Mayim does a phenomenal job interviewing someone who has beliefs different than her own. She is very respectful and I appreciate that. And David is admirably open and compassionate. Great video!
I'm part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate this interview. Mayim, thank you so much for providing a safe and understanding space for David to talk about his faith, identity and mental health. Just like the LGBTQIA+ faces a lot of negativity sometimes, so do people of faith, and not every interview about that is as uplifting and enlightening as this one. Thank you! I love it!
Yeah, people of faith in the U.S. are so persecuted, especially Christians. I feel ya. Christians are so put down and people are so negative about them. It makes it hard to practice your faith, huh? Because like there are so many barriers. Like sometimes…I just don’t wanna be here anymore. I think things like “If being a Christian is so wrong to the majority, then maybe I just shouldn’t exist.” Ya know what I mean? < /s >
The statement, “The God of my understanding wants me to know myself and to not feel shame or sadness about the way that I am.” So profound for me and makes me feel more comfortable about who I am and my relationship with God. Thank you Mayim and David, both, for enlightening me and providing your perspectives.
I am a member of the LGBTQIA COMMUNITY and a man of faith in God. God made you to be you. Love yourself, cause if you don't you can't love anyone else.
It's heartbreaking to learn how much he has struggled.. I hope David continues to grow in acceptance of himself. You deserve to experience love David! A beautiful person inside and out. ❤️
I still get the impression he is in massive denial that he is a gay man.Having sex or not doesn't change your sexuality.You can believe in G-d and forgo the rubbish man-made paradigm that really has nothing to do with G-d.
I was surprised at how spiritual his perspective is, which says that my understanding of this religion is that it is more about restrictions and rules than love for your fellow man so, I was heartened by the response from his Elder when he "came out". When I watched him on American Idol my first response was "He is so repressed". Now my response is , "He is so thoughtful and a very deep thinker." I love his relationship with God. He makes me want to slow down my response to life in general and connect with spirit more.
We were raised from little children with the teachings of Christ, that being loving is the most important thing... But that is often lost in the disconnect that happens with culture and dogma. Those who sat through primary being taught the basics of the gospel and really gravitated to that, are mortified by how culture is the opposite of everything Christ taught. I love when David shares his perspectives because it is very similar to my own. I'm also happy there are some leaders out there who do not traumatize the people who come out to them.
I don't want to discredit his experience but I feel like he only got acceptance from his Bishop because of his celebrity. I myself was Mormon for 17 years and have done much much deep dive research since the 10 years that I've been out and his experience I will not discredit but is not the norm of what many Mormons go through in this "religion"
@@TrevorThatBandanaGuy while I’m sure you’re correct that many had poor experiences, I’ve attended baptisms of openly gay men, as well as gone through temple sessions with an openly gay man, so there is a huge spectrum of acceptance and love.
@@mchatcher you might want to go do some research because the church sex acceptance of homosexuals but if you look through the history they were doing shock therapy at BYU of homosexuals and just recently if you want to look at Northstar that is a gay conversion therapy center that the church was a part of where they had naked men cuddling parties to try to combat homosexual urges so the church likes to think that they're approving of gay people and they're not actually and if you want to look at statistics why don't you look at the suicide rate of Utah among the LGBTQ community. And the funny thing is if these experiences or just one off things why is it happening all over the world in the Mormon churches before you open your mouth you should probably do some more research. If you'd like I can give you a link to the rundown of the history starting with the inception of the church until 2021 of how the church is anti gay
@@mchatcher Megan you might want you look into what acceptance means because I guarantee you the people that you've met in the church that are openly gay that you say are highly pressured because I'm not going to say forced because I know that you're going to take issue with the word Force so highly pressured into living a celibate life or entering into a mixed orientation marriage. And I guarantee you that they are going through internal struggle because the pressure of the church saying that they are wrong and that they should be asking for forgiveness from God and that because if they act on their gay feelings but they will not be entered into the highest Kingdom.
As an LDS person, I’m SO grateful that such a public figure is exploring this in a somewhat public way. We see people who don’t get to explore all the time in this community. Thank you- and please keep doing interviews like this!
I’m LDS and I’ve loved this interview. Thank you, David for sharing your experience, and thank you Mayim for asking great questions to have this much needed conversation.
@@rachaelenglish348The CES letter is edited in a misleading way, and Mormon Stories makes a *TON* of money exploiting people who have a genuine faith crisis. I am so profoundly disappointed in both
@@tommacari4103 I hope the irony of you mentioning Mormon Stories' finances is not lost on you considering the LDS church is hoarding 100 billion tax-free dollars while covering up child sex abuse and guilt tripping members into cleaning its buildings for free.
This conversation is a MUST SEE for anyone with questions about their own sexuality and identity AND for anyone who calls themself a Christian or a follower of a religious faith that has strong (negative) opinions about anything outside of the heteronormative culture. That Mayim and David come from such different religious places but can converse with such maturity and grace for each other's differences is a refreshing example for society. I love Mayim's explanation of, "there is no psychological thought that exists without a physical component, and if you need drugs or alcohol to have sex then it indicates you aren't really feeling safe or comfortable."
David is so rad!! His songs “My little prayer” and “Be still my soul” have helped me feel Heavenly Father’s love through difficult trials and losses 🙏🏻. Thank you for sharing your light, David!
i wll have to check them out thanks, but rn i got a bunch open including this podcasts playlist maybe i well put this video in my glbt group to remember
Yes! David! .. You did a great job helping me feel compassion for those different from me. Being LDS, I don’t want anyone to slander our religion but you have made me want to be better. What a testimony builder…
I didn’t know anything about David, other than his magical voice, and now I have a crush on him because of how sweet and genuine he is 🥰 I loved this conversation!!
This is a great one. I didn’t watch American Idol either - but at the time I had just moved away from living in Salt Lake City so I was very aware of who he is. I am a lesbian, a returned missionary for the Mormon church and a former Mormon. I asked to have myself excommunicated from the church when I came out because philosophically I could not resolve the conflicts between the church doctrine and my own views. Very interesting subject / guest.
I appreciate your comments. I am however sad that you felt your need to leave the church. I have no desire to upset or offend you in anyway. I have thought about this a lot, I have tried to come up with differences and the only thing that comes to my mind is, there are straight people who never get married, who abstain from sexual relations. Their feelings and attractions are just as real as yours. Just as those who are straight and single, there are many who have same sex attraction who also abstain who stay in the church. God still defines marriage as man and women. You can’t change gods law just because society chooses to Redefine it. Remember gods laws are eternal, mans are temporary. Again, I appreciate your comments
There’s something beautifully open, naive, eager, reserved about David. His smile draws you in. Enjoyed this conversation between the three of you. 🇳🇿🇳🇿🐑🐑 NZ Sept 2021
I really appreciate how open David was in this interview. The part of the interview that stood out for me was when David talked about how we just assume every person in the LGBTQIA+ community has an outgoing personality.
