4 votes

An abhorrent post, but proverbial Folau death penalty a step too far

1 comment

  1. Algernon_Asimov
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    For starters, I was shocked at the list of crimes committed by other rugby players. That certainly achieved the author's desired effect of putting Israel Folau's social media posts into...

    For starters, I was shocked at the list of crimes committed by other rugby players. That certainly achieved the author's desired effect of putting Israel Folau's social media posts into perspective.

    Later, the author made a valid point: "Folau published some excerpts from Bible passages and his summaries of them. That’s as grave as it gets." "Folau has done nothing more than publish either Bible passages or his interpretations of them."

    Then, the kicker:

    Should RA properly be entitled to terminate Folau’s contract because he had the temerity to post some material which is either written verbatim in, or which is a summary of, a passage of the Good Book? The same Bible, which remains the foundation text of so many of rugby’s private school bastions in Australia — St Joseph’s, Hunters Hill; St Ignatius, Riverview?

    This exposes the double standards involved here:

    • Other rugby players have committed severe violent acts, on and off the field, but not had their careers ended.

    • The material that Folau published is taught in Australian schools.

    There's also the point (mine) that what Folau did, he did as a private individual, not as a representative of Rugby Australia or any associated bodies. An employer (which is all Rugby Australia is, in this situation) does not get to dictate what an employee does or says on their own time.

    In summary, sacking Folau would be a massive overreaction. In fact, most of this kerfuffle is an overreaction.

    Israel Folau quoted the Bible in public. That's not a crime. In fact, it's something that gets encouraged: the Australian government pays money to put religious chaplains in all Australian schools.

    1 vote