THE STORY so far....

Israel Folau played international representative football for Rugby Australia (RA) under a reported $4M contract.

Israel as a devout member of his father's very own quasi-christian radical church, the Truth of Jesus Christ Church (started 2013), posted a derogatory condemnation against homosexuals online.

Rugby Australia, who controls the code in Australia, reminded Israel his post contravened terms of his contract.
Israel removed the comment and said he would not do it again. He did it again and exhorted drunks, liars, atheists and homosexuals to repent or burn in hell.

RA said he broke his contract and was damaging the socially inclusive nature of RA's brand.

RA revoked his contract and banned him from playing representative rugby union in Oz.

Israel said he was being persecuted by RA for his religous beliefs and would defend himself as anything else would be conceding to the will of Satan.

Israel has copped criticism from the Hillsong church founder, Brian Houston (Hillsong) and from a prominent Anglican pastor Father Rod Bower (Anglican) for his intolerant and hateful declarations.

The stink from Folau's religious dummy spit is so bad that the National Rugby League (a different code) has rejected any chance for Folau to play for them, either in the nationally or internationally.

Unperturbed Israel has begun legal proceedings against RA and he not only wants to be reinstated with the Australian team, he wants $10M compensation.

The quasi-political Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) have eagerly supported Israel, ideologicially and financially, in view of the imminent release of the long awaited legislation, the "religious freedom bill" in Australia, which keen observers will remember was the christian minority's blowback against the rest of pagan Australia for having the nerve to approve same sex marriage legislation in a plebiscite in Oz last year.

The still butt-aching ACL is demanding, amongst other things, the pending legislation provide stringent protection against employers discriminating against christians for their faith.

What's just happened....
Now it gets weird, and worthy of a Marx Brothers' comedy routine.

Joshia Folau, Israel's cousin and fellow church member has been "fired" from his job as a tutor for posting his religious comments.
Josiah posted that "Roman Catholicism is masked devil worship" and the church "a synagogue for Satan" ( a very peculiar comment in itself).
Joshiah

Joshia also refuses to retract his comments for the sake of his family's brand of christianity. The Catholic school declared his position vacant.

So now, it's all become a matter concerning the religious freedom from persecution for an individual, or family, to conduct religious persecution of other established religious beliefs.

On second thoughts the Marx Brothers couldn't have come up with something THIS ridiculous.

As an atheist I am starting to feel left out with all this religious persecution stuff going on.