Mayim, You my dear, should have your own network talk show. It was so nice to hear someone who can use polysyllabical words correctly and has the brain and IQ to justify and do it. You are one of the best interviewers, ever!! Please get it going my dear!!
David has helped me so much since he came out. I felt/feel just as he did about my sexuality. I was never accepting of myself being gay because of what I was taught in church and because of society. Hearing him speak his truth has lit a light inside me that I never had before. I’ve still got some things to accept about myself, and I know I will in time. Thank you Mayim, and THANK YOU DAVID. Love and peace to you.
@David C I think David was very fortunate in the the Elder with whom he shared his feelings about himself. That is very unusual in the Mormon Church. Bishops can be very cruel to those who don't follow the Mormon norm of "straight is the only acceptable way", and chastity is essential before marriage. Mormons are required to confess to masturbation, looking at porn and any intimate touching of a boy/girlfriend. They are punished severely for such acts. I suspect the church is going easy on David because they hope Mormon girls will love him and the alarming haemorrhage of young people, leaving the Church, will stop.
@@elizabethgrogan8553 “punished severely”...as in your bishop tells you “God still loves you, let’s pray and work on this repentance process”. Like what punishment lol. Repentance is not about punishment, but reconciling yourself to God. Sin in its basic form means to turn away from God, so repentance is turning back. I personally think you have a very perfectionist “can’t make a mistake” perspective on things, but the truth is that Jesus died for our sins to raise us up bc He knew we’d make mistakes + fall. So please let this mindset go, it’s not a part of our faith, you don’t have to carry it.
@@prettymermaid2117 let’s pray about what? Changing something you can’t change? Suppressing something that shouldn’t be suppressed? David’s struggle is a good example of the extreme mental health damage that can occur in churches/religious settings.
@@soberanisfam1323 Praying about repentance. To be on good terms with God is happy, repentance isn’t a punishment. Stop projecting your anger over something I never said..read in actual context. Every thought group has pros + cons. Not just religion.
This is eye opening. Thank you. I am someone who doesn't understand these terms much but this helps understand those who feel different. We should all accept others for who they are regardless of gender, sex, race, religion or political views.
We (the world) need more like you in the world 🌎, a person who tries to understand other peoples lives without discrimination. You're awesome,stay cool 😊❤️🙏✌️😎
I joined the church at 18 to marry my way into a hetero life, had 3 kids, and left at 38 when I met my wife. Being LDS doesn't make the feelings go away. I learned that the hard way. You live your true self, David! I'm so much more happy now than I was then. 12 years out and happy!! XOXO❤️
My husband is in his 50s and I am in my 40s. We met later in life. Thank you for going into this. It explains a lot It’s not just about how often we are intimate. Or just about sex. I have a low libido and he is very understanding. Thanks for helping me understanding more about relationships. It was life changing
What An Amazing man is David Archuleta. There is no shame in being true to yourself David. I learned this long ago. You will never be free unless you are true to yourself. God made us the way we are and if I knew I was different at age 3 then I'd say we were created this way. I am so proud of you and I know you don't care that I say that but you have been so brave and you are still loved by so many even me. Mayim I have always loved your character in the BIG BANG. I thought to myself I have known people like this in my life. Bless you, for having this channel and having David Archuleta live on your program. I love him to pieces. He has the voice of an ANGEL.
Thank you for this episode. I enjoyed hearing David talk about being on the Ace spectrum. As someone who figured out in the past year that I’m somewhere on the spectrum, it’s comforting to hear another person’s experiences.
I saw David at The State in Modesto, CA. It took him a minute to get comfortable being on stage, but within an hour, he finally let loose and was AMAZING! I’m so happy he is embracing his uniqueness!
I not only loved the interview, but the discussion afterwards with Jonathan and Mayim was fantastic. I love the concept of looking within and exploring things and concepts that the 'world' would have you not pay attention to which relates to Jonathan's comment about God/Intuition being a guiding force. I think David Archuletta is delightful and I wish him all success in his journey. He is so authentic, and yes, brave and courageous to come out and discuss his life so openly in the face of all possiblie opposition he might face. I was so happy that his church elders did the right thing for him as a young impressionable searching soul. That really surprised me and warmed my heart. This might be my favorite episode in recent memory. I do miss the Bevisodes though.Isn't it time for another one of those? Love you guys! V.
I would love it if you could do an episode on church "purity culture" which has messed up more young peoples' view of what healthy sexuality is and has prevented them from forming healthy relationships in their adult lives.
So insightful. Love this interview. David seems so genuine and good. Happy to support him as a musician and a person. We are all special and unique in our own way. Thank you for such kind understanding words, wisdom, and a great interview!
Loved every minute of your conversation! I'm a long time fan of David's and I'm glad more people are getting to see the deep, old soul he is -- along with that angelic voice! -- he's the real deal. So are you, Mayim, loved your thoughtful questions, insights and hilarious asides! (Jonathan's too!!)
Such great insightful interviewer and interviewee!!! I am LDS born & raised & I loved everything about this. Thank you, David, for sharing your journey, feelings & thoughts with us! And thank you, Mayim, for this awesome platform!!
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed your personality, Mayim. It's truly a pleasure to be surprised these days. I feel humbled after watching you, like I received a much needed refresher on what is most important to value in life. Not only because of what I learned that others gave to me, but also because of what resonates with me personally as truth that brings me peace, as I believe most people have ... that guidance that helps them to know how to connect with others, wether they believe our relation to others is familial in some way or just some kind of universal happenstance in the existence of creation.
I love being educated. Thank you for this open and honest heart in the form of David A. Wow. He blew me away. I got hit in the gut with this episode. I appreciate how Jonathan and yourself got to the heart of what this discussion was about. Self-acceptance and mental health go hand in hand. We weren't to talk about abuse when I was a young girl. I was told it didn't happen. Yes, that old story. As an adult I pushed every crisis down, every trauma down, every insult to my intelligence, every unkind word, every broken promise, every insult from family until the pandemic. Being in isolation for two years due to catching RSV, Influenza A and then COVID, what I call the perfect viral storm, stop me in my track's. My life changed dramatically on December 26, 2019. Right before COVID, I kept getting sick as a Mental Health Professional in the South Side of Chicago. Long story. My point is, these past two year's of life pause as I call it has forced me open. Open and God has shone a light into that void. Now, I try to practice what I used to preach. Prayer, meditation, mindfulness, so many freaking tears, long conversations with God and my opinion versus His (a nice way of saying, I've had some words for God.....). Only to learn that it's ok to break open, it's ok to shine the light in the dark space. It's ok to be real, whatever that real is to oneself. I'm still in my process, my pause so to speak. Thanks for this Podcast. I really appreciated it so much.
I truly enjoy these podcasts. Coming from the same religion as David, I am so happy his Elder was open minded enough to acknowledge what he was feeling and tell him to he wasn’t wrong. You be surprised how many leaders in the church just tell you to forget what happened, pray and move on. I believe they didn’t have the bandwidth to really understand or know how to deal with the problem presented. Great interview!
