We are incredibly excited to feature this fascinating interview by Daniel Parkinson at Gay Mormon Stories Podcast of John Gustav-Wrathall. John shares his amazing story, including his LDS upbringing, his wrestling with his sexual identity, his journey away from Mormonism, his sexual awakening, and the path that led him back to the LDS Church.
John’s story of courage, love, and faith is a wonderful example of the diversity and possibilities of Mormonism’s future. Thanks again to Gay Mormon Stories and John Gustav-Wrathall for sharing this interview with our audience.
Click here to listen to Part One of the interview:
Click here to listen to Part Two:
Click here to listen to Part Three:
Click here to listen to Part Four:
Cudos! I have thought about the LDS church’s fight against same-sex marriage (Prop. 8 in California) vs. the legal rights of non-members in California (D&C 134:9) and the legal right of even LDS members in other nations to get same-sex marriage (Articles of Faith 12)…
D&C 134:9 reads: “We do not believe it just to mingle influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.”
Articles of Faith #12 reads: “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”
So not only does doctrine claim that religion should stay away from politics – because that would reduce the [natural?] rights of all citizens – it also states that church members must bend to the political laws of the nations. A) not “mingle influence with civil government” and B) “obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law”. That is: Not try to change the law, but to sustain it.
This seems very logical, since the church is INTERNATIONAL, different nations have different laws, and the church could not have a different set of policies for each nation!
The church (original) stance was clearly apolitical! If its current members are willing to actually live the original teachings of Joseph Smith (laws given by God), now when the church is a powerhouse, is a different topic….
So, a gay married LDS is not as strange as it can seem at first.
John is amazing! Thank you for telling his story.
All the credit goes to Daniel Parkinson and Gay Mormon Stories. Thanks for listening.
outstanding! changed my life! I have been super fulfilled through almost all the podcasts in a thoughtful faith!!
Thank you caitlyn for your support of this web site.
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I’m late to this interview. I’m starting from the beginning of ATF interviews, and this has been the most touching one I’ve listened to so far. Thank you, John, for intimately sharing with us such amazing experiences. It has been my pleasure to have been able to be a recipient of your wise words and counsel.