It has been a week since Israel Folau’s latest comments on social media saying hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolators”, and I haven’t been surprised at all by the reaction. I’ve struggled really with it all because while I’m definitely not going to defend what he said, my faith has also taken a bit of battering over the past seven days.
Easter weekend is the most important in Christianity so it seems like a good time to try to provide a more level-headed view on this situation. On the one hand, I reject what Folau said – he is condemning people and the faith we have is based on love, respect, acceptance and forgiveness, and certainly not spreading hate. If he is trying to get people to turn to Christianity then he is going about it the wrong way. You cannot scaremonger people into wanting to explore a religion. That is not what it is all about.
Written by Ugo Monye
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/apr/18/israel-folau-lifestyle-choice-rugby-union-ugo-monye under the title “Israel Folau finds few friends and now faces a lifestyle choice of his own | Ugo Monye”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
