You are an amazing young man!Be true to yourself always.I found your story compelling & well said.I am a 66 yr old gay man who wishes he had had your courage when I was young.I came out in frightening spurts through my 20's, 30's & beyond.I lost so much valuable time being afraid.I am SO glad that many of your generation are finding their truths early.Bless your beautiful heart!The best of life to you young man!
God loves you the way you are. I'm so happy to hear you found support and are now thriving, free! Unfortunately too many other people getting kicked out of their families and churches are left on their own and some don't make it through :(
So very well articulated, both verbally and in the edit. Thank you for sharing this! It’s an offering of grace to the many who find themselves in a similar circumstance and a model for all of us - tell the truth to yourself and draw around you those who will witness to it in love. You and what you’ve shared of yourself make me even more proud (and delighted) to be gay and a child of God. 🙏🏼😘
What a handsome guy! A beautiful smile and the shine in his eyes show that his happiness really comes from within. A much loved child, for sure. Thanks for sharing. I too know discrimination in the church and the frustration and disappointment that come as a result. A lot of pain, but also a lot of learning.
What a beautiful story! I too went through a similar experience as you, being raised Christian by two loving parents. But when I came out to them in my teens they totally accepted me for who and what I am. I’m happy for you that you found peace with yourself, because in the end that’s the only thing that really matters. Bless you and thank you for sharing your story!
Well done for putting this out there, it’ll help so many others who unfortunately will follow in your footsteps. Doesn’t it boggle your mind that parents will acknowledge that you were “different” from a young age, and yet think that you chose this life, and that you can be “fixed”. You were not broken and are beautiful as you are. Big hugs and best wishes from 🇿🇦
OMG....Ryan, you're one Cutie McDutey. Are you single? (Asking for a friend). This is one emotional and well made coming out story. You're YOU, and that is all that matters. I can feel the liberty and happiness. Wishing you all the best.
Thanks for sharing you coming out story. Too many churches do not understand how to truly love all people especially LGBTQIAA people. Glad you chose to live out your truth honestly.
You were fortunate to have so much support, in my generation coming out was not an option, we had to hide all our feelings and pretend and pretend,, we would be totally discriminated against if we dared come out, unfortunately, I had to see my mother crying when she realized my true nature, I never said anything but she somehow knew, mothers always know. I am so happy to see young boys can nowadays enjoy their lives fully and have somebody they can love openly. God bless you... I wish you the very best
Thank you for telling your story, Ryan. As I know from personal experience, once you get past anger and bitterness, blame and shame, you realize one thing: NOBODY speaks for God, regardless of how deeply they are convinced they do. He knows what you did for Him and what you did in His name. Nothing else matters. On a lighter note, boy, are you cute! ☺ If you want them, boyfriends and, someday, even a husband, are definitely in your future. 😉 Love from Ct. Ron L.
What a Beautiful Story Ryan, Well done to you for being yourself. I came out recently too and felt the coming out process was empowering and liberating.
(I used my husband's RU-vid) My name is Kylie and this was so beautiful to see. Thank you for taking the time to make this amazing video, I work very hard to teach my children that they are loved unconditionally, but it is hard to explain to them WHY I think they need to hear that so often. Showing them this video really helped; I don't want them to struggle alone, I want to teach them to not let others struggle alone, and I want to make sure they remember the most important thing to be is kind both to themselves and others. Thank you for sharing this amazing story with the world!
Ryan, I was truly touched by your video, and truly saddened by the response of your church. I truly believe that in God's plan there was a definite place for gay people and I am sure that God loves you as much any other person. You are an extremely handsome young man and you express yourself beautifully. It would be truly wonderful to know you in person.
Ryan honey Just want to say I love your coming Story it's beautiful and I can relate because I grow up in the church as well and man it's hard I am gay as just so you know you are not along we all love you here and I love you just know that
You’re such a brave guy to put up your story, it’s very similar to mine so I completely understand how you felt and probably continue to feel when you think back. I grew up in a Pentecostal family therefore yeah very similar story. Feels great to be free though. You’re brave and beautiful! Definitely subscribed after this video.
You are such a beautiful beautiful beautiful person and the way you explained certain situations shows how much of a pure hearted human being you are. I love you Ryan!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️😩😩😘😘😘 This is Beautiful.
