Church hypocrisy helps fuel furore over Folau outspoken views

Israel Folau asks for donations to fund his legal fees in a Youtube video.

In this modern world, too many people spend too much time looking for offence.

In a country that supposedly guarantees free speech, it disturbs me that Israel Folau seems glued to the spotlight, not because he is a fundamentalist Christian, but ­because he chooses to exercise his right of free speech to say things to which many people object. In an era when gay marriage can romp home in a referendum of sorts, Folau looks out of step. That, of course, is what this debate should be about. He has every right to say hurtful things. Free speech is all about the right to offend. While most Western countries have long since accepted homosexuality, within those countries there are still those who regard it as sinful.

The hypocrisy of the church in preaching against homosexuality as a sin when some priests have been found to have committed crimes against boys is a disgrace.

The repression of gays that for so long dominated our attitudes was very difficult to erase. One of the main reasons for this is some clergy still preaching against being gay. The plethora of scandals has still failed to get any recent pope to act. The capacity of the church to pretend there is no problem when the world knows there is, has been truly extraordinary. Royal commissions and similar inquiries around the world pulled down the thin veneer of priestly protection.

When there is a collision between the laws of nature and the vows of the clergy, nature will usually win.

There has been some progress within the church as clergy who commit serious offences are no longer shuffled between parishes.

My impression is that since the spotlight has been shone upon this issue, there are fewer offences being committed. Of course, at the same time, the clergy’s numbers have dropped alarmingly. Ireland, once the source from which clergy could be recruited, has pretty well dried up. Now The Philippines and South America are the main ­recruiting areas.

While there are no definitive figures, anecdotally it is hard to ­believe that even one in 10 Australians attends church on Sundays.

The advent of migrants from the Middle East would push up the numbers who practise their ­religion. Australia’s mosques seem to attract the faithful in droves. Empty churches and disappearing congregations are the main stories about Christianity now.

It would seem people don’t ­believe in miracles any more. If it can’t be empirically proven in the Western world, few will sign up.