Australian Christian Lobby refuses to condemn Folau
Image: Martyn Iles. Photo: Facebook.
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has refused to condemn former Wallabies player Israel Folau for his latest public comments, which linked Australia鈥檚 bushfire crisis to gay marriage and abortion.
In a media statement sent to the 17c起草社区 by the ACL, the organisation鈥檚 managing director Martyn Iles claimed Folau did not explicitly connect same-sex marriage to the fires, instead blaming the outrage on the media鈥檚 interpretation.听
鈥淪ermons don鈥檛 lend themselves to quick soundbites, and the media鈥檚 attempts to paraphrase a sermon has caused some unnecessary angst,鈥� said Iles.
鈥淔or one thing, Israel did not claim to know that the current bushfires are God鈥檚 direct judgement for same-sex marriage,鈥� he said, despite Folau鈥檚 own comments indicating otherwise.听
In Folau鈥檚 now infamous sermon, posted on Saturday to the , the former rugby star said: 鈥淚鈥檝e been looking around at the events 鈥� happening in Australia, this past couple of weeks, with all the natural disasters, the bushfires and the droughts.
“Look how rapid these bushfires, these droughts, all these things have come, in a short period of time. You think it’s a coincidence or not? God is speaking to you guys, Australia, you need to repent.
鈥淕od鈥檚 word says for a man and a woman to be together 鈥� they鈥檝e come and changed this law.
鈥淎bortion, it鈥檚 OK now to murder, kill infants, unborn children.”
Iles said while not all Australians hold Folau鈥檚 beliefs, those who do should not be persecuted.
鈥淣ot all Australians will resonate with these beliefs, but the many who do shouldn鈥檛 be threatened or lose their freedoms,鈥� he stated.
The ACL鈥檚 defence of Folau stands in stark contrast to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who yesterday joined the chorus of condemnation around Folau鈥檚 comments.听
Speaking to reporters, Morrison鈥攈imself a practising Christian鈥攃alled Folau鈥檚 comments 鈥渁ppallingly insensitive鈥�.
“He鈥檚 a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes, but that doesn鈥檛 mean he can鈥檛 have regard to the grievous offence this would have caused to people whose homes have been burnt down,鈥� said the Prime Minister.听
Morrison said Folau’s comments offended “many Christians in Australia for whom that is not their view at all, and whose thoughts and prayers … are very much with those who are suffering under the terrible burden of fire鈥�.
Earlier yesterday, longtime Folau supporter Alan Jones also criticised Folau on his radio show.
鈥淚srael is a lovely human being, I know him well. But, Israel, button up. Button up,鈥� said the host of 2GB鈥檚 The Alan Jones Breakfast Show.
鈥淭hese comments don鈥檛 help,鈥� he said.
Last night, former Wallaby Phil Kearns expressed concerns for Folau鈥檚 mental state, describing him as 鈥渂rainwashed鈥�.
“Yeah absolutely, absolutely,” Kearns told Fox Sports when asked if former teammates should reach out to Folau.
“I think it’s gone that far.
“It seems he’s been brainwashed and he doesn’t seem to be in a healthy spot,鈥� said Kearns.
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What drugs is Israel Falau taking seriously?
Please do not give him more airtime – it only seems to encourage his very silly behaviour and make matters much worse!
I feel sorry for this deluded Folau. His father starts a pop-up “church” and a few family members attend so as not to offend him.It seems anyone can start a pop-up church and call yourself “pastor”This is just one sorry saga that just won’t go away.
Religion is a mental disorder.
“For one thing, Israel did not claim to know that the current bushfires are God鈥檚 direct judgement for same-sex marriage,鈥� he said, despite Folau鈥檚 own comments indicating otherwise.”
Excellent work, 17c起草社区.
Remember folks, while the bible does have some occasional mentions of gay sex, it has occasional mentions of just about everything so let’s not read too much into that. But lying, there’s a whole commandment written in stone on a tablet by God which says don’t lie. The commandments are literally the only bit in the whole bible which claim to be the actual word of God. Why can’t Martyn Iles and Margaret Court and all these Christian homophobes stop lying?