Former professional rugby player Israel Folau is in a bit of a bind and he’s hoping fans will help bail him out… to the tune of $3 million.
In April, the now ex-New South Wales Waratahs player took to Instagram to lecture his 330K+ followers about the evils of homosexuality, warning them that “hell awaits … homosexuals,” and urging gay people to “repent” as “only Jesus saves lives.”
“Those that are living in sin will end up in Hell unless you repent,” he spouted. “Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him.”
In response, Rugby Australia and New South Wales Rugby (the organizing bodies that employed Folau and oversee his team, the New South Wales Waratahs) announced they were terminating Folau’s four-year $5 million contract, saying the post was “inconsistent with the values of the sport” and that Folau breached his contract by sharing material on social media that “condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality.”
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Naturally, Folau sued. But it turns out, suing is expensive. So now he’s launched a $3 million fundraiser to try and cover his mounting legal costs.
According to Folau, he’s already spent $100,000 of his own money, and he’s sick of it, so he wants other people to “fund the rest of my action in court.”
“I believe the termination of my contract is unlawful, which is why I have started legal proceedings against Rugby Australia and Rugby New South Wales,” he laments on his GoFundMe page.
Folau is suing his former employers for $10 million for loss of earnings as well as “associated exposure and opportunities.”
“The termination has cost Mr. Folau the best years of his rugby career, participation at the Rugby World Cup and the chance to become the greatest Wallaby try-scorer (a decades-old record he was likely to break),” his lawsuit reads.
On his GoFundMe page, Folau says he doesn’t think he did anything wrong when he told gay people they were “living in sin” and would “end up in hell.”
“I uploaded some messages from the Bible on my Instagram page,” he writes. “I believe that sharing the Bible is an act of love and compassion.”
So far, Folau has raised about $1,300 of his $3 million goal.
Cam
Boo Hoo, bigotry is expensive. And as for his case, he doesn’t have one, if you do something that the team can argue would effect the bootom line and is a violation of their no harassment policy, you don’t have a contractual leg to stand on in Australia.
TomG
Apparently this guy hasn’t read the New Testament because if he had he’d KNOW that his “savior”, Jesus NEVER said anything about homosexuality. He did however say a lot about “those having no sin shouldn’t cast the 1st stone” and “Loving thy neighbor as thyself”. I also recall something said about “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. These are things MOST so-called Christians fail to do.
jcoberkrom
Seems like this poor boy isn’t willing to put HIS money where his mouth is!!!
RIGay
No shit! If he was as big a star as they claim… where’s HIS money?
Chrisk
He’s apparently worth 6 million. This is a perversion of GoFundMe and what it means.
Brian
The perversion of GoFundMe happened years before this case ever started.
Smith David
Dat thang askin fa $3 million. He sound F****ng stupid. Boy bye!
Chrisk
“I believe the termination of my contract is unlawful” I believe so therefore it is. Ha. This isn’t your fake religion snowflake. The team also has rights to employ whoever they want. By keeping you it would send a clear message of hate and no one can afford that.
Most of the smart ones no better then to open their traps and let their bigotry fly. We appreciate you being such a complete dumbass. 🙂
GourmetGuy
Rugby players are famously brain-“damaged.”
But this one can kiss my entire gay ass.
Dymension
Yikes! He’s a piece of work.
twospirit
Wanna quote from the Bible? Then, quote ALL RELEVANT information, including the parts you DON’T adhere to (eat shellfish recently?, have you stoned to death your children [if you are a parent] who talked back to you?, are you cognizant of not wearing two types of fabric at the same time?, do you support slavery?) I could go on, to show the hypocrisy of those who “pick and choose” parts of the Bible to support their bigotry and discrimination of others.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
1000%Co-Sign!
These abhorrent pigs pick obscure passages from a vile closet case Leviticus to “justify” their bigotry.
And don’t forget if Mom wears “gold and baubles” ya gotta off poor old thing also!
Aj76
Spot on . They pick & choose verses that suit them & when it suits them.
