So, a couple of nights ago I had a pair of really vivid dreams. They both had the same theme. While there wasn't any graphic content in either one, both focused around me finding a lifetime boyfriend. They were both set shortly after my senior year of High School. In each one, I wasn't actively seeking a boyfriend, but they found me. Both guys were guys I knew from High School (mostly; I have a knack for blending people from real life into a single character in my dreams). Both guys were bigger than me, smarter than me (at least in the dream), and basically had their lives completely put together (again, in the dream). The main point in both dreams was that these guys not only had the ability to keep their act together, but still had energy, time, and love left over for me. I didn't have to worry about anything. They truly wanted me to be with them, even though they were pretty much taking care of me.
When I woke up, the feelings of those dreams were still present and still very powerful. In spite of my attempts to simply forget the dreams, the longing for that sort of relationship lingered well into the day. I was subbing at a school close to where my Dad works, so I sent him a text message asking if I could stop by his work and get a blessing. He agreed. I am so grateful for the prompting I had to ask him. I won't cheapen the sacred nature of our discussion by making it public, but I am truly, deeply thankful for that experience. I felt that our relationship was greatly strengthened and healed. I gained a new respect and appreciation for my father. He truly is a great man.
While the blessing provided a tremendous help and strength to me by lessening the intensity of the feelings and helping me refocus on what I really want and need, namely my wife and family, I still had this feeling that I still needed to resolve the issues that those dreams had brought up. It wasn't until Saturday night and on into Sunday that I was able to untangle the mess of thought and emotions. As I did, I came to a very profound understanding.
I thought about John Eldredge's claim that the central question that every man asks is "Do I have what it takes to be a man?" I realized that I am still asking that question. For a long time, I was convinced that the answer was simply "No." However, over the past couple of years, I have experienced a lot of healing of that wound. That doesn't mean that I have an affirmative answer. Not yet anyway. As I thought about how this insight related to my dreams, I realized that one of the main reasons I was so affected by those dreams had nothing to do with romance or sex. It was a feeling of relief, of relaxation and peace. I contrasted that with my usual, waking state of mind. I am almost always in a constant state of fretting about something. Usually, it has a lot to do with my ability to handle all of my duties, challenges, and obligations; to live up to all the expectations set by myself, others, and even God. It isn't that I'm sure I'm going to fail, I just don't know if I can handle it all. That is a lot of stress. It is a burden that weighs down on me constantly.
It came down to one primary question: "Do I always have to be 'the man?'" Do I always have to step up, cowboy up, soldier up, be strong, be tough? Do I have to always have to do my best, perform at the very top of my ability? Do I have to get everything done? Doesn't my failure to live up to these obligations make me less of a man? What if I don't want to always be busting my balls to live up to everything that is expected of me?
If the answer is "yes," then I want to know why I feel so daunted and overwhelmed by that task. More importantly, how do I get to a place where I am comfortable with that? It seems so foreign to my nature to always be the go getter and on top of everything. If God expects that of me, how do I get there? I have to believe that He doesnt' expect anything out of me without Him providing a way for me to do it. So, how is he going to help me? What do I need to do to access that help?
If on the other hand is, "No, I don't always have to be in control and be the strong one," then to whom to I defer that obligation? It there a specific time when deferring is acceptable? How do I do that? I know that I can not find the answer in Eve. If I turn to Eve to find my strength, it not only isn't going to work, it's going to blow up in my face hard core. It will always feel wrong and awkward and will sap what little masculine strength I do have.
I am not okay without the safety and confidence that comes from knowing I have what it takes to do all that is expected of me. When I am in a place where I feel uncertain about my capability (a place where I am almost always, even though I'm not always aware of that feeling), I am usually looking to bring some essence of masculine power into my being. It can feel so real and satisfying to try to complete myself through an intimate relationship with another man--one who is capable, powerful strong, so much so that he has time, energy and love for me. That He wants to be in that relationship with me. That he not only has the capability to compensate for my weaknesses, shortcomings, and failings, he actually wants to.
So when I was writing down those thoughts, I realized 2 things.
1) It isn't terribly likely that I am going to find a man like that. I'm not saying it is impossible. It's just that even if there is a man out there who is like that, the chances that he would go for me. . . . . pretty slim. Plus, I have a pretty damn firm testimony that that isn't going to work out like I want. I know that God's plan is for man to have a family and doesn't include romantic or sexual relationships with other men.
