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Fiery reaction after Israel Folau links Australian bushfires to same sex marriage

Israel Folau caused worldwide backlash after his latest explosive comments on the Australian bushfires, now “God” has spoken.

5 min read
November 19, 2019 - 6:44AM
Israel Folau preaches bushfires and drought are God’s punishment for same-sex marriage and abortion

Sacked Wallabies star Israel Folau’s claim the bushfires that have devastated Australia and left six dead are God’s punishment for legalising abortion and same-sex marriage has sparked a furious reaction.

Dumped by Rugby Australia after warning homosexuals and other sinners they will go to hell unless they repent, Folau has doubled down on the stance in a video sermon posted to the Truth of Jesus Christ Church Sydney.

During the 10-minute recording, the 30-year-old says the timing of the bushfire crisis is no coincidence but only a taste of God’s judgment should nothing change.

READ: Lone public figure defends Folau

“I’ve been looking around at the events that’s been happening in Australia, this past couple of weeks, with all the natural disasters, the bushfires and the droughts,” he says.

He then reads from the Book of Isaiah in the Bible: “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.”

Folau links the passage to the twin disasters of bushfire and drought and, in turn, the legalising of same-sex marriage and abortion.

Israel Folau in latest sermon
Israel Folau in latest sermon

“The events that have happened here in Australia, in the last couple of years – God’s word says for a man and a woman to be together … they’ve come and changed this law,” he says.

“Abortion, it’s OK now to murder, kill infants, unborn children.”

Folau says he believes the scripture is talking to Australia. “Look how rapid these bushfires these droughts, all these things have come in a short period of time. Do you think it’s a coincidence or not?

“God is speaking to you guys. Australia you need to repent and take these laws and turn it back to what is right.”

‘GOD’ RESPONDS TO ISRAEL FOLAU

Folau quoted passages from the bible when making his explosive comments, but the backlash spread far and wide and even reached the man above.

The Twitter account ‘TheTweetofGod’ hit back at Folau to its 6.1 million followers on Monday afternoon and delivered a cheeky clip at his employment status.

“Don’t tell me how to do My job, Izzy. I don’t go to your job and … oh wait, you don’t have a job anymore.”

Hillsong Church Founder Brian Houston delivered a message to all Australians affected by the fires and in a post stated “Pray for your Nation, don’t condemn it” in a shot to Folau.

Houston also said in another post he believes “there is hope in Jesus and we pray that God will be your special piece at this particular time and I’m believing for you better days are ahead”.

Ex-Ireland rugby player Alan Quinlan told Off The Ball the former Wallaby had lost the plot.

“It’s becoming sad at this stage. This guy is obviously completely deluded,” Quinlan said. “It’s shocking bulls*** that he is continuously preaching to people. Some will argue that it is just him preaching in his church, but he knows it is going to get out.

“I’d say now, aside from believing any of this stuff, he’s damaging his case against Rugby Australia even more so, and I don’t think he’ll ever win that case.

“People talk about free speech, but this is crazy speech. He’s saying it is out of love, but people have died here – Jesus, did you ever hear such crap in all your life?! There’s no way back for this guy now.”

AUSTRALIAN POLITICIANS SLAM ‘APPALLING COMMENTS’

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has weighed in and quickly denounced the comments from Folau.

“I thought these were appallingly insensitive comments,” Morrison said.

“They were appalling comments and he is a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have regard to the grievous offence this would have caused to people whose homes have been burnt down.

“And I’m sure to many Christians around Australia for whom that is not their view at all and who’s thoughts and prayers, let me stress, are very much with those who are suffering.”

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese backed up the thoughts of Morrison by calling out Folau and stating “it’s on us to reject this rubbish”.

“This is pretty reprehensible,” Albanese tweeted.

“Some people might not want to give his comments any more oxygen than they deserve, and I get that.

“But for people in leadership positions, it’s on us to reject this rubbish. To call it out.

“We’re so much better than this.”

‘IT’S MANURE’: ANGRY REACTION

Folau says he is sharing the message “out of love” but he stirred up a hornet’s nest as his comments were picked up by news outlets across the world.

Even staunch ally Alan Jones condemned the comments. “Israel is a lovely human being, I know him well. But, Israel, button up,” Jones said on his 2GB radio program. “These comments don’t help.”

Others were saddened. “As a Christian I feel so desperately sad reading that because that’s not the nature of God, that’s not the heart of God … I feel like wearing a T-shirt saying ‘not on my team’,” Sky News contributor Gemma Tognini said.

“At least I will say this, (Folau) is willing to say what he thinks and stand by his beliefs … That being said, there’s no such thing as freedom from consequences.

“It’s almost as if he’s acting as if he doesn’t care if he ever plays rugby again — and he may not care.

“I just look at him and say ‘why would you say such divisive, hurtful things?’ It’s a hurtful thing to say to someone who has lost their home in a bushfire — that God hates you and he’s punishing you. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s manure.”

RELATED: Australia delivers verdict on Israel Folau debate

Israel Folau. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)
Israel Folau. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

Anglican minister Peter Kurti said Folau was wrong. “If God really was going to punish us for changing the law on abortion (and) changing the law on marriage, it’s the Parliament House in Macquarie St and the Parliament House in Canberra that should have been the target of God’s wrath — not the mid-north coast and south Queendland,” he told Sky News. “If God was angry, God’s aim was off.

“These are outrageous views and they are up there with the religious fanaticism of the Greens. But … we live in a free country and if this is what Israel Folau believes — and he’s not a politician, he’s not voting resources … he’s a preacher talking to his congregation — surely in Australia we want to defend his right to do so even though we can think the views he expresses are completely wrong and offensive.”

The controversy which saw the dual international’s $4 million contract torn up in April was his second run-in with Rugby Australia after being reprimanded for a similar social media post in 2018.

— with AAP

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/fiery-reaction-after-israel-folau-links-australian-bushfires-to-same-sex-marriage/news-story/35d07139e6ba4b69fae67a3388071a97