I met a gay Mormon

Last night I met a gay Mormon.

This is not hard to do. I bet you have too. I bet you're related to one. Maybe you are one. I know several. I know several extremely well.

But the unique thing about this man I met last night is...he's a convert, of less than a year. So, this Mormon convert...you see, he came out as gay many years ago. He's had a few partners in his day. A Mormon friend of his, knowing he was a gay man with past partners, invited him to church and church activities. Over the course of a couple of years, the man gained a testimony and worked his way to baptism. Now he's working his way to the temple. This is incredible to me on multiple levels.

First of all, one size does not fit all in this scenario. I just have a hard time dealing with the phrase, "If he can do it, anyone can." Look.... To choose to live a life without companionship, love and sex...for the gospel...that's a lot to ask. And let's be clear. This is not the same as living a straight celebrate life. This is not comparable to straight people who just don't have the fortune to get married in this life. These gay Mormon individuals are basically living a life hopeless of love. Sure, there could be that one miraculous person of the opposite gender out there who they may encounter in their life time who gives them the feelings someone of their own gender does. But my goodness, the odds of that are slim. It's like saying, for an extremely straight person, that you'd have to hope for the .0007% chance that you'll find that one person of the same gender who you'll love and be attracted to. Rare, right? Can't even stomach it, right? For a straight individual, hope exists to the very end. That person can continue searching for a mate until the end of time. For a gay individual, who can't stomach the idea of sharing intimacy with someone of the opposite gender...no hope, my friends. Faith in God, but they're living with virtually no hope that they'll have earthly companionship. Take the hope our of my existence...the hope for eternal companionship NOW. Well frick...I'm not sure I want to continue life. I mean, really think about it. Really. Take hope for companionship out of the equation for a single person who WANTS marriage in this life.... That is asking A LOT. This isn't equivalent to asking someone to abstain from alcohol. This isn't the same as asking a straight person to abstain from sex before marriage. This isn't asking for 10% of their income. This is asking for 100% of their heart, their mind, their sex drive indefinitely, asking them to put all eternal and physical feelings of and desire for love, unity and family aside until the unforeseeable future. Do you get that??? DO YOU GET IT? I just don't think people do. If we did, we wouldn't be running around, causally throwing the phrases, "The church isn't saying they're bad for having gay thoughts. Just for living a gay lifestyle." GAY LIFESTYLE??? Do we have straight lifestyles??? Gay people are following the most inner workings of their heart!!! They're not merely living a "lifestyle." It's not like following a diet. It is at the core of who they are. So to choose the gospel, AFTER you've experienced love and companionship, with partners of your own sex....WOW. Just wow.

I had so much respect for this man last night. I started crying when I heard his testimony. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe the peace he brought to the room. He said, "Don't get me wrong...being gay and Mormon is not an easy thing. It's incredibly difficult. But I know this is the path to be on to live with God one day." Woooooooowwwwwwwww.

I don't even know how to finish this post or why I'm even writing it, except to say, the courage and faith of some people ASTOUND me. It's incredible. I wish I could be half as faithful as he.

That is all.