2) There is a Man who fits the bill perfectly. Even better, not only does an intimate relationship work in the Plan, it is the Plan.
So, I came to the conclusion that there have to be times when I can relax. When I have to be okay with the fact that I am not going to live up to every expectation. But rather than turning to another mortal man to make up for those shortcomings, I have to trust in God and my Savior. I have to turn my stress and fear over to them. I have to learn to be more understanding and forgiving of myself. I have to learn to feel His love and support; his acceptance and encouragement.
At the same time, I have to trust in His ability to transform me--over the long haul; in time; eventually--into just that sort of man. One who is perfectly capable of doing everything, having no stress about it, and still having the time, energy and love to care for others. As I learn to connect with and develop the King and Warrior that is with in me, that is part of my divine nature, I will feel more comfortable being the man I am meant to be. Until then, I have to let Him be the Man.
So my tasks from here:
1) Figure out how to transform my desires for that relationship being a sexual one with a mortal man into that of an older brother and Savior with Jesus Christ.
2) Find out how to feel of his love and support in those times when I don't have the energy to be everything, and feel his confidence and encouragement when I just don't feel like I do.
3) Learn how to access my Warrior.
4) Learn how to connect with my King.
5) Find out what this struggle is trying to tell me about my self. Eldredge claims that the Adversary has strategically placed our woulds in the place where he can best maximize the damage, where he is most likely to be able to thwart our true purpose and calling. What does that say about my purpose and calling?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Committee for Idaho Firesides
I've posted this elsewhere, but thought I'd try it here as well.
About a year ago, I felt a need to be a part of a support group. Unfortunately there were no support groups in Idaho. So, the prompting came to take the initiative and organize a support group here in Southeast Idaho. Over the past year we have had a number of individuals join the group. I hope it has been helpful to them, as I believe it has.
Over the past couple of months I have felt a similar prompting to organize a fireside similar to what has been done in Lehi and in Logan. Also, I have felt that many individuals, including priesthood leaders, here in Idaho would benefit from the type of information and support available at the annual Evergreen Conference in Salt Lake City. However, distance and cost are definitely a significant obstacle to many. Evergreen has suggested a mini conference for those who live some distance from SLC.
I am determined to follow through with this prompting. At the same time I freely recognize my own limitations of wisdom, creativity, and time among many other shortcomings. I don't know a great many things about this endeavor, such as where or how often we ought to put on firesides, if the mini-conference would be in conjunction with a fireside, an independent event, or a sort of kick-off to the firesides, I really don't know what the mini-conference would look like or what it would include. And that's just a sampling of what I don't know. In light of that acknowledgment, I am hoping to recruit individuals who would be willing to assist in planning and putting on something like this.
I'm pretty sure that my stake president would be willing to allow us to use our stake center and I have contacts with LDS Family Services here in Idaho Falls who would likely help us get the word out to Church Leaders. But before I go any farther with the planning, I would really love to organize a committee to get this project underway. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in serving on the committee or helping in any way, please email me at kllindley@gmail.com. I am also extremely open to suggestions, questions, or comments of any kind.
Thanks!
Kevin Lindley
About a year ago, I felt a need to be a part of a support group. Unfortunately there were no support groups in Idaho. So, the prompting came to take the initiative and organize a support group here in Southeast Idaho. Over the past year we have had a number of individuals join the group. I hope it has been helpful to them, as I believe it has.
Over the past couple of months I have felt a similar prompting to organize a fireside similar to what has been done in Lehi and in Logan. Also, I have felt that many individuals, including priesthood leaders, here in Idaho would benefit from the type of information and support available at the annual Evergreen Conference in Salt Lake City. However, distance and cost are definitely a significant obstacle to many. Evergreen has suggested a mini conference for those who live some distance from SLC.
I am determined to follow through with this prompting. At the same time I freely recognize my own limitations of wisdom, creativity, and time among many other shortcomings. I don't know a great many things about this endeavor, such as where or how often we ought to put on firesides, if the mini-conference would be in conjunction with a fireside, an independent event, or a sort of kick-off to the firesides, I really don't know what the mini-conference would look like or what it would include. And that's just a sampling of what I don't know. In light of that acknowledgment, I am hoping to recruit individuals who would be willing to assist in planning and putting on something like this.
