Israel Folau said he knew before his social media post warning that homosexuals and other sinners would go to hell would be "offensive" and he would "absolutely" do it again.
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The cross-code football star also told an audience of about 1000 people at the Australian Christian Lobby national conference in Sydney on Saturday his termination by Rugby Australia was a "huge surprise".
"As soon as I had a real conversion and was born again, my social media use changed completely," he said. "It wasn't new, I'd been doing it for a while, so I was caught off guard."
Folau is suing Rugby Australia for unlawfully terminating his contract because of his Christian beliefs. Australian rugby officials maintain that Folau breached a players' code of conduct.
"Obviously the gospel was offensive to a lot of people and it was offensive to me at one point but that caused me to have a change of heart, to come to repentence and realise I was a sinner and needed a saviour," Folau said. "So I knew it was going to be offensive to a lot of people ... but ultimately it's a message of love."
Folau denied media reports that he had a special clause in his contract forbidding him from doing what he did. "I never had a special social media clause, I had a standard contract, the same as every other player," he said.
Folau, who was interviewed on stage by ACL managing director Martyn Iles, was given a standing ovation at the beginning and end of his appearance. The ACL raised $2.2 million from crowdfunding for his legal case.
He said it had been "extremely hard" to deal with the fallout but he would "absolutely" do it again.
"I had purpose in my heart that I would stand up for the truth regardless of what I might lose in life," he said.
Folau said he could "sleep really well at night" because the only approver he cared about was God.
Folau that he had prayed to God for a "challenge" and "test of faith" before the controversy unfolded.
"Be careful what you pray for, God may grant it," he said.
- SMH/The Age