Its a shame TOCC felt he needed to leave even if it was for personal reasons. Its sad to see people effected by this debates but unsurprising.
Sadly its a complex debate that many are uninformed about (not that I am claiming that I am any more informed than others). However I am also a little surprised and disappointed that the Mod's let the thread run on for such length but that is more a hindsight thing I believe.
The complexity and usual misunderstanding around this topic is that we don't technically have a right to unrestricted free speech. There is legalisation that both governs and protects free speech in the country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech_laws_in_Australia
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/lega/lega/form/immi-faqs/what-is-the-character-requirement
The key issue many fail to consider is, with religion in particular, adding a consequence of some nature to particular action even if its based within a religion or belief, then applying the free speech or religious belief caveats is not that simple.
A single sermon may express a belief, but whether the consequence be going to hell, stoning, beheading, beating, whipping, throwing off a roof top, genital mutilation, humiliation, crucifixion, ostracising, or other types of punishment or threat still may be hurt full to some and take the debate down the road to complex "nuances".
From ISIS hate preachers advocating beheading, the female teachers who deal with children taught to disrespect and defy women on religious grounds and that the women's defiance will make them to go to hell, or Christians including people who identify as LGBTI genuinely fearing hell; it is a very complex and sensitive debate.
Rugby is supposed to inclusive to all, a sport that is for all and does not discriminate nor offend. It is supposed to be intolerant of bigotry.
Rugby should be intolerant of this debate as its not a sporting debate its a political and religious one.
IMHO it appears that Rugby was a mere associate in this debate.
I cant help be draw the comparisons to this: