Opinion: Religion is not a free pass to discriminate

Just because Israel Folau is religious, that does not mean his views need to be accepted by society. Photo / file

COMMENT: Israel Folau's sacking has sparked ire from those who say he is being discriminated against for his religion.

A lot of the outrage has come from Christian people who feel they are also being targeted in the criticism of his statements against same-sex marriage.

I must stress this is not all Christians, many of whom I have seen condemn Folau and others who tout similar opinions, but some within the religion who conflate a changing society with moral degradation.

More and more in the 21st century, these particular Christians feel they are discriminated against and that their beliefs are under attack. Studies in the United States have found that Christians in that country feel the discrimination they face is on par with discrimination against black people.

For almost two millennia, Christianity was the cornerstone of morality and righteousness across the Western world.

In modern times, though, Christianity's influence on the populous has been declining and society is forming its own morals.

The religious beliefs that were once the foundation of society's laws and behaviour are now often being judged wanting.

When religious people make statements against same-sex marriage, like Folau did, or against other now societal norms such as divorce, sex outside marriage or gender equality, it is interpreted as hateful, judgmental, unaccepting and immoral by a large portion of society.

It is this, I believe, that makes these Christians feel they are being discriminated against.

People who once were role models in society are being told some of their morals and beliefs are now deficient.

Folau, and others like him, are free to believe what they want. But in the same vein, society is free to believe their morals are lacking.

Acceptance and tolerance is the new fabric of morality in modern society and those who don't agree with this must expect that their views will be met with disapproval.

Freedom of speech and freedom of religion does not mean freedom from criticism. And criticism is not discrimination.

The LGBTQI+ community, on the other hand, in my view, is one which faces genuine discrimination - members regularly encounter exclusion, verbal abuse and sometimes even physical violence.

Religion is not a valid excuse to subject vulnerable groups of people to more of this abuse and hate.

Nor is it discrimination to call it wrong when a religious person espouses these beliefs.