I'm pretty sure that my stake president would be willing to allow us to use our stake center and I have contacts with LDS Family Services here in Idaho Falls who would likely help us get the word out to Church Leaders. But before I go any farther with the planning, I would really love to organize a committee to get this project underway. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in serving on the committee or helping in any way, please email me at kllindley@gmail.com. I am also extremely open to suggestions, questions, or comments of any kind.
Thanks!
Kevin Lindley
Saturday, October 17, 2009
My "Best Friend" and Realistic Male Friendships
I posted a lot of this in response to another post on one of the North Star discussion groups.
I have thought a lot about this in my life and felt like I should post this here as well.
A while back I was consumed with a desire to find a "Best friend." Some other guy who I could do everything with. Some guy who understood me completely and who I would always call to talk with or go hang out with. I never found that someone. That sort of relationship has eluded me. I used to be very discouraged that I didn't have a "Best Friend."
I think that I've come to the conclusion that it really isn't a realistic or even desirable thing. I will admit that marriage can be a relationship where you're the most important person to your spouse, a "Best Friend" relationship, but the relationship I have with my wife doesn't fill that desire completely. She is the most important person in the world to me and I know that I am to her. I also feel completely safe with her. I know that she'll never leave me or try to hurt me. She really is my best friend.
Still, there has been a similar desire to find that sort of a relationship with a guy as well. I know for sure that no man is supposed to be completely consumed in his relationship with his wife to the point where he doesn't need other male friends--deeply fulfilling, intimate friendships. A man who believes that is going to find that he is never quite happy. However, I've come to the conclusion that the more I think about finding a deep and permanent soul mate in another guy, the more disappointed I am going to be. I don't think that is how God created us to relate to other men.
Over time, I've been able to change the way I think about my relationships with other men. I've come to find that more important than being someone else's best friend, is being a true friend to someone else. The more honest and authentic I am with other men and the more open and vulnerable I am with them, the more they reciprocate. Even more, when I am completely authentic, I feel a deep connection with other men, that truly nourishes my soul. I have friends that I only see a few times a year, if that. Still when I interact with those friends I feel as loved and accepted as I can imagine. I don't necessarily feel that way about guys in my elder's quorum who I see every week, because I am not as open and authentic with them.
I know for sure that it is possible to develop friendships that are deep and meaningful enough to fill the void we feel. It can take a some time, but most of all it takes trust and risk to be completely authentic and real. The best way to go about filling that void is to find as many sources of love as possible. When I was trying to get everything I needed from a single source (even my wife!) I would end up draining the relationship and still feeling empty. But by getting my quota of love from a lot of different relationships, I am not only filled with joy, but those relationships can go on forever without wearing out. And the longer they go, the deeper and more fulfilling they get. I can't wait for eternity with my wife and my beloved brothers!
I have thought a lot about this in my life and felt like I should post this here as well.
A while back I was consumed with a desire to find a "Best friend." Some other guy who I could do everything with. Some guy who understood me completely and who I would always call to talk with or go hang out with. I never found that someone. That sort of relationship has eluded me. I used to be very discouraged that I didn't have a "Best Friend."
I think that I've come to the conclusion that it really isn't a realistic or even desirable thing. I will admit that marriage can be a relationship where you're the most important person to your spouse, a "Best Friend" relationship, but the relationship I have with my wife doesn't fill that desire completely. She is the most important person in the world to me and I know that I am to her. I also feel completely safe with her. I know that she'll never leave me or try to hurt me. She really is my best friend.
Still, there has been a similar desire to find that sort of a relationship with a guy as well. I know for sure that no man is supposed to be completely consumed in his relationship with his wife to the point where he doesn't need other male friends--deeply fulfilling, intimate friendships. A man who believes that is going to find that he is never quite happy. However, I've come to the conclusion that the more I think about finding a deep and permanent soul mate in another guy, the more disappointed I am going to be. I don't think that is how God created us to relate to other men.
Over time, I've been able to change the way I think about my relationships with other men. I've come to find that more important than being someone else's best friend, is being a true friend to someone else. The more honest and authentic I am with other men and the more open and vulnerable I am with them, the more they reciprocate. Even more, when I am completely authentic, I feel a deep connection with other men, that truly nourishes my soul. I have friends that I only see a few times a year, if that. Still when I interact with those friends I feel as loved and accepted as I can imagine. I don't necessarily feel that way about guys in my elder's quorum who I see every week, because I am not as open and authentic with them.