Thank you, all three of you. This talk/interview addressed so much more than sexuality. It helps anything you are willing to look at a little deeper. It’s okay to make mistakes. ❤️
thank you Mayim for being so respectful towards the LDS faith. I really liked when you compared some of our practices with your own Jewish practices. I love to find the common ground between faiths and so it was very refreshing when you did this. I also appreciated the obvious research you made into the LDS faith because you knew quite a bit. thank you so much
I really loved this interview- I am Catholic but I had never heard someone in any belief say something so close to my own experience of sexuality and quiet desire. I was always a “one and done” kind of gal, and I rarely had attraction that seemed to me to be what others experienced- I wanted to save s3x for marriage, but it was more about saving that level of intimacy and vulnerability for just one person who I felt saw ME when I was naked not just a body without clothes.
David is just a pure soul. I think this was the first time I’ve ever listened to an LGBTQ-related conversation without some underlying judgement or being uncomfortable. I’m glad to see him and I hope he keeps telling his story and being more visible in the world. We need more of him in the world.
Mayim, I knew I would want to hear what David had to say talking to you, because you would be talking with the person not to the image created around him. David it was a good choice to collaborate with Mayim because you are both committed to being your true selves and helping others, like me, to do the same. Thanks
FANTASTIC INTERVIEW!! Incredibly respectful, touching and insightful!! The mortal journey is real!! Mayim’s description of how nothing physical is also connected to the spiritual and nothing spiritual is free of the physical is spot on - and all too often overlooked!! David is deep ... when you give him time to process! ❤️😉❤️
Thank you Mayim for being respectful, thoughtful expressing what you know about the Mormon religion. I went to a private school founded by holocaust survivors and all the jewish/israelian teachers I had were always respectful of my religious beliefs but at the same time, I learned all about the Jewish culture, language, dances and specially major holidays.
Great interview and Mayim showed great respect for David's religion. In show notes, he divulges to his "mission President", not Elder. Thanks for the compassion and logical understanding of David's trials! Very impressed with your show!!
I love this. Thank you for doing this interview. I have always liked David but I like him even more now. Mayim I love your ability to interview so professionally
I love this conversation. Thanks for inviting people of different backgrounds and having open conversations. This channel is so fun and helpful to listen to!
What an excellent interview! Mayim does a fantastic job interviewing David. Thank you to David for being candid about his experience. Perhaps a book in David’s future. Thank you for posting the interview on TH-cam!
Mayim I just want to say thank you for being so sweet and having such a wonderful lot of guests on your channel. You are also my favorite person due to your being so down to earth and knowledgeable. Thank you again. Blessings and Love and Happy Hanuka in 2022.
Thank you 🙏🥰 all, Mayim, Jonathan, & David. This was a fantastic interview that I've been enlightened by and loved every second of it. Please take care and be in excellent health. 💚😇
David had an AMAZING MP. My friend went to his Bishop and was sent to his Stake President. Now, my friend had never acted out as a gay man. They still excommunicated him. He is now living his best life without the judgements of the church.
I loved this! David is such an awesome inspiration! I'm bisexual, and I have ADHD ... and I'm LDS! Those 3 things combined aren't exactly the easiest for a person. I'm finally in a place where I can comfortably, confidently say that my faith is stronger than my sexuality. It's not easy. But it sure does make it a bit easier, when you know you're not the only one carrying that weight. Thank you for being you, David! I have truly been strengthened by your courage, faith, and conviction!
I am a BI Jew of faith and I appreciate what David has to say about faith and these very difficult topics. I am a 57 year old guy and it is just amazing just how much the issue of sexual attractions cannot be ignored anymore as it was in the past. I tell all my Muslim, Jewish and Christian friends that the issue of attraction cannot be repressed any more. It just can't. Today's young people are just not willing to put up with this kind of repression any more. They just aren't. Thank you David and Mayim for this conversation. BTW., I love reading PSALMS ('Tehilim' in Hebrew) and get a lot of strength from reading them.
This was an incredible experience! One I didn't even realize I needed. Thank you for this and all your kind, exploratory, intelligent words and opening a door for discussion into finding and loving ourselves physically mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sorry for that sentence lol. But thank you!
I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints. Thank you David for being true and honest to yourself. The Lord is aware of your struggles for sure. No man is perfect. No member is perfect either. We are just like every other human being. You are so brave to speak out and I applaud you for sharing with us your personal insights and personal life on being gay. God bless.
I love Jonathon's take on the mental health aspect of this; a belief in a higher power that "speaks through intuition". This is something I have long believed but never been able to put into words so concisely. Listen to your intuition; listen to that voice; question those things you are unsure about. Being open and honest with yourself about all aspects of life. I tend to come and go with therapy, but in my last bout, coming to terms with feelings that I have long tried to suppress was the most freeing revelation I've had. Definitely an episode I think I'll come back to, as I'm sure there's more for me to gain from another watch. Keep doing what you're doing guys x
As a person with a personal connection with God and a deep caring for today's social and civil environment David's take on life gives me such happiness and peace. I'm glad that people are relating to a God that is so much like mine.
I relate to David so much being gay and still active in the church. I know there has been a lot of changes he's had since this interview. But its nice to know that he's trying his best to take care of himself. I'm glad he explained so much about asexuality and intersexuality because that is so important to know and learn about these beautiful individuals. I hope this teaches others to be accepting and open to learning. Most of all that LGBTQIAP+ people can still be spiritual and believe in a higher power.
How brave this young man is! A beautiful mind making one of the most profound & thoroughgoing episodes of this excellent podcast till now! Tnx to all!💜Is it time to bring here the demisexual (asexual spectrum) TBBT Sheldon without beeing assassinated by die hard fans?
I was confused as to what demisexual meant so I looked it up and I think this is me I have only fallen in love once in my past and that was after quite a while of getting to know him and building an emotional bond, I'm also autistic according to some dr's yet to be diagnosed, and yes I could probably say I'm demisexual as well, also am a fairly die hard fan of tbbt and I also believe sheldon to be demisexual because I'm just like him, in my family they call me sheldon as I'm like him, as a child I was like young sheldon, I'm still like sheldon, family call me sheldon because I'm just like him, they make it seem like it's an insult but I've always taken it as a compliment because am proud of being like sheldon cooper
@@tvaholicsquidney Never intended to be nothing negative in my comment about demisexuals or asexual spectrum. So sorry if you understood it that way. I believe that one of the richness of the so excellently written character of Sheldon is precisely the beautiful and tender way to show us what a profoundly in love a demisexual one can be and how after it he can be sexually active only with the person he’s in love to.
@@m_brokenleg I wasn't offended in anyway, I have suffered brain injuries and don't always know how to explain myself properly add in autism and add and I don't always know how to say things or explain myself properly, I just never heard about what asexual was before, always felt connection to sheldon because of something but could never really put my finger on it but now I know why
Thank you so much for this episode. All three of you have given me, at least, much to ponder and consider. I have mental health issues that I struggle with on a daily basis and will be discussing this episode and some of the interesting points discussed at the very end, especially after the interview, with my therapist today. Thanks for giving me some more to consider. Really. Thank you, you have no idea how much this episode has helped.
