It is so upsetting to me for any child for any reason to think that they have to leave this life. As a parent and as an educator this needs to be addressed no matter what. Every precious child deserves to be here and to not have their life extinguished.

"it doesn't matter that you're nice" that one hit hard! So true!!!

"It's a hard situation". That explains my relationship with the LDS Church perfectly.

You can come up with all the excuses of being both LDS and an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. You really can’t be both. That’s a big reason I left

A very passionate and well stated discussion, Ms Funk. I lost a son to suicide. I’m an ex-mormon so my son never heard such deluded, wicked, insane doctrines (that I once upon a time supported). The loss of a child is heart-rending. It’s 15 years since my son died. The pain Never goes away. I hope you have many opportunities to meet with LGBTQ youth. Hopefully their ears won’t be plugged by mormon indoctrination or their chance to listen blocked by parents or church.

im queer and growing up i remember hearing all the awful things the people i loved would say about gay people, why would i ever feel safe in that enviornment? how is that love? its not... i also remember my father telling me during prop 8 that it was our lds duty to fight against the gay agenda... why would i have ever felt safe?

I’m an ex-mormon. I’m straight but nevertheless I’ve cried watching this video! 🥲 It’s so touching! The Mormon church does so much harm and hurt to homosexual people. Let people be who they are! Let them love whom them want!

Love you Jessie Funk! Thank you for your voice and for your passion - you ARE saving lives!

One reason for the problems is the fact the church is so pro-family. Many people may feel left out in the church besides gays. Trans people, single adults, single mothers, widows, and divorced persons all can feel like outsiders when family is all you hear about. There is also the culture of mormonism particularly in Utah, Idaho and Arizona that may play a strong role is creating the negative environment.

Jessie Funk. Thank you so much for your clear-headed position on the LGBTQ community and the LDS church.

What a lovely woman. I know of a suspected suicide of a young man where the parent said that she could not accept her child being gay because of her religious beliefs. They were not Mormon, but were religious.

Wow! This hit really hit home!

I’m so sad to hear this! Jessie Funk was always one of my favorite LDS singers and I could feel the Spirit through her music and her voice.

Jessie Funk is an incredible intelligent, thoughtful, loving, caring, giving, beautiful woman that should inspire each of us and motivate all of us to become better people. Loved her interview, and when I compare this interview and the genuine love she has for LGBTQ community with Elder Jeff Holland's BYU talk recently, I am ashamed that in my past I gave any credence to this man and his imposed toxic authority. She deserves praise, he deserves the very venum he spews.

Dear Jessie, so many days when I was in college your music from clay in his hands have kept me alive. I've made a choice to listen to your words and music and visualize me as a successful business woman and mother. LGBTQ aside, which I support, though I have left the church as well, I listened to your words and they gave me as a woman hope. I listened to the PHASE cd within this last week and I realized you were singing on one of those songs as I have attempted to encourage those that want to stay sober. Thank you for your example within and without of the church of pursuing your dreams of using your voice and being a mother in a strong way. As a singer and poet it's been so frustrating to find success. But I appreciate your words your light and it has aided me.

Thanks for breaking down this interview into a short segment! I would love to view more of your postings, but so many are 1+ hours long, and I simply don’t have that amount of free time to do that, so I skip it all together.

I’m Mormon and my daughter is gay , I don’t support the church doctrine on any level whatsoever, obviously I’m not active, my child will always come first and every child going through this in the church , in my opinion the church has blood on their hands . I’m from the Uk x

I'm gay and Mormon. I have to hide myself at Church because I know the Church disapproves of my orientation. I have read the Bible and I can't find where the Church's teachings are fully compatible with the scriptures. There was a point I actually wanted to end my life being gay and Mormon. This video brings the point home. The Church needs to change and admit their wrongdoing.

What's also very very sad are the elderly people in the church who have remained closeted homosexuals for decades who hate themselves and have sat through countless meetings condemning themselves and thinking they are defective people....they're married in loveless marriages and miserable.

Very moving interview.

John at 5:35. Suicide as number one cause of death for teens in Utah. Motor vehicle accidents are often the first in rankings of teen deaths, followed by suicide. It is high in every state. Other causes include homicide and cancer, but those are low among teens.

To any member of the LGBTQ community who is watching this video: You are not broken. You do not need to be fixed. You are exactly who you are meant to be. I fully support each and everyone of you and you are worthy of love and support.

Jessie funk you are a shining star . Best of the best :)

So beautifully said

Thank you for supporting the LGBTQ community. You're making a difference and we love you for it. My loving and amazing son is James Hales and also Brian Hales' son. He is married to a wonderful guy and has since left the church and has never been happier! ❤️

Very cruel and totally unacceptable how the LDS church feels about the LBGTQ KIDS OR ADULTS. They should not have the right to be listed as a Christian Church.

This is heart breaking.

