Revenge builds a lonely house. Space enough for one person. The lives of its tenants are reduced to one goal: make someone miserable. They do. Themselves.

No wonder God insists that we “keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time” (Hebrews 12:15).

His healing includes a move out of the house of spite, a shift away from the cramped world of grudge and toward spacious ways of grace, away from hardness and toward forgiveness. He moves us forward by healing our past.

Can He really? This mess? This history of sexual abuse? This raw anger at the father who left my mother? This seething disgust I feel every time I think of the one who treated me like yesterday’s trash? Can God heal this ancient hurt in my heart?

Joseph asked these questions. You never outlive the memory of ten brothers giving you the heave-ho. They walked away and never came back. So he gave them a taste of their own medicine. When he saw them in the breadline, he snapped at them. He accused them of treachery and threw them in jail. “Take that, you rascals!”

 

Read more:

https://www.faithgateway.com/forgiveness/#.XRMBi62B1vc

 

 

 

Gus is an atheist who will go into oblivion. Nothing wrong with this.

 

Israel Folau's now infamous post in which he called on a range of "sinners" to repent, turn to Jesus Christ and thus be saved from an eternity in Hell has had more consequences than I suspect he anticipated. 

It has led to his loss of employment. It has elevated his status to that of a champion for conservative Christian beliefs. 

Finally, it has prompted widespread debate about the intersection between religious belief and the world of work.

It is this last issue that deserves further discussion.

Religious freedom comes in four basic forms: freedom of belief, freedom of worship, freedom to act in good conscience (which includes freedom from coercion in matters of religion) and finally freedom to proselytise (which includes the right to educate one's children in the faith). Folau's case involves the third and fourth of these freedoms.

What Folau believes and how he worships have not been challenged. Rather, he has been sanctioned for what he has done and said — not as a believer, but in his role as an elite rugby player representing Australia. However, can the two roles of "believer" and "contracted player" be so easily separated? That is the question at the heart of this issue.

Read more:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-25/israel-folau-crowdfunding-free-speech-simon-longstaff-analysis/11245082



Meanwhile god could be queer...:

Another liberal institution is challenging an age-old dogma – this time on hallowed religious ground – with radical new ideas. This would not be worrisome if dissenting voices were invited, but that is not the case.

Hell hath no fury than a liberal scorned, and if Swarthmore College, situated on a lush, tree-lined campus in the state of Pennsylvania, teaches that God might be experiencing some doubt over his (her?) sexual identity then who are we mere mortals to doubt it? Perhaps the liberal college might even consider extending an invitation to God the Almighty, who micromanaged the Creation in just seven days, to enroll in this course, which promises to “stretch the limits of gendering, and sexing, the divine.”

Yes, sexing the divine. Questioning whether God might be male or female, however, is not a very radical concept. It is a harmless game of intellectual pursuit, a bit like pondering the existence of angels or whether that eternal hot spot for sinners known by the Italians as ‘Inferno’ is real. Then, along came Pope John Paul II with his 1992 hit release ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church,’ which had the last word on the debate by stating unequivocally that “God is neither man nor woman: he is God.” That blast of papal certitude worked to placate everyone, at least for a while anyways.

Today, with ultra-liberal classes like the one being offered by Professor Gwynn Kessler, entitled ‘Queering God: Feminist and Queer Theology,’ religious doctrine threatens to be turned on its head to such a degree that what is left bears no resemblance to Christian teachings. That could eventually have long-term consequences for society at large, which has depended on religious teaching as a moral anchor in various ways, including in the rite of marriage, raising children and even punishing criminals, for example. 

 

Read more:

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/462557-us-college-god-queer/

 

By David Marr

 

Pity these Christians. They’re lashing out, angry and terrified. Miranda Devine is warning them via the pages of the Sydney Daily Telegraph Australia faces a revolution of “coercion and bloodshed” à la Mexico in the 1920s unless we rally to the cause of Christianity and Israel Folau.

The madness is dialled up to the max. But I’ve been reporting faith and politics in Australia for nearly 40 years and I’ve seen all this before: militant Christians all over the shop, blind to their arrogance and contradictions.