What a great and sad story. It looks like you have a big heart so you will be loved by everyone that meets you! Stay safe and healthy during quarantine Ryan!!
It's sad to hear about religious congregations that preach about unconditional love in the name of Jesus but find it actually hard or impossible to do so.
Beautiful video! I know how hard that was to do as I have to do the same thing once before. I was surprised at all the reactions. Some I thought who would have issue were the most supportive and loving, others suddenly saw me as something awful. It was a whirlwind of emotions. But ultimately I found peace and love through so many people and more importantly, with myself. I grew up in my church and played piano in youth and for the main services sundays. I was lucky that I was still able to play as i loved what I did. There were some who hated it but my pastor and many others I’ve looked up to supported me. It’s a different experience for everyone, but one thing I know is that it almost always makes us stronger individuals in the end. And like you said, the moment I came out, was when I finally started living again. Like those years between junior high and graduation were just crazy blur of a life full of fear shame etc. when I said those three words difficult as it was, things almost immediately got better. The feeling of the world being lifted off your shoulder was immensely freeing. Thank You for sharing your story.
WOW YOUR COMING OUT IS FULL OF THRILL AND KIND OF INSPIRATION, LIVE YOUR LIFE HAPPILY, DON'T PAY ANY HEED TO ANY PATRICAL SOCIETY BECAUSE THEY ARE VICIOUS FOR YOUR SOUL
Not to minimize your experience but your coming out story is very similar to my own from big family to church my whole life to gay sibling. Thank you for sharing!
Your story is compelling and beautifully told. I think it will help many other young men in a similar situation. I wonder how you have now integrated your religious life with your affirmation of a gay identity.
You have to be who you are. Never be ashamed of the way God made you. You bravely overcame those who preached against you. You are a hero to many for telling your story. It comes through loud and clear that you are now truly happy being gay.
I have to give you credit Ryan you had the courage to come out to your friends and family that your gay and get all the support you need from your family and the gay community. I really liked your coming out story as did my boyfriend. I wish you all the best of luck in your life and good luck in finding your one true.love. cause you will find him.
Thank you for sharing your story. This topic has been on my heart for years, as a lifelong Christian, watching the way the church has treated the LGBTQ community has made me sick at heart. I am so sorry that you were hurt by people who are supposed to be following the example of Jesus. It’s our job to love you, not to judge and ostracize you. I’m no better than anyone else, and Jesus loves you just as much as he loves me. And for the record, with my minimal exposure to you, I think you’re beautiful, inside and out.
Wow really cool video i been there Ryan i came out gay to my parents when i was in 7th grade i thought i felt shame but when i told my parents it was relieved from being alone they supported me that I'm gay
I'm listening to this heart broken. Hun. You are Amazing and God has something coming up in your life hun. Im a gay man and never came out to my parents. Before they died. Im feel aweful for that. Hug a from Me to you hugs hun
Ryan, that was beautiful and so are you, inside as well as outside! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and inspiring story. I am sorry about how things turned out with your parents, are you still estranged from them?