Chrisk
I hate the lack of critical thinking skills more then anything. You know the rare smart ones will avoid the old testament stuff just for the stuff you brought up. The dumb asses like this one fall right into it though. They always go for the Leviticus and Sodom BS. They like the death shit most of all.
fur_hunter
I hope most of his FANS tell him to Eat S**T and DIE.
Doug
This is incredible. I just went on his Gofundme page and he’s managed to raise a little over $7000.00 so far. Talk about ego… three million dollars? This guy is as delusional as he is stupid.
JLinMN
Sad that he’s so brainwashed by the white colonialists “god” he spreads hate.
PrinceofPrussia
Q: What do you call a pro-athlete with a $5 million contract who can’t keep his discriminitory thoughts to himself?
A: Unemployed.
dhm
He should ask Jesus for a signed check.
batesmotel
Did Jesus Christ tell him that information personally? Why on Earth would Jesus or God create millions of gay people, then demand they suppress their same sex attraction or you’re going to Hell. That just doesn’t make any sense. If Jesus or God was anti-gay, then why go through the trouble of creating gays. This is a rhetorical statement.
Kangol2
Jesus Christ never mentions same-sexual behavior, let alone condemns it, in the Four Gospels. Ask a Christian to find the verse where Christ does. They can’t, because He doesn’t. Why don’t more people press them on this?
Xzamilloh
Thoughts and prayers
vancouverdoug
Damn! You got to my favourite phrase first. I would add that $5 million is a pittance to pay if you are a true believer. Live in poverty, pleased with yourself that you spread the good word.
OzJosh
The good news here is that Rugby Australia concluded that bigotry is not only a bad look, but it’s bad for business – and having a player spout homophobia on social media would cost them key sponsorships, attract negative coverage and alienate rugby fans. And fans quickly made their distaste for Folau abundantly clear. Moreover, standing up to bigotry has been good for rugby’s image – reinforcing the socially responsible, inclusive aspects of the game over the traditional mindless, macho, loutish image. Fortunately, Folau is way too stupid to see that the longer this skirmish goes on, the more damage he does to his crazy, backward happy-clappy church and the more good he does for rugby in Australia.
Inspector 57
Thank you, OzJosh!
But I would add that even if it is good for business for Rugby Australia and New South Wales Rugby to condemn his remarks and to get rid of him, well…
It was also the RIGHT thing to do. And I am sincerely grateful to them for that — no matter how their action against him affects their revenue, positive or negative.
Bradley
Bye, Felicia!!! ROFLMAO!!!
joelk57
OK, look at him, this is No Brain Trust we are working with. His attorneys thought , we have a Butt Hurt idiot here and we will suck him dry of his remaining money in the name of Fairness for this bigoted Ass Hat.
Chrisk
He can still prey, speak his mind, and still go to his church all he wants. Ain’t nobody going to stop him. Now he can live in poverty and be right with Jesus. Praise the Lord!! Lol 🙂
elemirion
Tell him he can suck it!!!
russdog
Sounds as if he’s done some repenting of his own. Probably ongoing.
Mack
Guess it was too much to ask for him to finance his own future. Why doesn’t he just “pray for it”.
nm4047
cheque from jesus is in the mail. According to fox news he has raise ‘in excess of $70k’ so maybe the publicity that this article has given him has resulted in such as massive increase in ‘donations’ in a short period of time. Or maybe questionable accuracy from the media has resulted. Either way, the man was over paid and those payments should be used to fund in case. Hopefully, the ‘donations’ don’t get put down as a donation as a donation to a religious organisation for tax purposes.
Chrisk
Now it’s at $170,635. That just took one day. Nothing about it is surprising though. Same reason the grifters get money from their loony followers. Appeal to their bigotry.
tjr101
I’m certain there are a lot of right-wing Americans contributing,
Vince
Yep. You’re looking at the Fox News, brietbart crowd. They hate brown people like Folau pretty much too but in this case it’s “enemy of my enemy is my friend” for today. Right now each side is getting what they need.
