WATCH: 'Christian' Family's Terrifying Response to Son Coming Out

[William769]

A video that alleges to show a self-proclaimed Christian family's reaction to their son, "Daniel," coming out offers a chilling first-hand look at the violence and rejection that can result when parents don't accept their child's sexual orientation.

The video, which claims to be secretly recorded on what appears to be a cell phone, captures the hateful reaction of a family after a child confirms to his parents that he is gay.

The video appears to capture a conversation that was already in progress, and shows the young man's family members citing Biblical opposition to homosexuality before telling the child he must move out of the home, disowning him, calling him a "disgrace," then turning physically violent as a confrontation ensues.

A woman who appears to be the child's mother begins by telling the young man that she has known since he was a small child that he was gay. Nevertheless, the woman tells her son that she believes he has made a choice to be gay, that it is "a path [he has] chosen". When he tries to refute her claims by pointing to "scientific proof" that sexual orientation is innate, she says she believes in "the word of God," not so-called science.

http://www.advocate.com/youth/2014/08/28/watch-christian-familys-terrifying-response-son-coming-out

Watch the video below, with a serious trigger warning for verbal, physical, and antigay assault, profane language, and antigay slurs.

[joeybee12]

1. KNR, but I don't think I'll watch...probably is horrifying.

[William769]

3. Unfortuntely I did. It wasn't pretty.

I posted it in the hopes of showing some people that though things have gotten better, it has not for some. It breaks my heart but all we can do is hope for the best in situations like this.

[freshwest]

22. Not enough light to see it, but the sounds alone made me cry. Very vicious tones of voice.

From the way he talked he was angry, but with their hostility, this family had problems with all along with being abusive. That kind of language wasn't just spur of the moment.

They said being gay is a choice, which is not true by their own words. If they believe that, why not wait it as if it was a phase he was going through and then be over?

I don't think they believe it is a choice, really. The mom says she knew he was gay from childhood. Yet says she loved him, but she loves God more, and I call BS on that.

These are conservative fundies who think the Jews are the Chosen People. They have an incorrect stereotype they want to force them to be. IDK any Jews who don't believe in the science this kid cited or would reject their child for any cause, they'd see this as ignorant and wrong.

They will lose him, they just drove him away. One thing was very telling in their tirade, and it is part of the rejection. It was the fear of 'what will the neighbors think.' They are afraid of losing social status. Which is not what the one they claim to follow believed in.

They could've restricted him from sex under their roof, just as many straight kids are, if they were squeamish. So now he will be looking for love and support and may get hurt seriously, just as any girl who is disowned by her family would be.

Announcing he is gay bringing all that hatred is unnatural. And the mom, who says she knew he was gay for twenty years, why didn't she prepare for when he would finally come out?

Something is very wrong with that family. Another kid loses his family and the opportunities having a family brings. He will endure financial and social hardship, and if he becomes homeless in the years ahead, his life will be in danger.

Although it sure sounded like he was not safe there. And all for nothing. In the long run, the best thing for him is to get away from them. I hope he can find a support group to help him through this transition in his life. I think they will regret what they did and want to reconcile later, unless they are complete idiots.

[William769]

25. A very well written post. Thank you.

Over the past several years I have volunteered to help with homeless teens in Florida (on both coasts) and the LGBT group is a very high part of homeless teens here.

[freshwest]

33. Thanks for helping them. What percentage of gay teens are homeless, do you know? Families I know

now have not put their gay kids, their kids who fall in love with another color or religion, or are disabled if they can care for them, out.

One of the families with a mom who is a strong Catholic, with 4 boys, thinks the young one will come out when he gets older. She sees it from the view of the science cited by the kid in the video, that it was in the womb.

Just as a Jewish family member explained what they'd learned going through the process of surgery, etc. for our TG.

I wonder if the family lives in some small town, but I've lived in the Bible belt where the gay kids were discrete but never put out. Everyone in town knew it, just said that was the way they were born, saw them as individuals, only talked about their good deeds.

But I know that a number of others put their kids out if they were disabled developmentally. Just shipped them right out and forgot them as if they were never born.

People really do each other a disservice when they act like this.

[CrawlingChaos]

66. Orthodox Jews are often very anti-gay

Just one example:

http://gawker.com/four-ultra-orthodox-jews-arrested-for-attacking-gay-man-1566702043

If I'm not mistaken, I believe orthodox rabbis have actually refused to condemn anti-gay violence, which is pretty horrific.

I certainly agree with all your other conclusions though. He needs to get away from these people and never look back. Make a good life for himself and leave them to drown in their own hate.

