Football team’s new CEO gets fired for following Jesus

By Bob Unruh

(Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash)
(Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash)

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A man newly named as the chief executive of a popular Australian football team has been fired after only a day – because of his participation in a Christian church.

Decision magazine reports that Andrew Thorburn was dismissed by the Essendon Football Club only 24 hours after he was named the CEO.

It was the club’s board that turned against freedom of religion and forced him out of the position, over his participation in a Christian church that teaches the biblical perspectives on gender and the sanctity of life.

In other words, the board adopted the transgender and abortion-for-all ideologies.

The report explained Thorburn posted on social media on Oct. 4, “Yesterday was one of the proudest days of my life. To be offered the role of CEO of the Essendon Football Club – which I have followed since I was a boy – was a profound honor. … However, today it became clear to me that my personal Christian faith is not tolerated or permitted in the public square.”

Dave Barham, the president of the club, said the club would not tolerate someone like Thorburn, who attends City on a Hill in Melbourne, because of a sermon by one of the church’s pastors in 2013 in which it was explained the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin.

“The board made clear that despite these not being views that Andrew Thorburn has expressed personally and that were also made prior to him taking up his role as chairman, he could not continue to serve in his dual roles at the Essendon Football Club and as chairman of City on the Hill,” Barham said, in the report.

The agenda adopted by the Essendon club is “the latest example of an increasingly toxic football culture,” National Director of Politics at Australian Christian Lobby Wendy Francis explained in the report.

“The club promotes itself as safe, inclusive, tolerant, diverse and welcoming. But their so-called tolerance and diversity are only extended to those who know better than to question the latest woke manifesto regarding sexuality and abortion,” she told Decision.

Bishop Richard Condie, who serves the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, explained the facts are simply what Christians have believed “for thousands of years.”

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Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.


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