Download or read book The Hero s Journey of the Gay Lesbian Mormon written by Carol Lynn Pearson and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an invitation for gay people to see their difference not as a defect, but as a calling to travel a new territory and bring a new gift to their Tribe. It is based on the journey of the hero as described by mythologist Joseph Campbell and follows the steps he outlines, from life in the "ordinary world," through the "call to adventure," reluctantly setting out on the journey, meeting the obstacles that include the "supreme ordeal" of wrestling with fear and condemnation in the "inmost cave," triumphing over "the Shadow," and finally returning with "the Elixir," the healing substance of love.

Download or read book Latter Gay Saints written by Gerald S. Argetsinger and published by Lethe Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Latter-Gay Saints brings together twenty-five exemplary short works depicting a variety of perspectives of what it means to be both Mormon and queer. Some portray characters determined to reconcile their sexuality with the Mormon faith in accordance with its constantly evolving teachings and policies. The majority present the realities of queer Mormons who have come to terms with their sexuality in a variety of alternative ways. Others are written from outside the Mormon community, commenting on often strange encounters with Mormons who are gay. These stories are also of value for the broader GLBT community revealing similarities that people of faith, regardless of which faith, face in attempting to negotiate their religious heritage with their homosexuality. Some in the GLBT community find a way, while others do not, leaving their faith or having it ripped from them. They are all individuals searching for answers to life's puzzles.

Download or read book The Miracle of Forgiveness written by Spencer W. Kimball and published by Bookcraft, Incorporated. This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The miracle of forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball gives a penetrating explanation of repentance and forgiveness and clarifies their implications for church members.

Download or read book Adam s Gift written by Jimmy Creech and published by Duke University Press. This book was released on 2011-04-04 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inspiring first-person account of a minister whose ordination credentials were revoked by The United Methodist Church after he performed same-gender commitment ceremonies.

Download or read book The Confession of an Unrepentant Lesbian Ex Mormon Or Hanging Out with Gay Mormons in Salt Lake City written by Sue-Ann Post and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In June 2003 Sue-Ann Post was invited to be the keynote speaker at the annual Affirmation conference in Salt Lake City. Affirmation is a group of gay and lesbian Mormons, a group that is reviled by the mainstream church body. As a lesbian ex-Mormon she simply had to go. Her early life had been shaped by her mother's fundamentalist devotion to the church, but she forcibly rejected it all when she realised that she was a lesbian. She became aggressively atheist in her views and took to ridiculing the religion in her stage show. Visiting the epicentre of Mormonism was bound to be a major head-spin ... The Confession of an Unrepentant Lesbian Ex-Mormon is Sue-Ann's intensely personal account of her time in Salt Lake City and her inner grapplings with notions of faith, redemption, honesty and sexuality. As befits a stand-up comedian, it is frequently funny, unflinching and acerbic. It is also searching and heartfelt: a passionate interrogation of the capacity of religion to both enrich and distort our moral understandings.

Download or read book Why I Stay 2 written by Robert a Rees and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twenty-one women and men discuss what it is about Mormonism that keeps them part of the fold. Their deep, unique experiences make their individual travels even more compelling. Kimberly Applewhite Teitter, growing up in the South as a Black Latter-day Saint, often encountered well-meaning Latter-day Saints whose words messaged the idea that she was at some level an outsider or perhaps not as authentically Mormon as others in her congregation. Thus, she writes, "At the end of the day I'm still Black--still have felt the weight of proving that I represent the church I've fought so hard for my entire life." Yet the very episodes that could have driven her from the church became lessons on the meaning of discipleship.

Download or read book Worthy written by Chris Davis and published by . This book was released on 2023-04-21 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At age thirty-two, Chris Davis had everything she was told that she wanted: a husband, two children, and a townhouse in the suburbs. The plan had been laid out for her and compliance was expected. A devout Mormon with a stellar reputation in her community, Davis spent a lifetime listening to rhetoric from church leaders that queer people were sinners and needed to repent of their wickedness. She had sworn faithfulness and obedience to God and the church but was faced with an impossible equation. How could she earn blessings from God and eternal life in heaven when she knew she was gay? She decided the only way out was a 17-year plan to raise her children and then take her own life. In Worthy: The Memoir of an Ex-Mormon Lesbian, Davis tells her story of growing up in a Mormon household in Maine. Her nostalgic and sometimes humorous childhood memories of family and friends provide life lessons that influence her during the traumatic experiences she has as a woman and as a closeted queer person in the church. It isn't until one of her children comes out that Davis is forced to choose between religion and family. She chooses love. Davis shares her brave journey from the depths of despair to hope and possibility. She shines a light on the tragedy of exclusion in our churches, in families, and in society, which takes such a toll on youth who struggle with their identities. Her inspiring account shows that it takes courage and fortitude to change one's beliefs and live an authentic life, but the rewards are immense.

Download or read book Leaving the Saints written by Martha Beck and published by Crown. This book was released on 2006-04-25 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As “Mormon royalty” within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Martha Beck was raised in a home frequented by the Church’s high elders in an existence framed by the strictest code of conduct. As an adult, she moved to the east coast, outside of her Mormon enclave for the first time in her life. When her son was born with Down syndrome, Martha and her husband left their graduate programs at Harvard to return to Utah, where they knew the supportive Mormon community would embrace them. But when she was hired to teach at Brigham Young University, Martha was troubled by the way the Church’s elders silenced dissidents and masked truths that contradicted its published beliefs. Most troubling of all, she was forced to face her history of sexual abuse by one of the Church’s most prominent authorities. The New York Times bestseller Leaving the Saints chronicles Martha’s decision to sever her relationship with the faith that had cradled her for so long and to confront and forgive the person who betrayed her so deeply. Leaving the Saints offers a rare glimpse inside one of the world’s most secretive religions while telling a profoundly moving story of personal courage, survival, and the transformative power of spirituality.