[Behind the Aegis]

94. Orthodox groups of many types tend to be homophobic.

In roads have been made in some groups, but others stick out.

[liberalmuse]

127. Newsflash to people who claim to love "god"

Yet treat other people like this family treated their own, and who wound and kill in a " god's" name: he IS God. He is everything they think they're tossing him out for. They won't be getting a mansion or live in a crystal city with streets paved in gold, only the sorrowful knowledge of the pain they've caused and realizing they tossed out the true riches like garbage. Don't some of these Christians ever read their Bible?

[TNNurse]

54. I agree.

The news is hard enough to watch, this is not anything I want to see.

[underpants]

2. +

Marking to watch at home

[herding cats]

4. Extremely painful to listen to.

Hate, ignorance and intolerance at some of its very worst.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Sad, some years ago a dear friend ask me what I would do if my child came out to me. I looked her

in the eye and ask her if she loved him last week, she said yes, I ask if she loved him to day and she said yes, then I ask if she planned to love him next week and again she answered yes. I told her this is the answer, she loved her son. She continued to love him for the rest of his life.

[William769]

6. Very nice. Thanks for sharing that.

[jwirr]

13. That is beautiful.

[jen63]

45. From the day my son was born,

I knew his being gay could be a possibility. I knew on that day that no matter who he was, I couldn't possibly love him less. There are enough problems that parents have to worry about with their kids. MY concern with his sexuality just wasn't going to be one of those problems for me. He is heterosexual, but making that decision the day he was born was such a freeing one for me because I knew I wouldn't care what anyone else thought. I'd love him the way he was meant to be.

[hifiguy]

7. "There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

I hope Daniel moves on and has a good life shed of these lunatics.

[LordGlenconner]

14. That's what I was thinking

If it was me they'd never see me again. Ever.

But he is not me and I suppose that is easier said than done.

I wish him the best, the poor kid.

[mainer]

8. It appears there's a GoFundMe page to raise money for his living expenses

Check out the YouTube site. This is just so tragic.

[lunasun]

103. Thank you for this info !!

He needs to remove himself from dysfunctional family members but probably needs some $ suppot

[KT2000]

9. Many children of "good Christians"

are among our homeless population. Some are lucky when the "not so good Christian" parents of their friends take them in.
Those "good" Christians leave deep scars in their children that will last a lifetime.

[undergroundpanther]

75. that is so true,about the deep scars.....p

good christians cause to the heart mind and soul.

[LordGlenconner]

10. Fucking ignorant hayseeds.

[Aerows]

11. Been there, done that

don't need to see it, sadly.

[LordGlenconner]

12. It's pretty brutal

Certainly filled me with anger.

[LeftofObama]

15. I knew I shouldn't have watched that.

These are the type of people I was raised around. Typically, the woman will talk condescendingly (just like the woman in the video) while a man is in the room so that when you call her out on it the man will attack. I have seen this scenario more times than I care to count and it never ends well.

You can hear one woman in the video say that she has gay "friends", but continues to let them demean this poor guy. I wonder what her gay "friends" would have to say about that.

I think I'm going to log off the computer for a while. This really brought back some bad memories.

[William769]

21. I do so apologize for the bad memories.

But I felt it need to be showed to make sure no one gets complacent with this.

[LeftofObama]

24. No need to apologize, William.

You're right. People need to see this to know that we are not making it up.

Thank you for posting it.

[MohRokTah]

16. These two belong in prison. eom

[sheshe2]

17. I had to shut it off when the violence started, William.

I could not bear to watch it...tears.

[William769]

23. Understood.

[Zorra]

18. Good on Daniel for recording that. He knew it was coming, so he figured he would

record it and show the world, and conservative conservative christians themselves, what the gangrenous inside of the conservative christian consciousness really looks like.

Resident evil.

[closeupready]

19. K&R - thanks for posting it, but I can't watch it.

Again, as others have stated, it's painful and brings back angry memories.

Let it suffice to say that this hatred on display right here is exactly why I do not any longer consider myself a xtian, and haven't for many years.