I know for sure that it is possible to develop friendships that are deep and meaningful enough to fill the void we feel. It can take a some time, but most of all it takes trust and risk to be completely authentic and real. The best way to go about filling that void is to find as many sources of love as possible. When I was trying to get everything I needed from a single source (even my wife!) I would end up draining the relationship and still feeling empty. But by getting my quota of love from a lot of different relationships, I am not only filled with joy, but those relationships can go on forever without wearing out. And the longer they go, the deeper and more fulfilling they get. I can't wait for eternity with my wife and my beloved brothers!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Marriage, Dating, and SSA Men
So, I've been thinking about the topic of marriage as it relates to men with
SSA for a while now. I tend to feel a surge of emotion when I've heard so
many men express the idea that they are sure that they won't be married in
this life. I fear that will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy that isn't
necessarily meant to be true.
SSA for a while now. I tend to feel a surge of emotion when I've heard so
many men express the idea that they are sure that they won't be married in
this life. I fear that will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy that isn't
necessarily meant to be true.
The key culprit in this issue is the idea that "I don't date girls because
I'm not attracted to them." Let me explain a bit more. Guys who I hear say
this usually have a follow-up explanation that basically says: "If at some
point, by some miracle, I develop attractions for women I'm totally open to
the idea of getting married, but since I don't feel any attraction to them,
it isn't fair for me to date them, and frankly, I don't have any desire to."
I strongly believe that this attitude is motivated by the enemy of our
souls. He would like nothing more than for us to put off courting and
dating until we are "attracted to women." This is because he knows that if
we do, the attractions to women will most likely never come.
I'm a firm believer that one of the most effective way to develop sexual
attractions to women is to develop a deep emotional bond with that woman.
One of the most effective ways to develop a deep emotional bond with a woman
is to spend time with and to serve that woman. Dating provides an excellent
opportunity to spend time with and to serve a woman.
I wonder if the Church-School Culture isn't at least partly to blame here.
Dating is not about going on a date with a woman who you can imagine
yourself marrying. I think dating is more about the process of getting to
know someone and figuring out if there is any possibility that you might be
able to find joy in a marriage with that someone. That process not only
takes time, it requires actually going through the process.
I kind of got sucked into dating my wife. We were totally not dating for
the first 2 months we were hanging out. She started it all. She asked me
to go walking with her one night, because no one else would go with her. I
had barely met her three nights before at our Singles' Branch Family Home
Evening. I felt bad for her needing to get out and walk, but not feeling
safe that late at night. I grudgingly left my interesting and extremely
isolated evening routine to go walk with this girl from the branch. I found
out I kinda enjoyed spending time with her and talking to her. So when she
said she wanted to get together again, I just blurted out that there was a
Multi-Stake dance that weekend. For the next couple of months we spent a
lot of time together. Then one night we were in my parent's basement
watching a movie. She told me about her week (one in which she had spent
some time with some other guys). I started to experience this
uncomfortable feeling in my stomach when she told me that she was
considering dating one of them. I liked spending time with her and, after
all, she was my only friend. It's not like I wanted to marry her or even
kiss her. I just wanted to have to to myself so I could spend time with
her.
For the next 2 months, I thought up every way I could possibly come up with
to break up with her without breaking her heart. I made numerous plans just
to break it off, only to lose my nerve when the moment came. Finally, I
settled on what seemed like a fool-proof strategy. I committed to an
Internship 14 hours away. I would move away and the distance would simply
be too much for the relationship. She wouldn't take it personally and I
would avoid having to tell her that I wasn't interested in marrying her.
Everything was going perfectly, until the night that I realized I loved
her. I was totally unprepared for that 2x4 to the head. I mean I knew I
really like her and cared about her and enjoyed spending time with her. But
that wasn't love. There sure as hell wasn't any sexual attraction. At
least that's what I had been telling myself. After that, I was really
confused. I loved her but I wasn't sexually attracted to her. I couldn't
picture having sex with her. I had no idea what to do.
However, once I realized that I loved her, the craziest things started
happening. My body started having physiological responses. When we cuddled
or kissed, my pulse quickened and I started breathing funny. Blood started
flowing to new places. Over time, I found myself thinking about her in ways
that I'd not previously thought about her, and much to my dismay, I wasn't
repulsed at the thought.
