When it comes to his views of the LGBTIQ+ community, Wallabies player Israel Folau wants to have his cake and eat it too.
Folau has hit back at claims that he is homophobic by stating that "nothing could be further from the truth". He even points to his previous appearance on the cover of Star Observer magazine as proof of his inclusive intentions. But belief systems don't work that way. You can't boast queer allyship one day and condemn us to hell the next. You can't do one queer magazine cover and receive a hall-pass for all future bigotry.
Similarly, you can't self-impose an ultimatum in order to carve yourself a narrative of victimhood.
While Folau has today said that he than compromise on his religious beliefs, nobody of power from within Rugby Australia has actually asked him to do that. In fact, quite the opposite, with Rugby Australia offering their support and over Folau's anti-gay comments - despite mounting pressure from sponsors.
Writing an op-ed (to "provide context") for Folau claims that he too is a sinner - that he believes all sinners are condemned to hell, not just gay people. Would he publicly denigrate his own colleagues for committing the sins of greed or infidelity, though? Or is that an honour reserved for members of the LGBTIQ community?
No, Folau wants to be lauded by the conservative, fundamentalist factions of the Christian Church while being excused as moderate by the mainstream. But, if the response from sponsors and social media users are anything to go by, the mainstream isn't willing to let him off unscathed.
Because, despite what Alan Jones would have you believe, nobody is denying Folau his right to an opinion, nor his right to hold religious beliefs. But so little of this furore is about freedom of speech, it's about Folau denying that his views and actions equate to actual homophobia - and therefore denying both the responsibility and consequences that come with it.
To believe that unrepented sin condemns a person to hell is not particularly hateful (although it probably depends who you ask) or newsworthy.
However, to believe and express that being gay - beyond the all-encompassing umbrella of broader sin - condemns a person to hell is hateful, and to claim otherwise under the guise of biblical semantics doesn't make it any less so.
It just makes Folau a coward.
