'I'd rather go to hell than worship a homophobic God': Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu campaigns for legalisation of Gay rights

Homophobia: a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and in some cases transgender and intersex people and behaviour.

Homophobic: One who shows signs of homophobia

The South African Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he will never worship a 'homophobic God' and would rather go to hell than find himself in a 'homophobic heaven'.

The retired archbishop said the fight against homophobia in South Africa was similar to the campaign waged against racial apartheid in South Africa.

Archbishop Tutu, 81, was speaking at the launch of the UN's first global campaign to promote gay rights.

Tutu, who retired as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996, has long campaigned 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,' he said.

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

When US President Barack Obama visited Senegal at the start of his visit to Africa in June, he urged African nations to decriminalise homosexual acts.

But he was publicly rebuffed by President Macky Sall of Senegal while the pair were sharing a podium. President Sall said Senegal was not ready to make the step.

Other African faith leaders including Kenyan Catholic Cardinal John Njue also rejected Obama's comments.