Awkward interrogation: Lisa Wilkinson's brutal Israel Folau question on The Project
The leader of the Australian Christian Lobby has faced an awkward interrogation from Lisa Wilkinson on The Sunday Project, as he refused to answer whether or not he agrees with sacked Wallabies star Israel Folau’s statement that gay people are going to hell.
Martin Iles is responsible for the contentious and enormous crowd funding campaign that raised close to $700,000 for Folau’s legal proceedings against Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW.
The controversial leader wasn’t expecting the line of questioning Lisa Wilkinson undertook as she asked what everyone at home was thinking.
Folau was sacked from Rugby Australia in May after posting a homophobic rant on Instagram saying “hell awaits” for gay people. A tribunal found him guilty of a “high-level” breach of the organisation’s code of conduct, terminating him from his $4 million contract.
He has retaliated by seeking up to $10 million in damages, and has launched legal proceedings in the Fair Work Commission.
“Martyn, just quickly before we let you go – speaking of feeling marginalised, do you believe homosexuals go to hell?” asked Wilkinson.
To which Iles responded: “Mainstream Christian belief on this is that all of us are born going to hell.
“We’re all sinners and I don’t think it’s helpful to say that Israel Folau’s post targeted homosexuals – it didn’t,” he said.
“I was on the list. I think each of us were on the list. We’re all sinners. We will be judged by God and we will be found wanting. I think that’s something that some Australians find offensive.
“But it is actually a Christian belief which runs to the very heart, soul and core of Christianity. And yeah, we’ll be judged on our sexual behaviours. Me, as a straight man, will be judged on my sexual behaviours and found wanting.
“And that’s what Israel was saying when he was talking about salvation in Jesus Christ available to all, and millions of Australians believe that. So if we want to argue about that set of beliefs, we should actually argue about it.
“But I don’t think that the politically correct baseball bat should be wielded to do a guy out of a job, pull the rug from under his feet, get rid of his salary, then drag his name through the mud in the media. That’s not the kind of society I think we should live in to deal with issues like this.”
His answer then triggered co-shot Hamish McDonald, who publicly came out as gay at the GQ Gentleman’s Ball earlier this month, as he asked, “I’m not clear what you think. Do you think homosexuals go to hell or not?”
Iles replied: “I don’t think it’s that simple. I think we decline the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and will be judged.”