Israel Folau was one of the top rugby players in the world when his contract with Rugby Australia was terminated.
His crime? He posted on social media his opposition to same-sex marriage. He later posted that homosexuality was a sin that would lead to hell – listing it with other sins such as drunkenness, adultery, idolatry, lying and stealing.
Israel told those ensnared in sin that Jesus Christ loved them and they should turn from their sin and come to Him.
The termination launched Israel and his wife, Maria, into “one of the most significant free speech and freedom of religion controversies Australia has ever known,” wrote New Zealand reporter Peter Williams.
Most Americans probably haven’t heard of Israel and Maria. But the couple’s response to the vitriol and anger unleashed against them, as they grew in character and in dependence on God, is an inspiring story that’s worth hearing.
The Folau’s spoke out for the first time about the cost of standing for biblical truth in an exclusive interview with Bob McCoskrie, of Family First New Zealand, a pro-life, pro-family organization. The interview has more than 90,000 views on YouTube.
Now I’ll admit that I know next to nothing about rugby. But I was fascinated by their story. While Israel was an internationally known rugby star, Maria was a world-renowned athlete in her own sport, netball (think basketball without running, dribbling or a backboard behind the net).
Here’s a look at their remarkable story and the interview where they describe their reactions to the attacks on their beliefs and God’s sustaining power through it all.
Israel and Maria
Israel Folau played for the Rugby Australia Wallabies, the country’s national team. He also played for the New South Wales Waratahs, a team based in Sidney. He’d won multiple awards during his career.
Israel, an Australian of Tongan descent, was raised Mormon. He and his family left Mormonism to join the Assemblies of God in 2011, when he was 22 years old.
Maria played netball for different New Zealand teams and was also a member of the national team, the Silver Ferns. She led her team to three gold medals and one silver medal at the international Commonwealth Games. Born in New Zealand, Maria has a Samoan heritage.
Social Media Posts
In 2017, Australia held a referendum on “same-sex marriage,” and Rugby Australia publicly supported the initiative. Folau disagreed with that position in a post on X, saying, “I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions. but personally, I will not support gay marriage.”
McCoskrie asked Israel, “That really was the time when you became public enemy number one, wasn’t it?”
Israel responded, “Yeah … I was voicing my opinion, and it was from my heart. At that time, you know, being a Christian, I thought it was so important to voice that and having a public platform to really, you know, [show] where I stand. And it’s still the same now. We still have that love for people.”
Israel and Maria were newlyweds at the time, and she was a new convert to Christianity. Maria told McCoskrie she began to receive death threats after the post received attention in Australia.
Two years later, as GQ Australia reported, “He Instagrammed a post that would lead to one of the greatest free speech debates of the decade.”
The post listed different types of sinners, with Israel giving a warning, “Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him.”
Public Enemy Number One
This led to Israel’s termination. Israel told McCoskrie, “I had no idea that, as I was about to post this, that I was going to get my contract terminated. That was the truth. But I just felt really convicted in my heart to really share that.”
Prior to the post, Israel said he’d been asking God “to put me in a position to test my faith … always a dangerous prayer.”
Israel refused to take the post down. He had just signed a new contract with the Wallabies – one without the usual social media clause, a mistake on Rugby Australia’s part. He’s also informed the management he wouldn’t compromise on his religious views about sexuality, sin and salvation.
Maria explained that she looked at the post and thought, “Oh yeah, what’s wrong with that? That’s a biblical message.”
A Heart for the Lost
McCoskrie asked what Israel would say to someone who argued, “Look, it may be biblical, but it’s too confrontational. It’s not loving.”
Israel replied, “Well, I would say that’s untrue. I think the most loving thing that a Christian can share is exactly that. [It] is the message of the Gospel and that’s what the Gospel is all about. Sometimes it’s really confronting.”
He went on to explain that affirming someone in their sin is “the most unloving thing to do.” Then he explained his heart for others to come to salvation – just as he had:
The reason why I’m really passionate about Jesus [is] because I used to live a lifestyle that was exactly that. And so I when I share this message, I tell people that I struggle with those things. I actually, you know, was big on alcohol, drugs, all these sorts of things … It didn’t give me the satisfaction that you think it would.
It wasn’t until I encountered Jesus that He gave me purpose and fulfillment [and] peace that this world can’t give you, as the Word says.
Israel called on believers “to stand strong and be bold and not be ashamed of who you represent.”
Maria’s Response
Maria said this was a challenging time for her. She was angry that other players on the team, who said they supported Israel, wouldn’t stand up for his right to express his faith.
As a young Christian, she was enduring vitriol and death threats. She was playing netball internationally, under enormous pressure while commentators and fans called for her to be pulled from the team. And she described running to her car after games, “just in case, you know, someone would do something to me.”
Israel said that was the hardest part, watching Maria struggle and seeing the challenges she faced because of his stand for his faith. He said, “I wish I could have just taken all that weight off her and carried it for her.”
Then he added, “But the fruit that we had received out of the whole situation, what God had taught us and built inside of us in our character is something that we would have never gotten from not going through it.”
Maria agreed, saying that even though it was hard, it drew her closer to God.
“Yeah, it was rough. It was full on. Like I had no choice but to go to God. I was at that point where I was still new in the faith, and Izzy was just such a great example for me to believe but also action as well.”
An Example for Others
Looking back, Maria and Israel believe their story has emboldened other believers to express their faith. Israel said, “And I believe a big reason why we had to go through what we had to go through is to encourage other believers, you know. It’s just part of the assignment that I believe God has had on us.”
Maria also pointed out how God helped sustain her during this ordeal. She said:
We were going through all that stuff, and I just had enough, and I was sitting in the car … and I said, “Lord, I cannot do this. I’m done. Can you just be rid of this situation?”
Then I got out of the car, was walking to the cafe, and I met this English guy, and he stopped me, and he said, “You need to bask in God’s love.”
The man didn’t know who she or her husband were, Maria said, adding,
“I turned around like within seconds and he was gone. And I truly do believe that God sends angels in human form. And he was there to remind me, ‘You’re going to be okay.’”
Maria said it was a reminder that God had chosen her to stand by Israel and “go through the storm and this fire,” that God was saying, “You will do this, and I’ll be with you all the way. You’ll be fine.”
May their testimony of God’s goodness and presence in the storm inspire more believers to speak the truth in the face of opposition.
Related Articles and Resources
Watch the exclusive interview: “Israel & Maria Folau – Their Side Of The Story”
Learn more about Family First New Zealand
Watch Truth Rising, a documentary about how ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact—by boldly choosing courage over fear.
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Image credit: Family First New Zealand, YouTube
