Gay BYU students release remarkable video ....

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Below is a link to a Trib article about a remarkable video showing gay BYU students discussing their time at BYU and promising that "things do get better." It is aimed at those (particularly other gay BYU students) who might feel isolated, depressed or even suicidal. It is quite courageous for these students to "out" themselves so publicly, but it appears that BYU no longer goes after gay students unless they exhibit "homosexual behavior" (in other words, it is now ok for a BYU student to acknowledge his/her being gay or lesbian (or bisexual, as one student in the video does)). I never thought I'd see the day, but maybe there is hope that the Church will (eventually) turn away from its bigotry. Baby steps, baby steps ....

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53869 ... u.html.csp

[_sock puppet]

Below is a link to a Trib article about a remarkable video showing gay BYU students discussing their time at BYU and promising that "things do get better." It is aimed at those (particularly other gay BYU students) who might feel isolated, depressed or even suicidal. It is quite courageous for these students to "out" themselves so publicly, but it appears that BYU no longer goes after gay students unless they exhibit "homosexual behavior" (in other words, it is now ok for a BYU student to acknowledge his/her being gay or lesbian (or bisexual, as one student in the video does)). I never thought I'd see the day, but maybe there is hope that the Church will (eventually) turn away from its bigotry. Baby steps, baby steps ....

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53869 ... u.html.csp

Courageous indeed.

While BYU allows open self-identification of same gender sexual attraction and even advocacy, are those that do so identify themselves get targeted for 'special' counseling?

Does "the Church" know that it has started down the slippery slope to tolerance?

Has BKP had to be taken to a local ER with chest pains radiating down his left arm?

[_harmony]

Has BKP had to be taken to a local ER with chest pains radiating down his left arm?

It turned out to be heart burn. That acid reflux can be nasty.

[_Buffalo]

This HAS to be pissing off a lot of the more homophobic apologists (bscpace, wade, Droopy, jskains).

Delicious schadenfreude. :D

[_TAK]

Very sad.. Gay people have no business being in the Mormon church..

[_beastie]

It was poignant, touching, and brave. But I don't know how these gay folks can ever reconcile themselves to a church that continues to deny them human intimacy with someone they love.

[_Polygamy-Porter]

By declaring themselves as gay, lesbian, homosexual, or bisexual, are these BYU students not confirming that they are sexually active?

If so, how soon before the goon squad removes them from the school?

1,800? Wow, this could be called the April Assembly and will make the September Six seem insignificant.

[_Jonah]

Does "the Church" know that it has started down the slippery slope to tolerance?

This must be an incredible nightmare for "the Church" on so many levels.

In listening to these students stories, I heard no indication that their orientation was a "choice". Quite the opposite. To hear them talk about the things they did to try to rid themselves of their "gayness" (pray, read the scriptures, plead with the lord, go on a mission, date your best opposite sex friend, etc.) is just sad. What a lonely place one would be in after doing everything your leaders recommended and still not being "cured"? What kind of future would one have in the Church? Or with their TBM family? No wonder so many contemplate and/or try suicide. Then to hear these students talk about receiving a "spiritual confirmation" that their gayness was O.K. with god. How does this mesh with the members and leaders who have received a "confirmation" opposite of that? Haaa haaa!! Wow.

I can imagine the "powers that be" at BYU saying, "Let them have their little gay and lesbian club", probably thinking that only a hand full of students would participate, they would be quiet, and would be shamed and shunned into oblivion by fellow students. Not in their wildest dreams could they have thought that they would be embraced by other students, told that things would get better, and have a video that would get national (if not worldwide) attention.

"The Church" on a slippery slope to tolerance? I'm not sure. It will definitely be interesting. This video has to be a tough pill to swallow. I have friends and relatives who gave heavily to the church's Prop 8 campaign not only to "protect marriage", but with the hope that in exercising their faith, god would remove the scourge of gayness from the earth. They must be flipping out about now. It also appears that there is a younger generation in the church who are more into helping and befriending their gay brothers and sisters than buying into the notion that gayness is a choice or can be shocked/vomited out of you. At BYU, what happens when a gay couple walks across campus holding hands like so many straight couples? At what point do they crack down on gay students for doing the same thing straight students do? What happens when an uber-TBM student from Idaho shows up at his dorm room to be met by his openly gay California roommate? How much negative press will the Church endure due to reacting poorly before somebody from on high says "We don't care about the fall out. The "love fest" with gays/lesbians is over!!" Then they'll dig in their heels and crank up the nutsack shocker.

[_Shulem]

Very touching video with honest comments and genuine feelings coming from the hearts of real people.

The Mormon church better be very careful and walk on some eggshells because if they start to scoop up these precious souls and toss them in the garbage they will face an angry US court system and a general public that won't tolerate that kind of religious intolerance and violation of basic human and civil rights. And when the Supreme Court of the land steps in the Church will have no choice but to yield or have chains and padlocks placed on their front doors. Whatever it takes, the feds will step in. Gays will be safe at BYU so long as they don't practice their true sexual desires (??). Otherwise, the Church will be attacked on all fronts from the entire population of the USA. And since the church really isn't true and jezzus isn't coming down to save the church, the leaders will cave in and make all concessions required by the laws of the land.

Paul O
I'm a GAY Mormon!
(Still a member of the Church)

[_Shulem]

Very sad.. Gay people have no business being in the Mormon church..

Just like blacks had no business holding the priesthood.

Just like Joe Smith had no business translating the writing of Facsimile No. 3 because he couldn't read Egyptian.

Just like Mormons shouldn't use birth control or they are evil.

And to say nothing about how most bishops commit child abuse by talking to young children about the so-called evils of masturbation. Mormonism is a CULT.

SUE THE Mormon CHURCH! TAX THE Mormon CHURCH! ARREST THE CHURCH PRESIDENT FOR CHILD ABUSE!

Paul O