[Trillo]

20. I hope he can figure out a way to heal from that hatred. NT

[Iris]

26. He is in a good place. Lost-N-Found Youth in Atlanta does good work.

If you'd like to donate, here they are:

http://lostnfoundyouth.org/support-us/donate/

[irisblue]

27. *sigh*

I am so glad I was out of the house before my fundie mother figured it out.....even then it took years for some of the wounds to heal. "A choice to be gay." ((Daniel))

[gwheezie]

28. I know this happens but still hard to watch

I can't imagine rejecting anyone let alone my child for being gay. It's normal. It's human.
I've heard the it's a choice argument for years and while that is preposterous I have answered people by saying so what if it is a choice, what is wrong with being gay? Preferring one sex over another to have sec with doesn't sound to me like it should be a big deal. I don't get it. I think religion fucked us up when it comes to sex.

[LittleGirl]

29. Poor kid

I hope he finds strength in strangers that will replace this hateful family of his.

[gollygee]

30. My heart breaks

You treat one of your kids like that, you are a complete failure as a parent.

[rurallib]

31. Can't imagine doing that to your own child

your own child!
Others have said it but I would reiterate, I would be out the door and never look back. I can talk big not being in the situation.

One reason to get as far away and never see them again is for his own safety. One of those nut cases or both may come looking for him in order to fix their "mistake" in the eyes of their god. I would not put them above killing him to make those amends.

[Dont call me Shirley]

32. I'm not going to watch it. Fundies set me off for days.

A young teen at my daughters school committed suicide. She was gay. A memorial service was held for her at a large Southern Baptist mega church. My daughter attended and told me it was all about how everyone in the audience should repent for their sins, nothing about the girl being gay. I'm not sure if the girls parents were members of that church, but wouldn't be surprised to learn that they were. Southern Baptist church is a most heinous gay-hating church. They fund gay-hate laws around the world. These self-anointed Christians are not about spreading the true word of Christ, only their perverse twisted imaginings of Christian morality.


So kiddo, run away from those psychos, run away fast. Lose their religion wholly. Create your own peace and happiness. Live your own truth.

[NutmegYankee]

34. That happened to a friend in college.

Parents flat out disowned him right then and there and never have spoken to him once in 14 years.

[damnedifIknow]

35. The good Christian woman throws around a lot of profanity

Hypocritical nut job.

[roamer65]

36. Daniel found out his parents are not Christians.

Jesus would have never treated anyone like they treated their son. They need to pray and ask for forgiveness, compassion and love...and apologize to Daniel.

[temporary311]

60. No, they very much are Christians.

Sadly, I know too many just like that.

[Puzzledtraveller]

121. I don't

My family is Christian and my big brother is gay, cousin, and nephew. Always were and still accepted, by all of us. Christian friends outside my family, friends and or at work, don not act this way. So no, they are not Christian as I know them.

[Mariana]

131. All Christians are not identical.

That's why there are tens of thousands of Christian denominations, because there is such variation among their particular beliefs and behaviors. Some of them are wonderful people. Some of them suck.

[closeupready]

79. Oh, I see. You're the Christianity expert here?

Seems to me most xtians ARE deeply homophobic - they hate gay people, including to the point they'll disavow their existence.

[Warren DeMontague]

91. Not Scotsmen, either.

At least not true ones.

[Notafraidtoo]

87. Only met one Christan who was not at least somewhat like these people.

Christians are generally not like Christ in fact many despise what he said, I often use Jesus words about the poor,sick, and elderly when I confront them about how hateful or anti poor they are and they simply ignore it or deny Jesus was compassionate to the least of these. I tell my mother she isn't a Christian she is a member of a republican social club that doesn't really like what Jesus said.


If God created all men how can you stereotype and hate people who don't look like you, or are gay?

If Jesus loved the poor and the sick and said they would in inherit the earth and only those that were good to them will see heaven than why are they so cruel to the poor?

If the wealthy can not see heaven( camel eye needle) why do they desire soo much to be rich?

What did Christ say about anything they fight so hard for today? He disagreed with them on the poor,on race and greed and didn't say anything about gays or abortion.

If I believed and I don't I would think that Satan has done an incredible job of convincing Christians to be anti Christ.

[Live and Learn]

89. I agree with you. Nobody that actually understood what Jesus preached would ever,

ever say those things.

Just because many people call themselves "Christians" does not make them so. The same applies to other religions. i don't even like to call the people fundamentalists because they are not. They, in no way understand or live the messages inherent in their own claimed religions.

[cleanhippie]

116. Identifying ones self as christian absolutely DOES make them so.

Who are YOU to determine who is and is not a christian?

[Live and Learn]

118. Well if simply declaring yourself as something make it true then

I am the grand ruler of earth.

[cleanhippie]

119. Well, there ya go.

There's a laundry list of things that need work, oh grand ruler.