Download or read book Gay Mormons Latter day Saint Experiences of Same Gender Attraction written by Brent Kerby and published by . This book was released on 2011-04-20 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is it like to be a Mormon who is attracted to the same gender rather than the opposite gender? How does this fit into a culture and religion centered on heterosexual marriage? In this book, thirty-seven individuals share their personal experiences, offering a window into these complex questions.The intense despair felt by gay and lesbian Mormon youth poses a significant challenge to their families, teachers, and ecclesiastical leaders who love them but who may be unaware of their difficulties or uncertain of how to help. These youth are often among the most devoted to their faith. While these issues continue to be surrounded by controversy, there is a growing need for understanding and respect for all involved. The accounts in this book offer hope and inspiration to those who wish to create a brighter future for their families and communities.The full text of this book is freely available online at http://gaymormonsbook.org.

Download or read book Coming Out Within written by Craig O'Neill and published by Harper San Francisco. This book was released on 1992 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Loss--feeling unacceptable to family, church, or workplace; losing loved ones to AIDS; being despised by segments of society--is universal among lesbians and gay men. Using an eight-phase model illustrated with real case histories, the authors explore loss as a catalyst for growth and personal and spiritual transformation.

Download or read book Conservative Christian Identity Same sex Orientation written by Rick Phillips and published by Peter Lang Incorporated, International Academic Publishers. This book was released on 2005 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like many conservative Christian faiths, Mormonism instills a strong sense of loyalty and deep religious feelings in its members. The church also teaches that homosexuality is abnormal and sinful. Thus, gay Mormons must learn to manage conflicting religious and sexual identities. This sociological study of the lives and struggles of gay members of the Mormon church is based on interviews with a large sample of gay Mormons and discussions with Mormon church leaders. The plight of gay Mormons is examined as part of a larger struggle over the place of homosexuality in American Christianity.

Download or read book Gay Latter Day Saint Crossroads written by Evan Smith and published by Bookbaby. This book was released on 2021-06-03 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evan Smith believed the anti-gay messages he heard in church during his childhood, which contributed to some negative views he held toward LGBTQ people. Later, as a bishop and then a counselor in a stake presidency, his heart softened as church members came to him seeking guidance about feeling attracted to others of the same gender. Evan's investigating and study became personal when his own son came out as gay. In this topically navigable book, Evan tackles the issues with a lawyer's mind and a penetrating analysis of scriptures and church doctrine. He addresses such questions as these: "What insights apply from the end of polygamy and the race-based priesthood/temple ban?" "Why do I stay in the church?" and, most importantly, "What words are hurtful/helpful to LGBTQ people and their families?"

Download or read book No More Goodbyes written by Carol Lynn Pearson and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of anecdotes and letters from current and former gay and lesbian Mormons and their families explores the effects of their ostracization from Mormon faith communities, discusses Mormon attitudes about homosexuality, and argues for increased acceptance and sensitivity for gay members.

Download or read book I Spoke to You with Silence written by Kerry Spencer Pray and published by . This book was released on 2022-07-29 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of narrative essays about the struggles of being LGBTQ+ and Mormon

Download or read book Where Have All the Women Gone written by Joshua Smith and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From its very beginning in the late 1970s, Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families and Friends has been a male-dominated organization. Affirmation-Gay Mormons United, or “Gay Mormon Underground” for its older members, traces its origins to a secretive group of gay men who would meet at Brigham Young University. Group members do not number women as part of that early group. Several years later in 1980, Affirmation would change its name to Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons as an attempt to reflect the more inclusive goals of the organization. Despite the name change, Affirmation continued to be what some have called “a gay men’s club” with many women asking the simple question “where are all the women?” There is no single definitive reason for the lack of women affiliated with Affirmation. In order to understand why so few lesbians participated in Affirmation, several narratives must be considered first. It is essential to understand that the narrative about homosexuality in the LDS Church was rooted in ideas about priesthood worthiness and as a result rarely focused on women. We must also consider that the narrative of the gay liberation movement, which was also predominately anti-religious, was focused on gay men liberating themselves within a heteronormative society and searching for means of survival during the AIDS crisis. Both narratives effectively erase the experience of lesbian Mormons.

Download or read book Elmer Gantry written by Sinclair Lewis and published by Standard Ebooks. This book was released on 2023-01-01T20:36:53Z with total page 565 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elmer Gantry isn’t suited to be a lawyer, so he becomes a preacher instead. Although he experiences a variety of failures, and even more successes, Gantry ultimately finds this new career path suits him very well indeed—despite his drinking and womanizing. Throughout his time as a preacher Gantry progresses through the hierarchies of the Baptist and Methodist churches, dabbles in revivalism and “New Thought,” and even experiments with politics, all the while emerging from scandals relatively unscathed and ready to move onward and upward once again. Sinclair Lewis published the satirical Elmer Gantry in 1927 much to the dismay of the religious community. It was denounced from the pulpit, banned by many, and even engendered threats of violence. Despite this—or perhaps because of it—it went on to become a massive success and the best selling novel of that year. One of the most savage satirical assaults against institutionalized religion and its hypocrisy in American literature, Elmer Gantry continues to be a window into a particularly important aspect of American history. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Download or read book Under the Banner of Heaven written by Jon Krakauer and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2004-06-08 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, this extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes readers inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities. • Now an acclaimed FX limited series streaming on HULU. “Fantastic.... Right up there with In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song.” —San Francisco Chronicle Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God; some 40,000 people still practice polygamy in these communities. At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.