Before I knew it I had asked her to marry me and move to Nebraska with me
while I did my internship. There's a lot of other crap that came from me
being stupid and not addressing my SSA before my marriage. I was dumb and
naive enough to think that once I had an appropriate outlet for my sexual
energy, the SSA would just fade away. Oh, boy was I ever wrong! Things got
a lot worse before they got better. However, I know that the process of my
falling in love with my wife was real.
I know a couple of friends who say that the process of sexual/emotional
attraction tends to happen backwards for men with SSA. I agree with this.
For a large number of straight men, the reason they date a woman in the
first place is because they think she's hot and they want to find out if
there is any way they can get along with her emotionally. So the sexual
attraction comes first and then as they spend time with her, an emotional
attraction develops. We don't get the same hormonal jump start to dating.
We spend time with her, develop that emotional attractions and then
eventually develop a sexual attraction. But the dating part is still
essential to developing the necessary emotional attraction.
I know this has been incredibly long and maybe it's too much, but the bottom
line is that if SSA men have any interest in someday getting married, they've gotta
date now regardless of the level of sexual attraction that they currently feel
toward women.
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Call to Arms
I heard this song yesterday and immediately thought of my last post. It's like the perfect soundtrack.
Friday, October 9, 2009
"I Had a Dream" and now I have one
So, lately I've been pondering the direction my life should go. Not in a way that would allow for any major changes. My chosen career path is pretty well set in stone. It has been confirmed too many times to change now. Getting through the rest of my schooling is one of my top priorities. But a couple of weeks ago, I lost my job. I had been planning on staying with that job for at least another three years. I found a temporary job, but it really wasn't working out, so I resigned yesterday. I have a bunch of applications in and I'm very optimistic about the probability of finding a job. Still, such a major shake to my world has caused a me to think quite a bit about what the Lord wants from me.
Also this last week, we've added two new members to our support group. That feels really good. I love knowing that something I've done actually benefits another person. But at the same time I'm discouraged when I think about all those individuals who are still struggling in quiet desperation; when I think of the parents and friends who don't know what to do when their son or daughter tells them that he or she is gay; when I think of the church leaders who don't know how to help members who come to them with issues of same-sex attraction.
I want to yell with the voice of an angel to tell everyone how it is. I want be able to reach every ear and penetrate every heart with the sword of the spirit. At the same time, I tell myself that I'm a nobody. I'm not a psychologist yet. I'm not in any position of authority in the church. I'm not even perfect. How can I make much difference? There are so many deeply entrenched beliefs about same-sex attraction that simply are not true and those beliefs are wide-spread. What can I possibly do to change anything?
Last night I had an interesting dream. I was waiting outside of a building for a group of men to come out of a meeting. It was the committee in charge of the LDS Family Services response to same-sex attraction. As the committee came out, I saw a number of men who are very prominent in the LDS Same-sex attraction community. Most of them have not experienced the effects of same-sex attraction in their lives. Most of them are still influenced by thoughts and ideas that are, quite frankly, ridiculous and out-dated. Yet these men were the ones deciding how the members of the church were going to respond to same-sex attraction. I remember expressing the thought "But you don't understand the issue!"
Their reply was immediate, "How dare you question us? We are the one's the Lord has chosen to make these decisions."
I woke up shorty after that. The response I didn't get the chance to say was still burnign in my mind and heart. "No, you're just all He has to work with right now."
Then I got an email from a friend and role-model of mine. He quoted President Monson as saying:
This quote really struck me with power.
It seems to me that the Lord is calling each one of us to step up and do what needs to be done. He doesn't want us to expect others to do it and then criticize their perceived lack of action while we wait lazily on the sidelines. It is up to each of us to many things of our own free will and bring to pass much good.
This understanding me has given me the power and motivation to undertake tasks that once seemed daunting. The Lord wants me to expand into the void that currently exists regarding education about same-sex attraction. He wants me to grow and stretch.
I only hope that I am not the only one attempting to fill this massive void, though even if I am, I know that I can anything the Lord desires as long as I have His help.
Also this last week, we've added two new members to our support group. That feels really good. I love knowing that something I've done actually benefits another person. But at the same time I'm discouraged when I think about all those individuals who are still struggling in quiet desperation; when I think of the parents and friends who don't know what to do when their son or daughter tells them that he or she is gay; when I think of the church leaders who don't know how to help members who come to them with issues of same-sex attraction.
