All Black TJ Perenara hits back at Israel Folau’s latest tweet warning sinners to repent
AS Israel Folau continued his social media crusade for sinners to “repent” on Monday, All Blacks rival TJ Perenara hit back with a message of his own.
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AS Israel Folau continued his social media crusade for sinners to “repent” on Monday, All Blacks rival TJ Perenara hit back by saying he wants to unify the rainbow community.
Folau was hounded upon arrival in Christchurch last week when the Waratahs arrived for the match against the Crusaders, and was jeered each time he touched the ball in the 31-29 defeat.
The ground announcer also played the Village People’s noted gay anthem YMCA in the dying stages of the match.
Folau, who has been pilloried in the past six weeks since saying gays were destined for “Hell”, warned his Twitter followers on Monday that “the door is closing” on their time to repent sins.
“The Lord is giving you time to come to him whilst you’re still alive,” Folau wrote.
Perenara, the highest profile critic of Folau, has convinced his Hurricanes teammates to wear rainbow-coloured bootlaces in recent weeks and says he has no interest in talking to the Wallabies star about his stance.
MIRANDA DEVINE: Folau’s Christianity is his to share
“It’s not like I’m going to go out there on the field and say ‘Bro, let’s go over there and have a chat’, I don’t have any strong feelings to go and sit down and talk to him,” Perenara said.
“Equality, in general, is something that I’m staunch on.
“I grew up with people who now identify in the rainbow community and I’ve got family members who do also. So it is personal for me, but even if I didn’t, I’d still feel the same.
“I’d never push my values on anyone else, or force anyone to do anything, I think if people feel like it’s the right thing for them to do, then go out and do that.
The Lord is giving you time to come to him whilst you're still alive. He stands and waits
— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) May 14, 2018
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance pic.twitter.com/jHMFADOKTT
With great love i wanted to share this video in the hope that people watch it and think about it. Jesus is coming back soon and he wants us to turn to him through repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38) please don't harden your heart https://t.co/PtDoPCQDco
— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) May 7, 2018
“But again, I made my statement because it was important to me, and something I felt like I needed to do.”
After Folau’s “hell” comments, that was later followed by a video proclaiming that tolerance of homosexuality would be punished be eternal damnation, Perenara tweeted: “Let it go on record that I am 100% against the comments that were made by Israel. It was not OK to say that. It’s not an attitude I want to see in the game I love. There is no justification for such harmful comments.”
The @NZ_Falcons also had a very special guy helping out with last night’s collection - thanks to @Tj_Perenara for standing up for gay and inclusive rugby and LGBT+ youth! #DiversityIsStrength ðŸ‰ðŸŒˆâ¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/Z9KIduMGih
— á´…Ê€ ᴅᴇᴀɴ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ (@drdeanknight) April 27, 2018
Hit the nail on the head @Tj_Perenara and @brad_weber9 hats off to you both for having the balls to speak up. For what it’s worth I completely agree and support you boys. “Know that it’s ok to be you†real class TJ #HalfbacksAreSmart 🌈
— nicholas white (@white_nic) April 18, 2018
Perenara, who has played 42 Tests for the All Blacks, explained on Monday: “I just wanted to make sure that the message was worded right, so I spent a lot of time with my sister, who helped me write the tweet itself and the statement itself. I wanted to make sure my message was portrayed in the light I wanted it to be.
“I didn’t want to make it me against Izzy or anything like that. It’s something I wanted to unify the rainbow community and give the people in that community a platform to speak on.”
Chiefs halfback Brad Weber also slammed Folau for his views, and the Waikato team has also been wearing rainbow laces in their games.
The Waratahs will not play the Hurricanes this season unless they meet in the finals, however NSW will take on the Chiefs in a fortnight in Hamilton.