We get it, you're happy that a Christian man got fired for sharing a Bible verse. Your virtue has been duly noted. Can we please stop hearing about it for 20 minutes in every podcast?

I apologize if my first comment was a little harsh, I was just getting exasperated. I really enjoy the Variety Hour, but I get frustrated with the continuous retreading of the same ground on the Folau issue. I don’t believe that Folau has done everything right, there is no doubt that he could have shown a more loving attitude to the LBGTQI community without compromising his beliefs, but I do think his being fired for sharing a bible verse is a dangerous precedent and one that ought to be taken seriously. I think we ought to be concerned that as a culture our first instinct to those who hold views outside the mainstream is increasingly to punish, rather than persuade or tolerate.

Agree Daniel. While I don't like the Christian stance that Folau took, it's a fact that gay and transgender people were well accepted in islander culture before the missionaries came along. Folau is parroting a zealous Christian ideology that was inherited from the west, which in the meantime has decided that's not what they stand for any more. It's interesting that Margaret Court said the same thing and, despite calls for her head, still has an Arena named after her, so how come this guy got hung so quickly?

it's because it was a condition of his employment not to make divisive commentary that he was sacked.

Matt's nailed it. Israel Falou is free to say whatever he likes - but he not free from the consequences of those comments. It was a part of his contract with the ARU to not make public, divisive statements (as he did).

The fact that Falou and all his supporters (Christian or orherwise) are trying to turn this into a plebiscite on free speech in this country is a disgrace!

As a fan Titus, I can only suggest you be careful of indulging in identity politics; it is the new bigotry.
I trust you have no issues with his race.
When you take a stand publicly, be sure they perfectly align with your values and that you are prepared to defend them because some mud always sticks regardless of innocence. It is the nature of the beast, especially on social media.

"Read the room, Izzy" is just code for "Censor yourself Izzy". It appears his personal values are not up for compromise.

Folau is taking a stand in favour of freedom of religion and freedom of speech in a time of public hatred vented on anyone who disagrees with a certain left-wing set of opinions.
Your colleagues on social and traditional mainstream media are ganging up with a big corporate, ANZ bank, to attack his wife too.

How low can people go in attacking individuals personally when they fall out of step with Newspeak?

I am yet another one of the people who disagree with him supporting a particular Christian view from the back section of The Book (I realise I shouldn't use the word "Bible".... see? Woke :) but Folau has a right to his freedom of speech apart from anything else.

If you don't do what you can to protect Folau's freedom of speech, there may be no-one left to protect yours if they come for you.

A wise person would realise that a vast social movement which favours more suppression of free speech exists within a greater cycle in which it's opposite, free speech absolutism, is the countervailing power. Basically taking a public stand suppressing free speech may come back to bite you as the cycle inexorably moves on.

This also applies to political beliefs. For the last 25-30 years there has been an obsession in wealthy countries with Political Correctness. Now however, there is a global swing back in this cycle to free speech and centre right politics. Short of the imposition of totalitarian states, it will always be thus.

One thing we can be sure of is that with the inflow of PC, and its handmaiden, condescension, the quality of public discourse all but collapsed and a settling, reassuring intelligent public debate has again been silenced by the Thought Police (one of Gillian Triggs' legacies).

Time to read (re-read) Nineteen-Eighty Four Tite?

THE CROWBOY

Folau has no problem with consequences. He has worked his way into his current position from very humble beginnings. His values and commitment are his strengths, so don't worry about those matters on his behalf.

Regardless of any assertion, the existence of Folau's meme 'warning' of consequences for every human being who ever lived, according to a reading of the Old Testament, made it intrinsically a fight over free speech.

The rabid attacks on him and his wife have simply shown it in an even brighter light. The haters want to suppress him from expressing his views. Welcome to censorship. Welcome to an attack on free speech.

Thanks for the tip Daniel, I'll be sure to fast forward this 20 minutes of intelligentsia virtue signaling. I wish I had of avoided the half hour of Wil Anderson smarming his privileged opinion about Goode's treatment in this weeks 2 Guys 1 Cup.
When even Gillian Triggs is against you on this one Titus, it's time to accept you are flogging a dead 'un and stop trying to portray The Bible as hate speech

The only thing crazier than Izzy's bible bash and inability to read a contract is the belief that we are living under some insidious left wing PC regime and free speech is under threat. This era is quite the opposite. It's practically spring time for Hitler as reflected by the Australian electorate. Not to mention the USA and the UK electorates, although I just did.