A Queensland University of Technology in-house lawyer who feared losing his job after making world headlines by posting a video of himself on YouTube smoking pages from the Bible and the Koran has returned to work.
He received a slap on the wrist from the university after apologising.
“During a conversation [with vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake] the staff member indicated he was extremely regretful and apologised unreservedly for the offence his actions and remarks had caused to people of different faiths and viewpoints,” a QUT statement said.
Alex Stewart, an atheist activist, found himself at the centre of a controversy over religious tolerance and freedom of speech when he posted his video. It came as tensions over the looming September 11 anniversary were being inflamed by contention over plans to build an Islamic cultural centre close to the site of the World Trade Centre and an obscure Florida Christian pastor’s threat to publicly burn the Koran.
In what comes across as a light-hearted call for perspective, Mr Stewart said in the video: “If you are going to get upset about a book, you are taking life way too seriously.”
But his commentary was accompanied by a provocative stunt in which he ripped pages from the Koran and Bible and proceeded to roll fake joints out of them to compare which offered a better smoke.
Mr Stewart, an assistant organiser with the Brisbane Atheists group, suddenly found himself in the world media spotlight after The Courier-Mail broke the story. QUT put out a statement saying it didn’t support the destruction of “religious artefacts” and Mr Stewart went on indefinite leave.
Professor Coaldrake, who was away in Sydney at the time, called a press conference to say “the university is . . . unhappy and disappointed that this sort of incident should occur. It may have occurred in the individual’s private time or on a weekend - it doesn’t matter.”
Although Mr Stewart did not mention his QUT connection in the video, University of Queensland’s head of journalism Michael Bromley said QUT had no choice but to react. He said Mr Stewart should have expected to be accountable for his actions.
“You are responsible for what you say that gets out in a public way,” Professor Bromley said.