St George-Illawarra are the latest corporate casualties of cancel culture. Showing a distinct lack of courage, they have recently capitulated to many in the mainstream media who were hysterically calling for his lifetime ban from the NRL to be upheld. And the fact that I have supported the Dragons ever since I was a child makes their lack of courage—on and off the field—all the more discouraging.
But it seems like many in the mainstream media have taken upon themselves the mantle of being our moral gatekeepers. Take, for instance, Karl Stefanovic. The Daily Telegraph reported recently that Stefanovic made the completely unfounded accusation that Folau is both ‘homophobic’, as well as ‘racist’, who should be made to publicly apologise for what he personally believes.
We all know though, that even if Folau were to ‘repent’ of his religious views then not even then would the likes of Stefanovic be satisfied. Not until Folau was dressed in a pink tutu on a float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras preaching the LGBTIQ gospel.
That’s because it’s not enough for Stefanovic that Folau believes what the majority of people in human history and throughout the world have affirmed – i.e. that marriage should be between a man and woman. No, Stefanovic is so intolerant that he wants everyone to hold to exactly the same opinion as himself. And the executives over at Channel Nine wonder why ratings for The Today Show are in constant free-fall?
However, ever since the redefinition of marriage, this is the world that we live in. For it was never about the right of being able to commit to whichever gender you wished to have sex with, but the power to coerce everyone else in society into affirming your own particular lifestyle. As Neil James Foster, Associate Professor of Law and author of the Law and Religion Australia blog writes:
‘I am deeply concerned about the suggestion that Israel Folau would be bound by contract imposed by the NRL to not speak publicly about his religious beliefs! He would be the only person in Australia so fettered. Even if this outrageous suggestion were limited to “comments on homosexuality” it would be unacceptable. To be clear, he said nothing that would inspire hate or violence against same-sex attracted people. He was not guilty of “homophobia”. The reason I am concerned is that knowledge of this contractual provision will encourage other private companies to think that such conditions can be added to other people’s contracts. Take them back to play, make it clear that your club does not endorse all the views expressed by players outside work, and move one’.
But what of Stefanovic’s claim that Folau is also a racist? Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t know if ‘king Karl’ is aware of this, but Folau himself is not white. What’s more, Folau is part of a large and influential Polynesian Christian culture—like myself—that upholds strongly conservative moral values. What’s more, as even his strident critics would begrudgingly affirm, Folau has never denigrated anyone from another country or race.
Stefanovic’s most substantive gripe though, is that apparently, Folau hasn’t acknowledged the emotional pain he has caused those whom he has disagreed with. Really, Karl… you’re going to lecture a rugby league player on not hurting other people’s feelings? He’s a rugby league player for goodness sake! And it’s not like he’s sexually assaulted anyone, been drunk and disorderly or even left his wife and children for a much younger woman.
But such is the hypocrisy of many in today’s mainstream media. They love to use their high-profile platform to hector the public on issues of morality, but their own personal lives leave much to be desired.
Journalists such as Karl Stefanovic then, would do well to heed the words traditionally ascribed to Jesus, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” John 8:7
