David Archuleta Opens Up About Leaving The Church And Coming To Terms With Being Gay
American Idol singer David Archuleta has recently shared his emotional journey of leaving the church after coming out as gay in 2021.
Speaking candidly about his experiences, Archuleta revealed the challenges he faced while growing up in a religious family, feeling ostracised and burdened by guilt surrounding his sexuality, reports Yahoo Entertainment.
David’s Come To Jesus Moment (well, kind of)
Archuleta is best known for having competed on season 7 of American Idol when he was 17 years old. Throughout this season, Archuleta was known for having a wholesome, faith-and-family-based image and he stated in interviews at the time that his religion was important to him.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Archuleta says his upbringing was deeply rooted in the Mormon Church (The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints) and played a significant role in his life. “I grew up very religious. It was a huge part of my life. And I believed that if lived being queer, that I was going to be evil, so I worked really hard to be anything but that… If anyone else is feeling like they are bad just because of who they are attracted to and who they love, I want you to know that it is worth taking the courage to show your true colours,” he says.
Coming out as gay was a pivotal moment for Archuleta, enabling him to embrace his true self despite the challenges he faced coming to terms with his sexuality. Now, Archuleta finds himself in the spotlight once again after competing in The Masked Singer and placing runner-up.
On the back of this newfound platform, Archuleta discusses his decision to leave the LDS Church after struggling to reconcile his faith and his identity. “I truly believed at that time that if I did come to terms with myself – that if I liked men and may possibly date or fall in love with a man – that I would basically lose my soul,” he says.
Archuleta’s story resonates with countless individuals who have struggled with their sexual orientation or gender identity within religious contexts. By speaking out, he offers solace to others. After numerous conversations with church leaders, Archuleta reportedly reached a point where he realised he was done. According to the singer, leaders of his faith were spinning that he was miserable because of his lifestyle and that he had “lost his light”.
“And I was like, ‘I’m done‘,” he says. “I’ve done enough for this church with the intentions that I thought I was serving God. But I feel like I’m being taken advantage of at this point, and I don’t want to lead other people astray who are suffering the same way that I was.”