[backscatter712]

99. There's not much of a barrier to entry for becoming a Christian.

As the video shows, any asshole can be a Christian. All it takes is belief. Not very hard. It's even easier than being a Scotsman.

[pnwmom]

37. One good thing that's happening. His name is Daniel Ashley Pierce

and someone set up a gofundme account for him that, in less than 24 hours, has already drawn more than $28K in donations. So he'll have a little cushion to start a new life away from that sick family. I'm hoping he will be able to go to college somewhere and make something of himself -- putting that pathetic family even more to shame.

[tblue37]

84. It is over $43,600 now. It is lovely to see people rallying around him. nt

[pnwmom]

85. It sure is. I know money can't make up for evil parents, but if he can use it to get an education

this could make a huge difference in his life.

[tblue37]

86. +1. nt

[Live and Learn]

90. +1 nt

[derby378]

38. These parents should be made pariahs in their community because of this

Let's see how they like being ostracized the way they just cut off their own son. Fucking degenerates. Let them learn through the wisdom and pain of our collective silence.

[Mariana]

107. They won't be.

She said, "I will not let people believe that I condone..." etc. etc. That tells you that most of the people around her agree with her. Most likely these parents will be embraced by their church and their neighbors. They'll be considered the victims.

[derby378]

120. They have to go to the supermarket sometime

Unless they intend to live off the land forever, they have to come face-to-face with the community one of these days.

[AtomicKitten]

39. That environment is toxic.

I hope this young man packs his shit and leaves, and never goes back again for another cup of poison.

[locks]

40. Today on MSNBCs The Cycle a young man

named Matthew Vines was on talking about his book, God and the Gay Christian: the Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. He grew up in an evangelistic family and it was a very difficult time when he told his them he was gay. "His father said it was the worst day of his life." But after much struggle, love, and study of the New Testament they accepted and supported him. Also, he stayed in his local Christian church and teaches and works with other evangelistic Christians who have always believed that the Christian Bible speaks against homosexuality. He sounded like someone who found that love can go a long way toward changing lives.

[AtheistCrusader]

41. Another family, torn apart by an imaginary friend.

[Niceguy1]

47. wrong. I

it was torn up by hateful parents.

[AtheistCrusader]

58. Hateful indeed.

But they got that idea somewhere.

Please keep in mind, I am in no way excusing them. 'Just following orders' doesn't excuse the abject horror they are inflicting on their child.

[Niceguy1]

64. from another hateful person

I have never heard anything hateful being spewed at church. It is the perversion of man that is hatefu, not some instructions sent by the person's favorite deity.

[AtheistCrusader]

68. I have heard it.

Its within the pages of the source documentation of one of the top religions worldwide, though granted, not every church of that faith does preach it as a current exhortation to bigotry.

But some most certainly do.

[BainsBane]

55. My nephew came out as gay

He just turned 18, but he came out to his mother at age 14. She had already talked to the kids about issues like this so he knew there would be no problem with her. His father took a bit of time. He's a Republican, born and raised in Fargo, ND. His life experiences have been different. He didn't reject his son like these people have, but he needed time to process.

They attend a church. I'm not going to remember exactly which denomination, but I think it might be Lutheran. My brother-in-law wanted to meet with the Minister to talk. They scheduled an appointment and said it was about their son. When they told him the boy was gay, the pastor replied "Oh, good. I thought this was something serious, like drugs." My sister said the minister's reaction helped her husband a lot. He now fully supports his son and is proud of him. Long story short, all religious folk are not created equal.

[AtheistCrusader]

57. "all religious folk are not created equal."

Quite true, and it is a subjective interpretation of material in the OT, so it doesn't even apply to all religions. Granted.

[BlueJazz]

42. I didn't watch the video. I'll take the word of people on DU that it's as nasty and cruel as the ...

....posts, so far, have indicated.

Poor kid.

[byronius]

43. Good Christian People, there. Love that motherly tone of vicious psychopathic hatred.

That boy is Free At Last. And good for him for even trying to talk to those dark-hearted freaks.

[AZ Progressive]

44. Anyone wants proof why rednecks / conservative southern WASPS should be loathed, this is it

What a vile group of people.

[jen63]

46. Truly brutal and heartbreaking. n/t

[rickyhall]

48. That takes me back. .

I heard the same kind of shit for growing long hair, my brother got thrown out of the house and moved in with our grandmother for playing the guitar. And it's still that way with my dad. He'll have nothing to do with me or my kids or my niece. My brother died in April and the old man wouldn't come to the memorial.

[IdaBriggs]

112. His staying away sounds like a blessing.

Everything is in how you frame it in your head.