Rigid ideologues, they sing great anthems to free speech. Warriors of discrimination, they condemn discrimination against Folau. No matter how cruel the doctrines they are pushing they see them washed clean as articles of faith.

The fact is, condemning gays to hell is vilification. Yes, St Paul was on the case way back at the start but that only makes it vilification with a pedigree.

While Folau isn’t calling for men like me to be stoned, whipped or pushed off high buildings, I reckon he is free to preach his horrible beliefs. But his freedom shouldn’t trample my freedom or the freedom of anyone else.

We are free to say he’s a dork to carry on like this about gays and drunks and idolaters. (That means Catholics, by the way.) And Land Rover is free to stop him promoting their luxury cars. And GoFundMe is free not to be the platform where he raises millions to fight Rugby Australia.

But to Folau’s Christian backers this notion of freedoms we all share doesn’t make sense. Why? Because for them putting the boot into gays is basic Christianity. This is hard for the rest of us to credit in 21st century Australia, but to make sense of the current uproar it needs to be faced.

These Christians – by no means all Christians – are willing to burn up huge amounts of political capital to keep and, if possible extend, their power to punish homosexuals. It’s a weird pivot of their faith.

This is not all they want the Morrison government to shore up with legislation, but it’s at the core of their demands. They are shy of saying it in so many words, of course, hence all the malarkey we’ve been hearing from them for the last couple of years about freedom.

Here’s a simple principle: being decent and kind requires no legislation. You only need a religious freedom act to shelter behind when you plan to be nasty – say to age-old targets of your wrath like gays.

So where does that leave Rugby Australia?

One of those attacking the code this week was Sydney’s Anglican archbishop, Glenn Davies, who eloquently defended Folau’s “right as a citizen to speak of what he believes without threat to his employment”.

Really? Is this the same archbishop who compelled 34 Anglican headmasters and headmistresses last year to sign an open letter demanding the law continue to allow them to sack gay teachers and expel gay students?

I asked His Grace if this same citizens’ right extended to teachers in Anglican schools? No was the answer that came back from his spokesman, Russell Powell. “This case of non faith-related employment should not be conflated with others.”

How silly of me! There’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us. Folau is free as a footballer to vilify homosexuals without losing his job but were he coaching rugby at a Sydney Anglican school and tweeting approval of gays it might well see him shown the door.

 

 

Read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jun/27/with-israel-folau-the-chur...

 

 

Read from top.

The former Wallaby — who was sacked on May 17 for breaching his contract — posted a video online last night in which he called for RA to say sorry.

Folau's $4 million deal was torn up after he told his 366,000 Instagram followers that "hell awaits" homosexuals.

RA described the post as a "high-level breach" of the Professional Rugby Players' Code of Conduct.

However, last night the 30-year-old claimed in a TV interview that the sport's powerbrokers had offered him money to take it down.

"Hopefully Rugby Australia will accept that my termination was unlawful and we can reach an agreement about how they can fix that mistake," Folau said in the video.

"First and foremost I am hoping for an apology from Rugby Australia and an acknowledgement that even if they disagree with my views, I should be free to peacefully express my religious beliefs without fear of retribution or exclusion."

Shortly after he made the comments, RA issued a statement saying: "Any suggestion that Rugby Australia offered Israel Folau money to remove a post made on April 10, 2019, is completely untrue."

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-28/israel-folau-wants-rugby-australi...

 

My personal opinion for the bag of spuds it's worth would be to say that "offering money" for folau to take down his anti-gay comments does not make sense considering he is (was) already paid a large sum of cash to be a Rugby fullback / centre / wing man... 

 

 

Read from top.

 

 

See also:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-05/israel-folau-gay-kids-in-suburbs-...

 

And by the way, Isileli, you can say and post what you bloody like once you are retired from your contract which you signed with all the caveats attached... At this stage it could appear that money has become the driver of your faith... Gus Leonisky, who will burn in hell forever-after, would suggest for you to go and play your life with humility and acceptance... Christ did not ask for cash to fight the Romans, the Jews and the Philistines... No offence.