It’s conversations like this that will open people’s hearts and minds and ultimately save lives. I am a 66 year old gay man who fight who I was for 40+ years. I am with the same amazing man (and now married to) for 23 years. David is a beautiful and gifted man whose best parts of his life have yet to come. My heart aches for those who are are dealing with the complexity of their sexuality but with all of my heart I believe life gets better when you love yourself and those around you. God bless you David and Mayim, this is my first time watching you here and I am HOOKED.
I feel for David. I grew up LDS, served a mission, went to BYU... the whole nine yards. Listening to him is like hearing my younger self who was buried under miles of internalized homophobia due to my religious upbringing and the subtle and not-so-subtle ways it signaled to me that being queer was abhorrent. David spends a great bit of time trying to assure people that he isn't like "THEM." He's an upstanding, appropriate, godly queer as opposed to the kind of queer that it is understandable to have distaste for. "Strong personalities," "loud," "colorful,"... these are code for "unpleasant," "distasteful," "ungodly." It is the internalized homophobia speaking and the same pattern that he has always employed--- the pattern that seeks to please the people around him, be the kind of acceptable child of God everyone expects him to be. Where did that lead him? Wanting to get out and get away from all the people expecting him to be someone. Sometimes that ends up looking like "getting out" of life itself because it seems inescapable. The LDS religion creates a lot of shame around sex and sexuality in general. Queer Mormons are bathed in shame- it's a whole other level. It's really difficult to work through and undo decades of that, especially when it was your environment during the most formative years of life. In the same way that David's mind worked to "erase" his thoughts about his sexuality, he may also unconsciously be "erasing" or denying his sexual energy as a coping strategy. I'm still working through my own shame around sex- and it impacts romantic relationships, which negatively impacts my life. Also, blocks in sexual energy don't just cause issues "in the bedroom." That is a very powerful energy that can be harnessed in all areas of life. A block will effect work life, artistic life, every endeavor of life. It's a journey. Finally, the LDS Church *does not* have the same expectations for gay people as it does for heterosexual people. It promotes dating and marriage for heterosexuals. It forbids it for gay people. Neither are supposed to have sex until marriage, but only one has a pathway to marriage to the one they love. It's painful to watch someone walk the same path I did, but damn-- it's a really difficult one to walk. Any step is worth celebrating. I wish him love and joy and beauty and freedom.
Spectacular! So grateful for this interview and to find your podcast. You both are amazing! Finally David’s experiences are very much mirrored to what I experienced over my many years of life! This will recommended to everyone! Thank you both!!!
1:01:30 I think the advice of “Just don’t think about it” is the most selfish response from the church or parents etc. because what they really mean is “I don’t want to think about it so keep it hidden.” If there’s anything I’ve learned it’s that people would rather put up a nice shiny front for their family or church than let the world see the messy and complicated humans that we are.
I saw David multiple times at BYU-Idaho. It's so good to hear him open up and his journey. I wish him the best. He needs to be careful about the religion. It is abusive toward LGBTQ+. I left 3 years ago and it's only getting more abusive and intolerant. Without it, you will feel so much more free and loved. Really really really. I'm not a scary exmo. I left when I realized the church scared me away from learning more information.
@@Luluisraging.86 I understand where you're coming from, but I think you're missing the point. It's the doctrine itself that's abusive and intolerant. The members can try to be as loving as they possibly can be, but they will always hit a hard limit on that love because of the fundamental principles and doctrine still taught within the church. It's not a healthy place for lgbtq people. I know that sounds counterintuitive to members, but the statistical data is undeniable, and the lived experiences are heartbreaking. Thank you for being more loving, but when you do eventually run up against that limit, please consider looking into why exactly it's been placed there in the first place, and by who.
Thank you 💕. I appreciated this so much! I am of the LDS faith and have been very empathetic towards the LGTBQAI+ community and this warmed my heart. I am such a big fan of you both.
Mayim does a phenomenal job interviewing someone who has beliefs different than her own. She is very respectful and I appreciate that. And David is admirably open and compassionate. Great video!
I completely agree. She is thoughtful, respectful and intelligent. Love her interviews!
@@howieroarke yes good point. And she probably has in laws who are LDS...
I'm part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate this interview. Mayim, thank you so much for providing a safe and understanding space for David to talk about his faith, identity and mental health. Just like the LGBTQIA+ faces a lot of negativity sometimes, so do people of faith, and not every interview about that is as uplifting and enlightening as this one. Thank you! I love it!
ur prophet raped kids lol
Yeah, people of faith in the U.S. are so persecuted, especially Christians. I feel ya. Christians are so put down and people are so negative about them. It makes it hard to practice your faith, huh? Because like there are so many barriers. Like sometimes…I just don’t wanna be here anymore. I think things like “If being a Christian is so wrong to the majority, then maybe I just shouldn’t exist.” Ya know what I mean? < /s >
Well said! And Yes, fantastic interview with him. He's Special, period!!
The statement, “The God of my understanding wants me to know myself and to not feel shame or sadness about the way that I am.” So profound for me and makes me feel more comfortable about who I am and my relationship with God. Thank you Mayim and David, both, for enlightening me and providing your perspectives.
I am a member of the LGBTQIA COMMUNITY and a man of faith in God. God made you to be you. Love yourself, cause if you don't you can't love anyone else.
It's heartbreaking to learn how much he has struggled.. I hope David continues to grow in acceptance of himself. You deserve to experience love David! A beautiful person inside and out. ❤️
I still get the impression he is in massive denial that he is a gay man.Having sex or not doesn't change your sexuality.You can believe in G-d and forgo the rubbish man-made paradigm that really has nothing to do with
G-d.
I was surprised at how spiritual his perspective is, which says that my understanding of this religion is that it is more about restrictions and rules than love for your fellow man so, I was heartened by the response from his Elder when he "came out". When I watched him on American Idol my first response was "He is so repressed". Now my response is , "He is so thoughtful and a very deep thinker." I love his relationship with God. He makes me want to slow down my response to life in general and connect with spirit more.
We were raised from little children with the teachings of Christ, that being loving is the most important thing... But that is often lost in the disconnect that happens with culture and dogma. Those who sat through primary being taught the basics of the gospel and really gravitated to that, are mortified by how culture is the opposite of everything Christ taught. I love when David shares his perspectives because it is very similar to my own. I'm also happy there are some leaders out there who do not traumatize the people who come out to them.
I don't want to discredit his experience but I feel like he only got acceptance from his Bishop because of his celebrity. I myself was Mormon for 17 years and have done much much deep dive research since the 10 years that I've been out and his experience I will not discredit but is not the norm of what many Mormons go through in this "religion"
@@TrevorThatBandanaGuy while I’m sure you’re correct that many had poor experiences, I’ve attended baptisms of openly gay men, as well as gone through temple sessions with an openly gay man, so there is a huge spectrum of acceptance and love.
