Israel Folau has graciously come to the defence of his latest critic Magda Szubanski, urging his followers not to attack her for her criticisms of Folau and Christianity but to continue the debate in love.
“Hey everyone I totally agree with Julia Baird,” Folau tweeted on Sunday, “please stop the anonymous online attacks on Magda Szubanski who has entered this debate very respectfully. She is entitled to express her views – let’s all have this important discussion with love in our hearts.”
Hey everyone I totally agree with @bairdjulia – please stop the anonymous online attacks on @MagdaSzubanski who has entered this debate very respectfully. She is entitled to express her views – let’s all have this important discussion with love in our hearts.
— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) June 30, 2019
Folau was referring to a tweet Baird sent out earlier in the day which read: “Just saw the ugly hate campaign on here against Magda Szubanski. A note for those who support Folau’s desire to protect and assert Christian faith: you cannot preach peace in the language of war. Or love in the language of hate. Jesus said to love your enemies, not troll them.”
Just saw the ugly hate campaign on here against @MagdaSzubanski. A note for those who support Folau's desire to protect & assert Christian faith: you cannot preach peace in the language of war. Or love in the language of hate. Jesus said to love your enemies, not troll them.
— Dr Julia Baird (@bairdjulia) June 29, 2019
Szubanski came under fire after she publicly suggested Folau, and Christians were out of step with Jesus by incorrectly implying Jesus said nothing about homosexuality. Szubanski also accused Folau of “preaching hate,” and said Christians “pick and choose which parts of the Bible suit them.”
Here’s the difference – Israel Folau was not sacked for being Christian. He was sacked for preaching hate. In the same way I would be if I said things like that about a religious minority. Teachers are sacked for teaching maths etc while being gay https://t.co/tvHzRN5nw1
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) June 23, 2019
Thank you. My debate here is not with religion or Christianity- except where they are used to tell people they are going to hell, by selective using parts of scripture 🙏🏻 I’m off to eat some pork and prawn dumplings 🥟
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) June 29, 2019
And again I say, Jesus said NOT ONE WORD about homosexuality. https://t.co/SiuMKRF7wP
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) June 27, 2019
Jesus said NOT ONE THING about homosexuality
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) October 12, 2018
Christianity would get far more adherents if it stopped telling people who have sex before marriage, suffer with addictions, are LGBTQI etc etc that the are going to hell. IMHO. Eg.12 step programs like AA use Christianity at its best and kindest to help ppl and not judge https://t.co/wml1zlTv9i
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) June 27, 2019
Not hating on Christians. Just critiquing the selective use of Bible. Really? Is the Old Testament just irrelevant and discarded? Isn’t there a thru line? Otherwise, how can prophecies of Isaiah, Zechariah et al be considered testimony to Christ’s divinity? https://t.co/DkPST7pxzn pic.twitter.com/HFcYRHTbm3
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) June 29, 2019
While Szubanski’s critiques were nothing but a demonstration of her own theological ignorance, Folau’s response was entirely gracious and worth commending. The issues Szubanski raises have been addressed in two past articles: ‘Myth: Jesus never said anything about homosexuality‘ and ‘Cherry Pickers.’
