MusicThe noble reason why Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons) stopped being MormonThe singer still maintains good relations with his family, who follow the religion, but was motivated to go beyond his beliefstoday at 09:35

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — whose members are popularly known as Mormons — is one of the largest in the world. Founded in the United States, where it has great influence, it had an illustrious member from the world of music: Dan Reynoldslead singer of imagine Dragons.

The singer’s family remains linked to the Church in question, but he left it in his early 20s — today the artist is 37. And the reason for this has to do with a cause that Reynolds and his band have always defended: the rights of the LGBTQIAPN+ community, in contrast to the Church in question, which condemns homosexuality.

The subject was recently addressed by Dan in an interview with People. At the time, he highlighted that he still maintains a good relationship with his family, despite the difference in thinking.

He said:

There are obviously parts of the Mormon religion that I feel are very damaging, especially to our gay youth. I feel very isolated from my family sometimes, but I also love them and I’m close to them, I see them, there’s no animosity there. I’m on a different path. I have to love myself enough to follow my truth.”

Dan also states that he does not impose any religious beliefs on his children and values ​​their freedom in this regard. However, an initiative he created in 2017 shows the real reason for the distancing, as mentioned in his speech.

Dan Reynolds and LoveLoud

THE Rolling Stone USAthe Imagine Dragons frontman explained what motivated him to found the LoveLoud institute — an NGO supporting the LGBTQIAPN+ community that also promotes a charity festival of the same name — and the reasons behind the idea. The artist initially stated:

At the beginning of high school, I met Casey. He was Mormon and an incredibly talented singer. I remember being in sixth grade and hearing people calling him gay behind his back, laughing and making fun of him. He didn’t talk openly about his sexuality because I’m sure he felt completely unsafe doing so.”

Dan Reynolds says he regrets to this day not having protected and supported Casey, although he never made fun of him. The singer also mentioned the case of Tyler Glennfrontman of the band Neon Treeswho he also knew as a Mormon, but who left the church and came out as gay years later. It was stories like these that motivated the conception of LoveLoud.

The singer spoke about the initiative, which takes place in Utah, the state where the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has existed since the 19th century, in the city of Salt Lake. According to Reynolds:

That’s why I created LoveLoud, an annual festival in Utah that is specifically for our LGBTQIAPN+ youth to come and feel loved and accepted. It wasn’t easy to create a festival in Provo, Utah, but as you can see in the film (the documentary Believerfrom 2018, where Dan Reynolds addresses the Mormon issue with homosexuality), was needed and created a safe space for families with LGBTQIAPN+ teens. All funds raised are distributed to charities – the Trevor Project, the Tegan and Sara Foundation, Encircle and others – that provide life-saving services to LGBTQIAPN+ youth. LoveLoud is not just for the youth, but also for their family and friends. They can come and be educated on how to truly love and accept our LGBTQIAPN+ youth. What does that involve? It means that you fully accept their sexuality and even celebrate their love in the same way that you celebrate their heterosexuality.”

Reynolds cites figures from his documentary about the youth suicide rate in Utah and other places where Mormons are active. He believes these deaths are linked to the oppression that the faith often imposes — and he said he is willing to use his fame as a platform to stop that.

Even so, the Imagine Dragons frontman still considers himself a Mormon. Dan said:

I’m still a Mormon: I love many of the teachings and practices. I love family values. Do I know there is a God? Some days, no. Do I believe Mormonism is the only truth? No. Do I think all Mormons are bigots? No. We are generally good people who want others to feel loved and accepted, but we are broken and following a teaching that is literally killing our young people. We can’t continue on this path.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded in the early 19th century by Joseph Smithconsidered the religion’s first prophet. While still a teenager, he claims to have been informed by an angel that Jesus Christ was in the United States shortly after he was resurrected on the third day after his death.

Smith also claimed that Christ’s coming to the region of present-day Missouri was recorded on golden tablets by prophets who accompanied him, but that these objects were taken to heaven when Jesus returned there. One of the prophets, named Mormon, made a copy of the writings on the plates into a book, and Joseph’s mission was to publish and disseminate it, as if it were a kind of continuation of the New Testament of the Bible.

Although they had a difficult time gaining acceptance in their early years, Mormons have been gaining followers, largely due to the missionary system they still use today. Young people are educated and trained to spread the religion and gain more followers, not only in the United States, but throughout the world, including Brazil.

They believe that Jesus Christ will return on Judgment Day and save all who have been baptized, whether living or dead, with or without their consent. Because of their interest in baptizing as many people as possible, Mormons have a large center for genealogical studies, which is used by people all over the world.

Collaborated: André Luiz Fernandes.