The highest trending GoFundMe campaign in the country right now is for Israel Folau’s legal fund.
In April of this year, Folau posted an image to Instagram that read, “Warning: Drunks. Homosexuals. Adulterers. Liars. Fornicators. Thieves. Atheists. Idolaters. Hell awaits you,” before doubling down in the caption, “Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent.”
After refusing to delete the image that was deemed to breach Rugby Australia’s commitment to “inclusiveness”, Folau’s contract was terminated.
That wasn’t his first offence though.
The year prior, in 2018, Folau made an explicit comment on Instagram about “gods [sic] plan for gay people.”
“HELL [is gods plan]” Folau wrote. “Unless they repent for their sins and turn to God.”
Around Easter this year, Folau shared a message on Twitter in response to Tasmania’s new law, making it the first state or territory in Australia to make the inclusion of gender optional on birth certificates.
“The devil has blinded so many people in this world, REPENT and turn away from your evil ways. Turn to Jesus Christ who will set you free,” the rugby player wrote.
Just this week, Folau delivered a sermon at a church in Sydney, where he again addressed “young kids in primary school [being able] to have the permission to change their gender.”
The 30-year-old said, “This is what the devil’s trying to do to instil into this government, into this world, into this society and it’s slowly happening.”
This is in the midst of Folau’s legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission, arguing that the clause in his contract protecting religious freedom was breached.
And then, this week, Folau asked Australia if they might like to pay for it.
Folau, a man who not long ago was making $2 million for every season of footy he was playing, wants Australians to put their hands deep in their pockets and hand over $3 million. That should do it.
In two days, Folau has raised more than $300,000. That number is growing by the second.
But as his campaign sits proudly on the homepage of GoFundMe, it’s difficult not to notice the stark contrast between his plight, and that of the Australians around him.
Former teammate and Wallaby great Drew Mitchell posted a screenshot of GoFundMe to Twitter on Friday afternoon.
His commentary read, “YOU are in a fight that YOU chose to be in after YOU broke the terms of YOUR contract, the kids below are in a fight they NEVER wanted to be in & yet YOU think YOU deserve donations more than they do??!!”
Directly next to Folau’s campaign, is one for a little girl named Piper.
Just three weeks before Piper’s first birthday she was diagnosed with Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma.
Tumours had spread through her tiny body, growing on her liver, stomach, abdomen and chest.
After a recent CT scan, Piper’s parents, Meagan and Laurence, were told there was no cure. The treatment would perhaps prolong her life a little.
Meagan and Laurence haven’t asked for anything. It was a friend who set up the page.
They can’t work. And they have two other children, five-year-old Cayden, and three-year-old Franklin.
On Thursday night, it was reported that little Piper had died.
Their family have made barely a third of what Folau has. And that’s far more than most.
Then there’s nine-year-old Jensen. He has a tumour in his liver and a high risk hepatoblastoma. Jensen requires full time care, so his parents have had to step back from the family business.
Davie is in a life threatening condition. He collapsed in a bathroom and has a brain haemorrhage. He has no family.
Piper. Jensen. Davie.
All dealt a rough hand – confronted with a struggle they did nothing at all to deserve.
Folau breached his multi-million dollar contract. Wearing a Rugby Australia jersey, and representing the Wallabies, came with a responsibility. One that was a fair exchange for the amount of money he was being paid.
“Following the events of last year, Israel was warned formally and repeatedly about the expectations of him as player for the Wallabies and NSW Waratahs with regards to social media use and he has failed to meet those obligations,” Rugby Australia Chief Executive Raelene Castle said in a statement.
“It was made clear to him that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.”
To think of all the people in the world who could do with our help. Whose lives would change if they were suddenly gifted $300,000. All the meaningful causes we could get behind.
And instead, it’s Folau, and his right to tell gay people they’re going to hell that we’re choosing to support.
Surely the stories of Piper, Jensen and Davie can put Folau’s ‘legal battle’ into perspective.
Top Comments
I find the reaction to what he posted quite confusing - if you ask the average Aussie the following questions these days, you'll likely get the following answers:
Do you believe in God? No
Do you believe we have souls? No
Do you believe in life after death? No
Do you believe in Hell? NO
So if you don't believe in it, why do you care that he said people will go there?
Precisely!
The reason why is this. Homosexuals are born that way. How can one repent, for how they were born? A gay person can no more 'repent' for being born that way, than someone can for being born black. The fact is his statement suggests that being born how you are is something you can control and be ashamed of, and needs to be apologised for. When you do that, you insinuate the person was born defective, should be ashamed, and should apologise for just being them, and for just existing. THAT, is why many people, not just the gay community, are horrified by Folau's statement.
You cannot repent for being born the way you were.
But as Monster says, most don't believe they need to repent or that so why are they upset?
Would they be just as upset if he came out and said they will always be on Santa's naughty list because of who they love?
Because a Christian telling someone they are going to hell is akin to telling that person they have committed a mortal sin which is worthy of them being tormented for all eternity and that they deserve punishment.
There are many countries where homosexuality is punished in this life (seems the righteous often cannot wait until the afterlife) so it is not really much of a stretch to see that 'religious belief' can often lead to religious violence.
Les - an Ethics committee is what I would normally accept as "the arbiter of what constitutes, “hate speech” and, “free speech” "
Such a committee would comprise of legal, medical and philosophical minds experienced in making responsible decisions such as this.
However - most of us can work out this simple fact - did it hurt anyone ?
I spent aprox 17 years as part of a team of radio satire/comedy writers & performers.
Every day we asked ourselves - "Will anyone be offended ?" "Will anyone be hurt?"
The chances of anyone being offended was pretty high - mostly because our material probably challenged the pomposity of certain individuals.
But it was the 2nd question that bothered us the most.
It seems that Folau has issued this self-righteous & clumsy diatribe without considering the emotional harm it would cause.
Plenty of people have pointed out the obvious harm, - including those with serious medical credentials.
It horrifies me the way religious hierarchies and spokesmen interfere in the delicate matter of human relationships within the intimacy of marriage and sexual behavior.
They do this without any genuine professional expertise and base their "knowledge " on the creative writings from a 2,000 year old Iron Age belief system.
History points to the fact that all organized religions were created by men as a means of using fear to exploit superstitions & metaphysical hearsay in shaping a device which would control men's lives and wealth.
Deities would serve as "bringers of wrath" and as invisible policemen.
I'm not sure that "fear of hurting vulnerable people with non-conformist lifestyles" was ever a consideration.
Perhaps Folau should consider this old saying as his own "theme for life"
"Do what ye will............Harm ye none".