Usually when I post under this category I’m writing about persecution in the direct form of physical violence, incarceration, even genocide. That’s the type of religious oppression we find in totalitarian countries, or in those with significant numbers of religiously-radicalized populations. Think Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Korea and increasingly, China.
 
But most recently, in western nations, the progressive thought police favor the scarlet letter approach when it comes to marginalizing dissidents and oppressing Christians.
 
Throughout human history, most societies have occasionally shunned certain individuals for various reasons, generally because the person didn’t conform to the group’s acceptable mores. In the last few years, the devious Left has revived that time-worn practice to intimidate their political opposition. Five years ago, Jack Cashill at American Thinker dubbed this reconstituted version of social ostracism, “Neo-Puritanism” ~

Neo-Puritanism is unforgiving. It shows sinners little mercy and offers them no path to absolution. Indeed, like Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne, the sinner is publicly branded with her sin.

The latest victim of this tyrannical, social – and financial (in many cases the “offender” is deprived of their primary means of earning a living) – oppression is professional rugby player Israel “Izzy” Folau ~ Australian Rugby Star Gets Sacked, Multi-Million Dollar Contract Canceled, After Posting a Christian Message on Instagram. Folau is an unabashed Christian who refuses to hide his faith in public. This behavior can no longer be tolerated by today’s Neo-Puritans ~

Australian star rugby player Israel “Izzy” Folau has done it again. He’s offended people by posting a Bible verse about sin and advising readers to repent. In 2018, Folau posted a similar message. This time, it cost him his multi-million dollar contract with Rugby Australia.
 
 
Earlier this month, Folau posted a statement on Instagram that is based on 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. It stated “Warning. Drunks, Homosexuals, Adulterers, Liars, Fornicators, Thieves, Atheists, Idolaters. Hell Awaits You. Repent! Only Jesus Saves.” […]

 
Oops. Of course this is much too much Truth for our progressive friends in our libertine Rainbow Era ~

AU Rugby issued a statement about terminating Folau’s multi-million dollar contract. “[Folau] had committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct warranting termination of his employment contract.”

 
But Izzy is an inspiring example of a steadfast Christian. He understands that we will all answer to God in the end – not to temporal rulers, governments – or Neo-Puritans ~

Although Folau loves the sport and wants to continue playing, he made it clear that Jesus Christ and his faith comes first. “First and foremost, I live for God now. Whatever He wants me to do, I believe His plans for me are better than whatever I can think. If that’s not to continue on playing, so be it.
 
“In saying that, obviously I love playing footy and if it goes down that path I’ll definitely miss it. But my faith in Jesus Christ is what comes first.”