I want to yell with the voice of an angel to tell everyone how it is. I want be able to reach every ear and penetrate every heart with the sword of the spirit. At the same time, I tell myself that I'm a nobody. I'm not a psychologist yet. I'm not in any position of authority in the church. I'm not even perfect. How can I make much difference? There are so many deeply entrenched beliefs about same-sex attraction that simply are not true and those beliefs are wide-spread. What can I possibly do to change anything?
Last night I had an interesting dream. I was waiting outside of a building for a group of men to come out of a meeting. It was the committee in charge of the LDS Family Services response to same-sex attraction. As the committee came out, I saw a number of men who are very prominent in the LDS Same-sex attraction community. Most of them have not experienced the effects of same-sex attraction in their lives. Most of them are still influenced by thoughts and ideas that are, quite frankly, ridiculous and out-dated. Yet these men were the ones deciding how the members of the church were going to respond to same-sex attraction. I remember expressing the thought "But you don't understand the issue!"
Their reply was immediate, "How dare you question us? We are the one's the Lord has chosen to make these decisions."
I woke up shorty after that. The response I didn't get the chance to say was still burnign in my mind and heart. "No, you're just all He has to work with right now."
Then I got an email from a friend and role-model of mine. He quoted President Monson as saying:
"In professional business, scientific work, and technological life, there is a rule which can be a very good one for ambitious young persons. The rule is this: Find a vacuum and expand into it. Ask yourself, 'What is there that needs doing and is not being done?' Then assess you capacity for doing things, and let it be your ambition to do the work that you can do best, in an area where it’s needed most, and then put all of your mind to it."
This quote really struck me with power.
It seems to me that the Lord is calling each one of us to step up and do what needs to be done. He doesn't want us to expect others to do it and then criticize their perceived lack of action while we wait lazily on the sidelines. It is up to each of us to many things of our own free will and bring to pass much good.
This understanding me has given me the power and motivation to undertake tasks that once seemed daunting. The Lord wants me to expand into the void that currently exists regarding education about same-sex attraction. He wants me to grow and stretch.
I only hope that I am not the only one attempting to fill this massive void, though even if I am, I know that I can anything the Lord desires as long as I have His help.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Amazing New Book
So, I just had the opportunity to read a book. I have had great intentions of writing a really neat, professional review to post all over the place, but with school and the whole mess with work (more on that later), I'm going to have to postpone that until future notice.
No Going Back by Jonathan Langford is an amazing book. It is the story of a teenage boy who learns to come to terms with his membership in the Church and his same-sex attractions. It is written with an exceptional understanding of the challenges of being both gay and Mormon. The author is sensitive to a wide variety of feelings and opinions. Through his writing, the author challenges each one of us to re-examine our own beliefs closely while at the same time developing understanding and tolerance for others' beliefs. This novel is a very uplifting story about the struggle between desires and faith. It is about the strength of the human spirit and the power of true friendships.
I am very happy I read this book and wish everyone I know would read it. For members of The LDS Church who might be cautious of the subject matter, I would say that this is a doctrinally sound book; it remains in harmony with the teachings of Christ. To people who do not belong to the LDS faith, this book is not an attack on gays in any way. It is neither homophobic nor bigoted. It is simply a story about a boy who realizes that he has the ability to decide what he wants to do with his life.
I highly recommend that everyone reading my blog buy and read this book! It is available from Amazon here: No Going Back.
Here are some other reviews of the book and the blurb from the back cover:
A gay teenage Mormon growing up in western Oregon in 2003. His straight best friend. Their parents. A typical LDS ward, a high-school club about tolerance for gays, and a proposed anti-gay-marriage amendment to the state constitution. In NO GOING BACK, these elements combine in a coming-of-age story about faithfulness and friendship, temptation and redemption, tough choices and conflicting loyalties.
GO READ IT!
No Going Back by Jonathan Langford is an amazing book. It is the story of a teenage boy who learns to come to terms with his membership in the Church and his same-sex attractions. It is written with an exceptional understanding of the challenges of being both gay and Mormon. The author is sensitive to a wide variety of feelings and opinions. Through his writing, the author challenges each one of us to re-examine our own beliefs closely while at the same time developing understanding and tolerance for others' beliefs. This novel is a very uplifting story about the struggle between desires and faith. It is about the strength of the human spirit and the power of true friendships.
