Thanks to Australian rugby star Israel Folau’s recent Instagram posts and pending expulsion from Rugby Australia, reporters are grilling politicians about whether gay people are going to Hell.
Folau’s recent Instagram post asserted that Hell awaits all homosexuals, so Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asked yesterday if he believes the same thing. He dodged.
Said Morrison: “I support the law of the country, and I always don’t mix my religion with politics and my faith with politics. It’s always been something that’s informed how I live my life and how I seek to care for and support others.”
Of same-sex marriage, Morrison said: “It’s law, and I’m glad that the change has now been made and people can get on with their lives, that’s what I’m happy about.”
Morrison’s dodge was seized upon by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who said he absolutely didn’t believe gay people are going to Hell: “I don’t need a law to tell me that. I don’t believe it. I think if you want to be prime minister of Australia you’ve got to be prime minister for all people. I just don’t believe it. The nation’s got to stop eating itself in this sort of madness of division and toxicity. The meanest commentary I’ve seen in the election is actually the propositions that are being advanced that gay people are going to go to hell … I can’t believe the Prime Minister has not immediately said that gay people will not go to hell. This country needs to really lift itself and the political debate and coverage needs to really lift itself in the next four days.”
Shorten’s remarks forced Morrison to say he doesn’t think gay people are going to Hell: “No, I do not believe that.”
He later added: “It is not my view that’s the case. My faith is about … God’s love is for everybody. That is what I’ve always believed. I found it very disappointing that without even prompting he sought to try and politicize this. And seek to exploit opportunity for it. I thought that was very disappointing. I don’t think that should have a place in this election campaign. People’s faith are people’s faith. I’m not running for Pope, I’m running for Prime Minister. So, you know, theological questions you can leave at the door.”
