Bishop of Oslo Speaks Out Against 'Unacceptable' Music Video Simulating Gay Sex With Priest Before Church Altar
The Bishop of Oslo is speaking out after Norwegian entertainer Tooji used Oslo's Frogner Church as a backdrop for a raunchy music video where the singer announced his sexual orientation by filming an intimate encounter taking place in front of the church's altar with another man portraying a priest.
Touraj Keshtkar, the 28-year-old entertainer known as Tooji who represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, announced his homosexuality on Monday with the release of his "Father" music video. The visuals were filmed in the Frogner Church in Oslo, Norway, where Tooji kissed a man portraying a priest before both men stripped naked in an intimate exchange before what appeared to be a supportive congregation.
As the video progresses, the pair turn into angels while they are embracing intimately.
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Once the Bishop of Oslo, Ole Christian Kvarme, caught wind of the video he released a statement about Tooji's video.
"I was informed about the case after the decision was made in Frogner parish to lease out the nave and the recordings were made. Regardless of the music video's message, the sender is shooting intimate scenes before the altar which is totally unacceptable and is a gross abuse of the church," the Bishop said in a statement on the Norwegian Church's official website. "Nave should never be used as a visual backdrop for sexual scenes in a commercial production."
While Tooji spoke out about wanting to make the music video to put "human rights above religion" because of so-called intolerance of homosexuality, the bishop did not cite that as the reason he felt the video was egregious.
"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," said the bishop. "Beyond this, it is not natural for me to comment further."
The Norwegian church's website explains that the bishop was not informed about the content of the video before the space was rented out. When Tooji approached Frogner church officials to rent the location for his music video last April, he reportedly left out the fact that the project would include raunchy scenes.
"The church has pointed out that there are scenes in the film that do not correspond to the project description that formed the basis for their decision," information from Frogner parish states.
Since releasing the music video, Tooji was reportedly fired from being presenter of Nordic Eurovision talent show Melodi Grand Prix Junior, Breitbart.com reports.