I am very happy I read this book and wish everyone I know would read it. For members of The LDS Church who might be cautious of the subject matter, I would say that this is a doctrinally sound book; it remains in harmony with the teachings of Christ. To people who do not belong to the LDS faith, this book is not an attack on gays in any way. It is neither homophobic nor bigoted. It is simply a story about a boy who realizes that he has the ability to decide what he wants to do with his life.
I highly recommend that everyone reading my blog buy and read this book! It is available from Amazon here: No Going Back.
Here are some other reviews of the book and the blurb from the back cover:
A gay teenage Mormon growing up in western Oregon in 2003. His straight best friend. Their parents. A typical LDS ward, a high-school club about tolerance for gays, and a proposed anti-gay-marriage amendment to the state constitution. In NO GOING BACK, these elements combine in a coming-of-age story about faithfulness and friendship, temptation and redemption, tough choices and conflicting loyalties.
“No Going Back is not just for anyone with same sex attraction. It is a must for leaders who work with those struggling with these choices, as well as for family and friends as they love, reject, support, or fail to understand what such a struggle costs.” — Linda Hunter Adams, former director of the BYU Humanities Publications Center, past president of the Association for Mormon Letters
“Jonathan Langford’s No Going Back is a heartfelt, heart breaking, and ultimately enriching tale of what it means to be a fifteen year old Mormon boy who truly wants only to do what is right, but is faced with the terrifying fact that he is gay. The main character’s troubling journey is honest and sheds light on one of the most difficult dilemmas facing hundreds, if not thousands, of young Mormons who just want it to go away. Langford writes honestly without becoming bogged down in the politics surrounding this issue.” — Gerald Argetsinger, Associate Professor of Performing Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology; former Artistic Director of the LDS Church’s Hill Cumorah Pageant
“As I began reading, I found myself engaged with the characters and sharing their hopes and fears.... To me this was an important work, exploring the territory of coming-of-age in the challenging context of same-sex attraction in a young man whose honest faith forbids acting out the behaviors associated with the attraction. The characterizations of the bishop, the best friend, the parent and the population of the school and church communities were credible and empathetic. As I read it, I often thought that this book should be required reading for bishops and others who are called upon to help youth navigate the turbulent waters of adolescence and faith.” — Evan A. Ballard, former bishop, father of seven
“People are my area of interest. All people. For years, same sex attraction has been an area that I have tried to understand so that I can be compassionate or helpful to those that struggle.... I found the book to be a page turner and for me that says a lot. There were times that I wanted to take it with me as I rode in the car so that I could continue reading. I was anxious for the day to end so that I could pick it up again. The characters in the book felt very real to me.” — Connie Bankston, mother of five, long-time stake specialist working with LDS Family Services
“The story opens a window into the often silent and lonely world of a young man who is coming to understand his same-sex attraction while he experiences the ignorance and cruelty of an intolerant society. Paul’s experiences with his family, his best friend, his church leaders, and his peer group tell not just the story of a gay young man coming of age, but a very human story that any person who has struggled to find himself will relate to. What makes this story most gripping for me is the intersection of Paul’s strong religious beliefs, his desire to be happy with himself, and his loyalty to those he loves most. Paul’s personal struggle also sends shock-waves through the lives of those closest to him, as they dig deep within themselves to find what matters most.” — Brian Burns, professional counselor, former Scoutmaster
“For perhaps 72 hours after reading No Going Back, it was almost the only thing I thought about. You have touched very sensitively, compassionately, and thoughtfully on a very important topic about which Mormons are almost completely silent.... I see this book as an essential first step in opening a viable dialogue about a struggle that is very real for many members of the church. In truth, I believe this book will save someone’s life.” — Clark Draney, Associate Professor of English, College of Southern Idaho
“Two main aspects of my life coincide with themes in your novel. I was a Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America in my local ward for about ten years, and I also struggle with the dilemma of being a believing and faithful Latter-day Saint who struggles with same-sex attraction. For me, your novel was a home run exploring these issues. You captured many of the things I have personally felt as I have navigated those waters.