I am sure you miss his drama, right?

One of my sister's is always living the drama life, and goes through stages where she doesn't speak to me. I miss her, but to be truthful, there is a lot of peace and quiet when she isn't around!

[1StrongBlackMan]

49. Well, so much for the ...

"Hate the sin; love the sinner" crap.

I find it interesting that the kid comes out, his parents' concern is what people will think about them; so they kick him out and disown him.

[bullwinkle428]

70. I hope the assholes are starting to figure out what people think of them now.

[Mariana]

115. Which people?

Chances are most of their neighbors, friends, and members of their church agree with their actions, and consider them to be the victims in this scenario.

[cleanhippie]

117. Sadly, you're probably right.

Acceptance by those members of their church is how they measure their self-worth. They're taught that it's more important than family. And this is the result.

[yuiyoshida]

50. And some people wonder why there are so many

Suicides by young people in this country.. wow. just, wow.

[shenmue]

51. Somebody call the police

Assault and battery are crimes. Period.

[AverageJoe90]

52. I couldn't watch this all in one go. It was *THAT* bad. ='(

I sincerely hope that this guy's life only gets better from here on out.

[lobodons]

53. Where is Steve Wilkos when you need him!!??

Jerry!! Jerry!! Jerry!!

[randys1]

56. Horrible, typical rightwing christian, full of hate

[mnhtnbb]

59. The Point Foundation is a resource

for LGBTQ students

http://www.pointfoundation.org/


I have two sons. They are both gay. Neither one of them received this kind of hateful
response when they came out to us...but, we happen to respect science and believe
The Bible is a book of myths and stories. Still, it continues to astonish me how many people
who proclaim themselves to be "Christian" are more interested in rules written
by a bunch of ignorant people thousands of years ago, rather than the guiding principle
of the greatest commandment: to love one another.

The best thing this young man may have done for himself is to separate himself from such hate.

[bluestateguy]

61. Red state values

The first couple of years will be rough for him, but in the long run he's better off without them in his life.

[Ruby the Liberal]

62. How about a trigger warning for those of us who grew up in the deep south

Good Lord Almighty, the ignorance is overwhelming. Mamma saying "damn" when quoting the bible? Whatta role model she is. Bless her heart.

And we share the same planet...

[freshwest]

72. And she votes. I don't wanna be ruled by such people. If we don't GOTV, we will be.

[Ruby the Liberal]

97. ^This^

[hunter]

63. Couldn't watch.

Reminds me too much of friends I've lost. They had parents like that and did not survive.

A parent rejecting their own child for something so innately human as sexual identity is a horror beyond words.

I'm fortunate, my wife is fortunate, our kids, nephews and nieces are fortunate to have grown up in family environments where LGBT is utterly ordinary human diversity, part of everyday existence.

My grandparents' generation worked that all out, from simple acceptance to protection of those seeking shelter.

Before that, in the pre-Hollywood American Wild West, I think it was "don't ask, don't tell." Beds were scarce. Odd couples shared.

One of my grandmothers was a very glamorous woman who loved weddings. She would have thoroughly enjoyed a modern wedding between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. She didn't live to see such wonders but I'm always happy to lend her spirit my own witness.

[RKP5637]

65. Bigots and haters hiding under the vail of Christianity. They have no concept of

at least what I was taught in my youth days at church. These, are evil diabolical people. We see a lot of that in religion these days. There are some good religious people, but asses like this often overshadow them.

[proReality]

67. I can't watch it...

...reading the comments was enough to know that it's filled with hate, and I just won't do hate, especially not if it is from a mother toward her child.

[CrawlingChaos]

69. There needs to be a hell of a lot more outreach for gay teens

This is not rare and they are so vulnerable. To homelessness, to suicide... to every terrible fate that befalls a young person who is thrown away by their family.

Wish I could get that woman's voice out of my head. It probably doesn't say much for me, but I hope the ensuing backlash will be as unpleasant as they so richly deserve. Although they'll probably get plenty of support from like-minded sickos too. Fuck.

[Cha]

71. ..

[raven mad]

73. I am going to be sick.

on so-called "Christian " values. These jerkwads are not Christians. If their Christ returned, they'd burn him at the stake.

[Rex]

74. I can't watch that, it will piss me off too much.

The only adult in the room? Daniel...who needs to move away from the poison that are his parents. So what ever happened to the unconditional LOVE of Jesus Christ?

[Wella]

76. How do we know any of this is real? The internet is full of all kinds of crap

including people who obsess about tan suits. If there's no reliable provenance, I usually ignore it if it's on the net.