@@mchatcher you might want to go do some research because the church sex acceptance of homosexuals but if you look through the history they were doing shock therapy at BYU of homosexuals and just recently if you want to look at Northstar that is a gay conversion therapy center that the church was a part of where they had naked men cuddling parties to try to combat homosexual urges so the church likes to think that they're approving of gay people and they're not actually and if you want to look at statistics why don't you look at the suicide rate of Utah among the LGBTQ community. And the funny thing is if these experiences or just one off things why is it happening all over the world in the Mormon churches before you open your mouth you should probably do some more research. If you'd like I can give you a link to the rundown of the history starting with the inception of the church until 2021 of how the church is anti gay
@@mchatcher Megan you might want you look into what acceptance means because I guarantee you the people that you've met in the church that are openly gay that you say are highly pressured because I'm not going to say forced because I know that you're going to take issue with the word Force so highly pressured into living a celibate life or entering into a mixed orientation marriage. And I guarantee you that they are going through internal struggle because the pressure of the church saying that they are wrong and that they should be asking for forgiveness from God and that because if they act on their gay feelings but they will not be entered into the highest Kingdom.
As an LDS person, I’m SO grateful that such a public figure is exploring this in a somewhat public way. We see people who don’t get to explore all the time in this community. Thank you- and please keep doing interviews like this!
I’m LDS and I’ve loved this interview. Thank you, David for sharing your experience, and thank you Mayim for asking great questions to have this much needed conversation.
Read the CES letter and head over to Mormon stories and look at the book of Abraham podcast.
@Russell M. Nelson Pretending to be someone else online is not very cool.
Same. ❤️
@@rachaelenglish348The CES letter is edited in a misleading way, and Mormon Stories makes a *TON* of money exploiting people who have a genuine faith crisis. I am so profoundly disappointed in both
@@tommacari4103 I hope the irony of you mentioning Mormon Stories' finances is not lost on you considering the LDS church is hoarding 100 billion tax-free dollars while covering up child sex abuse and guilt tripping members into cleaning its buildings for free.
This made my day. David is such a genuine and personable man, so happy for him. Thank you Miss B!
I love that David had a very innocence of explaining and sharing his struggles with his sexuality and openess as he explains.
This conversation is a MUST SEE for anyone with questions about their own sexuality and identity AND for anyone who calls themself a Christian or a follower of a religious faith that has strong (negative) opinions about anything outside of the heteronormative culture. That Mayim and David come from such different religious places but can converse with such maturity and grace for each other's differences is a refreshing example for society.
I love Mayim's explanation of, "there is no psychological thought that exists without a physical component, and if you need drugs or alcohol to have sex then it indicates you aren't really feeling safe or comfortable."
My Little Prayer is my absolute favorite song, I listen to it every day. I'm so proud of you David, keep being great.
David is so rad!! His songs “My little prayer” and “Be still my soul” have helped me feel Heavenly Father’s love through difficult trials and losses 🙏🏻. Thank you for sharing your light, David!
i wll have to check them out thanks, but rn i got a bunch open including this podcasts playlist maybe i well put this video in my glbt group to remember
It'd be interesting to revisit this conversation with David today, specially after the last talk Nelson gave on the October conference 2023.
Yes! David! .. You did a great job helping me feel compassion for those different from me. Being LDS, I don’t want anyone to slander our religion but you have made me want to be better. What a testimony builder…
Perhaps as LDS, we are trying too hard to pretend there isn’t a very serious underlying issue here. So important to be honest for our LGBTQ youth.
Letter to my Wife, Rough Stone Rolling.
I am also active LDS, and I'm listening/watching in Utah, to Mayim.
I didn’t know anything about David, other than his magical voice, and now I have a crush on him because of how sweet and genuine he is 🥰 I loved this conversation!!
This is a great one. I didn’t watch American Idol either - but at the time I had just moved away from living in Salt Lake City so I was very aware of who he is. I am a lesbian, a returned missionary for the Mormon church and a former Mormon. I asked to have myself excommunicated from the church when I came out because philosophically I could not resolve the conflicts between the church doctrine and my own views. Very interesting subject / guest.
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
Good for you! That had to be a very difficult decision for you.
I appreciate your comments. I am however sad that you felt your need to leave the church.
I have no desire to upset or offend you in anyway. I have thought about this a lot, I have tried to come up with differences and the only thing that comes to my mind is, there are straight people who never get married, who abstain from sexual relations. Their feelings and attractions are just as real as yours. Just as those who are straight and single, there are many who have same sex attraction who also abstain who stay in the church. God still defines marriage as man and women. You can’t change gods law just because society chooses to Redefine it. Remember gods laws are eternal, mans are temporary.
Again, I appreciate your comments
@@trishachristensen2238 God didn’t define anything. Men who claimed to speak for God defined it. Just stop.
@@jonpoulda3362 uh, yes he did and no I won’t stop. I believe in truth. You will never convince me otherwise. You will have to take that up with God.
I love David and totally support his journey as he struggles with how to reconcile his attractions and identity with his faith.
There’s something beautifully open, naive, eager, reserved about David. His smile draws you in. Enjoyed this conversation between the three of you.
🇳🇿🇳🇿🐑🐑 NZ Sept 2021
I really appreciate how open David was in this interview. The part of the interview that stood out for me was when David talked about how we just assume every person in the LGBTQIA+ community has an outgoing personality.
I love this interview. Mayim is kind and insightful. David is sweet, open and honest in sharing his journey. Thank you both.
Mayim, You my dear, should have your own network talk show. It was so nice to hear someone who can use polysyllabical words correctly and has the brain and IQ to justify and do it. You are one of the best interviewers, ever!! Please get it going my dear!!
I can’t even pronounce polysyllabical 😂
David has helped me so much since he came out. I felt/feel just as he did about my sexuality. I was never accepting of myself being gay because of what I was taught in church and because of society. Hearing him speak his truth has lit a light inside me that I never had before. I’ve still got some things to accept about myself, and I know I will in time. Thank you Mayim, and THANK YOU DAVID. Love and peace to you.
@David C I think David was very fortunate in the the Elder with whom he shared his feelings about himself. That is very unusual in the Mormon Church. Bishops can be very cruel to those who don't follow the Mormon norm of "straight is the only acceptable way", and chastity is essential before marriage. Mormons are required to confess to masturbation, looking at porn and any intimate touching of a boy/girlfriend. They are punished severely for such acts. I suspect the church is going easy on David because they hope Mormon girls will love him and the alarming haemorrhage of young people, leaving the Church, will stop.
@@elizabethgrogan8553 I disagree completely with your statement. I'm sorry you had negative exprence(s).
