As his one-time Storm teammate Greg Inglis ends his career in a shower of tributes, Israel Folau seems to be ending his in a shower of a much more prosaic substance. And it’s a shame. A damn shame.
Many people have expressed a powerful certainty about what’s to be done with the troublesome Folau. I find it difficult to be as certain.
Seeing his latest foray into social media proselytising, I rolled my eyes and experienced a sudden, powerful sense of no-sympathy.
After all, he had been warned. He was subject to a code of conduct. He knew exactly what he was doing, surely, and could not be immune to the consequences of his deliberate flouting of his employer’s instructions.
So I found it hard to get on board with those who claimed it was an infringement of his religious freedom and that he had been, in Miranda Devine’s words, “sacked for being a Christian”.
It was hard to agree with those who said that a public figure like Folau, whose employment and remuneration is based at least in part on his agreement to publicise the game in a positive way, had no responsibility to temper his social media activity.
But then, I couldn’t entirely take the other side either. After all, just because a man is subject to a code of conduct doesn’t automatically make that code of conduct right – employers impose unreasonable conditions on employees all the time.
You could easily accept that Rugby Australia have the legal right to kick Folau to the kerb, without agreeing that they should.
Especially troublesome is the fact that Folau’s words – predicting Hell for gay people, but also for atheists, fornicators and all sorts of other ne’er-do-wells in the sight of God – would seem like fairly standard, uncontroversial theology to a large slice of Australia’s population.
The fact that Folau shares his beliefs with many of his fellow Australians doesn’t oblige Rugby Australia to accept them, but it does make you wonder if there may be a touch of hypocrisy in the speed with which we crucify an individual who spouts religious hate, while refusing to admit that his religious hate was caused by his religion.
Many have the courage to call Folau hateful, without being willing to call his church hateful. But the only reason Folau is hateful is that his church has made him so. It’s beyond time we all stopped pretending that bigoted individuals spring spontaneously into existence.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
What’s more, Folau is not alone in the sporting world. Think how often a sportsperson will credit their faith with helping them achieve excellence: how many times does that faith also include a hefty dose of bigotry? A lot of footballers silently agree with every word Folau posted.
Of course, that’s the rub: if they’re out there (they are), they’re agreeing silently. If Folau had held his views silently, confining them to his private conscience and to chats with his fellow churchgoers, there’d be no problem.
RA objected not to him believing it, only to him saying it publicly. His religious freedom was not infringed, only his freedom to publicly vilify others.
But then, if your religion includes, as a requirement, preaching the Gospel, and if you genuinely believe some of your fellow humans are going to Hell, and that they can be spared that fate if only they repent… Well, how could you not try to warn them? How can you be said to have religious freedom if you aren’t allowed to exercise that part of your religion?
But then again, the contract. The code of conduct. The warning last year. He knew.
You can see, I hope, how a man might feel a little conflicted.
But there is one certainty, and it came into sharp relief with the press conference of Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and coach Michael Cheika.
Hooper was at pains not to say anything hurtful about anyone or inflame things any further. Cheika was, as usual, slightly baffling, saying a great many words to no particularly comprehensible effect.
But from both of them one impression was overwhelming: having Izzy back in the team would make things incredibly awkward for everyone.
And that’s where we get at the only verifiable truth about Israel Folau: everyone is sick of him, because he’s been a complete jerk.
Oh, he’s a well-meaning jerk. He doesn’t know he’s a jerk, and he sincerely believes that his jerkishness is providing a valuable service to humanity. He’s a jerk who is convinced beyond all persuasion that he is doing God’s work.
But a jerk who thinks he’s a hero is still a jerk – sometimes it makes it even worse. Regardless of his sincerity, Folau is still in possession of some awful beliefs, still posting idiotic assertions on Facebook and babbling on about Jesus like the kind of person you’d cross the road to avoid if you saw him shouting the same things on the street. In revealing himself as a jerk, Folau has hurt people, is hurting people, and will hurt people.
Anyone is free to be a jerk. It’s not against the law. Plenty of people have played out entire successful sporting careers as jerks, or worse, without resiling from those tendencies one bit. It’s certainly debatable whether being a jerk is grounds for dismissal.
But it’s not debatable whether Israel Folau is a jerk. He’s gone above and beyond to prove it without doubt.
The thing about being a jerk is, the longer you do it, the more you run the risk that the people around you will get jack of it. Because it’s irritating and hard to take for long periods.
Maybe Izzy thought he was so important to Australian rugby that nobody would be game to pull him up. Maybe he really doesn’t care, because being a jerk (that is, in his eyes, being a faithful servant of God) is more important to him than rugby anyway. Either way, the jerk chickens have come home to roost.
It’s a shame. A damn shame. But jerks gonna jerk. What can you do?
