I recently found out about another local LGBTQ youth who won\u2019t come out to their Mormon parents. They saw how their older sibling, who is also LGBTQ, was treated.<\/p>\n
When will adults learn that our words matter? That our children see how we talk about LGBTQ issues, how we treat LGBTQ people? That how we talk about LGBTQ issues is how we\u2019re talking about our own children? That how we treat LGBTQ people is how we treat our own children?<\/p>\n
And then we wonder why our children can\u2019t trust us enough to come out to us? They\u2019re afraid. They\u2019re afraid of rejection. They\u2019re afraid of our anger. They\u2019re afraid of our hate. They\u2019re afraid of homelessness or even death.<\/p>\n
When will the church finally realize that the rhetoric they teach their members is forcing parents to choose the church over family? That they are ripping families apart?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not marriage equality or \u201cthe gay agenda\u201d that\u2019s destroying families\u2014it\u2019s the church.<\/p>\n