@@elizabethgrogan8553 “punished severely”...as in your bishop tells you “God still loves you, let’s pray and work on this repentance process”. Like what punishment lol. Repentance is not about punishment, but reconciling yourself to God. Sin in its basic form means to turn away from God, so repentance is turning back. I personally think you have a very perfectionist “can’t make a mistake” perspective on things, but the truth is that Jesus died for our sins to raise us up bc He knew we’d make mistakes + fall. So please let this mindset go, it’s not a part of our faith, you don’t have to carry it.
@@prettymermaid2117 let’s pray about what? Changing something you can’t change? Suppressing something that shouldn’t be suppressed?
David’s struggle is a good example of the extreme mental health damage that can occur in churches/religious settings.
@@soberanisfam1323 Praying about repentance. To be on good terms with God is happy, repentance isn’t a punishment. Stop projecting your anger over something I never said..read in actual context. Every thought group has pros + cons. Not just religion.
This is eye opening. Thank you. I am someone who doesn't understand these terms much but this helps understand those who feel different. We should all accept others for who they are regardless of gender, sex, race, religion or political views.
The same
L
We (the world) need more like you in the world 🌎, a person who tries to understand other peoples lives without discrimination. You're awesome,stay cool 😊❤️🙏✌️😎
I joined the church at 18 to marry my way into a hetero life, had 3 kids, and left at 38 when I met my wife. Being LDS doesn't make the feelings go away. I learned that the hard way. You live your true self, David! I'm so much more happy now than I was then. 12 years out and happy!! XOXO❤️
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
@Andi Dweyer that's because mormons dont believe in Jesus, therefore they dont have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them to help overcome sin.
@@tonyahansen2188 The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints actually do believe in Jesus. It's in the name.
@@alyssasheridan3779 father God? The son Jesus? And the Holy spirit?
@@tonyahansen2188 yes
My husband is in his 50s and I am in my 40s. We met later in life.
Thank you for going into this. It explains a lot
It’s not just about how often we are intimate. Or just about sex. I have a low libido and he is very understanding. Thanks for helping me understanding more about relationships. It was life changing
Wonderful conversation. David is a wonderful person with so much wisdom and so many great insights. I always love to hear what he has to say.
What An Amazing man is David Archuleta. There is no shame in being true to yourself David. I learned this long ago. You will never be free unless you are true to yourself. God made us the way we are and if I knew I was different at age 3 then I'd say we were created this way. I am so proud of you and I know you don't care that I say that but you have been so brave and you are still loved by so many even me. Mayim I have always loved your character in the BIG BANG. I thought to myself I have known people like this in my life. Bless you, for having this channel and having David Archuleta live on your program. I love him to pieces. He has the voice of an ANGEL.
Thank you for this episode. I enjoyed hearing David talk about being on the Ace spectrum. As someone who figured out in the past year that I’m somewhere on the spectrum, it’s comforting to hear another person’s experiences.
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
I saw David at The State in Modesto, CA. It took him a minute to get comfortable being on stage, but within an hour, he finally let loose and was AMAZING! I’m so happy he is embracing his uniqueness!
I not only loved the interview, but the discussion afterwards with Jonathan and Mayim was fantastic. I love the concept of looking within and exploring things and concepts that the 'world' would have you not pay attention to which relates to Jonathan's comment about God/Intuition being a guiding force. I think David Archuletta is delightful and I wish him all success in his journey. He is so authentic, and yes, brave and courageous to come out and discuss his life so openly in the face of all possiblie opposition he might face. I was so happy that his church elders did the right thing for him as a young impressionable searching soul. That really surprised me and warmed my heart. This might be my favorite episode in recent memory. I do miss the Bevisodes though.Isn't it time for another one of those? Love you guys! V.
I would love it if you could do an episode on church "purity culture" which has messed up more young peoples' view of what healthy sexuality is and has prevented them from forming healthy relationships in their adult lives.
So insightful. Love this interview. David seems so genuine and good. Happy to support him as a musician and a person. We are all special and unique in our own way. Thank you for such kind understanding words, wisdom, and a great interview!
I can’t express how much I enjoyed this podcast. Thank you so much.
Thank you for having David share his story!❤
Loved every minute of your conversation! I'm a long time fan of David's and I'm glad more people are getting to see the deep, old soul he is -- along with that angelic voice! -- he's the real deal. So are you, Mayim, loved your thoughtful questions, insights and hilarious asides! (Jonathan's too!!)
Such great insightful interviewer and interviewee!!! I am LDS born & raised & I loved everything about this. Thank you, David, for sharing your journey, feelings & thoughts with us! And thank you, Mayim, for this awesome platform!!
Oh my word. I love his testimony! Love that dream! Thanks for sharing
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed your personality, Mayim. It's truly a pleasure to be surprised these days. I feel humbled after watching you, like I received a much needed refresher on what is most important to value in life. Not only because of what I learned that others gave to me, but also because of what resonates with me personally as truth that brings me peace, as I believe most people have ... that guidance that helps them to know how to connect with others, wether they believe our relation to others is familial in some way or just some kind of universal happenstance in the existence of creation.
Thank you both for this most awesome interview! The three of you are amazing human beings❤️🙏🌷
I love being educated. Thank you for this open and honest heart in the form of David A. Wow. He blew me away. I got hit in the gut with this episode. I appreciate how Jonathan and yourself got to the heart of what this discussion was about. Self-acceptance and mental health go hand in hand. We weren't to talk about abuse when I was a young girl. I was told it didn't happen. Yes, that old story. As an adult I pushed every crisis down, every trauma down, every insult to my intelligence, every unkind word, every broken promise, every insult from family until the pandemic. Being in isolation for two years due to catching RSV, Influenza A and then COVID, what I call the perfect viral storm, stop me in my track's. My life changed dramatically on December 26, 2019. Right before COVID, I kept getting sick as a Mental Health Professional in the South Side of Chicago. Long story. My point is, these past two year's of life pause as I call it has forced me open. Open and God has shone a light into that void. Now, I try to practice what I used to preach. Prayer, meditation, mindfulness, so many freaking tears, long conversations with God and my opinion versus His (a nice way of saying, I've had some words for God.....). Only to learn that it's ok to break open, it's ok to shine the light in the dark space. It's ok to be real, whatever that real is to oneself. I'm still in my process, my pause so to speak. Thanks for this Podcast. I really appreciated it so much.
I meant to say, we weren't taught to talk about......
He's the sweetest person in this world 😍
I truly enjoy these podcasts. Coming from the same religion as David, I am so happy his Elder was open minded enough to acknowledge what he was feeling and tell him to he wasn’t wrong. You be surprised how many leaders in the church just tell you to forget what happened, pray and move on. I believe they didn’t have the bandwidth to really understand or know how to deal with the problem presented. Great interview!
Thank you, all three of you. This talk/interview addressed so much more than sexuality. It helps anything you are willing to look at a little deeper. It’s okay to make mistakes. ❤️
I'd enjoy these interactions as a background check and want you to know I'd enjoy these discussions in person you specifically David and Mayim.