I almost watched every coming out story videos in youtube, but this video has smth different . I also come from a very religious background just like u but it's islam, which i can't tell how homophobic it is. If we both have smth incommon it would be what a religious family is expecting from u while keeping the secret....the secret that will turn everything the other way around, and i'm really glad that u found a way to seek happiness after along period of pain. And I hope one day i will too. In the time of fear and shame these videos make my day 🖤🏳️🌈🖤
It's a very wise perception to see the man in the child, and the child in the man, and to understand that there is no gulf or break between the two, just one life in the flow of time. There's now a sub-genre in RU-vid coming out films, which you represent; the pastor's gay son, or at least someone bound up in a church whose path ultimately is different Dominic Whelton et al)
God bless and protect all the LGBT people from all the evilness of the world 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈✝️✝️✝️✝️ In this world full of evilness, hate, jealousy, gossip, envy, sufferment, pain, harassment, discrimination, anger, abuse, murder, theft, rape and endless negative feelings and dangerous behaviors; We, the LGBT people must be aware of the evilness that exists in the world and not allow that anything or anyone divide us, we must always be willing to help other LGBT people and we must not leave any LGBT person alone or left behind 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 We must be aware that we, the LGBT people not only face the same problems and situations that straight people face, but we also face hate for our sexuality, hate for being different, hate for being LGBT, and that is, the hate just for being who we are and likewise we must be aware that not all the people that says that support us really do so 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 I don't care who you are or where you come from or what reputation you have or if other people like you or dislike you, if you are an LGBT person you have all my love and support ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 We can make a difference and be a light of hope to make from the world a better place 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 Never allow that straight men and women divide us 💥💥💥💥💥 Gay Men together forever ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 LGBT people together forever 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️
First of all, what a beautiful story and video Ryan, i loved it!, and i am really nervous right now while writing this, because i am, literally, in the same situation as you were before you came out. And i feel so related with your story because im actually a christian and a kind of a leader in my church, i work in all the media stuff and i love what i do, i also have a youth group that i love and care about. But i have this huge ass secret, im gay, and i dont really now what to do anymore, i´ve been praying for more than 12 years for me being changed by God, and be the "man" who bible says, but i just cannot stop thinking about me wasting my life specting something that will never happen. ¿How can i be free to be myself and not to lose everything that i worked so hard for? And i know, if some people doesnt loves me by who i am then they dont deserve me, i get it, but what if i am the one whos not ready to lose these people? im so confused right now... But something is sure, this story gives me the kind of light i needed to talk about this, even if is in just a random comment on youtube, so thanks, really! and please dont make fun of my english, im latin and still learning 😅. Im open to talk about this if someone want to help me or just feel the same way that i am. Love! ❤️
Jose A Ferrufino Duran God doesn’t make mistakes. He makes each of us to be our best self, and your best self is being gay. And don’t worry about what the Bible says. It’s been translated and changed so much that some passages have very different meanings than what they’re supposed to be. There is science that shows a lot of you being gay is due to genetics among other possible factors. You don’t chose your sexual orientation. I believe, that in the end, God will not condemn loving same sex relationships just because they’re same sex. I believe he will rejoice at the sight of a loving relationship. Because that’s all it is. Love is love. You don’t need to be the man the Bible says you have to be. If I’m being honest a lot of what the Bible says is very irrelevant in today’s society, and I think God will be lenient there. I just want you to know that you shouldn’t feel ashamed of who you are, or what you don’t have any control over. God made you gay for a reason. You just have yet to know that reason. So embrace who you are. Love yourself for you, not for how others want you to act. Also, if the church you’re a part of is truly religious, then they should realize that the Bible wants us to love our neighbor as ourself. And love means accepting someone unconditionally for who they are. And don’t worry. I understand if you’re scared to come out. So was I, even though I knew my family and friends would be ok with it. And I may not have much experience here, (believe it or not I am only 14 years old) but sometimes if your biological family doesn’t accept you, you just have to build your own family. I know it sounds horrible and so difficult to do, but it’ll be harder suppressing who you are the rest of your life. It’ll be harder to pretend to be something you’re not to meet others expectations. I understand if you’re not ready to lose people you love. But you might not lose them. Even if they don’t like it right away, give them time. They should be able to realize that you’re still yourself. Nothing has changed except you’re being more honest with everyone. I would tell them how you feel. How you’ve suppressed it. How the feelings haven’t gone away. Because for them to empathize with you, they need to understand how hard it is coming to terms with yourself. So to conclude, I’d just like to tell you that there are people out there willing to love you for you. For example: me. You have my support. Don’t forget that.
Ryan said his father is God-fearing. The one called Jesus referred to God as Father because he wanted people to realize that God is our father too and that we can have the same close relationship. Jesus never taught fearing God. God is love and if you love someone of the same gender that is love. Some anti-gay Christians cherry pick bible verses to suit their belief. From the book Leviticus: 20:13 “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” The problem for these anti-gay Christians is that they ignore the other Leviticus verses. 20:9 He who curses his mother or father shall be put to death. 20:10 Adulterer and adulteress shall be put to death. 20:14 If a man takes a wife and mother… they shall be burned with fire. Chapters 1 - 9 are all about animal sacrifice with a priesthood making sin and burnt offerings for atonement. Chapter 15 is about male seminal discharges (venereal disease). If the man touches an earthen vessel it shall be broken. A sin offering and a burnt offering shall make the atonement. The Old testament is about the history of the Jewish people. Humanity is evolving technologically and it needs to evolve spiritually as well. Throwing blood on the alter, animal sacrifice, burnt offerings for atonement, breaking a dish if a man has a venereal disease and being anti-gay were all wrong ideas.
