Can we pray for you? in Adventures in paradise

I was at Chermside shopping centre last week and my friends had just left to head back to the Apple store before it closed. I was in the food court finishing off my meal. No sooner had my friends disappeared when I hear this male's voice, "Mind if I sit here?"

I didn't know the person whatsoever, but I was in a good mood (as I usually am), so said, 'Sure!'. He said thanks and sat down at my table, along with a girl who looked around his age.

They didn't have to really explain why they were there, or why they had asked to join me. I pretty much already knew. There's only one group of people in this world (or at least in my experience) who would interrupt someone whilst they are devouring a delicious chicken.

I went along with it. I knew I had no interest in what they were offering, as that part of my life is looooooooong gone. I happily answered their questions and made good conversation with them however.

The guy was 17 and the girl was only 15. They explained that they belonged to some Hillsong-esque youth church out at Brendale. I didn't even really remember where Brendale was. Of course, they queried my beliefs and if I went to church etc etc.

I explained to them my story, about how I used to attend a youth church just like theirs, as well as my boring-as-fuck-hymns-from-the-year-1200's original church I grew up in. Naturally they asked why I don't attend anymore and I told them that I was gay and the church had an issue with that.

They proceeded to tell me that their church isn't like that at all and that they were sorry for what my church put me through. But I only had to listen to them talk to know they weren't exactly keen on the idea either. They'd say things like, "We welcome smokers and drug users and anyone. We wouldn't condone that, but we welcome them." That was all I needed to hear. I just kept smiling and chatting to them happily, but that statement pretty much threw everything out of the window that already wasn't left inside the house.

They were pretty cool guys. They asked how old I was, and when I told them I was 30, the guy was amazed. He thought I was around 22, or so he says haha. The girl was very passionate about their church also, throwing in her two cents here and there. They worked well as a religious team, which I guessed was why their church sent them out to the shopping centre every Thursday night.

Now the interesting thing, is that the guy (the 17 year old) told me that he used to think he was gay. He went on to say he was an outcast at school and was bullied a lot, his dad was away a lot etc etc. The whole time I was thinking, "So does that mean that's what you think happened to me?" I've heard it all before. Sure, that's his story, but it's certainly not mine. Yeah I'd say I didn't fit in with the norm at school, but I wasn't really bullied. I was probably more just seen as the weird kid lol. I dunno, I kinda didn't care. My grades reflected that I wasn't a complete idiot and I guess a lot of the kids realised that. And my dad certainly wasn't away from me. I'd see him every night. My mother wasn't overly mothering. I just get sick of all these excuses as to the reason why someone might 'turn out' gay. It's just what it is. I knew for sure that I was gay in around grade 6. That was the point where I started to accept it. When I fully accepted it wasn't until much later though. So I'm listening to this 17 year old guy tell me this story, and just thinking to myself, "So... you're basically telling me you're living a lie and not being true to yourself." I couldn't live like that. The struggle I had between what my idiotic church was telling me and what my own mind was telling me was such a waste of my life and I only dream of being able to claim it back. But hey, I didn't judge him. I didn't pull him up on it. In fact, I used to be like him, around that age also. He's only young, and she was only very young at 15. 15's actually the age I had a girlfriend haha, so you can SEE how damn well confused the church had made me back then haha.

They asked if they could pray for me and that it wouldn't take long. I was fine with that. I told them the same thing I told my cousin when she said she wanted to pray for me (after I came out to them) - that as long as it wasn't to change me because they are wasting their time. He told me it wouldn't be.

He began to put his hand on my shoulder, asking me permission first. These guys were good - Even going over the sexual harrassment clauses with their church I see! As soon as he did, that's when my friend and his boyfriend rocked back up.

Now they were outnumbered. I can only imagine the thoughts going through their heads when they saw a guy with his hand on my shoulder and the girl with her hand on his lol. The guy noticed them and asked if they were my friends, and I said that they were.

They sat down and we all had a long chat. The prayer had been interrupted. Everyone got along fine and my friend asked if they were together and they said no they were just friends. He then told them he and his boyfriend had been together for over a year and that he was Hindu himself.
I was surprised. He actually behaved himself very well lol.

In the end, we ended up holding up these religious youth for about 20 minutes over their time they were meant to meet up with the others. Great, so they had a whole clan taking over the shopping centre! They said a short prayer and they were on their way. I didn't even really listen to what the prayer said - something about being safe etc etc. They left and we left back for the car.

Of course, my friend paid me out a few times saying 'Hail Jesus' and stuff along those lines lol. I told them "Thanks for behaving yourselves. When you rocked up I was thinking "Oh shit, here we go."

So yeah, that was something a bit interesting that hasn't happened to me in a while.