The musical chimes after "I'm in hair and makeup today" 🎶 lol, it's perfect!
thank you Mayim for being so respectful towards the LDS faith. I really liked when you compared some of our practices with your own Jewish practices. I love to find the common ground between faiths and so it was very refreshing when you did this. I also appreciated the obvious research you made into the LDS faith because you knew quite a bit. thank you so much
I really loved this interview- I am Catholic but I had never heard someone in any belief say something so close to my own experience of sexuality and quiet desire. I was always a “one and done” kind of gal, and I rarely had attraction that seemed to me to be what others experienced- I wanted to save s3x for marriage, but it was more about saving that level of intimacy and vulnerability for just one person who I felt saw ME when I was naked not just a body without clothes.
Thank you so much for these wonderful podcasts Mayim, there are amazing and so much fun to watch!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Amazing. I so enjoyed this.
David is just a pure soul. I think this was the first time I’ve ever listened to an LGBTQ-related conversation without some underlying judgement or being uncomfortable. I’m glad to see him and I hope he keeps telling his story and being more visible in the world. We need more of him in the world.
Mayim, I knew I would want to hear what David had to say talking to you, because you would be talking with the person not to the image created around him. David it was a good choice to collaborate with Mayim because you are both committed to being your true selves and helping others, like me, to do the same. Thanks
Thank God for David Archuleta
FANTASTIC INTERVIEW!! Incredibly respectful, touching and insightful!! The mortal journey is real!! Mayim’s description of how nothing physical is also connected to the spiritual and nothing spiritual is free of the physical is spot on - and all too often overlooked!! David is deep ... when you give him time to process! ❤️😉❤️
I’m captivated by the way he honors his life as a sacred journey 🤍
Thanks so much to David for being so open and honest and sharing his deep belief and faith! Beautiful, just beautiful!
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
Thank you Mayim for being respectful, thoughtful expressing what you know about the Mormon religion. I went to a private school founded by holocaust survivors and all the jewish/israelian teachers I had were always respectful of my religious beliefs but at the same time, I learned all about the Jewish culture, language, dances and specially major holidays.
Great interview and Mayim showed great respect for David's religion. In show notes, he divulges to his "mission President", not Elder. Thanks for the compassion and logical understanding of David's trials! Very impressed with your show!!
I did not particularly like David before this interview but now I am his fan. Thank you David for being so sincere. Stay that way.
I love this. Thank you for doing this interview. I have always liked David but I like him even more now. Mayim I love your ability to interview so professionally
I love this conversation. Thanks for inviting people of different backgrounds and having open conversations. This channel is so fun and helpful to listen to!
What an awesome feeling to just be accepted...we need more of that in this world! ❤
I ❤❤❤ everything about this! I wish more people in the world would understand life like this.
David, thank you, thank you, thank you, for being yourself and sharing your light. I needed it today. 💜
What an excellent interview!
Mayim does a fantastic job interviewing David. Thank you to David for being candid about his experience. Perhaps a book in David’s future. Thank you for posting the interview on TH-cam!
Mayim I just want to say thank you for being so sweet and having such a wonderful lot of guests on your channel. You are also my favorite person due to your being so down to earth and knowledgeable. Thank you again. Blessings and Love and Happy Hanuka in 2022.
Nice interview. David is the best. His concerts are super positive experiences. :)
Thank you David for sharing your life experiences on difficult things and being vulnerable. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
You are soo perfect David!! I don't care who you love..but I sure love the person you are..along with your amazing music!!
Thank you 🙏🥰 all, Mayim, Jonathan, & David. This was a fantastic interview that I've been enlightened by and loved every second of it. Please take care and be in excellent health. 💚😇
David had an AMAZING MP. My friend went to his Bishop and was sent to his Stake President. Now, my friend had never acted out as a gay man. They still excommunicated him. He is now living his best life without the judgements of the church.
It was so wonderful to hear from David Archuleta. I just do not know what to say. He was so welcoming.
David is a great communicator.
Thanks David for sharing your thoughts! Your integrity is hopeful and beautiful!
I loved this! David is such an awesome inspiration!
I'm bisexual, and I have ADHD ... and I'm LDS! Those 3 things combined aren't exactly the easiest for a person.
I'm finally in a place where I can comfortably, confidently say that my faith is stronger than my sexuality.
It's not easy. But it sure does make it a bit easier, when you know you're not the only one carrying that weight.
Thank you for being you, David!
I have truly been strengthened by your courage, faith, and conviction!
I am a BI Jew of faith and I appreciate what David has to say about faith and these very difficult topics. I am a 57 year old guy and it is just amazing just how much the issue of sexual attractions cannot be ignored anymore as it was in the past. I tell all my Muslim, Jewish and Christian friends that the issue of attraction cannot be repressed any more. It just can't. Today's young people are just not willing to put up with this kind of repression any more. They just aren't. Thank you David and Mayim for this conversation. BTW., I love reading PSALMS ('Tehilim' in Hebrew) and get a lot of strength from reading them.
“My Little Prayer” is one of my favorite songs!
Love you David 💖
What an amazing, beautiful conversation. Thank you Mayim for hosting this. We need many many more. Love David.
This was an incredible experience! One I didn't even realize I needed. Thank you for this and all your kind, exploratory, intelligent words and opening a door for discussion into finding and loving ourselves physically mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sorry for that sentence lol. But thank you!
I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints. Thank you David for being true and honest to yourself. The Lord is aware of your struggles for sure. No man is perfect. No member is perfect either. We are just like every other human being. You are so brave to speak out and I applaud you for sharing with us your personal insights and personal life on being gay. God bless.
ALL RESPECTS TO THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT HUMAN BEINGS. FULL HEARTS!!!
Wow!! What a fantastic conversation!! David thank you for sharing your experiences and journey!
++
Love this episode ❤️ Jonathan you are a joy to listen to. I truly appreciate your perspectives and wisdom.
I love Jonathon's take on the mental health aspect of this; a belief in a higher power that "speaks through intuition". This is something I have long believed but never been able to put into words so concisely. Listen to your intuition; listen to that voice; question those things you are unsure about. Being open and honest with yourself about all aspects of life.
I tend to come and go with therapy, but in my last bout, coming to terms with feelings that I have long tried to suppress was the most freeing revelation I've had.
Definitely an episode I think I'll come back to, as I'm sure there's more for me to gain from another watch.
Keep doing what you're doing guys x
As a person with a personal connection with God and a deep caring for today's social and civil environment David's take on life gives me such happiness and peace. I'm glad that people are relating to a God that is so much like mine.
Thank you, Mayim for your beautiful perspective and gifted interview skills as David shared so openly and vulnerably.
One of your best episodes every.
It's always a pleasure to plug into David's venerated earth wire energy. Great interview and a beautiful set, by the way!
I relate to David so much being gay and still active in the church. I know there has been a lot of changes he's had since this interview. But its nice to know that he's trying his best to take care of himself. I'm glad he explained so much about asexuality and intersexuality because that is so important to know and learn about these beautiful individuals. I hope this teaches others to be accepting and open to learning. Most of all that LGBTQIAP+ people can still be spiritual and believe in a higher power.