Fine, everyone has told you how handsome you are; I won't deny that, it's still the beauty of youth BUT STOP FROWNING!!!!! good luck young man paul in france x
I look forward to your children and your home life. I look forward to your church life. There are churches out there for you and there are more than enough children in this world who need wonderful parents like you. Get to it. Take on the full life experience. The gay community will discourage you, but have a dozen children and a husband of fifty years. That I when you will truly be coming out and truly be honouring our Creator.
Don't forget about God. The love of God has never changed. Continue to seek him daily. You will understand it better by and bye. I promise you. God is full of love.
I send all my love and support to all the LGBT people of the world ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 You all are important and very valuable even though we live in a world that makes you all believe otherwise. Remember always be proud of who you are 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 You all make from this world a better place ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 LGBT people are a rainbow of love in a world full of hate, but with difference of our straight partners, we all are united over a same flag 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 The flag of LGBT love ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 And we all must be united against hate, violence, discrimination and intolerance ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 We all are like a great family and we must fight to destroy hate ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 Remember, LGBT people is love and love always wins ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 I don't care about your race, nationality, biological gender, health condition, religion or any other condition ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 If you are an LGBT person you have all my love and my support ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 You guys are not alone in this fight and all the LGBT people of all over the world needs to understand this messagge, cause just united we will win against hate and we don't have to allow that nothing divide us. Never feel bad of who you are and never allow that this cruel world change who you really are or turn off your light and your shine ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 You all born that way and remember LGBT people of all the world, at the end, love always wins ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
It's this country's secular & religious societies that need to come out of there closets, not the other way around. Where is all that change that supposedly the sixties brought? Not every one that saith unto me, Lord , Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mt.7:21-23.
Im very happy for you... I wish i could have a courage to be who i am..me i was told that being gay is being demon by all of my family... My father is very manly.. My family is complete but still i know im gay..
I would've prepared with mental & documented evidence (much like a lawyer) to support & explain you were correct just before telling your folks ur gay. You didn't deserve their reaction like that & of all people, ur missionary folks should've been armed to love their children regardless of how or who they loved. Their initial reaction showed they were not properly equipped to be talking about they ways of Jesus, if they never figured out the larger picture of the bible & realize family is 1st, ur sis & u were not broken or anti-faith. Their reaction hurt her and you during key moments in your lives & that proves 1 unmistakable thing...that someone intentionally or mistakenly brainwashed them years b4 you guys were born & even more damning is their offer for Conversion Therapy. I pray they've watched the 2018/9 movie "Boy Erased" w/Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman & the adorable Lucas Hedges (closely based on a book by the real family). It shows how much the mother came around & how the son took a stern tone & told his father, based on the dads attitude, they have no need to talk anymore. It was a brilliant movie I've seen some 50 times w/an open mind. The least they could do is to do the same thing and watch the film, to break this horrible cycle of the church shaming gay people. If not, someone needs to protect ur nieces & nephews from ur parents & grandparents who've failed to embrace the cornerstone of their lives, their gay/lesbian kids. U gotta wonder just how God will say to them, "what the hell were u thinking during those years?" Or he'd say they've been going to the wrong church! My folks took it well at 1st w/me, but as time passed they never ask if I'm seeing anyone or anything...seems like things got worse, or they fear sounding ignorant, but theres a ton of online or mainstream movies out there to become educated on the issue. I cannot imagine how you must have felt when they offered the therapy to you, lord, I woulda lost my mind, being parents & not being equipped w/tolerance & love...those are what the bible & church teach.So they kinda were in the wrong line of work...imagine if other gay kids came out to them for support b4 you did. Those kids woulda been destroyed.
that was a very tough decision for you...but yes its hard to keep pretending all your life....we do not have children...but i can NOT understand some parents will disown their child went this happens......YOU LOVE YOUR CHILD.....man laws have superseded gods law.....so sad....people come in all sizes,shapes,colors and orientation..PERIOD