[Cal Carpenter]

80. It's from the Advocate which is a well-established magazine

It's been around for more than 40 years, far longer than the net as we know it. I would guess it has been around longer than you.

Go to the link, read the details, decide for yourself if it is 'real'. If you don' t think it is a reliable source, I'd love to hear why.

[Wella]

81. Where did the Advocate get it? (Not trying to be difficult here; I've just gotten burned before.)

Sometimes, even major news sources get pwned.

[mnhtnbb]

96. You can source it from the gofundme page set up for him

http://www.gofundme.com/dnoqgg


and then get to his fb page where he posted the video

https://www.facebook.com/daniel.a.pierce.14?fref=ts

[Wella]

114. Thanks, I'll do that

[Arugula Latte]

77. They chose silly fictional, mythological tales from primitive people over their own son

and rejected evidence-based reason and science. Sad, disgusting, and depressing.

Fucking religion.

[RandySF]

78. Is this real? I can't bring myself to watch it.

[blackspade]

82. Horrible...

just like 'christian' family 'values'

[tblue37]

83. He'll be okay, I think. Someone set up a GoFundMe page for him, and they have raised over

$43,600 to help him get on his feet

http://www.gofundme.com/dnoqgg

Besides now having money for living expenses while he looks for opportunities for work or education, he also has evidence that even if his nasty family is not willing to support him and value him, a lot of other people do recognize his value and want to help him.

[Live and Learn]

88. That was both horrifying and haunting. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

92. Fucking horrible.

Poor kid.

[Tsiyu]

93. I live around so many people like this

Ignorant, arrogant and narcissistic. That's why fundy Christianity appeals to them, because they honestly believe they are better than anyone else.

How can a mother say she "knew" her son was gay his entire life, and then claim he is going against his own nature?

These parents are scumbags. They are fully invested in what SOCIETY thinks of them.

"OHNOES! We've spent all our lives at church gossiping abut all the evildoers who aren't as holy and righteous as us, and now people will be gossiping about US! The humanity! I'm gettin' the vapors, Aunt Pittypat, just thinking about it!"

Their "love" for their son is not trumped by their "love of the word of god." They are too stupid to understand even what their own bible's historical meanings are. No, their love for their child is trumped by their place in their social scene. Christianity for them is a Bobble Bangers Kuntry Klub, and having a gay son is ruining their Kuntry Klub Kred.

Glad the kid is getting financial support.

Daniel: you are awesome, worthy, beautiful and loved. If there is a god, it loves you, too. And that god, if it is a loving god, thinks your parents are pretty worthless pieces of human bigotry.

[davidpdx]

95. Wow

That is just wrong on so many levels I can't even begin to list them.

The family sounds like it was pretty dysfunctional to start with (I came from one, so I feel empathy for him). The mother is violent which makes me wonder if the father is as well. It also makes me wonder what else was going on in the house.

I'm not sure who else is in the room besides the mother and son, it's unclear to me. Maybe it's the father.

I think the son should have had a plan to move out immediately if he was going to tell them given their nasty nature (I'm saying this in terms of his safety). He had to have known that their reaction was going to be vile.

[whatthehey]

98. who are we to question their "deeply held beliefs"

After all scientific materialism is a "blinkered world view" and there are "other ways of knowing" what homosexuality is and whence it derives.

This icon shouldn't be necessary but I bet it is so......

Next time you hear these phrases or close analogs, and trust me it won't be long, remember this video and consider that they apply here exactly how they are used in other discussions.

[Oilwellian]

100. The girl who rescued him and set up donation page

What a good friend she is. I'm so glad he has her in his life right now. She wrote:

Sooo...it's usually dogs or cats my friends and I are rescuing but tonight it was a 19 year old young man who Teri Bearden Cooper and I went to rescue.... and we were rescuing him from his own family. This is not something I typically do but those of you who know me, know I will stand strong and get pretty vocal about things that really piss me off...and this my friends REALLY PISSED ME OFF...and broke my heart at the same time. I'm sure some of you will see nothing wrong with what happened tonight but I'm also sure more of you will see the absolute absurdity. This young man was disowned by his family tonight...and not because he's robbing houses, or using drugs or alcohol, or lazy and irresponsible. Actually he is quite the contrary. He has a good job, goes to school, has a heart of gold and is one of the best people I know. He has been disowned because he made a choice to be true to himself and be happy in his own skin...and oh by the way he's gay. His choice tonight was to "pray the gay away" or leave! Really? No seriously...really?! With all the pain and suffering and anger and sadness in this world and they want to pray the gay away?! That seems like wasted prayers to me! He did not choose to be gay, but he did choose to be true to himself. Even his own grandmother, who was part of the intervention said she knew he was gay from the time he was two! How does a two year old choose to be gay?! These are people who are suppose to love this young man unconditionally yet they shunned him and ostracized him for this?! The video is disgusting!! I can't believe this crap really goes on this day in age! It made me sick to my stomach but I want you all to hear it. I think I am going to pray for his family to open their hearts to what a blessing they had in their lives and have lost because of complete ignorance!!! Isn't that the real Christian thing to do? I love you Daniel Ashley Pierce....and it's their loss!

