Israel Folau should be more socially responsible: President of Tonga Leiti's Association Featured
Wallabies rugby star Israel Folau with fiancée Silver Ferns Netball star Maria Tutaia
18 April, 2018. The president of Tonga Leiti's Association is asking for Pacific sporting role models like Israel Folau to be more socially responsible.
There's been a public backlash over Folau's comment on social media two weeks ago that said gays were headed for "hell" unless they repented of their sins and turned to God.
The rugby star has since released an article to articulate his religious beliefs and the reason why he posted his initial comment.
But Henry 'Aho said people need to be more mindful with what they say publicly as it impacts on others like leitis who suffer ongoing bullying.
"If your belief is going to lead to people getting discriminated against or your doctrinal interpretations is going to lead to people being suicidal, being cast out of their own families, so it is important to revisit their beliefs to tap into their own humanity. Let's be more tolerant and accepting of each other and boy we will be better off."
Henry 'Aho President of TLA
Rugby Australia declined to sanction the Wallabies fullback over his views on homosexuality even though some sponsors have since threatened to withdraw their support.
-RNZI
5 comments
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MALO MARK HANSEN...Free Speech is for everyone, including Mr. Israel Folau. He pays the price for exercising his free speech rights from the attacks he's been dealt from the Politically Correct crowd. If he had lost his job as a star footballer, that is the price he must pay. And Israel Folau knows it. However, let's be clear, bashing the gay community has nothing to do with football. His opinion as a footballer makes no sense to me because he cannot sent "sinners" to Hell. Only sinners can send themselves to Hell.
So what is all the fuzz about? Gays are offended? Please be serious. Does Henry 'Aho think that I will change my views about gays and lesbians just because Israel Folau says so?
I happen to think that gay men are not as sexy as lesbians. So I do think that gay men will go to Hell while lesbians will go to Paradise with me. Does anybody give a rat's ass about my opinion? That's how much we should treat Israel Folau's opinion.
To Mr. 'Aho and fellow brothers in the Leiti community. You should be glad Mr. Israel Folau gave you a platform to express your opinions. Otherwise, nobody would listen to you. That is free speech. -
Hahahahaha - perhaps "You and Leli" should get out more! What he was doing is definitely wrong. Kapau 'oku 'osi "served" 'ene "mission" pea 'osi mali, "he should be more socially and morally responsible". That is all! Kapau 'oku ne fie lea pehe ki he kau Leiti Tonga - there is a way to put it (+++,--). What if tena fa'ele'i mai ha leiti pe trans??? 'Ilonga ho'omo tonounou faka-vesitapolo faka-tohitapu mo faka-'atamai. Mo toe 'unu'unu atu ki he loloto 'o 'ene 'ofa. Fakahela 'eku faka-matala he 'oku 'ikai ke a'u kiai ho 'atamai - pukupuku pea toe fasi'i. Ke talanoa mai koe he me'a maumautaimi. Not interested!!!!!
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Those fancy terms are man made and were invented by perverts to justify their immoral lifestyles. Israel's terminologies are from the very Book that defines and justifies our Godly existence. They are spiritual and based on God's laws and no amount of courses/trainings can change that.
Calling a spade a spade is not politically correct and that's why some people don't like it. But calling a spade a pot will not only make us liars in the eyes of God but will also make the spade think it is a pot. Wrong again. -
Ko e to nounou faka-vesitapolo pe, pea kuopau pe ke pehe. Ko e ngaahi founga eni ke faka-maama'aki e kakai hange ko si'i 'Isileli Folau. To'o e koosi (course) fekau'aki mo e:
1) human rights
2) gender equality
3) vulnerable population/groups.
Totonu ke 'iai ha ha Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Taki 'a Tonga pea fengaue'aki mo e ngaahi siasi kenau tokanga ange ki he ngaahi 'isiu ko 'eni.
Not every Gay/Leiti is Bisexual. Not every Bisexual will be going to Hell.
Kuonga maama eni, pea 'oku tonu ke toe maama ange pea toe sai 'aupito ange mo e fai e lotu. Tautau tefito ki Tonga ko e fonua lotu. -
Henry 'Aho, everybody is entitled to their opinions, we call it freedom of expression. Israel exercised his constitutional rights to say what he believes. You are now trespassing on my rights by trying to tell what to say and how to say it. You and Joey over-exaggerate the leiti's issues in Tonga and you paint a totally different picture of the Tongan leitis. Give us evidence of Tongan leitis who became suicidal or were disowned by their families because of Israel's remarks. I have talked to a lot of leitis in Tonga who said they don't mind Israel's remarks because it doesn't affect them or change the way they live their lives. They understand that people have different ways of expressing their views and they accept it the same way people accept them and their views and their ways of life.
So Henry, stop that nonsense and do something more constructive to the leitis. Why don't you look for funding to train them in much needed skills to improve their livelihoods. Some letis can't even write their names properly or even plan a way to earn a decent and honest living. That's what you should do if you want to support them. Talking to the media and interfering with people's views wont' put bread on the table. You sit up there in your ivory tower and enjoy good food and stylish lifestyle while your poor leitis clean pots, pans and toilets in other people's homes to earn a few dollars.
You need to uplift and improve their livelihoods, not play politics to conform to some demands from international donors that pump money into your pocket.
You blind the leitis with politically correct terminologies to keep them poorer and make you richer and richer.