As a drunk, atheistic fornicator (sorry Mam) who has idolised Welsh rugby legends like Gareth Thomas, Shane Williams and Gavin Henson I have taken offense to Israel Folau’s comments and beliefs that I am going to hell due to what I do in my free, private life. I also admit that I cannot speak on behalf of the LGBT community, but I can only assume that they are even more enraged than I am by his comments.
I grew up playing surrounded by rugby and it gave me a great sense of belonging. During my latter rugby career, I felt like the team around me and the community that supported us went further than the rugby pitch. Rugby is an inclusive sport. In many countries such as Wales, New Zealand and South Africa it is played by the masses, for the masses. It is often used to unite communities across the country, with the whole of Wales coming together in one voice to support their team being a tame example of its unifying power. In New Zealand it has been used to unite the Maori and the Pākehā (Non-Maori/European descendants) community to create a juggernaut in the game. Even more impressive was the South African rugby team’s victory in their own 1995 Rugby World Cup being used to bring together the post-apartheid country. They did this beneath the leadership combination of White Afrikaner Francois Pienaar as national team captain and the Xhosa President of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
Israel Folau’s Instagram post has not come in isolation as this time last year he came out with the same damning views of homosexuality saying that “[God’s plan for them was] HELL… Unless they repent of their sins and turn to God”. This garnered great media traction and forced a statement from Rugby Australia in which they stated that they did not agree with his statement but accepted that it was within his right to say it. So, this raises the question: why did he need to do this? We, as the rugby community, are aware of his views and we accept that he has them. He recently signed a four year multi-million-dollar contract with Rugby Australia and New South Wales Waratahs (now under threat of termination) so why would he do anything to threaten the sure thing? Arrogance? Need for attention? The urge to preach the Mormon word? We still wait on this revelation.
There’s a precedent if you subscribe to the belief that he is reaching for relevancy as he even admitted in the past that during his Aussie Rules career he struggled with his fame and enjoyed the attention from women and the bright lights of partying as a celebrity. Saying that he thought he “was untouchable” before he broke his ankle in 2009, which he took as God’s way of humbling him. After this incident he accepted his previously subdued Mormon faith, a faith that forbids consumption of alcohol and sport on Sundays. Stating in their Doctrines and Covenants in section 89 “that insamuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good” and that “strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.” As a self-confessed former party animal who “lost track, due to alcohol, going out on weekends, hooking up with girls”, I do not believe he has the solid ground beneath his feet to stand as the moral compass of the masses representing not only his country but his sport. A sport that has elevated him to a point that he sits atop a pedestal as one of the best contemporary players and the heir to David Campese’s crown as best Aussie Rugby player. A sport that, as a Mormon he shouldn’t be allowed to play on Sundays. Hypocrisy, thy name is Israel don’t you think?
This latest controversy has split the rugby world with multiple sides arguing that he’s wrong, that he’s right, that he’s wrong but has the right to state it or that he is wrong and should keep his beliefs to himself as there might be people willing to go out of their way to use his own religion against him (oops). The views of Israel Folau and subsequent support from England’s Billy Vunipola do not represent the Rugby that I love, that I live and breathe as a young Welshman. Rugby will always smoke out the abhorrent beliefs such as those of Israel Folau’s. As a sport it will become stronger for it with the likes of Gareth Thomas and Nigel Owens leading the line as openly gay in a rugby community that has done nothing but support them and have never defined them for their homosexuality but their excellency within the sport and the values that this great sport represents.
As I stated in my intro, I cannot possibly claim to speak on behalf of the LGBT community nor would I like to as it is not my place to. I just wanted to express my views on the views of relevancy seeking multi-millionaire. Rugby is a sport for the people. It includes, it creates a family, a bond that goes beyond the white line and the locker rooms. Whilst he has not actively sought to create an exclusive Rugby he has created public doubt within a sport that has often been under fire for its drinking culture and its history of violence.
In the book of James 4:12 the bible states “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge thy neighbour” this damning quote can be used to change Israel Folau’s list completely. Personally, I would delete the whole list and replace it with: ‘people who makes lists telling you who should go to hell’.
Rhys Ash Powell 