Heroic Faith: Gay Mormons
By AllAboutMormons.com Webmaster - 4-5-2009 |
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For 150 years, Mormons all around the world have thought about those early pioneers with great admiration. “Could I make that kind of sacrifice for God?” many ask themselves. As an avid reader of Mormon blogs, I have had the privilege of hearing from many people who have made this kind of heroic sacrifice. They don't have a passive faith; their faith compels them to do things that are personally inconvenient, but they value their dedication to God more than their personal desires.
Gay Mormons
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Putting God First
“Why do [I] live [my] life [as an active latter-day saint]? … I would give up much more than I would gain [were I to abandon my faith]. There is no doubt I have a strong desire to be with a man. Such a relationship would be fun and fulfilling to a degree, but I would forfeit many other things. The peace and happiness I receive from living the Gospel the best I can is real. I love the Lord, His commandments, and my covenants with Him.” (LDSGayRM)
“I have found, even in the light of SSA, when I put the Lord first through obedience and thought, the SSA falls into it's proper place, and much of it has fallen out of my life. I think the more we do this, the closer we come to our eternal potential. When we put the Lord first - no matter what, one day we'll wake up and realize just how much we've changed. It really is amazing.” (How I Deal)
“I knew that if I wanted to be in a same sex relationship, I would have to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was not the true church. Over the coming months, I immersed myself in scripture study and prayer. I attended meetings and even accepted a calling in the ward. Ever so slowly, the spirit of truth and righteousness crept into my life until I knew that I could not deny the truthfulness and goodness of the Savior… [I am ] a Latter Day Saint who likes men but loves God.” (LDSPride)
They Love God and His Teachings, and so they Carry on
“I served [a mission], did my part. Hope that I did some good. Came home still liked guys. But I had gained something I didn't have before I left. A real testimony of the gospel and the atonement, not just a belief in God.” (Views from the Crow's Nest)
“In struggling with Same Gender Attraction, I realize that I have been given much…I now realize all that God has given me to help me with my struggles of Same Gender Attraction… And ultimately, I know and recognize that all this has come from Heavenly Father. He promised that He wouldn't leave us down here alone. I'm grateful to Him for all He has blessed me with.” (A Struggler)
“Because of the peace I experience as I strive to know and live the doctrines of the gospel, I continue striving and moving forward. It's not easy, but the reward is worth it… I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the gospel -- the good news -- he declared while he lived on earth. I also believe that he does call prophets and apostles to speak for him today. Because I know they represent Christ, I trust my life to their teachings.” (Jake Beane)
“Through my trials, especially with SSA, I am coming to know who the Lord really is. I am beginning to know Him and what He wants. But just as importantly, my trials are helping me know who I am. Stripped of pride, I see that I am strong. Humbly, I see just how brave it is to face another day even with all the obstacles ahead of me. I've learned that even when it feels like I am ready to break, knowing that God won't push me further than I can handle has allowed me to find out just how far I can go. Then when God releases the pressure and I am able to relax a bit, I see that I endured more than I ever though possible” (Reaching Upward)
“I have a testimony of the religious principles which I claim as my own. I could no more deny that than I could deny the law of gravity.” (LDS with SSA)
They Don't Define Themselves Principally by their Homosexuality, but by their Relationship with God
“Even from a young age, I knew I was Mormon. I just felt different from all the other kids. All the other kids would talk about revivals and the importance of their youth ministers in their lives and I just couldn't relate. I would just smile and nod. What would they think if they knew that sitting right next to them was a kid who not only didn't believe in the Trinity as established by the Nicene Creed, but also accepted modern prophetic revelation and an open canon of scripture? Could they accept me for who I was? I doubted it. It all became public when they found me on the back seat of the bus reading The New Era. My secret was out. I was Mormon and everyone knew. But instead of feeling ashamed, I felt relieved. I felt free. I was Mormon and I didn't care who knew it!” (Soy Made me Gay)
“Being gay is a part of who I am, but it's not the biggest slice of this pie. My relationship with God is more important. I want to live with Him again; I know it may be a tough road to tread, but I'm willing…” (EJ Mose)
“I'm a return missionary, a member in full standing in the church, and I attend the temple. And I happen to be gay.” (Drex Olympus)
“I'm a very active LDS husband, father and RM, who struggles with SGA (same-gender attraction). I firmly believe in the Gospel and strive to live its teachings. This attraction… [is] only part of who I am. I do love my Savior and Heavenly Father...” (Hope in the Future)
“What does it really mean to be gay, married and an active, believing member of the Mormon faith? Will I ever be able to fully live the religion? Am I just maintaining a charade? It doesn't feel that way. This feels real, it feels like me. This is who I am. I'm not doing this to live up to somebody else's expectations. I'm doing this because it's what I want to do. I feel no anger at the church. I've had no bad experiences with respect to being gay and in the church, even when I've come out to church leaders and a few friends. It's all been positive.” (Gay Mormon Edge)
Online Resources for those who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction
Northern Lights, North Star, and Evergreen International
1 Comment » Leave a comment
- Kengo Biddles
4-28-2009, 08:13:05 AM
As one of the ones you've termed to be heroic, I thank you for your support. It's not always easy, but as my wife and I have said many a time, it's worth the effort.
