Noble laureate and Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town Desmond Tutu caused a stir last week when, speaking at the launch of a UN gay equality campaign in Cape Town, he said that he would rather go to hell than worship a homophobic God.
He further likened the gay rights struggle with that of the anti-apartheid movement.
“I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” the retired archbishop said.
“I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,” he said, condemning the use of religious justification for anti-gay prejudice.
“I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level,” said Tutu, 81.
Launched by the UN Human Rights Office, the public education campaign “Free and Equal” aims to raise awareness of anti-gay violence and discrimination.
Navi Pillay, head of the UN rights agency and herself South African, said at the Cape Town event that same-sex relationships were illegal in more than a third of countries around the world and punishable by death in five.
In Africa itself, homosexuality is illegal in 38 of its 54 countries.
Pillay said that even in countries where gay rights are upheld, challenges remain. She claimed that South Africa has “some of the worst cases of homophobic violence” despite having some of the world’s best legal protections.
A South African lesbian was last month found dead, having been sexually assaulted with a toilet brush.
“People are literally paying for their love with their lives,” said Pillay.
The campaign, which aims to push for legal reforms and public education against homophobia, will have a strong focus on working with governments.
Tutu’s comments met strong criticism amongst some members of the southern African religious and political establishment.
African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe said Tutu was “out of order.”
“We ask Archbishop Tutu not to confuse people who respect the scriptures, and advised him to keep his unbelief to himself if he does not believe in the teaching of the Holy Bible,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe was similarly scathing. “When you are a bishop and cannot interpret the Bible, you should resign and give it to those who can. We will not compromise our tradition and tolerate homosexuality,” he said.
