Australian footballer Israel Folau, a devout Christian, quoting Corinthians, warned on social media that “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars and fornicators will end up in hell unless they repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him.” A number of questions arise.
First, these remarks are totally consistent with the Bible (and the Koran) so why the uproar?
Second, why did the critics, including the Prime Minister, solely complain about the reference to homosexuals? What about us drunks and fornicators? Doesn’t she care about our pain? We know the answer to that, namely unlike fairydom we’re not fashionable at the moment.
I can understand journalists concentration on homosexuals as few are whereas make no mistake, the vast majority I’ve known are drunks, adulterers, liars and fornicators to various degrees, so too heaps of MP’s. A double-standard here methinks.
This whole episode is a classic pack-hunting media contrivance. I have difficulty believing a single drunk, fornicator, homosexual, adulterer or liar reading Israel’s remarks gave a damn. He’s entitled to express his religious beliefs as much as I for example am, to continue pursuing my life-long mockery of religion.
Mind you Israel should be careful here for he could be in for a shock when he reaches heaven and meets Jesus, at least if Hugh Montefiore, the former Bishop of Birmingham is correct. In 1967 Hugh, a respected academic, in a lecture to churchmen at Oxford University, suggested Jesus was a homosexual. Subsequently, numerous theists and scholars have put forward the same proposition.
So, when big strapping Israel finally meets Jesus in heaven, rather than the expected greeting it could be, “Ithwail, lovely to thee you.”
And here’s some more double-standards. Take the fuss when Brunei announced that henceforth homosexuals would be stoned to death, this consistent with the Koran. Well consider this passage from the Bible’s Leviticus. “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall be put to death…”.
And that’s the thing about Christianity. Its entire history has been making it up as you go and a high degree of selectivity as to what bits believers find convenient to subscribe to.
Israel deserves Christians’ admiration for his absolutism rather than picking and choosing what suits him. The downside is when he does finally bowl through the Pearly Gates, he might find heaven a rather lonely place. Far better to get stuck into a bit of fornicating and end up with the rest of us in Hell. It promises to be quite a fun place, putting aside the racket of non-stop screaming coming from Catholic clergy being boiled in vats.
14 Comments
Stop right there Bob. This has to be the pinnacle. I’ve pleaded with God (quite by coincidence met him at Moore Wilsons an hour ago) to demand of Trevor that he halt proceedings in the House on Monday for a compulsory reading by all MPs.
“And that’s the thing about Christianity.. . a high degree of selectivity as to what bits believers find convenient to subscribe to.”
That’s the secret of all successful (as in popular and long lasting) religions, they’re adaptable, believers can pick whichever bit suits best at any one time, so we can have “moderate” Islam reading some bits of scripture, ISIS reading other bits, with everyone happy that it’s them devoutly following the true path.
Our gay friends will be happy with this outcome of course and the media will be happy because they’re getting a second bite of this gay cherry, so to speak. Folau will be happiest of all because being a devout born-again Christian he will be loving the extra persecution they seemingly thrive on. Everybody is happy here except for Australian Rugby who have lost their most useful player. Cheika will be choking on his own vomit which is an outstanding result.
Our gay friends will be happy with this outcome of course and the media will be happy because they’re getting a second bite of this gay cherry, so to speak. Folau will be happiest of all because being a devout born-again Christian he will be loving the extra persecution they seemingly thrive on. Everybody is happy here except for Australian Rugby who have lost their most useful player. Cheika will be choking on his own vomit which is an outstanding result.
The God Nutter’s gone wild.
This debate has been swirling about for days and has me pondering two questions:
Who is Israel Folau?
And
Why is anyone particularly interested in his opinion?
I am forced to conclude that there is not a single cat stuck up a tree anywhere in the country to occupy the attention of the nation’s media.
About time churches banned the following of Rugby if rugby followers don’t support what the bible says.
It must be a completely ungodly game
Well; now I’m truly miffed, I tell ya’. How could the bloke not condemn us sheep-shaggers to Hell too? We’re supposedly a whole nation of such, where are we supposed to go when we die? The bible clearly demands our death, the flinty and mean-spirited presbyterians of Scotland demanded the death of the (relatively) innocent animal also, what are we to do in the after-life, all dressed up with nowhere to go? This fella, Folau, deserves all the admonition he’s been getting; he’s not inclusive!
Great thoughts Bob. The only issue I have with the bible verse quoted is that it is from the old testament, which modern society largely rejected in favour of the more compassionate and forgiving new testament and the wisdom and study of Jesus. The Koran as I have said before does not have a new testament equivalent so I believe remains somewhat socially primitive.
“And that’s the thing about Christianity. Its entire history has been making it up as you go and a high degree of selectivity as to what bits believers find convenient to subscribe to.”
For what its worth, the ‘stoning homosexuals’ commandment in the old testament was part of what was called the ‘Mosaic Law’, a number of laws required of the Israelites at the time. When Christ came, he made it clear that he both fulfilled and annulled the old Mosaic commands, including the Leviticus requirements for stoning homosexuals and rebellious teenagers etc (old style version of Fortnite). The New Testament gives clarity on how we are to live…love your neighbour as yourself, while God still aptly outlines those who are destined for hell should they remain unrepentant. Loving your neighbour (particularly difficult when one is next to a Green Party member) means telling them what you believe to be the absolute truth, even at the risk of offence. While I don’t agree with your beliefs Bob (not that you would care;) ), I appreciate you sticking up for freedom of speech!!!
A persons beliefs should not in any way affect their employment
From all the comments in the MSM and howls that Israel Folau has almost destroyed the diversity and loving that this brings, as Sir Robert predicted , no person or group reacted on the other doomed people he mentioned………That would have been fantastic but no !.The very people queuing up to be more offended than the other howlers are quite possibly in the other categories mentioned by Israel ,,,,,,,,,let thee cast the first stone .
To give you an idea of the lunacy ……….why is one player from another Rugby team in New Zealand or indeed one on any sport as you will have seen , selected to howl and given the media as if .”Love and truth will follow me”
He told us his views on the list, so what, he is entitled to them as I am of mine.
Get over it MSM and stop using it to keep your idiotic so called journalists and presenters employed.
Rory
Hitchens at the Sydney Writers’ Festival
May 22, 2010, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney, Australia:
is said of the Bishop of Birmingham
That he fucks little boys while confirming ’em.
They kneel on their hassock,
He lifts up his cassock
And pumps his Episcopal sperm in ’em.
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