“The tensions abound in your novel, between faithfulness to the Church, Scouting, family issues, single parenthood, too-busy bishops, neglected bishops’ wives, and being part of the gay world but not welcome in it. These tensions are all well-portrayed and thought out. This will be a novel that many thoughtful Latter-day Saints will want to read. It is simple, but far-reaching in its ability to make people think and consider their own feelings, without being preachy or trying to advance a point of view. As much as I’ve thought about these very issues from a personal standpoint, you still gave me plenty more to think about.” — Rex Goode, AML-List member, trained social worker, webmaster for the Latter-Day Sexual Recovery website
“I was drawn into the story and wanted to see what happened. Having read the book, and from my own personal experience, I am convinced that it told the story the way I would see it in many cases in real life.... The book seems faithful to LDS church standards and positions as I understand them. My understanding of the topic is better. I understand more of the problems people face in dealing with it. I feel as if I know the characters in the story and would recognize them if I was introduced to them.” — Larry Jackson, AML-List member, father of eleven
“I love the way it brings to life through narrative what I imagine will be the struggle of many youth growing up in today’s evolving culture around gay issues. Parents, friends, priesthood leaders, and peers are all a critical part of how we negotiate our sense of self-identity and life choices, and this story is masterful in how it brings to life all the tensions associated with that process. A couple of times, I even found myself forgetting this was fiction and wanting to get in contact with the main character to assure him he’s not alone. Each of the characters, with their different personalities and roles in the narrative — Barbara, Sandy, Richard, Chad, Paul, the kids at church and the kids at school — offers something quite meaningful to the story.” — Ty Mansfield, coauthor of In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction, published in 2004 by Deseret Book
“I thought a more literary, more postmodern treatment was necessary. I was wrong. By telling the story simply, tying it to a particular time and place, and focusing on the teenage protagonists, Langford is able to confine the discussion of this issue to a manageable narrative — and a compelling one. The approach Langford takes is genius. I love the way he threads the middle of American Mormon mores, doctrine, and practice in a way that is in some senses mundane — this is basically a domestic drama — but also incredibly radical.
“These teenagers act like teenagers, even though they are basically good kids.... Any discussion of same-sex attraction makes a lot of Mormons uncomfortable. But the novel is thoroughly orthodox. Its characters are orthodox Mormons. Its tensions and ultimate solutions and resolutions are firmly rooted in active LDS life — prayer, scripture study, repentance, the priesthood, love, charity, hope, the family.” — William Morris, founder of the Mormon arts and culture blog A Motley Vision
“I knew that a story about a Mormon teen who has recently discovered homosexual tendencies in himself was not going to have an easy or tidy resolution. However, I found the manuscript easy to read because the characters were all appealing. I liked them and wanted to see how they would interact and deal with the situations they were facing. The ending was as positive as I could imagine. I cannot attest to the reality of the experiences, since I have never been a teenaged boy myself, of any orientation (gay, straight, east-west), but the characters felt real to me. I periodically had to remind myself that this wasn’t a problem I was expected to help with, since the characters were only fictional.” — Laura F. Nielsen, children’s author, mother of five
“Abiding by Mormonism’s high standards challenges all its faithful adherents. Coping with one’s besieged status as a young gay is no less difficult. What if you are both at the same time? Like no other work I know, Langford’s frank and poignant novel brings this real-life impasse into bold relief.” — Thomas F. Rogers, BYU Russian Professor Emeritus; Mormon playwright and essayist, author of Heubener, Fire in the Bones, and A Call to Russia: Glimpses of Missionary Life
“I was surprised with how nuanced and rounded your handling of the issue was. As a faithful but not quite mainstream-thinking Mormon, I appreciated that the work affirmed gospel principles, but didn’t treat the church as a whitewashing panacea for obstacles. I felt that you did a good job of representing and honoring the level of difficulty, sacrifice, and commitment that (I’ve always imagined) staying in the church would require of a homosexual person.” — Heidi Tighe, AML-List member
“It’s high time we came to terms with same-sex issues, the more so where we are most reluctant to do so. I welcome both this broaching of the issue from a Latter-day Saint perspective and its frankly positive dealing with an issue this touchy. I suspect much of the appeal of the narrative for others — as for me — will lie in its ‘this is part of life’ naturalness, in the good-natured refusal (like the bishop character) to be prissy or unrealistic about gay realities.
“Jonathan Langford’s first novel is engaging stuff. The narrative opens into some of our deepest concerns, and the prose makes us glad to be there.” — Steven C. Walker, BYU English Professor
GO READ IT!
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