Losing My Religion

Gay Ex-Mormons Are Livid Over LDS’s Official New “Mormon And Gay” Website

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File under “Losing My Lunch Religion”:

So The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints released an official “Mormon and Gay” website this week, and ex-Mormons are rightly freaking out about it.

Your official rage will no doubt begin shortly after perusing the Frequently Asked Questions section, which opens with “Why Use the Term ‘Same-Sex Attraction’? Why Not Just Say ‘Gay’?”

Related: In Leaked Video, Top Mormon Apostles Reveal Suspicions Of Gay Conspiracy

It’s a bizarre question, since the section repeatedly refers to itself as the “Mormon and Gay” website. Like, it’s URL is mormonandgay.lds.org. So…

Nevertheless, here’s their mushy-mouthed answer:

Same-sex attraction (SSA) refers to emotional, physical, romantic, or sexual attraction to a person of the same gender. If you experience same-sex attraction, you may or may not choose to use a sexual orientation label to describe yourself. Either way, same-sex attraction is a technical term describing the experience without imposing a label. This website uses this term to be inclusive of people who are not comfortable using a label, not to deny the existence of a gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity.

Nauseated citizens like 1Jdriver are taking to Reddit to vent their vitriol:

Like many of you, I tried to not lose my lunch while browsing the new Mormon and Gay website. But seeing a familiar face has me angry.

I (gay exMo) personally know Josh.. He’s one of the nicest, sweetest guys I’ve ever met. He went out of his way to make me feel included among other friends and acquaintances….

I had a range of emotions as I read and watched his story. I feel sorry for him. I hate that he will never be happy in this life. I wished that I never met him. His entire story is sad and depressing and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.

This is all a rant and I don’t know where I’m going with this. I just hate that my friend is trapped in this damn church living a life of sadness without any hope for companionship. I got out. I guess I can hope he’ll see the light someday too.

Related: Tyler Glenn On Quitting Mormonism And His Rebellious Solo Debut

Other folks like nowiexist42 are clinging tenaciously to song parodies of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which always helps in trying times.

Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy? Caught in a website, no hint of reality, No hint of truth just look to the blind to see!

I’m just a gay boy, I get no sympathy, Because it’s no homo, no homo, no one’s gay, they said so. Everywhere the world goes, doesn’t seem to matter, For me.

Mama, can’t kiss a man, it’s like a gun upside my head, no compassion, soon be dead. Mama, life had just begun, but now they’ve gone and thrown it all away……..

Meanwhile, other folks wasted no time in creating their own satirical takes on the website’s bizarre real-life testimonials:

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Another Redditor named self.exmormon knows the subject of this real-life testimonial — this isn’t satire — and is anguished to find his inclusion:

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Related: There Are No Gay Mormons, Says Mormon Official

“Like many of you,”self.exmormon writes, “I tried to not lose my lunch while browsing the new Mormon and Gay website. But seeing a familiar face has me angry.”

I (gay exMo) personally know Josh.He’s one of the nicest, sweetest guys I’ve ever met. He went out of his way to make me feel included among other friends and acquaintances.

I also had a HUGE crush on him – this while I was fairly TBM and severely in the closet. I swear the guy gets better looking with age. Josh has shared his challenges of growing up gay and Mormon on his personal blog, but I was surprised to see his face and story plastered in such a public forum.

I had a range of emotions as I read and watched his story. I feel sorry for him. I hate that he will never be happy in this life. I wished that I never met him. His entire story is sad and depressing and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.

This is all a rant and I don’t know where I’m going with this. I just hate that my friend is trapped in this damn church living a life of sadness without any hope for companionship. I got out. I guess I can hope he’ll see the light someday too.

“I’m a friend of Josh,” responds  ShatteredGlassWindow. “I think the guy is great. But I have to admit, like you, it kills me that he has done this. I feel he has been treated so wrongfully by the church and now they are using him to try to get others to fall for the lie that is Mormonism.”

What are your reactions to the website? Do you think the loaded (and awkward) language telegraphs just how deeply Mormons feel that homosexuality is wrong? Sound off in the comments below. 

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