Dueling Conferences & the Clueless Mormon Family

People have been sending us the article in Fort Lauderdale about the two dueling conferences vying for the attention and attendance of christians struggling with homosexuality. There's the Love Won Out and Love Welcomes All conferences in May. There was controversial coverage in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on it that got a lot of people buzzing.

People have asked us if there's a big enough audience for our movie. Just the fact that at least 80% of America claims it's Christian and yet the continued rise of discontent, division and overall unhapiness could be enough. When I think of the size of the budget that Exodus has at a global level and other "ex-gay ministries", and the continued talk of the constitutional amendment and that it's over the battle of traditional marriage and traditional family, it's hard to escape the influence of religion. So, just look around. Read a paper. Visit a homeless shelter, a teen drop in center, psych hospitals in Arkansas, emergency rooms, read obits of a family who has no idea why their kid committed suicide...it's all related. We're all related. So, yes, there's an audience for this movie. Yes.

It's just a matter of will they step up and give it a chance to bring their family together again. Or at the least, let it bring themselves back together again.

Let me explain the clueless family statement. Our family has life-long friends who are devout mormons and moved to Utah when the younger kids were still small. When one of the kids, the 18 year old became distant to the rest of the family and meetings and talk was happening about his required missionary service, I got worried. Then, I heard the tragic news that the 18 yr old killed himself. The family was stunned, completely at a loss for explanation. They say there was no note, no signs, they struggle at understanding the why. Life was so perfect, love abounded in their home. They were very involved in their church. What could have been 'wrong'?

If you've ever wondered if the gay-dar thing is real, this is a solid example. I knew why. It's one of the reasons we made this movie. The isolation one can feel inside when knowing who we are but not seeing how it can be reconciled in reality can be and is deadly for some. The division of the "should" and the "is" in our heads and hearts can seem hopeless.

There's nothing divisive about oneness and that's what all this is about. Hope you'll see the movie and take it in.