All the kerfuffle over Israel Folau’s ‘sinful’ tweet further demonstrates the rampant hypocrisy and anti-Christian bias of many in our community.
There is nothing wrong with Folau’s tweet based on the teachings of Christianity.
He listed a range of behaviours that have always been considered as requiring redemption prior to entering heaven.
I am sure many recognise it for what it was (a doctrinal statement) and loads of people would agree with at least some of it.
After all, don’t we teach our kids not to lie and steal? We don’t encourage drunkenness nor adultery nor a range of other behaviours in our friends and family.
Naturally, no one complained about the mentions of drunks and adulterers, even though there are legions of them, but the reference to homosexuals sparked an avalanche of outrage from the PC brigade.
First amongst them is rainbow activist and Qantas CEO Alan Joyce who all but threatened to pull Qantas sponsorship if Folau wasn’t sanctioned.
Now that is his right, just as he can enter into business deals with the most anti-homosexual Islamic nations on earth. However, the contrasting attitude does raise some questions as to the consistency of his personal outrage and Qantas shareholders’ money.
Regrettably, social activists rarely have the consistency gene, choosing instead to back the tribe over the principle.
It is no surprise that many of those who insist Folau be sanctioned by the ARU for breaching ‘standards’ also want to prevent Christian schools from doing the same with their teachers.
Even though many will disagree with what Folau posted, he hasn’t sought to hurt anyone, nor has he advocated violence.
In fact, from his perspective, he is trying to actually help people by reminding them that much of what is considered acceptable today is still considered sinful under Christian teachings.
Tens of thousands of preachers, pastors and priests say the same thing to their congregations every single day.
I have no problem with that as I don’t think it is the role of any church to yield to the whims and fancies of the times but to steadfastly remind us that there is always room for improvement in our daily lives.
That lesson is most profoundly demonstrated in the most holy time of the Christian calendar: Easter.
The narrative is one of brutality, betrayal, sacrifice, death and resurrection. Mostly it is about love.
Even when faced with certain death, Jesus refused to cede his beliefs to the populist whims of the crowd.
For believer and non-believer alike, it is a reminder that at the very least we should strive to do the right thing every time, regardless of the personal consequences.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
