Since I’ve been invited to call him a liar, I accept the challenge. He’s a liar.

I believe you. And I am so so sorry for the treatment you, and other men have recieved. Although I don’t believe homosexuality behaviour is “right”, I do not ever judge people who are homosexual, because I am not in their (your) shoes. I can’t even imagine what you are going through or have gone through. I believe the worth of souls goes beyond this, and it saddens me that those who struggle/have struggled with same sex attraction have to go through such feelings of low self worth. My heart goes out to you for the pain you and others have experienced. Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and one day this will be explained and understood. Of course you were (are) a good father. You raised two daughters who I am sure love and honour you. The Lord knows your heart, and your children know and love you for who you are.

Our sexuality doesn’t define who we are, it is only a part of who we are. Our individuality, our personalities, our spirits, these are what define each of us, as children of God, as human beings, as fellow sisters and brothers in life.

I have no idea if this event happened, however I have heard from plenty of others about shock treatments homosexual people (men mainly, I believe) experienced, at BYU. I believe this is admitted by the Church as well. It was many years ago when it was thought that homosexual behaviour could be reveresed in that way. It wouldn’t surprise me IF that event happened (in the drama department) because there certainly used to be a lot of fear about homosexual behaviour (for example, that it was catching!). I am sure you could speak to people who went to school at BYU at that time and see if it’s valid. Maybe I will ask my uncle about it, he may have heard about this (he attended BYU in the 70’s). My aunt (his younger sister) was at BYU in the late 70’s and was in the ballet department, so I don’t know if she would have heard about that “raid”, if it so happened (and I am not saying either way), but perhaps she did. I will ask her.

It is sad to say, but true, that anyone working for the BYU pshcology department in research must be careful to only find things that will support the church view poing on gays….. or they will, I am afraid, not only loose their job, but hava a very good chance of loosing their membership. This IS NOT the way science is suppose to be done.

As a former gay member….. who was an acitive tithe paying member and a High Priest….. I do not have the habit of making up stories. It is with great sorrow that I must say these things….. for I had no choice but to look at them and say finally…. there is no place for me in this church.

I have recently moved to Nova Scotia and one of the first things I did was to contact my Branch President. He told me that he would welcome me to the services, but of couse he could not have me take a church job or say prayers. I went to church twice. I found one man at church whom I hired to help us with the renovation of our home. We have had many lengthy talks….. his son is gay…… he does not know what to do.

I can only tell him to love his son, and incourage him NOT to go to church. Too many young men have taken their lives as they can not reconcile there sexual orientation with the gospel. In reality, they feel guilty for the way the Lord created them.

The church is a wonderful source of strength and I do miss it….. but I could no longer lie to myself or others about WHO I am…..

How sad I have been to NOT be able to be a part of it. When my wife died at age 30 I raised both of my daughters… at the time age 3 and 5…. in the church. Both are still active and one is still single and is a French Immersion teacher and the other stays at home and takes care of her four children. She is a relief Society Presdent and supports her husband in the stake presidancy. I raised them alone….. as a gay father ….. PLEASE do not tell me that gay people can not raise children! ! ! ! ! I raised mine and they are both still active!

PLEASE do NOT believe me about what I say about the electric shock treatments…. just do some more research on the internet if you REALLY want to know the truth…. or if you like email me privately and I shall give you the email address of the man who gave had the shock treatments and you can ask him yourself to tell you his story.
My email address is dean_snelling@hotmail.com

I might add that my friend has told me some rather stiring tales…. but…. after researching them out… I was sad to discover that all he said was true. In addition, my friend is an acitve church member who is gay and celibate. He attends the temple regularly and is a high priest. He…. like many… love the church…. but do NOT accept its teachings on gays. As an active LDS memnber…. he remains quite…. silent… unheard from when gays are spoken about at church in less than Christian terms.

You asked for a source, he gave it. Why knock it down just because you don’t like it?

It is curious, though, that even the two accounts you’ve given above already contradict each other. I wonder what that might indicate about the reliability of the stories?