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
The post includes 2, legally recognized, protected groups: Atheists, and Homosexuals. The former don't tend to pay to much homage to the firey demise of their sole, leaving the latter. Modern society has rejected slavery and discrimination against protected groups, including women and homosexuals. I am assuming that you think this is a good thing. I concede that there are still some kinks to iron out, commercial greed and corruption have a lot to answer for, but in my opinion, we are still better off. The Bronze age is when the second collection second hand oral accounts were recorded and compiled into the story book that Izzy and you, use to you base your morals on. There is some truely great stuff in there, unfortunately tainted by some ambiguous and contradictory content. There have been some advancements in biology, refrigeration and prophylactics since its first edition and it could probably stand to have a rewrite before the second is published. I recommend reading from the Book of Dawkins if you are curious about how society benefits from altruism.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Well, the misery part was started by us when we took our eye off the prize. And the next answer is I don't know, but then I'm not a God so I can't pretend to fathom His reasons. But I do wish for you a great and refreshing period of relaxation, however you spend it. :)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Well, there's obviously only one answer for that and it's not really any of the above. Seeing as society is potentially drifting from Christianity and anyone speaking up for those values is attacked, the answer is clear. Truth is truth, it isn't owned by any of the above.
My2cWorth
Roar Rookie
Dp, just because we still cannot explain 100% how all originated does'nt mean we all have to jump to the next best explanation....its fine for those who do but respect those who dont, something Folau should have done...re your post though, i'm trying to understand why this great creater would have chosen the smallest little planet and stuffed it with misery, why not put us on one of his bigger planets or give us the ability to get there, why keep it all to himself....because he lovez us?
My2cWorth
Roar Rookie
...nailed it DP, your truth, my truth, Orwell's truth?
Stu B.
Guest
Izzy's league intellect didn't transfer to well too union.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I wonder with great interest how a person who demonstrates such rejection of the Biblical story actually explains their own existence. And please don't tell me that you believe in the (so far totally unproven [absolutely NIL fossil record/evidence] ) evolution theory that requires - to be true - millions of 'lotteries' involving not 43 numbers but over a million numbers with trillions of permutations to all fall into place randomly in perfect order...... Now there is the scam of the ages.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Anyone stating the Bible spreads hate hasn't read it properly and has only opened the pages with a malicious heart looking for trouble. A better guide to a loving attitude and moral existence doesn't exist. Thus your 'sensible' participants are not. In the words of George Orwell - a man with a particular foresight and vision - “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.”. Oh so true....
My2cWorth
Roar Rookie
For us non christian rugby fans the bus is only in his head DP...no souls to be saved here my friend, only insult to be taken...KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! Your book of faith spreads nothing but hate (as quoted by other sensible participants here)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yes he could have kept it to himself, just like someone walking out on the road in front of traffic, those seeing this could keep quiet. But then, to some, saving souls is important. Of course, there are those who don't appreciate the warnings - think they are impervious..
Chancho
Roar Rookie
I think you've missed the point here Ben... Izzy is displaying a form of extremism via his religion. And it's not hate directed by the church as you allude too, it's his ignorance of his religion and his world view that's the problem. The church is clear about not judging others, i's not for Izzy to make judgement on who is admitted into heaven or not. The church espouses love for each other and to pray for each other.. not posting junk on social media.
My2cWorth
Roar Rookie
we??? speak for yourself Bucky
My2cWorth
Roar Rookie
He is the one throwing it out there dear DP, we did not ask him to, he could have kept it to himself, or resign his 4M job and then jump on his religious platform and yap all he wants to... as a rugby fan I am interested in guess what?... RUGBY, not Izzies gospel
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Intent isn’t relevant. Only how a reasonable person would interpret it. And who said it’s “hate speech”? It doesn’t need to be in order to be an issue.
Rukcin Oaf
Guest
The problem is that contract law requires you to take steps to mitigate your loss. If loss can be adequately mitigated then the there can be a very nominal payout of the breach. Sitting on a beach would not be mitigating a loss and a Court would take that into account when assessing damages.
Neil
Guest
Are you seriously comparing an instragram post to the inquisition? :facepalm:
Neil
Guest
To be fair, you haven't got a clue if God is real or not, you have an opinion. It would be so helpful if people stopped reading Dawkins and learnt some real philosophy.
Neil
Guest
To assess whether it's actually non inclusive hate-speech? This is a critical to the issue of it being a problem in the workplace. There's a huge difference between hate-speech and someone hating what they hear...
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
In terms of player conduct, (i) his post didn't specify any group - are you privy to the exact wording of his contract? Unless everyone who posts stuff from the climate change cult is included in this - then his contract has discriminatory clauses and can't be enforced. (ii) modern and moral are comments on conflict. Modern society isn't moral. And my benchmark is the bible, any moral standards of any value currently in society are biblical based. And the Bronze Age has no relevance to this discussion.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Why do I have to? That’s entirely irrelevant to workplace law or the impact the comment can have on homosexual youths.