https://www.facebook.com/regina.ryan.357

[Zorra]

125. Nice. Thanks, Oilwellian. nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

101. They didn't read the part about David and Jonathan being the closest of friends.

I think the words in the King James version are a euphemism for having sex or something related.

[lunasun]

102. Too ignorant to continue to watch

Hope that kid gets away and comes to loving gay community
He should forget those cretins pronto
Going to assume video did not end well...

[frogmarch]

104. That was awful.

Since his mother said she’d known he was gay from the time he was a little boy, why did she explode when he came out?

One of mr. froggy’s younger cousins, Darrell, used to play dress-up with mr. froggy’s sister when they were little kids. They not only put on their moms’ dresses and shoes, but their lipstick, powder and mascara. The families were, and still are, Christian fundies (who call me a Satan worshipper because I’m an atheist, but that’s neither here nor there). Everyone in the family, including Darrell’s parents, said Darrell should have been born a girl, but no one ever insulted Darrell or spoke unkindly of him, they just accepted him the way he was. Maybe some of them thought he’d “grow out of it” – I don’t know – but he didn’t, and when he became an adult, his parents and other family members helped him pay for a sex-change operation. Darla is now a very happy woman who is still close to her family.

Maybe someday “Daniel’s” family will wake up, stop their “God’s word” anti-gay nonsense and accept him for who he is.

[snooper2]

105. Um, I wish we had clear pictures of their faces and their names so it can spread over the intertubes

The fucking assholes should be known-

[liberalhistorian]

106. I attend a liberal, progressive

seminary in Minnesota where a large percentage of the students, faculty and staff are GLBT. Many of them have had horrific family experiences similar to this poor young man, with some of them experiencing ongoing harassment and hate by those families who are especially incensed that they are studying for the ministry. The seminary worked very hard to defeat Minnesota's gay marriage ban and we were all thrilled when such efforts were successful.

Fortunately, we are all beginning to notice a shift within the general Christian community, the beginnings of an acceptance of more recent biblical scholarship that demonstrates that the verses that appear to prohibit and condemn homosexuality have been misinterpreted and there's no widespread biblical condemnation of it, with a proper interpretation. The majority of conservative and fundie seminaries and Christians still refuse to listen or accept it, of course, but they are beginning to be marginalized and hopefully that will continue.

The funny thing is when there are occasional protestors outside the seminary who are angry at its liberal, progressive stances (in other words, we're not anti-gay, anti-woman, pro-capitalism, etc.), and especially at the social/public ministry center. Students and staff will go out and offer them food and drink, or blankets and hot cocoa if it's winter. They really do NOT know what to do or think about that, lol.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

108. That's so fucking sad.

That someone would have a family like that. And that's coming from someone with a dysfunctional family.

I'm straight, but if I was gay and I came out to my mom and dad (if he were alive), they would have treated it like it was another day. Like I just told them that I made the football team. They always left things up to me, and for that, I'm grateful.

I wish Daniel had more love in his life.

I wish him well.

[LynneSin]

109. I don't believe in Hell but if it exists these parents deserve to burn there

Nothing screams "I'm such a Christian Hypocrite" louder and truer than disowning your child over that child being exactly who he is.

[Rhinodawg]

110. That was brutal to listen to.

disown your own children?? sheeesh.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

111. I'm not surprised.

I live around Christians like that. They are angry, ignorant and hateful. They hate and loathe ANYONE who is different at all. And they are racist. They hate black and brown people because they are not white. Catholics and Mormons are not Christians, either. I've heard them make blanket statements like "All Mexicans are illegal immigrants, and NONE of them want to learn English." Not one of them. They believe this.

For instance, when I painted my house 2 shades of blue and redid the outside. The gossip down at the hardware store was "A buncha Mezzcans musta moved in."

