Riverdale star KJ Apa slams rugby player Israel Folau for ‘gays go to hell’ comments
(Getty and Instagram/kjapa)
Riverdale actor KJ Apa has hit out at rugby star Israel Folau for saying that gay people will go to hell “unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.”
Folau, who plays for Australia’s international rugby union team, came under fire last week after making the comment on his Instagram account.
A number of other rugby players condemned his remark, but Folau remained defiant, even tweeting a cryptic Bible verse about ‘persecuted’ Christians.
(Getty)
And it was revealed this week that Rugby Australia bosses will take no action against the star.
Apa, who plays Archie on the dark CW and Netflix show about Archie Comics characters, was having none of it.
The 20-year-old actor, who hails from New Zealand, took to his Instagram story to tell Folau in no uncertain terms to “sit down” and stop criticising gay people.
(Netflix)
There was nothing Christian about the rugby player’s stance, he said.
Below a screenshot of Folau’s comment, Apa wrote: “Very disappointing comments..our role as Christians is to LOVE not Judge.
“What gives you the right to condemn? Are you perfect?
(Instagram/kjapa)
“Sit down.”
The comments sections of Apa’s other, unrelated Instagram posts have now also been flooded with people arguing about whether God thinks gay people are sinful.
Posts like “yes you’re correct about how God loves everyone but… he doesn’t love their sin, like murder, homosexuality” have become commonplace.
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Apa’s show has explored many LGBT themes over its two-season run.
Last month, Riverdale character Cheryl Blossom, who came out as bisexual just last week, was sent to get gay ‘conversion’ therapy.
The head cheerleader and all-round badass delighted fans by telling Toni Topaz, who came out as bi earlier this season, that she was once in love with Heather, her best friend in junior high.
(Netflix)
The revelation was foreshadowed by Madelaine Petsch, who plays Cheryl on the dark CW and Netflix show about Archie Comics characters, who revealed the week before that Cheryl was “definitely interested in both women and men.”
And in an emotional scene with prominent bisexual lighting, Cheryl opened up about her sexuality to Toni.
(Netflix)
Toni and Cheryl are among several Netflix characters to reveal their bisexuality in the past year, including Darryl Whitefeather on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Adam on Jane The Virgin.
The tear-jerking clip also excited viewers who have long believed in the popular fan theory that Cheryl and Toni would end up together – and this ship received an extra boost when the two shared a bed and went in for a kiss, only to have their moment stolen by Cheryl’s Nana Rose falling down the stairs.
