Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • News
  • Politics
  • Coronavirus Updates
  • Faith
  • Opinion
  • Christmas
  • Set Free Course

Rugby Australia Assigned Staffers to Monitor Israel Folau’s Social Media for ‘Problematic’ Bible Verses

Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Share Tweet
By Will Maule
Author

July 8, 2019

The CEO of Rugby Australia has admitted that she closely monitored star player Israel Folau on social media after he started posting openly about his faith.

Tennis Prodigy Coco Gauff’s Dad Taught Her to Pray for Her Opponent Before Every Match

In transcripts obtained by Australian newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, Raelene Castle was asked very plainly about whether or not her organization was keeping tabs on Folau’s social media channels to see if he was violating any terms of his contract.

“Following the 2018 post, did Rugby Australia commence to monitor his social media use more closely?” Folau’s lawyer quizzed the sports executive.

“Yes, we did,” Castle answered.

“And did you yourself personally monitor his social media use from that point on?” the lawyer continued. “No, I’ve got people that kindly do that for me,” Castle replied.

Castle previously stated that Folau had committed “serious breaches of the Professional Players Code of Conduct” through his uploading of a graphic which paraphrased a Biblical passage from 1 Corinthians.

In May, Folau had his multi-million dollar contract torn up after posting an Instagram graphic which paraphrased 1 Corinthians 6:9 and called on a list of people, including homosexuals, to repent. Now, however, far from it being an issue of stern wording, it appears Rugby Australia would have taken issue with a segment of the Bible being posted to social media in physical form, word-for-word.

Journalist Miranda Devine obtained the very telling transcript from Folau’s code of conduct meeting in May.

“What about when the Bible requires him to tell the good and the bad, that is, that the Bible is the truth and sometimes the truth can be difficult to hear?” Folau’s representative asked the sporting executive. “The Bible is not the contract that he signed with Rugby Australia,” Castle answered.

Then, the chairman of the hearing asked a very simple question of Castle to test her propensity towards discriminating on religious grounds.

“Ms Castle, what if Mr Folau had photocopied passages from the Bible and simply posted that on his social media pages, would that have caused a problem for you?” they asked.

“I think it depends on which ones he – which pages he photocopied,” she replied.

“If he photocopied the passages that are referred to in the posts, would that have caused a problem for you?” the chairman continued.

“Yes, it would have,” Castle replied.

Staggering story in this @mirandadevine piece on Israel Folau’s case – @RugbyAU ‘s overt hostility to the Bible and the Christian Faith is a disgrace. The corporate Jacobins have taken over rugby. #ReligiousFreedom pic.twitter.com/Ay7AlMvUaG

— Gray Connolly (@GrayConnolly) July 7, 2019

Many have suggested that Folau could have kept his job if he deleted the words “Warning” and “Hell, from his original Instagram post — terms that are not included in the Biblical text.

This new revelation, however, shows that Folau would have been in hot water with Rugby Australia even if he had copied the text verbatim.

“Having unilaterally condemned the foundational document of Judaeo-Christian civilization as akin to hate speech, she [Castle] boasted in a press conference that her decision was a ­“landmark” which “will change the landscape for rugby and sport,’” Devine wrote. “There’s one person who should have been sacked, and it wasn’t Folau.”

New religious freedom laws

In a series of bizarre comments made Monday, former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said that newly proposed religious freedom laws should allow people like Folau to express their opinions, even if they are “utterly dopey,” as he put it.

View this post on Instagram

I am humbled by the support I have received from so many of you since Rugby Australia terminated my employment contract after I shared a religious message on social media. To those who have criticised me, I bear no ill will towards you. You have every right to express your own beliefs and opinions. To the thousands of you who donated to my GoFundMe campaign, I am forever grateful. GoFundMe’s decision to shut down my campaign proves the importance of my case; whether you share my faith or believe in my right to express it, attempts to sanction what we believe is a threat to all Australians. I am incredibly thankful for the Australian Christian Lobby, which has not only come to my defence in the media, but generously established a website to receive donations on my behalf.  For those not in a position to donate, your support and prayers will make more of a difference than anything else. God bless!

A post shared by Israel Folau (@izzyfolau) on Jun 25, 2019 at 4:32pm PDT

“I think a lot of what Israel Folau said is just completely and utterly dopey. But it’s his right to be dopey,” the politician eloquently explained, as reported by NewsHub. “We can’t just go around sacking [people] because they’re annoying.”

Pastor Summoned to Pay $8.2 Million After Being Imprisoned for Pro-Life Work Recounts How God Miraculously Turned It Around

On Friday, Australia’s Attorney General briefed more than 20 MP’s on the newly tabled anti-discrimination bill, which he said “provides an avenue for people who think a rule in their employment has unfairly disadvantaged them or led to their termination unfairly because of their religion.”

“It goes a long way to protect people from being discriminated against in the context of their employment,” he added, according to the Guardian.

Folau is likely to take his religious discrimination case to federal court after failing to come to an agreed settlement with his former employer, Rugby Australia.


Latest

  • Entertainment

    New Animated Kids’ Show ‘Tuttle Twins’ Celebrates American Values in Creative Way

  • Christian Persecution

    ‘We Believe God Is More Powerful’: Burma People Stand Against Attacks With Faith

  • culture

    Christian Photographer Challenges New York Laws Forcing Her to Work LGBT Weddings

  • News

    Oklahoma Lawmaker Doubles Down on Comparing Evils of Slavery, Abortion

  • News

    Democratic Senator Reveals He Actually Is Interested in Unity, Doesn’t Want Another Jan. 6


Sponsored Sidebar Default (2)

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?


Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement