Australian rugby superstar Israel Folau tweeted an anti-gay video yesterday, one month after he came under scrutiny (but no punishment from his sport) for saying gay people are going to Hell.
With great love i wanted to share this video in the hope that people watch it and think about it. Jesus is coming back soon and he wants us to turn to him through repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38) please don't harden your heart https://t.co/PtDoPCQDco
— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) May 7, 2018
The video features a sermon by evangelical preacher David Wilkerson and footage of a Pride march where Christian street preachers are being protested, and a clip of the White House lit in rainbow colors against narration that say, “Now is the time to get right with God because this generation has lost the fear of God. There’s no fear of God left in the land.”
Folau last month replied to a follower in an Instagram post who asked, “what was gods plan for gay people?”
In the comments section of the post, Folau, who plays for New South Wales Waratahs, replied, “HELL.. Unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.”
Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Waratahs, for which Folau plays, said they would seek an explanation from Folau and denounced the player.
Folau, a devout Christian raised as a Mormon who converted to the Assemblies of God fellowship with his family in 2011, made headlines last September during Australia’s debate over same-sex marriage, when he tweeted, “I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions. but personally, I will not support gay marriage.”
Rugby Australia declined to punish Folau, though its inclusion policy states: “Rugby has and must continue to be a sport where players, officials, volunteers, supporters and administrators have the right and freedom to participate regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race or religion and without fear of exclusion. There is no place for homophobia or any form of discrimination in our game and our actions and words both on and off the field must reflect this.”
Folau also said he’d rather walk away from rugby than defy the Bible.