I am a heterosexual mature man and ex Mormon too. I attended another church nearby and one of the pasters was a typical homophobic and domineering narcissist who berated me for being a normal single man. Yet he treated another married man as someone who is a special person in society.

I have a lots freinds who are LGBTQ. they gratful for me to help and not to judge.. Im disappoint that some mormon parents are high expecting for children.. they are more comfortable with me.. I went through when I was teen and I totally understand how they feel about it.. That why I was very angry at the church preseidncy.. I left church.. the Preisidency are NOT honest! I have NO REGET!

Even the primary songs cause judgement like I love to see the temple I'm going there some day,families can be together forever I always want to be with my own family, I hope they call me on a mission and even I am a child of God and can live with Him after all that I do. Lots of kids don't grow up in these cushy Mormon homes so they have to feel out of place singing these songs not knowing they are saved by grace alone because of Jesus but thinking they have to earn Gods love. So sad the pressure put on all kids in the church.

At 10:02. John's point about 20% of LDS youth today being LGBTQ. I have heard of numbers even higher among gen-z aged youth in some stakes.

Thank you...!

My community is 99% catholic. The most of us don't take religion so seriously that it becomes a way of life

At 11:22. Choosing to be LDS and an "advocate" or rejecting the church for it's views. That will not happen. You would be asking someone who was parent age with 40 years membership in the church to abandon it all. In places like Utah, Arizona or Idaho there may be consequences to family, friendships and employment. Many LDS may feel it's better to work within than outside the church to enact social change about LGBTQ teens.

I support her 100%. The mormon church shares alot of blame for these suicides. But I cant get behind that anyone 6 yrs old would know they are gay. Kids dont even know what sex is at 6. Alkso, when I was 6 if I was asked would I want to marry a boy or girl, I prolly woulda said boy, cause girls were yucky then.

How about the the theological premise is a made up story; a calculated lie?

But what can the LDS church do when the Bible clearly teaches against the practice of homosexuality? It seems like their hands are tied from a theological perspective

But Holland said "It's not about gender, it's about chastity!"

2:33 - This is not a "Church policy", it's doctrine. The fact that we don't fully understand why, doesn't make it merely a Church policy.

You are wellcome to sweden, when all of this is over of course. Write me if you want!

It's a small minority for any TBM to confront LGBT issues who don't know one.

Another fear may be similar to what has happened in Canada. The United Church and Anglican Church became liberal in the 70s with same-sex clergy, gay marriages, and accepted trans people. The numbers are so low today that churches have been sold off. The two churches were at one time high in attendance, but can barely attract 30 people on a Sunday. The fear may be losing members if the church softens its policy on LGBTQ members.

Like living under the same room as an abusive partner, and doing nothing about them.

So but that is your story! I have never been told to be quite in the Church! Actually is we’re I feel I have an opportunity to speak out.

Temple recommends alone cause division in the church card carriers vs the unworthy. Such judgement taught at such early ages as young as 3. Not at all Christ like because He came for the sinners and hung out with the sinners not the so called general authorities that ended up putting Him on the cross. They can preach Christ all they want but they don't follow Him.

Is it only LDS that's against LGBTQ?

❤️💙💜💛💚🧡

Maybe those kids would rather be with God that be on this earth around crappy people why they ended their life.

"wickedly intelligent"!

This gay mormon issue will never be resolved by the church leaders.

GOD the Eternal FATHER, & GODDESS the Eternal MOTHER, restored THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, back on earth.

Jessie Clark Funk went to Ghana and flat out lied about Accra. She has been exposed by a good Ghanaian journalist. All you have to do is go to KZfaq and you will find out more about Accra including all the upscale areas right by her temple. Liar!

Horrifying - but such an important message to communicate. The Mormon Church has so much blood on its hands through almost 2 centuries of bigotry.

We all have different trials to endure in this life. What about the people that are born with disabilities that leave them unable to make the decisions necessary to lead to marriage and having children? They are promised the same blessings if they can but endure. Our LGBTQ+ children and friends are promised the same blessings if they can but endure. We were never told that this life would be easy or fair, but we chose it anyway. Being part of the LGTBQ+ community and Mormon is about as hard as life gets but we are not given challenges that we can not overcome. No one said it would be easy.

School counselors experienced in the areas of sexual and psychological trauma and family disfunction need to be fully accessible - WITH RESOURCES! I'm extremely passionate about protecting ALL children from being groomed - emotional, psychologically, physically or sexually. Correction - we are worthy of truth-filled, truth-centered love - not just any kind of indiscriminate version of "love." Gay is not the real issue. Gender role reversal (typically demonstrated by parents) and sexual molestation - both of which confuse children - are the culprits for why children (NOT adults) assume they must be "gay." If you disagree, then you'll need to support your conclusion, as I have, using many accredited scientific studies. Children (as I was) who are struggling with identity need a solid adult role model to support them through pain. Our sexual choices are still important, and we are responsible for how we act upon our sexual urges, no matter who we are, men and women. Love must be properly defined. Children are being neglected and poorly loved by both parents! Social media and inappropriately accessible content is a culprit, as well Public school is nearly always the enemy.

