about religious freedom.
Labor gave similar reassurances to Christian Schools Australia in a private meeting, according to executive officer Mark Spencer.
RELATED: Who cares what a footy player thinks?
“They have talked to us about using employment conditions to ensure our faith values are maintained. [But] you can’t contract out of what the law allows you to do”.
Despite Shorten trying to be all things to all people, he is throwing people of faith to the lions.
Take Labor’s answers to questions from LGBTIQ lobby group Equality Australia in which it vows to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to remove exemptions for religious schools, which will have the effect of stopping them selecting staff who accord with their religious beliefs.
Take Labor’s national platform endorsed at its December conference, which includes the imposition of a radical LGBTIQ agenda, and the return of “Safe Schools”.
MORE FROM MIRANDA DEVINE: We must see attacks on Christianity for what they are
Labor has signed us up to the “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in Relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics” which includes the erasure of gender on all official identity documents.
To enforce it all there will be a new human Rights Commissioner for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status issues.
Folau’s martyrdom is just the beginning.
We’re replacing the kangaroo with this? What a waste of $10m
What happens when you get a self-serving mining billionaire whose fortune depends on the Chinese Communist Party to help rebrand Australia? A national symbol that looks like a COVID-19 cell, writes Miranda Devine.
Sorry for the scare campaign, the planet is fine
When a climate activist apologised for how environmentalists had misled the public over climate change threats, the fearmongers were not happy, especially when Greta is upping her fight, writes Miranda Devine.