Rugby: Israel Folau takes aim at transgender children and gays in sermon

Israel Folau. Photo / Getty

Rugby star Israel Folau has continued to criticise homosexuals while also targeting youths undergoing gender treatment during a sermon at his Sydney church on Sunday, according to reports.

The Daily Telegraph claims the axed Wallabies and Waratahs player delivered a sermon at his father's church on Sunday in which he said the devil is behind children under 16 seeking gender transitioning.

In his sermon at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church in Kenthurst, in northwest Sydney yesterday, Folau talked about a recent event in Melbourne in which a person in parliament spoke on a number of issues including gender fluidity legislation, the Telegraph reports.

"He spoke about nine points, one of the points … he is talking about the work of the sin, homosexuality, is in disguise to try and take over within this world," Folau said in his sermon.

"You see in today's youths and everything, they are allowing young kids in primary school to be able to have the permission to change their gender if they want by taking away the permission of their parents. Now they are trying to take control as a government to make those decisions for young kids who are basically 16 years old or younger, they don't even know what they are doing.

"This is what the devil is trying to do, to instil into the government, into this world, into society, and it is slowly happening. The sad thing is why a lot of people out there that are non-Christians say bad things about the church, is because a lot of the churches allow those things to happen.

"They say that a man and a man should be able to be married and there is nothing wrong with it. This buys into the theme of pleasing man rather than pleasing God and standing up for the truth."

During his 20-minute sermon Folau also spoke about how his faith had created awkward moments with ex-colleagues.

"You might be the only born-again Christian in that workplace, you might feel a bit awkward with your co-workers because they are in the world and you're not.

We should feel blessed … because God has called us."

Last week Wallaby halfback Nick Phipps blasted Folau for wrecking the Waratahs' season.

Phipps said there were "a lot of (Waratahs) players disappointed in the way it's all gone down."

While another team mate said he didn't want to use the distraction of the Folau controversy as an excuse, Phipps did not hold back.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the stance (Folau) has taken," Phipps told Channel Nine after the latest loss to the Brumbies.

"…but it's obviously something that's very important to him and I can't speak for the rest of the group. But there's a lot of players disappointed in the way it's all gone down.

"It's something that's distracted us from our goal this year to be making finals and it's disappointing that I'm watching the game that I love be picked apart for the last eight months.

"There's so many good stories out there about rugby union and we're not getting to talk about them."