The Danes have got sex appeal all figured out. Viewing a statue of Jesus Christ may not be when you'd expect to realize that, but there He is, 3.4 metres tall with a nice muscular chest and gorgeous arms. He stands at the far end of a series of galleries in Copenhagen's museum dedicated to the work of Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844).

I've come to see the original plaster statue, often called Christus, mostly because I have a thing for hot guys with long hair and beards, but also because it's part of my religious heritage. I grew up Mormon, and the Mormons use replicas of Thorvaldsen's work in many of their visitor centres. Whether or not the intention is to convert people based on sex appeal, their statue certainly gets your attention. Think about it: isn't a well-built version of God more likely to keep your interest than a waif-thin one?

I left Mormonism years ago, but when travelling I'm still interested in things that relate to my history–much like a lapsed Catholic needs to have a peek at the Vatican. But the Thorvaldsen Museum is fascinating for more than a hot Jesus. Inside the museum, which is located near the Danish royal palaces, I discover a wealth of other Thorvaldsen sculptures–including all 12 Apostles and mythological characters, such as Jason of the Golden Fleece (far hotter than the Jesus statue, especially since Jason is holding the fleece, not wearing it–in fact, he is wearing only a helmet and sandals). The well-sculpted Jesus statue stands in a rather simple setting, especially compared to the Mormons' marble replica, which is installed in a planetariumlike setting in Salt Lake City for maximum marketing potential.

Thorvaldsen's works are impressive, well worth a couple of hours. But I'm in Denmark to see more than a Danish Jesus. Since the statue was created in Copenhagen (though started in Italy), maybe I'll spot a great-great-great-grandson of the model who inspired it. Maybe he'll be gay. Maybe he'll invite me to dinner and my fetish for long hair and beards will be fulfilled.

I don't find my Jesus doppelgí¤nger, but there is no shortage of outstanding eye candy. Hot Danish men are in plentiful supply on Copenhagen's streets. It is a city made for walking and cycling. The combination of pedal power and fresh sea air makes many Danes appear fit, ruddy, and gorgeous.

Kí¸bmagergade, the city's pedestrian shopping zone, is the ideal spot for a coffee and people watching. But in the middle of it all, a different kind of sex appeal catches my eye: the Museum Erotica. I knew Scandinavians were open-minded about sex, but it's still a surprise to see a huge neon sign advertising erotica in such a public place.

Even more surprising is a veiny, metre-high gilded penis in the middle of the museum's first gallery. It stands erect atop a massive golden scrotum, surrounded by Japanese-style screens. The Danes, it seems, are good at sculpting heavenly glory. I resist the temptation to genuflect.

Further inside, I find a surprising connection between sex and religion. A sign reads: "The library of the Vatican holds the largest collection of erotica and pornography in the world”¦the collection is not open to the public." The museum doesn't cite a source.

Wandering deeper into this cathedral of sex, I learn that the largest penis ever documented belonged to a Sudanese man and was 32 centimetres long and 6.3 centimetres in diameter. They have a model of it, which looks much longer than the stated 12.6 inches.

I discover a section dedicated to my people, including erotic gay drawings by the famous artist Tom of Finland plus more information about homos, and I'm proud to feel included. But I'm aware of the limited time I have in Copenhagen and can't linger in the temple of sex any longer or I'll miss seeing attractive Jesus in His Danish glory–the place Thorvaldsen's statue was created for.

I rush a few blocks to Copenhagen Cathedral (Vor Frue Kirke) and find the replica of the Christus framed, not by the planetariumlike setting of the Mormons but by a regal pair of Corinthian columns and a gold-coloured background, standing at the back of the cathedral's altar where most churches would place a crucifix. A few Danish faithful linger nearby, and no one cares that I'm taking photos of the statue–after all, my Mormon friends back home should be reminded that they're sharing the effigy. The Mormon setting wins the emotional marketing game by surrounding Jesus with the cosmos, but the Danish version seems more appropriately beautiful in that European-castle kind of way. I'm happy to see Him in the spot His muscles were sculpted for.

It's my last evening in the city, and a final adventure awaits: visiting a Danish man's home. I arranged this experience through a program called Meet Gay Copenhagen. (There's a straight version, too.) When I show up at his apartment on the north side of Copenhagen, he has neither beard nor long hair, and is probably not a model for any famous artist. He's just a normal Dane who welcomes me for a bowl of chicken-noodle soup cooked in his grandmother's cast-iron pot. I've brought wine, and before long we're plenty friendly. Not in that way–purely in conversation.

His gay neighbour joins us, and the three of us talk into the evening about our cultural differences and similarities, real estate, remodelling homes, religion, and growing up gay.

I can't help reflecting that one day in Copenhagen has brought back memories of my Mormon youth and provided an almost-religious experience in the Museum Erotica, and now I'm coming back to reality over something as simple as soup. I'm reminded that the hottest part of any man is his personality, something no statue or gilded penis can offer.

ACCESS: The Thorvaldsen Museum is located at Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2; for more information, see www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/ . The Museum Erotica is open daily at Kí¸bmagergade 24; for info, www.museumerotica.dk/uk/ . Find Copenhagen Cathedral at Norregade 8; see koebenhavnsdomkirke.dk/ . Meet Gay Copenhagen arranges home dinners with a gay or lesbian local at a cost of 400 Danish kroner ($78.60). To book, see www.meetgaycopenhagen.dk/ . Information on the straight Dine With the Danes program is at www.dinewiththedanes.dk/ . The writer travelled courtesy of SAS Scandinavian Airlines and the Danish Tourism Board.