AS THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT CLAIMS MORE VICTIMS : " I Will Not Worship A God That Discriminates Against Homosexuals ... I Will Rather Go To Hell" .... Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu

South Africa's Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he will never worship a "homophobic God" and will rather go to hell.

The retired archbishop was speaking at the launch of a UN-backed campaign in South Africa to promote gay rights.

Archbishop Tutu, 81, is a long-standing campaigner for gay rights.

"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," Archbishop Tutu said at the launch of the Free and Equal campaign in Cape Town.

"I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this."

Archbishop Tutu said the campaign against homophobia was similar to the campaign waged against racism in South Africa.

"I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level," he added.