 

Brazilians Celebrate LGBT Pride, Rejecting Bolsonaro’s Homophobic Backlash.

MIKE FOX Brazil’s LGBT community celebrated across the country over the last week, for Gay Pride.

Hundreds of thousands hit the streets in Sao Paulo, on Sunday, June 23, for the country’s largest celebration.

In Florianopolis, the capital of the conservative Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, people commemorated on Friday, Gay Pride day, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that effectively launched the LGBT movement. They held a fair, talks, performances and a march in the evening. 

PEDRO CABRAL FILHO We are here to say that we have nothing to hide. Taking to the streets, walking on the streets, is a political act. The relationship between two men, or two women, or the way that we act in public with respect to gender is a political act and we don’t have to be shameful of this. On the contrary, we can be proud.”

MIKE FOX But 6 months into the government of far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s gay, lesbian and trans community is facing a wave of hate crimes.

Bolsonaro has called himself a “proud homophobe.” And said he would rather have his son dead than gay. One of his first measures was to cut LGBT rights from the country’s human rights guidelines. Brazil’s leading gay congressman Jean Wyllys fled the county at the beginning of the year after a series of threats to his life.

FANNY SPINA FRANCA  Bolsonaro is legitimizing homophobic violence. There’s been a surge in hate speech, and we feel it in the streets. So we are here today to fight, but even more to celebrate people’s lives. We live in Brazil, the country with the highest murder rate against the LGBT community, principally for transexual and transvestites, and we are here to celebrate the lives of those who have survived the violence and say that we will not accept it.

MIKE FOX Even before Bolsonaro, Brazil was already the most violent in the world for the LGBT community. 445 people were killed in 2017, alone, according to a report by the Bahia Gay Group. Nearly half of the world’s reported murders of trans and gender-diverse people in 2018, took place in Brazil, according to the NGO Transgender Europe.

Marcela Barreiro Batista is a high school student who attended the march. This was her first time at a rally.

MARCELA BARREIRO BATISTA There are a lot of things that are wrong and in order to change that, we need to come out, and call people’s attention to them. They need to see that we are here. We don’t want anything bad. We just want respect and equality.

 

Read more:

https://therealnews.com/stories/brazilians-celebrate-lgbt-pride-rejecting-bolsonaros-homophobic-backlash

Israel Folau has become a pariah to some, yet more than 20,000 people threw a combined $2 million in support behind his crowdfunding campaign in just two days.

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) hosted the crowdfunding campaign and dubbed these donors the "quiet Australians". 

So who are these people and what do they hope their donation will achieve? 

'Our freedom is slowly being taken'

"The support for Folau is broad," said Michael Kellahan, executive director of Christian legal thinktank Freedom for Faith.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-02/whos-donating-to-folau-meet-chris...

 

Read from top

 

NO! Your freedom to believe or to have faith isn't eroded. Your freedom to proselytise under contract not to do so is the only problem. And as Gus has said before, what you believe in is old crap, but you are entitled to believe in it. Please, do not try to make a meal about other people who believe differently and run their lives with a love that is not sanctified by the bible — a book that sanctions more wars than love — and that tells of the many wives and concubines of the grand priests of the faith... 

 

Read from top.

Labor senator Penny Wong has used Q&A to deliver an emotional response to Israel Folau's social media commentary, saying: "I wish that public figures, politicians, sporting stars etc. might consider for a moment … where their words land in vulnerable Australians before they speak them."

Key points:

• Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia after posting views on social media that were deemed in breach of his contract
• Ms Wong said she wishes "we could have more expressions of love and forgiveness" when it comes to beliefs
• Folau said he will "continue to stand up for the freedoms of all Australians" after failing to reach a settlement with Rugby Australia at his Fair Work Commission hearing

 

Senator Wong was responding to a question from an audience member about whether the response to Folau's comments would be different if he were a Muslim rather than a Christian.

"I wish that we could have more expressions of love and forgiveness rather than condemnation when it came to belief," she said.

