"The Homophobic Teachings of the Mormon Church Killed My Son"
A groundbreaking new campaign being launched by a child advocacy organization aims to bring attention to the problem of teen suicide in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Child-Friendly Faith Project (CFFP), a national nonprofit organization that raises awareness of child abuse and neglect enabled by religious belief, is launching an awareness campaign that centers on explosive revelations by an ex-Mormon father who suffered a tragic loss.
The campaign features a blog post written by Brian Bresee, a Las Vegas father who, until recently, had been a sixth-generation member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When he began his family, Brian believed that the LDS Church offered a healthy environment in which to raise children. But on June 9th, 2014, his 14-year-old son Samuel took his own life. From that point on, Brian’s life was forever changed.
The blog post, which is published on the CFFP’s website, not only looks at why Samuel likely chose suicide, but it also raises questions about the possible connection between Mormon teachings and teen suicide, in general. Statistics show that states with large Mormon populations have teen suicide rates that far exceed the national average.
"By the time I finally came to grips with my son’s choice to end his own life, I learned that one contributing factor rose above the rest—one that, at first, was extremely difficult for me to accept," Brian writes. "More than anything else, what led my young Samuel to choose suicide were the teachings and policies of our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
The CFFPs’ campaign and Brian’s blog post point out that there are numerous factors that contribute to teen suicide rates. However, one factor that should be studied and addressed is religious teachings and practices, particularly those of the LDS Church.
In Utah, which has the highest Mormon population in the US…

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