The problem is a highly sexualized culture

What are the views of Jessre and John on abortions?

I believe these tendencies come from dysfunctional families and not what they learn in a 30 minute Sunday school lesson. That's ridiculous. Every case I've seen I find a narcissistic parent regardless if there is religion involved or not. A tyrant father who teaches fake artificial love to justify control and shame and guilt and never being good enough to earn love that never comes. Are there Narcissists in the church? Yes but they are very few! These personalities are in every religion and among every nationality or occupation. Joseph Smith identified the problem at its root. "Anybody either a church member or not, who exercises unrighteous dominion over others destroys the souls of others by using compulsion over the souls of men. "D&C 121" That's one abusive sin that many in the church and outside of it don't fully see because these people mask their monstrous identity by acting righteous and covering evil. They can use religion as a cover to justify tyranny. Joseph Smith truly identified the anti Christ that messes up entire families and nations by this hidden abuse. Does this cause sexual identity problems? You bet it does! The guilt comes from the narcistic parent who programs them by negative abuse in the home. Not taught at church. You people need to get in touch with the effects of narcistic abuse and what it does to children and women and stop trying to link it to the teachings of Christ. Otherwise you end up hating Christ who literally warned in the Bible that same sex marriage was not of God's plan. In other words since you don't recognize how Satan's narcissism confuses and destroys people you end up blaming Christ. Get your head on straight. Please!

Are humans who commit suicide selfish? Did they ever consider the devastation that they would leave behind by their self inflicted mortal wounds?

This breaks my heart poor girl. Leave mormonism it's poison

I agree. It is a hard situation. I can hardly wait until Christ sits down with everyone and explains to them what they seem to not ever be able to understand. I don’t judge any of you however I am pretty sure Christ isn’t gay and I am pretty sure Christ would NOT say it is totally ok to do whatever you want sexually. Nevertheless, everyone has freedom to choose.

John, I must congratulate you: two years have passed since I posted my two comments, and you have not deleted them; true, I never got a heart from yourself, which I can live with.

All feelings aside because our hearts are deceiving😔🙏As I understand this and I feel for her and her children, BUT JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, read the Bible and God will reveal his TRUTH, HIS LOVE his REAL AND TRUE LOVE 💕

She want to be in charge ,or I quit ,what happen s ,if quiter s people who kill their self cause not in charge

It would be an interesting interview if John and Jessie could interview Jesus. If Jesus were to give a different view from your views, sould you accept it?

I am not Mormon; never have been. I have a close friend who is inclined towards a gay relationship. I would decline an invitation to a same sex wedding, if I were invited. I have affection for him, and hug him when we meet. I totally reject the way that I -as a heterosexual male-am being pressurised to accept as 'normal' unnatural behaviour: thankful that my my father was not gay; or my mother believed in abortions!

You have to separate the gospel from the culture. Just because people can be idiots doesn't mean the church isn't true

It's not Mormonism. We are called members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

As an ex Muslim and conservative, these videos make me want to convert to Mormonism. Sounds like a LGBTQ and Marxist complaint bar. No thanks, not into Marxism and LGBTQ lifestyle …I am going to talk to the Missionaries and ask about converting. #No2SodomAndGommorah Thanks!

So sad to know (notice I didn't say believe) that one day, you'll regret that decision for all eternity.

People wants Adam and Steve basically.

Like lambs to the slaughter... :'( slaughtered by egotistical patriarchal hubris. How many more need to die? Dear "Elder" Holland, their blood is literally on your hands...

The Bible condemns homosexuality

So this woman is a musician? Insulted a whole country?

Do you three featured in this video have a monopoly on empathy? Those who have a different view, do they have any empathy?

I worry that we will eventually become TOO supportive to the point the next letter at the end of LGBTQ will be "C" for attracted to children. Would never happen you say? Look at the history of the Greek.

People leave the church, because controlling themselves from sin is not easy. They make excuses for leaving so they can be wild.

Why don’t you call this podcast Anti-Mormon stories. I was raised with my parents being equal in their marriage. All my friends had the same upbringing as I ….I don’t like it when someone decides to make their upbringing become a church norm.

The church takes its rules from the bible and revelation from God if you blame the church check the bible out first

Do what you want, with no restrictions or commandments. No standards, anything goes. That is of course Satan's original plan in the preexistance. Who promotes Satan's plan now? Mormon stories.

Why don’t you call this podcast Anti-Mormon stories. I was raised with my parents being equal in their marriage. All my friends had the same upbringing as I ….I don’t like it when someone decides to make their upbringing become a church norm.