Iranian-born singer Tooji, above right, has become the focus of row after the Church of Norway discovered, to it horror, that he had used one of its buildings to create a ‘raunchy’ gay music video.
Tooji, as the video below shows, is a gay rights activist who lays much of the blame for homophobia around the world on religion.
The singer, who represented Norway at the contest in 2012 with the song Stay, came out as gay this week in a music video for a song called Father. In it, he and a priest shed their clothes in front of the congegation, and wind up with their naked bodies entwined.
Phew!
According to this report, the video was shot in Oslo’s Frogner Church with full permission – but the the Church of Norway now claims that it had not been informed of the nature of the production.
A statement from the Bishop of Oslo said:
I was informed about the issue after a decision was taken in Frogner parish to rent out the nave, and the recording had taken place.
Regardless of the music video’s message, shooting intimate scenes in front of the altar is totally unacceptable and is a gross abuse of the church.
The nave should never be used as a visual backdrop for sexual scenes in a commercial production. A similar scene between man and woman would be equally unacceptable.
What has happened here violates the rules and regulations we have for the use of church space.
Tooji said of the video:
It’s time that we put human rights above religion. I am gay, and I stand up for my rights, and that is why I made the video Father.
In 2012, Norway was rated as one of the eight best countries in the world to be an atheist. Just sayin’.
Hat tip: George Broadhead