Because we know respectable white folks would NEVER paint their house blue. All houses must be a neutral color or white. They are anti-intellectual and hate anyone who is not exactly like them. They think anyone not exactly like them is going to hell. They are brainwashed robots. They don't know me and they're gonna make up shit about me anyway. I don't go to their church.
Therefore, I must be a communist.

[Nye Bevan]

113. What's that Gospel verse where Jesus condemns homosexuality and says gays will go to hell?

Whoops, doesn't exist. If Jesus made it through the 30+ years of his life without criticizing gays, that should tell these "Christians" something.

[freshwest]

122. #BBCtrending: Disowned on video, gay teen speaks out

When college student Daniel Pierce first came out to his family last October, they seemed to be supportive. His stepmother responded positively, even if his father said nothing.

He never expected that nine months later, they would kick him out of the house.

When he arrived at his Kennesaw, Georgia, home after finishing work on Tuesday, 26 August, Mr Pierce says that his family was waiting for him. Sensing that something was amiss, he took out his phone and began to film.

"I recorded the video because I knew something was going to happen and I wanted to protect myself in case I was harmed in any way," he told the BBC...

But then the world saw what happened and came to his aid and he recieved a lot of love from many people:



More at link:

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28977410

This is going to do great good, William. Just like the video of the GOP judge who beat his disabled daughter. She had a video running to record what she knew was possible.

She has cerebral palsy and could not escape. She was crying, begging him to stop and he kept on cursing and beating her savagely.

I don't care about this 'family values', 'sanctity of the home' stuff when so much evil is being done. There is a reason that is the RWNJ's theme song. They don't want what they do in private made public.

But this young man is now safe and has a chance for a better life. I think we have a happy ending here, folks.

[William769]

124. Than you so much freshwest for this.

With my recovery that I have been going through have not been able to stay on top of this.

You are a very good person, thanks again.

[Quantess]

123. I knew I didn't really want to watch this

But I did anyway.
Way too sad.

[Faux pas]

126. I can't watch either.

My heart goes out to him.

[MH1]

128. A terrible reaction by the parents, who are supposed to be adults.

The physical assault is particularly over the top, obviously.

That said, technically Daniel is also an adult (I heard "last 20 years" in there so I guess he is 20 years old).

Daniel is not exactly embracing the spirit of nonviolence here. If he had just left it at moving out by Thursday, the conversation probably wouldn't have devolved the way it did. But as family arguments tend to do, this one just HAD to continue. It had no where to go but worse. There was no way the mother was going to take back the edict to move out, at least not until some time had passed when maybe she would have changed her mind. But right there right then was not the time to continue the confrontation. (Yes, I am armchair quarterbacking here, but maybe someone else who faces this will in the future will think twice about whether it's really worth it to get those digs in. What was the objective, anyway?)

Also, stomping on someone's religion by saying science trumps it, is never a good thing to do when that someone is in power and you want something from them. That was an unnecessary antagonistic statement. You are not going to change their mind one iota, except perhaps by making them even more resistant to your point of view. So why go there? Stop with explaining this is what science says. If they say the word of god trumps that, that is their belief and leave it at that. (It might have been better to mention that in Bible class you learned that the real reason for the destruction of Sodom was that they didn't have charity for strangers and that it never had anything to do with sex. Ok, better not go there either at this time, but probably a slightly better option at least. Then they would be off looking to have your Bible class teacher fired.)

But anyway, as an adult I would have been happy to get my butt out of their house even if it meant living in my car or under a bridge. Who wants to live with that kind of crap? So why not just go?

But as said in the beginning, horrible reaction by the parents, and I hope Daniel can move on and do fine on his own.

[Prophet 451]

129. Not gonna watch

For several reasons which I'm not comfortable getting into here, I suspect it would be triggering for me.

That aside, it's a disheartening fact of humanity that, in the most advanced country on earth, so many people still draw their morality from a whackadoodle interpretation of their holy book. There can be love and peace and forgiveness and tolerence in religion, so why do so many use it as an excuse for their hatreds? In fact, I would say that the entire popularity of fundementalist Christianity (and probably fundie versions of other faiths) is based on nothing more than a revenge fantasy of seeing everyone and everything the believer likes consigned to hell, the literal embodiment of Weird Al's line of "I'll be laughing my head off / as you're burning in hell" (Amish Paradise).

Roll on the days when a teen confirming they are gay is met with nothing more than "oh, ok. Found anyone nice?".

[Iron Man]

130. Sounds like what my cousin had to deal with from my

aunt and uncle when she came out.