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After being fired for sharing a post on Instagram opposing homosexuality, Australian Christian Rugby player Israel Folau has filed suit against Rugby Australia.<\/p>\nWhat are your thoughts on the state of our religious freedom in the US?\u00a0 Here’s a story from Australia and what a young Christian athlete is facing there.<\/p>\n
After being fired for sharing a post on Instagram opposing homosexuality, Australian Christian Rugby player Israel Folau has filed suit against Rugby Australia.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the 30-year-old announced that he had filed an application with the Australian Fair Work Commission for religious discrimination, which he believes was the backbone of his termination. \u201cNo Australian of any faith should be fired for practicing their religion,\u201d Folau argued, according to the\u00a0Christian Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n As\u00a0Christian Headlines\u00a0<\/a><\/em>previously reported, Folau\u2019s contract was terminated in April after he shared a post on Instagram warning \u201cdrunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, [and] idolaters\u201d to turn away from sin.<\/p>\n The former Wallabies player wrote in the April 10 post, \u201cThose that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him.\u201d<\/p>\n He then quoted Galatians 5:19-21<\/a>\u00a0which says, \u201cNow the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these , adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.\u201d<\/p>\n Soon after sharing this post, Folau was accused by Rugby Australia of breaching the players\u2019 code of conduct which led to the termination of his employment contract.<\/p>\n In an independent hearing regarding the incident, Folau \u2013 who was signed to play through 2022 for more than $1 million a year \u2013 was found\u00a0guilty of a \u201chigh level\u201d breach\u00a0<\/a>of contract.<\/p>\n This triggered a snowball effect, causing two of the superstar’s sponsors to drop him. Both car manufacturer Land Rover and athletic wear brand Asics broke off their partnerships with Folau.<\/p>\n As reported by the\u00a0Christian Post<\/a><\/em>, Folau\u2019s legal team shared that the athlete is seeking \u201csubstantial remedies from his former employers should they be found to have breached the Fair Work Act in terminating his employment.”<\/p>\n Folau is reportedly citing section 772 of the Australian Fair Work Act which prohibits employers from terminating an employee on the basis of religion in his challenge of his termination.<\/p>\n The application also reportedly states that “The termination has cost Mr Folau the best years of his rugby career, participation at the Rugby World Cup, the chance to become the greatest Wallaby try-scorer (a decades-old record he was likely to break), and the associated exposure and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n “As well as around $5 million in lost salary, Mr Folau will claim in respect of the loss of these opportunities (renewal of contract, sponsorships, etc). The damages will be particularised in due course, but will be substantial. In addition, Mr Folau will seek civil penalties,\u201d the application continues.<\/p>\n In a statement shared with the\u00a0Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>by Folau\u2019s legal team, the rugby player noted that he felt he needed to stand up for people\u2019s freedoms in Australia. He said, \u201cI will forever be grateful and proud to have played the sport I love for our nation. Ours is an amazing country built on important principles, including freedom of religion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA nation made up of so many different faiths and cultural backgrounds will never be truly rich unless this freedom applies to all of us,\u201d Folau proclaimed.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy:\u00a0Getty Images\/Mark Kolbe\/Staff<\/em><\/p>\n This content was originally published here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n