admin
SYDNEY.— Tennis great Margaret Court leapt to the defence of Israel Folau yesterday, saying the Wallabies rugby superstar was being “persecuted” for quoting the Bible in an anti-gay post on social media.
The devoutly religious Folau is facing the sack by Rugby Australia after posting on social media that “hell awaits” homosexuals. It follows a similar row last year.
Court, who won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, is now a church pastor and no stranger to controversial views.
In recent years, she has vowed to boycott airline Qantas for its support of same-sex marriage, while sparking uproar for claiming tennis was “full of lesbians” and that transgender children were the result of a Nazi-style plot.
She said Folau was speaking from a belief that everyone can be saved if they repent.
“I was on the highway to hell when I was number one in the world in tennis and reached out to Christ,” she told The Australian newspaper.
“I understand why Israel is doing this: you want everybody to know Christ and under it all there is a great love for your nation and you want people to know what you have received.
“That means drug addicts, gays, alcoholics: they all come to my church and I love them and I’m sure Israel loves them too.
“What he is saying about repenting is straight out of the Bible. My heart goes out to him because he’s being persecuted.”
Folau posted a banner on Instagram last week that read: “Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators — Hell awaits you.”
He has vowed to stand by “what the Bible says”, saying “I share it with love.” — AFP.
Online Reporter