"He is entitled to his beliefs. I disagree with them, and I think we ought to remember he doesn't speak for all Christians."

Folau, the former Wallabies star, lost his rugby contract over a post in which he called on a range of "sinners", including homosexuals, to repent and turn to Jesus Christ, and thus be saved from an eternity in Hell.

Human rights lawyer Diana Sayed told the panel the Morrison Government — which is expected to table a religious discrimination bill later this year — must not "give people a licence to discriminate".

"It is really important that this bill strikes a balance that people who are free to practice their religion are not granted a licence to discriminate," she said.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-09/penny-wong-delivers-an-emotional-...

 

 

Meanwhile mixing "whistlingblowing" with opinionated free speech in the same bottle can be unfortunate. Why not accepts the Holocaust deniers in our mist as well. It is my view that Folau isn't "whistleblowing" but is expressing an opinion which he is entltled to — BUT NOT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT HE SIGNED to play rugby and get lovely cash for it. You take the cash, you shut up until you are free from your contract. Simple.

 

The same applies to contracts re trade secrets, engineering secrets and exclusive private knowledge. Unless we live in a fully communist planet, we can't share openly the whatever in regard to manufacturing an automatic shovel... Should these secrets be problematic such as killing people or breaking the trade rules, then whistleblowing becomes a must, otherwise it's only about exposing a better way to make a useless gizmo.

 

The article at IA is borderline by including Folau with instances of REAL whistleblowing which Folau isn't doing but expressing his simplistic views: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/universities-folau-afp-raids-and-why-free-speech-isnt-free,12881

 

Read from top.

Scott Morrison is going to hell. So is Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston and most of the donors who gave money to former Wallaby star Israel Folau’s legal defence fund organised by the Australian Christian Lobby, according to the teachings of Folau’s church.

The 30-strong congregation of the Truth of Jesus Christ Church, established by Folau’s father Eni in 2013, believes the "everlasting torture and doom" of hell awaits most Christians, with Catholicism seen as "the synagogue of Satan" and "masked devil worship".

A Christian parent of a promising young rugby player was concerned when Israel Folau began inviting players to his church. The parent decided to find out for herself what the Folaus were preaching. What she discovered has disturbed her greatly.

"I honestly do not want my son involved in what I have come to understand is false teachings and counterfeit Christianity. I’ve gone, I’ve checked it out and I would call them an isolated hate group," she said of her attendance at bible studies at the home of Pastor Eni, as he calls himself, as well as discussions with Eni’s disciple, his 20-year-old nephew Josiah Folau.

 

Read more:

 

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/why-the-pm-and-most-christians-are-going-to...

 

 

 

Is Hell tax deductible?

 

Read from top.

Rugby player Israel Folau has drawn anger for linking Australia's bushfire crisis to the nation's same-sex marriage and abortion laws.

Folau, who was sacked by Australia in May for making anti-gay remarks on social media, described the fires as a "little taste of God's judgement".

Six people have died since last month in blazes raging in eastern Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned Folau's remarks as "appallingly insensitive".

"He is a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes but that doesn't mean he can't have regard to the grievance [and] offence this would have caused to the people whose homes have burnt down," Mr Morrison told reporters on Monday.

• Heatwave is forecast to spark new Australia fires
• Is climate change to blame for Australia's fires?
• How you fight extreme wildfires

Folau, who is Christian, gave a sermon in his Sydney church on Sunday in which he said Australia's decision to pass abortion and same-sex marriage laws had gone against "God's word", adding the nation needed to "repent".

"Look how rapid, these bushfires, these droughts, all these things have come, in a short period of time. You think it's a coincidence or not?," he said.

His comments sparked outrage from many Australians online, who noted the widespread devastation of the fires.

 

Read more:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50455162

 

 

Read from top.

Former Wallabies player Israel Folau has said he is set to lose $14 million as a result of being sacked by Rugby Australia (RA), according to new court documents.

