Removed the priest’s confirmation speech from YouTube – VG

– The confirmands in Kautokeino deserve that the ceremony be remembered for more than this sermon, says Bishop Olav Øygard. Now the video of the event has been removed from YouTube, with the blessing of the Bishop.

It was Guovdageainnu Lagasradio who filmed the service for the parish council.

– I was sorry

Last Sunday, the confirmands met at the Kautokeino church. VG has spoken with parents and other family members who were present.

Berit Anette Hætta (40) was at the church to celebrate one of the confirmations she knows well. She reacted strongly to the speech the pastor gave to the youth.

– I was sorry. This was going to be a holiday for the confirmants. Instead, the pastor delivered a critical speech to them on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce. It was dark and scary. I think it is important for the church here to understand that this is not right. The church must be inclusive and supportive of young people. This is the exact opposite, says Hætta.

He warned against gay marriage, abortion, and gender reassignment

Parish Priest Bjarne Gustad said in his thunderous address to the confirmands that same-sex marriage is against God’s creative order and that “Norway has a perverse law that says it is lawful to take the life of children in the womb of the mother”.

He also warned confirmants against gender reassignment:

– God created us in male and female. Today in Norway, laws have been passed that say that if you want, you can change gender, and even children can enter that process, yes, then it is very clear that they are impious laws that are passed in our beloved country, said Gustad from the rostrum.

He also went on to say that women have a special responsibility for infidelity and warned against what he calls “women’s lists.”

– Without regrets

For VG, Bjarne Gustad says that he will continue to talk about these things also in the future, when it is natural.

– I wanted to say every word and I think we have been too concerned with preaching what we think most will hear. I’m interested in what the Bible says about these things, says Gustad.

It was Avvir (behind the paywall) who brought up the case for the first time.

– What do you want to say to those who feel offended?

– They should go in themselves and turn to God and ask what path he has laid out for them. I think it’s sad that people are offended, but I also think that people should put up with hearing this, he says.

– What kind of reactions have you had?

– Everything possible, both positive and negative. Some people think that it is good that I speak directly from the liver, others think that what I say is reprehensible.

– What did the bishop tell you about the speech?

– The bishop told me that he would have expressed himself differently, but that he recognizes my right to choose a topic on which to speak.

– What do you think of the fact that the video with the speech has now been removed from YouTube?

– Several parents responded that the video of the speech was used in other contexts than anticipated. Our policy for streaming services is also that they are removed after a few days. Therefore, we comply with the deletion request, Gustad responds.

– Personnel matters

The bishop of Nord-Hålogaland, Olav Øygard, disagrees with the parish priest.

– I do not agree with some of what the priest says in the speech. I have had a conversation with him, but for personal reasons I do not want to go into details about what we have discussed.

– Does the parish priest say he wants to continue repeating what he has said in new speeches?

– In general, I can say that we can create doctrine if we believe that a priest speaks against what the Christian faith is. We usually solve these problems without taking such drastic measures. I do not want to delve into what I have said to the pastor now, as it deals with personnel matters, Øygard says.

– What do you want to say to people who feel offended by the message to the parish priest?

– I mean we’re sorry. This is not how a sermon in a confirmation service should be. This should be a day of joy, says Øygard.

– What do you think about the removal of speech from YouTube?

– I think that’s good. Confirmers at Kautokeino deserve to have the ceremony remembered for more than just this sermon, Øygard says.

The ward council removed the video

The Kautokeino parish council informs VG that they took the initiative to remove the video from YouTube, following confirmation from parents.

– Several parents express that they do not want the confirmants to be linked to this speech. In any case, it was never intended to be available on YouTube for long, says ward council leader Ellen Aina Eira.