Part 2: Code of Conduct 1 CODE OF CONDUCT - PLAYERS
1.3 Treat everyone equally, fairly and with dignity regardless of gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural or religious background, age or disability. Any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination has no place in Rugby.
1.7 Use Social Media appropriately. By all means share your positive experiences of Rugby but do not use Social Media as a means to breach any of the expectations and requirements of you as a player contained in this Code or in any Union, club or competition rules and regulations.
This is something he would have been well aware of and have to agree to when signing with Rugby, much the same expectations I was informed of and agreed to when I started with Blackwoods and that included social media.
1. a contract can't diminish existing rights, so if the actions of ARU breach his religious freedoms the contract is a moot point.
2. I would argue that he has not breached clause 1.3, he treated everyone equally by quoting a scripture which virtually says that hell awaits everyone.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
The image is put very crudely although a reasonably accurate summation of the verse it is paraphrasing.
However If you look at the word he wrote himself:
"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. " this clearly includes everyone particularly if looking at additional scriptures.
Sure, be mad at Christianity as this is undeniably its position of homosexuality. But don't persecute a Christian for adhering to the teachings of their faith. If you do, you are then infringing upon religious freedoms.
Now, if he were to treat homosexuals differently to anyone else, he would then be subject to this clause and rightly so. Whether that be by being exclusionary or mocking them or even refusing association with them.
None of this means you need to agree with him. But, if you don't believe the bible none of this should bother you. If you do however what he has stated is pretty reasonable.
However Israel has been an advocate of their inclusion in sport through partnering with the Bingham cup:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-poster-boy-for-gay-rugbys-biggest-tournament
I also want to correct someone else's point on his being advised that the removal of the post would condemn his soul. This is actually a reasonable point... hear me out. The people advising him this have stated that it was foolish for him to post what he did. However, not posting it and removing it are two different things. Whether this is the case is debatable but it is definitely a reasonable argument for a Christian to make:
Matthew 10:33 King James Version (KJV)
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.