Key points:

• Court documents have revealed Israel Folau has increased the damages figure from a previous estimate of $10 million
• Folau claims he could have been a future Wallabies captain and the national team would have produced a "superior" performance at the Rugby World Cup had he not been sacked
• The document includes claims Rugby Australia was told the sacking of Folau could offend Polynesian players and divide the team

 

The documents also claim the Wallabies would have put in a "superior performance" if Folau had been selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and he could have possibly captained "a trophy-winning Wallabies team" in the future.

An amended statement of claim from Folau, released today, shows the damages figure has been increased to $14 million from a previous estimate of $10 million.

Folau's contract was terminated in May. He has claimed he was wrongfully dismissed by RA and Rugby NSW after a controversial Instagram post in April condemning "drunks" and "homosexuals", and warning that "hell awaits" them.

The devout Christian also previously claimed transgender people were evil and should repent.

In the amended statement of claim to the Federal Circuit Court, Folau detailed the income he claimed he had lost since RA tore up his contract.

The list included estimates of between $450,000 and $1.25 million a year in "post-playing career monetary benefits" over a span of 15 to 25 years.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-27/israel-folau-damage-claim-rises-t...

 

Read from top.

 

Now, Mr Folau, would Christ demand money for his crucifixion? No. So, go away. May be we should give you 30 pieces of silver and let you hang yourself...

 

"... the Wallabies would have put in a "superior performance" if "you" (Folau) had been selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan????" You're kidding. This is not provable. This is not a point of law. Your contract specifies that you shall not vilify whomever, but you did. Tada! This isn't not discrimination against you as you had an obligation written in black-and-white NOT TO DISCRIMINATE nor VILIFY which you did. Tada! See you later. Pass the collection plate...

Margaret Court will be a "special guest" at next year's Australian Open, which will feature a celebration of her completing a Grand Slam 50 years ago.

Key points:

• A series of events are planned during the tournament to commemorate Court's 1970 Grand Slam
• Tennis Australia said the champion's off-court views did not align with its values
• Court said she was looking forward to the celebrations

 

In a statement announcing the arrangements, Tennis Australia distanced itself from Court's controversial views on homosexuality.

"Tennis Australia respects Margaret's unmatched tennis career and welcomes her to the Australian Open, particularly in this milestone anniversary year," its statement read.

"As often stated, Tennis Australia does not agree with Margaret's personal views, which have demeaned and hurt many in our community over a number of years. 

"They do not align with our values of equality, diversity and inclusion."

Court won 24 grand-slam single titles in her career including the Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open and US Open in 1970.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-30/margaret-court-to-be-2020-austral...

 

 

Read from top

 

Some people could argue similarity of cases between Margaret Court and Folau... but Margaret never signed an official contract that demanded not to vilify people. Her annoying views are her own, to be separated from her famous tennis playing. Folau breached his contract. Simple.

 

And here is a reminder: 

6 — the original sin...

 

2 — the prophet...

Rugby Australia has apologised to Israel Folau as part of a confidential settlement reached over the former Wallabies player's sacking.

Folau's contract was terminated by Rugby Australia in May after he posted to social media that homosexuals, among others, would go to hell.

Folau then took legal action against Rugby Australia, demanding $14 million in compensation and an apology for wrongful dismissal.

Mediation talks between Folau and Rugby Australia began at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Monday but were suspended after 12 hours.

Today, a joint statement from Rugby Australia, NSW Rugby and Folau confirmed a settlement had been reached after talks resumed via teleconference.

"While it was not Rugby Australia's intention, Rugby Australia acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus," the statement said.

​"Similarly, Mr Folau did not intend to hurt or harm the game of rugby and acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused."

The statement said Folau's social media post "reflected Mr Folau's genuinely held religious beliefs" and he did not intend any harm or offence.

"Mr Folau wants all Australians to know that he does not condone discrimination of any kind against any person on the grounds of their sexuality and that he shares Rugby Australia's commitment to inclusiveness and diversity."

The financial details of today's settlement have not been released.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-04/rugby-australia-israel-folau-medi...

 

we apologise on behalf of ourselves about our opinions of ourselves in this saga where we may have said things that could be too true about everyone and oursleves... Our satirical kneecaps have been grazed... don't read from top anymore...