In my previous blog, I argued that Israel Folau is not a homophobe. Such a term is not appropriate to describe a Christian who holds his views. He advocates the love of all people, not fear of them, as the term homophobe implies. He is a homophile, even if his words are not received this way when abstracted from context.
Now I want to ask these questions. Is Israel Folau guilty of hate-speech? Then again, is he now the victim of hate-speech? Do we have a case of religious persecution in the way some people are responding to Israel?
First, is what Israel Folau has said “hate-speech?” The answer to me is clearly “no.” According to Google, hate speech is defined as “abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice against a particular group, especially on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation.”
Did Israel Folau abuse or threaten people on the basis of race? No. Did he abuse or threaten people on the basis of religion? No. Did he abuse or threaten people on the basis of sexual orientation? No. Is he guilty of prejudice? Perhaps. Yet, it is not abusive and it is not threatening.
As far as I can see, he said nothing abusive and threatening from a human perspective. He spoke of a God, who, after death, he believes, will send people to hell who are not repentant. There was no threat from a human source or in this world. He did not advocate mistreatment of any of those named. He did not urge hate toward them. He is not even prejudiced as he acknowledges his own sinfulness.
How then can this be “hate-speech?”
Indeed, as noted in the previous blog, he loves all people and recognizes his own sin. If this is hate-speech, he hates himself. Which of course he doesn’t, because he repents.
Further, if Israel Folau is a victim of hate speech, then so are people who have responded all over the media. Both the first time he tweeted and this time, I have listened to hours of NZ's radiosport, bits of other stations, and observed a range of other responses. Israel is the victim of a great deal of hate, and he is a victim of this on the basis of his religion. It is he who is the victim of hate-speech, and not the homosexual community (nor the atheists, drunkards, and so on). He has been mocked all over the place and people parody his view. Yet, he is not in fact a victim of hate-speech. I have not heard anyone advocate him being hurt or threatended. Yet, one might say that demanding he lose his job on the basis of his religion pushes into dangerous territory.
Yes, I will go further, and ask whether Israel Folau is now a victim of religious persecution? For decades, Christianity and Christians have been mocked in western nations. Celebrated TV programs mock us, e.g. Father Ted, the Vicar of Dibley. Our views are mocked and parodied. In the last weeks, I have heard many celebrating the idea of hell as they think it will be a hell of a party. This all in a society that is founded to a large degree on Christian views.
Not to mention the enormous social work and good done by the church across NZ and Australia.
Indeed, one wonders what would happen if the many NGOs, Social Justice groups, and local church ministries went away from NZ. Perhaps the streets would be overrun with the poor and mentally ill? We never complain that we are not appreciated.
About half of NZ still adhere to the faith. Half a million or more go to church every Sunday in NZ. We sit quietly and do not hit back at the mockery of our nation and society. Even though we are constantly misrepresented and misunderstood. We receive little gratitude for the enormous amount of social work we do.
Israel Folau hates no one. He loves all. So does his God. He believes we will all be held to account in the afterlife. He advocates no violence. He leaves that to a God he believes in. Is that a crime? Is he guilty of hate-speech. Hell no, or should I say, heaven no! He expresses his view and he should be free to, if it does not involve abuse and threat. Should he be so harshly treated as a result? No. That is bordering on religious persecution.
I ponder what would happen if a devout Muslim sportsperson had made this tweet in the wake of the Terror Attacks. I understand some Muslims would hold a similar view to Israel, from the perspective of Islam. I believe NZers and Australians would hesitate before condemning them. This would be a good idea. That is because it can easily cross the line into religious persecution to respond as many have to Israel Folau.
I think we need to think very quickly before we jump the gun and react to things that annoy us, as this has done to so many. We do not want to be guilty of the very thing we are condemning as we do so. Reminds me of Jesus saying something about specks and logs in eyes. You can find that in Matthew 7:1–5. While at it, read the whole of Matt 5 to 7—that is the heart of Christianity.
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