Meeting a friend

I spent yesterday evening talking (and nothing else) with a gay man. Kind, enjoyable and great to talk to. I knew he was gay because of a friend, and finally admitted it to him, then confessed my own same sex attraction. Somehow, life just gets easier when I can tell people the truth without fear.

He's a ex mormon, meaning he has left the church. He served a mission, and told me he about had a nervous breakdown in the MTC. All the guilt preaching they do there.... He fell in love with most of his missionary companions, and knew he was gay in 2nd grade. He has had one long relationship with a man, which ended a few years ago.

His view of the church is that it is a mild cult. He told me about a book he read which identified the characteristics of a cult--and it fit the bill. If it is a mild cult, it sure does a lot of good in the world, despite its failures for those of us with SGA. Lately, I look at the church and try to identify the good in what I see from a rational perspective.

I don't really want someone else to determine my choices regarding the church. I don't want to be taught a bunch of anti-mormon rhetoric or anything like that. I know that if I ever left the church, I would really want to leave it behind. Spouting off against something just feels wrong to me.

I enjoyed the time I spent with him. He's someone that could be my friend, and I need friends. I'm not really attracted to him physically, which is a good thing at this point. It felt so nice to share stories with him about our respective experiences in life. It was nice to talk to him about other fellows he knows that live here in town. Evidently there are quite a few of them.

So, for those of you out there, tell us about a special friend you have met that helped you deal with life and its challenges...