‘Sack me’: Tongan Thor on defensive over religious beliefs
The ugly fallout from the Israel Folau saga is starting to spread through Australian rugby, with two of the country’s biggest stars forced to defend their Christian beliefs.
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Israel Folau’s poisonous gift to his Pacific islander teammates has been to create a social media minefield where players are unfairly being forced to defend sincere and loving Christian beliefs.
Fellow Wallabies and Reds duo Samu Kerevi and Taniela Tupou have both been caught up in the fallout from Folau’s selfish, poorly-conceived post on homosexuals being among a wide range of sinners destined for hell.
Reds captain Kerevi posted heartfelt words on his Instagram account for Easter: “Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love you Jesus#”
He gave further thanks to “our heavenly Father” in his post-match words on the sideline after guiding the Reds’ to a drought-breaking 21-14 win over the Sharks in Durban that Easter weekend.
Both comments should have been appreciated as a footballer just expressing his faith but a Folau story on the Fox Sports website linked in Kerevi for expressing religious beliefs.
It’s crazy that Kerevi should have felt forced to clarify anything but he did in the tense atmosphere created by Folau, who will front a Rugby Australia Code of Conduct hearing on Saturday in Sydney.
“I apologise to anyone that I have offended in giving praise to our God on a weekend that we take off to celebrate his Sacrifice for you and I,” Kerevi wrote on Instagram.
“I will always give praise to Him.
“To the media, it’s all love brothers & sisters, God Bless and enjoy your weekend.”
Kerevi has since updated his Instagram post, correcting his position by saying he will never apologise for his faith.
The church-going Tupou was clearly frustrated that Kerevi should feel forced to apologise for believing in God when he took to social media himself.
“Seriously. Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs,” Tupou wrote.
“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had (sic) got nothing to do with rugby anyways.”
Tupou was expressing feelings from the heart and no one should let the Folau situation impact on Christians expressing themselves respectfully.
If Folau had given any consideration to the Rugby Australia warning he received last year on what impact his social media posts might have, he might have seen such fallout wider than his own world.
Winger Jock Campbell seems certain to be rewarded with a start for the Reds in Friday night’s clash against the Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.
He is the last fit specialist in the squad with Jack Hardy undergoing knee reconstruction surgery yesterday.
Campbell is a premiership-winner with the University of Queensland and will back his club experience against the dangerous Japanese.
Originally published as ‘Sack me’: Tongan Thor on defensive over religious beliefs
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