Chipper
He made his bed, now he gets to lay in it. He deserves nothing!
Osterfool
Here’s the sad reality. People who don’t have enough money to provide food for their own children are gladly giving money to this pompous, holier-than-thou, wealthy athlete who has had way more than his 15 minutes in the spotlight. The pacific peoples living in Australia and New Zealand are the biggest benefactors of this guy’s legal fight and they will remortgage their homes if they have to, just to help “God’s soldier” fight a losing battle. That’s the real tragedy here. And when the dust settles, he will be the one sitting on the money he’s already made whining about fairness and how he was unjustly fired.
Inspector 57
Amen, Brother Osterfool!
Chrisk
Yeah I got a kick out of his complaints on GoFundMe. Yeah the religious freedom BS blah blah blah but the reality is his biggest concern was all the the money he’s losing through sponsorships Which it’s always been about.
tjr101
Bigots tend to be the most self-righteous people that love to play the victim card.
Vince
Freedom of Religion my ass. Be honest. They didn’t fire you because of your religion. No one was stopping you from running your foul mouth. However, you’re not free of consequence any more then I am. You’re demanding special rights you POS.
His biggest concern now is all the money he’s not going to get now through sponsors. Such a great Christian. God Damn I hate these loony fake ass Christians. Fear, greed, and hate is their only religion.
skjontheedge
Good on Rugby Australia and New South Wales Rugby for banning Folau! The National Rugby League, the other code he used to play for, also has stated he will never be registered with one of their teams. Two years ago, when marriage equality was on the ballot in Australia, the NRL invited Macklemore to perform “Same Love” and other songs during half time at the Grand Final, their version of the Super Bowl. I already thought Rugby League was the best sport in the world but the Macklemore invite made me love it just a bit more.
Kangol2
Jesus wept. At this idiot Israel Folau!
Inspector 57
I recently came into a bit of money.
I’m not willing to donate to Folau, per se. But I’m willing to buy his testicles for $10,000 USD each.
Nic1966
Probably get more for your money with his Testicles. I bet they weigh more than his Brain.
toronto
And yet, this guy has raised nearly $300,000.
Vince
What I don’t get is that his salary was 1.5 million/year. He’s worth 6 million according to multiple sources and he just bought a mansion for 2.1 million.
Think of all the needy people that could’ve helped instead of this wealthy bigoted rugby thug? The “caring” donators are doing this purely out of hate as usual.
Brethmas
LGBT defense associations should take action to get the fund in Gofundme aborted, or inactive, or cancelled.
Sam6969
So, FOLAU wrote these comments from the bottom of his heart to help LGBTQ people avoid hell —though we did not ask for anything— and some people are spending their money to support that act of love.
Or, FOLAU knew the comments were going to be provocative, highly divisive and hurtful, but he preferred to indulge publicly his resentment and disgust towards homosexuality in the name of God—His benefactors supporting him perverting Jesus’ message of love and inclusion.
Which description is closer to the truth?
Black Pegasus
Did Jesus deny his $3 million dollar request? Wasn’t it Jesus who told him to announce his vitriolic hate speech to the world? Shouldn’t Jesus write the check for his legal fees as well? LMAO
michel_banen
If he is so convinced Jesus saves people…. than what’s his worry ?
James
HE IS NOTHING BUT A CHRIXTIAN CON ARTIST LIKE FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND THE REST OF THAT CHRIXTIAN TRASH.
Yooper
A-hole can go screw himself.
Theodage
I reported the campaign to GoFundMe. I doubt it will do any good, but this choad has a net worth of over 7 million dollars – he’s well able to absorb the costs of a losing legal battle to fight against the consequences of his hateful comments. Of course, it’s a time honoured tradition of the religious to fleece the gullible, so I suppose his campaign will go on in some form or other.
jsteinbee
Maybe next time he learn to keep comments to himself then he would not pay 100,000 and still have Job
Aires the Ram
I bet he really enjoys the gang showers with his teammates after the games. Something about that you know!