Rugby authorities seem more interested in money
Congratulations for publishing Alan Jones’s article on the state of rugby in Australia (“Folau stands alone as the rest fall into line with their pay masters”, 20/4). Spare a thought for Folau, a star rugby player and Christian who stands up for his beliefs.
The parallel with Eric Liddell, an honoured sportsman in Scottish history and a man of Christian faith, is amazing. In both cases the relevant sporting bodies were aggrieved by their champions’ adherence to their faith, but the British wanted their star athlete to compete in the 1924 Olympics, whereas Rugby Australia wants to deny its most distinguished player the right to represent his country.
As Jones rightly says, Rugby Australia seems more focused on receiving 30 pieces of silver than salvation.
Well said, Alan Jones. It has long been my view that Israel Folau is a better man than most of his detractors, whatever I think of his personal views, which is not much.
To think there were requirements for Folau to “not mention the gays” is Monty Pythonesque when one considers the low bar that is set for others within the orbit of the game they play in heaven. I think we are close to peak lunacy in the West, and I hope I live to see the correction.
I want to thank Alan Jones for his excellent article about Israel Folau. He has expressed my views and those of many of my friends very eloquently. It shows the power of the almighty dollar, the god of many, to manipulate sport, the press and the government for its own advantage.
As our world goes down the gurgler in such a rush, it is time to reflect true values and where our moral compass should be, rather than where the dollar leads us.
Somebody has to make a stand and Jones has nailed his colours to the mast in an effort to wake up this sleeping nation to the nonsense being peddled by the PC brigade.
Hats off to Katrina Grace Kelly for her story behind Israel Folau’s plight (“Don’t cry for Izzy, he knows he defied the boss’s orders”, 20/4). Kelly does it in style presenting all the evidence needed to dry the tears of his supporters in a few seconds. Her argument that his case is not a matter of free speech, but is about breach of employment terms is irrefutable. Kelly clearly defines religious freedom for the benefit of readers. She deserves a gold medal for her commentary.
The censure of the remarks of Israel Folau confirms the fears of Christians that the public expression of their faith is becoming increasingly tenuous. If expression of biblical tenets is deemed homophobic, then the biblical texts themselves must be deemed homophobic and all references from the pulpit banned. Is this the end game of secular opponents of religious belief?
The trophy awarded to the winner of the Rugby World Cup, the premier competition in international rugby union, is the Webb Ellis Cup, named after the Anglican clergyman who invented rugby.
This Anglican clergyman would no doubt have held the same biblical views about sinners and repentance posted by Israel Folau. It seems that Folau is far more in keeping with the founder and symbol of rugby than others who would exclude him.
Israel Folau’s posting concerning his personal beliefs have nothing to do with the workplace, and his personal postings were not remotely homophobic or disrespectful.
Rugby Australia has no right to bring its workplace rules into a place where they do not belong. The claim that Folau’s actions have brought RA into disrepute is fallacious. To say that all employees are required to perform their duties with care and diligence and not to bring their employers into disrepute is neither here nor there.
Employees who tend to fall foul of this rule tend to have posted items that have, in one way or another, a direct connection to their employer.
By all accounts, Folau never expressed his religious views while he was in the workplace. The idea that any employee, merely expressing an opinion about their employer’s contractual terms in a workplace setting, runs the risk of putting their career on the line is a disturbing development.
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