Does anyone know a single openly gay man

[MikeWaters]

in the church, who is celibate? When I say "in the church" I mean an active member of a ward.

I'm sure there are some. But I think in almost all cases they would not reveal that they are gay.

When I was at BYU, there was a professor who was openly gay and celibate. Then he announced he could no longer take it and was leaving BYU. He was of course savaged in letters to the editor.

That's the only situation I could think of.

[Archaea]

Openly gay?

From what I can see from leadership counsel, it is contrary to recommendations for members who have the SSA to admit it publicly. So, until leadership changes its approach, it is doubtful you'll ever see that in our culture.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Openly gay?

From what I can see from leadership counsel, it is contrary to recommendations for members who have the SSA to admit it publicly. So, until leadership changes its approach, it is doubtful you'll ever see that in our culture.

??? I have never heard that it is prohibited to say you are gay. In fact, the scriptures tell us that we are to openly confess our sins. Being gay is not a sin, but confessing publicly the tendency towards the sin of gay sex would fall into that category IMO.

Everyone in a ward could know you are gay without saying it in church. You tell your hometeachers, and in few weeks the entire congregation is aware.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

??? I have never heard that it is prohibited to say you are gay. In fact, the scriptures tell us that we are to openly confess our sins. Being gay is not a sin, but confessing publicly the tendency towards the sin of gay sex would fall into that category IMO.

Everyone in a ward could know you are gay without saying it in church. You tell your hometeachers, and in few weeks the entire congregation is aware.

The Bible certainly encourages that philosophy, or so it seems, and some parts of the D&C do as well, but it is not our current practice, and quiet advice given to bishops and stake presidents goes a different direction. If I can find it in the Handbook, I'll point it out. It might not be in the 1999 but in the more recent edition.

If a person is gay, I can't see a reason for staying in the LDS Church. How could one bear the burden of celibacy?

[BYU71]

You could bear it just like any single person in the church bears it.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BYU71

You could bear it just like any single person in the church bears it.

Without being snide, my familiarity with a large number of adult singles leads me to believe that they don't remain celibate. There are periods of successful celibacy and periods where one slips.

Perhaps there are minority of persons who never married who succeed for a lifetime, but I wager it's extremely rare. Perhaps the morbidly obese, I dunno.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Without being snide, my familiarity with a large number of adult singles leads me to believe that they don't remain celibate. There are periods of successful celibacy and periods where one slips.

Perhaps there are minority of persons who never married who succeed for a lifetime, but I wager it's extremely rare. Perhaps the morbidly obese, I dunno.

I totally agree with you. However, how is that any different for a gay person or none gay.

Do you think the single guy in the ward who slips up with some gal is looked at differently than the guy in the ward who slips up with another guy.

Should one be put on probation vs the other one being ex'd.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BYU71

I totally agree with you. However, how is that any different for a gay person or none gay.

Do you think the single guy in the ward who slips up with some gal is looked at differently than the guy in the ward who slips up with another guy.

Should one be put on probation vs the other one being ex'd.

Most single guys in the ward don't intend to remain single forever. You're telling gay people you must be celibate and without companionship forever. What would be the use? I can see no benefit of being a gay Mormon.

[Clark Addison]

The closest I have is a guy I knew at BYU. He was single, gay, and celibate (to my knowledge). He wasn't "openly" gay, but he had told a few people (not me) and several other people (like me) were also aware.

I have no idea how he has fared since.

[Flystripper]

I know men that have tried for a while but once they are out of the closet I have not seen it last more than a year. On the 2 occaisions when I saw a man try this they basically told me it was a year of hell. They were muchhappied once they left.