Video Yanked: Australian Lawyer Smokes Pages From Koran and Bible
- Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:32am by
Scott Baker
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Two things need to be pointed out right away. The video has already been pulled from YouTube. And the lawyer is expecting to lose his job. He’s already taken an indefinite leave.
Alex Stewart is an atheist who works for Queensland University of Technology. The technology used in this case involved rolling papers and the upload button.
In the clip, titled “Bible or Koran – which burns best?”, the professed atheist says burning religious books is no big deal and people need to get over it.
“It’s just a f—ing book,” he says.
“Who cares? It’s your beliefs that matter. Quite frankly, if you are going to get upset about a book, you’re taking life way too seriously.”
While the main video has been deleted from YouTube, there is a brief Sky News report using part of the video here.
A Melbourne radio station has posted a discussion of the situation that shows some video from the original 12-minute clip:
Stewart rated the Bible as the better burner. Now he’s coming to terms with the potential loss of his employment:
Mr Stewart, an assistant organiser with a group called Brisbane Atheists, was not at his Brisbane home today but in a message on the group’s website he said he expected to be sacked.
“I’m screwed. I think I will lose my job over this. Damn it,” he wrote.
He did feel it was important to make it clear that he was smoking the pages with grass clippings and not marijuana:
“The video was a joke video, of course. I never actually do drugs. People do this stuff all the time and if people get really upset about this then they’re taking it far too seriously.”
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Comments (40)
John West
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 5:44pmSome people (Muslims) need to be offended so they will understand what they are doing to others.
Report Post »SigP220C3-45-SSS
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 5:26pmSHARIA LAW is INCOMPATIBLE with the USA!!!!
Report Post »jahjahlove
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 2:38pmA friend of mine burned a page of the bible when he was like 15 because he was out of cigarette paper. We are now 40.. I am talking about one of those pocket bible with the extra thin paper. He was smoking MJ back then. When he told us that we asked him: “So? How was it?? did feel anything special?” :-). We were sure the number 666 would appear on his forehead because of his action. He not really proud of it after, but, well… kids.
Report Post »ILoveGlenn
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 2:34pm*SARCASTIC ANSWER*
Report Post »I hope that the same way the smoke is getting into his lungs, the knowledge from the Bible is getting soaked up in his brain.
Oh Bumbles
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 2:25pmToday I burned a Koran, a bible, and an American flag. Did I offend anyone? Good. The world needs a thicker skin.
Report Post »Aldo_the_Apche
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:47amgod gave fire god gave books and ONLY god gave free will. what you do with it is up to you
Report Post »AGunAndAPrayer
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 1:12pmThe poor lost fool, maybe before he burns each page he should read it, it would do him some good. I will pray for him.
Report Post »Lion420
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 12:02pmSmoke that and it will really get you “out there”!
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:19amDid you know that the korans with the real thin pages make excellent butt wipe. just saying
zoo9guy
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:17amI could care less what someone does with their legal property, now if someone wants to break into my home and try and burn or smoke my family scriptures…….they would definitely make national news.
Report Post »Mike777
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:08amI don’t condone burning of the Koran but maybe a lot of people are getting fed up with how some Muslims act. I mean “death to the infidels” if i had a nickel for how many times that has been been said I would have more money than Kill The Old people Bill Gates.
Report Post »Docere
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:05amThis just prooves that freedom of speach is not in Australia. And coming to a country near you.
Report Post »Mandiru
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 10:13amThis guy was an idiot. How could he post something like this on youtube and not expect some kind of backlash?
Report Post »VanGrungy
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 10:07amCan somebody up a vid of Nietzsche’s Anti-Christ being burnt?
lets be fair..
Report Post »blessings
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:56amwe need tolerance . . . not hate.
Report Post »msnbciscomedy
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:43amI guess if the main stream media thinks people acting like idiots is news…… They best start hiring more people. Because there is a lot of work to do.
Report Post »Skwerl
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:41amThankfully Unwarranted Self Importance and attention whoring sets these dunderpates up for their own destruction.
Report Post »msnbciscomedy
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:26amI find it hilarious that msnbc and fluff post had numerous stories on how the media “failed” by covering the attention-whore who calls himself a “pastor” who planned the koran burning. Isn’t that the equivalent of confiscating drugs from someone and scolding them while getting stoned? The media should ignore these attention deprived losers all together and it becomes a non-issue. But then the libs couldn’t portray muslims as victims, oh we couldn’t have that now.
Report Post »JayCee
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:25am““I’m screwed. I think I will lose my job over this. Damn it,” he wrote.”
And maybe your life.
Report Post »joet
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:02amAs Christians, we should pray for those who see things differently. I notice he said damn, so maybe there is something inside him that will save him. We need to love, not hate.
Report Post »Debrabate
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:49amSucks to him.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:46amWhy do I have to listen to Atheist imposing their moral code on me?
It’s a free speech thing: you can show Katie Curic getting a colonoscopy on TV, but you can’t show a guy lighting pages from the Koran.
Report Post »Duckhunter
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:45amI think this lawyer is treading thin ice smoking a page from the Bible, this is GOD’S WORD!
Report Post »Lethality
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:04amIs it worse to smoke God‘s word or to smoke cigarettes and defile God’s temple?
Report Post »Lethality
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:42amLOL!! I am a Christian and it is just a book. THE Book but…a book none the less. That is why Jesus said, to keep it in your heart. Some day the book might not be there for you to lean on. Poor Atheist though, I don’t think he should have lost his job over it. Aussies are usually the first to call BS on political correctness and say what they believe. Oh well maybe his book burning was I don’t know…A bit too soon? LOL!!
Report Post »LJ_4_JESUS
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:30amPsalms 119:11 Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:07pmI don’t think that it was Jesus that said that one.
Report Post »Freelancer
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:40amThe Bible will be ignored but the Koran page that was burned WILL set off a firestorm of protests and killings.
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:37amOh these people are just ridiculous. They do this stuff to get attention and get everyone rile up. Why do we give it to them? Sometimes ignoring is the most severe punishment and stops the bad behavior to boot.
Report Post »wdrewa
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 1:51pmRight on
Report Post »Awakened One
Posted on September 13, 2010 at 5:36pmIf you get upset and angered over someone burning a religious book that you follow, aren’t you missing the point of spiritual awakening? Anyone who innately understands that spirituality is a one on one relationship with the creator, could care less about what blind idiots do as free speech.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 4:31pmWHAT…..he’s smoking the bible? I guess it’s time to riot and kill people in the streets.
Oh.. that’s the other religion, nevermind.
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