How brave this young man is! A beautiful mind making one of the most profound & thoroughgoing episodes of this excellent podcast till now! Tnx to all!💜Is it time to bring here the demisexual (asexual spectrum) TBBT Sheldon without beeing assassinated by die hard fans?
I was confused as to what demisexual meant so I looked it up and I think this is me I have only fallen in love once in my past and that was after quite a while of getting to know him and building an emotional bond, I'm also autistic according to some dr's yet to be diagnosed, and yes I could probably say I'm demisexual as well, also am a fairly die hard fan of tbbt and I also believe sheldon to be demisexual because I'm just like him, in my family they call me sheldon as I'm like him, as a child I was like young sheldon, I'm still like sheldon, family call me sheldon because I'm just like him, they make it seem like it's an insult but I've always taken it as a compliment because am proud of being like sheldon cooper
@@tvaholicsquidney Never intended to be nothing negative in my comment about demisexuals or asexual spectrum. So sorry if you understood it that way. I believe that one of the richness of the so excellently written character of Sheldon is precisely the beautiful and tender way to show us what a profoundly in love a demisexual one can be and how after it he can be sexually active only with the person he’s in love to.
@@m_brokenleg I wasn't offended in anyway, I have suffered brain injuries and don't always know how to explain myself properly add in autism and add and I don't always know how to say things or explain myself properly, I just never heard about what asexual was before, always felt connection to sheldon because of something but could never really put my finger on it but now I know why
@@tvaholicsquidney You are perfect just the way you are. Hugs.
@@tvaholicsquidney You, as everyone of us, are an unique one and perfect as we are! Go on! Proud! Trillion hugs!
Thank you so much for this episode. All three of you have given me, at least, much to ponder and consider. I have mental health issues that I struggle with on a daily basis and will be discussing this episode and some of the interesting points discussed at the very end, especially after the interview, with my therapist today. Thanks for giving me some more to consider. Really. Thank you, you have no idea how much this episode has helped.
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
I agree with your love the interview but the actual breakdown and further deeper discussion between Mayim and Jonathon is awesome!
It’s conversations like this that will open people’s hearts and minds and ultimately save lives. I am a 66 year old gay man who fight who I was for 40+ years. I am with the same amazing man (and now married to) for 23 years. David is a beautiful and gifted man whose best parts of his life have yet to come. My heart aches for those who are are dealing with the complexity of their sexuality but with all of my heart I believe life gets better when you love yourself and those around you. God bless you David and Mayim, this is my first time watching you here and I am HOOKED.
My whole ace soul was very happy during this whole interview. I wish all the best to David.
I love David's personality since many years ago. Best wishes for him.
Another great episode! I really enjoyed the conversation afterwards a lot as well. Great dialogue and insights. Thanks!
I feel for David. I grew up LDS, served a mission, went to BYU... the whole nine yards. Listening to him is like hearing my younger self who was buried under miles of internalized homophobia due to my religious upbringing and the subtle and not-so-subtle ways it signaled to me that being queer was abhorrent.
David spends a great bit of time trying to assure people that he isn't like "THEM." He's an upstanding, appropriate, godly queer as opposed to the kind of queer that it is understandable to have distaste for. "Strong personalities," "loud," "colorful,"... these are code for "unpleasant," "distasteful," "ungodly." It is the internalized homophobia speaking and the same pattern that he has always employed--- the pattern that seeks to please the people around him, be the kind of acceptable child of God everyone expects him to be. Where did that lead him? Wanting to get out and get away from all the people expecting him to be someone. Sometimes that ends up looking like "getting out" of life itself because it seems inescapable.
The LDS religion creates a lot of shame around sex and sexuality in general. Queer Mormons are bathed in shame- it's a whole other level. It's really difficult to work through and undo decades of that, especially when it was your environment during the most formative years of life. In the same way that David's mind worked to "erase" his thoughts about his sexuality, he may also unconsciously be "erasing" or denying his sexual energy as a coping strategy. I'm still working through my own shame around sex- and it impacts romantic relationships, which negatively impacts my life. Also, blocks in sexual energy don't just cause issues "in the bedroom." That is a very powerful energy that can be harnessed in all areas of life. A block will effect work life, artistic life, every endeavor of life. It's a journey.
Finally, the LDS Church *does not* have the same expectations for gay people as it does for heterosexual people. It promotes dating and marriage for heterosexuals. It forbids it for gay people. Neither are supposed to have sex until marriage, but only one has a pathway to marriage to the one they love.
It's painful to watch someone walk the same path I did, but damn-- it's a really difficult one to walk. Any step is worth celebrating. I wish him love and joy and beauty and freedom.
Everything you said is spot on. Thank you so much for being so genuine. I couldn’t agree with you more ❤️
Thanks for the insight. Good luck to you.
"I wish him love and joy and beauty and freedom." Me too, me too. I wish him all the same. ♥♥♥
Spectacular! So grateful for this interview and to find your podcast. You both are amazing! Finally David’s experiences are very much mirrored to what I experienced over my many years of life! This will recommended to everyone! Thank you both!!!
An amazing interview and topic. One of the best I’ve ever heard.
1:01:30 I think the advice of “Just don’t think about it” is the most selfish response from the church or parents etc. because what they really mean is “I don’t want to think about it so keep it hidden.” If there’s anything I’ve learned it’s that people would rather put up a nice shiny front for their family or church than let the world see the messy and complicated humans that we are.
Oh heck yeah. Watch little fires everywhere on Hulu to really see a show about “the perfect family” trying to keep it altogether
I saw David multiple times at BYU-Idaho. It's so good to hear him open up and his journey. I wish him the best. He needs to be careful about the religion. It is abusive toward LGBTQ+. I left 3 years ago and it's only getting more abusive and intolerant. Without it, you will feel so much more free and loved. Really really really. I'm not a scary exmo. I left when I realized the church scared me away from learning more information.
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
I feel it’s getting better. It depends on where you are. Many are very loving and understanding. I’m sorry you had bad experiences.
@@Luluisraging.86 I understand where you're coming from, but I think you're missing the point. It's the doctrine itself that's abusive and intolerant. The members can try to be as loving as they possibly can be, but they will always hit a hard limit on that love because of the fundamental principles and doctrine still taught within the church. It's not a healthy place for lgbtq people. I know that sounds counterintuitive to members, but the statistical data is undeniable, and the lived experiences are heartbreaking. Thank you for being more loving, but when you do eventually run up against that limit, please consider looking into why exactly it's been placed there in the first place, and by who.
Best one yet!!!! Loved his spirit. These episodes are so helpful.
Hello 👋 how are you doing today?.
Thank you 💕. I appreciated this so much! I am of the LDS faith and have been very empathetic towards the LGTBQAI+ community and this warmed my heart. I am such a big fan of you both.