# Can You Pray the Gay Away? The Truth LGBTQ Christians Aren’t Told

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/you-can-be-both-7576307/can-you-pray-the-gay-away-the-truth-lgbtq-christians-aren-t-told
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/you-can-be-both-7576307/can-you-pray-the-gay-away-the-truth-lgbtq-christians-aren-t-told.md
Podcast: [You Can Be Both](https://stenobird.com/podcast/you-can-be-both-7576307)
Published: 2026-01-25T16:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/you-can-be-both/episodes/Can-You-Pray-the-Gay-Away--The-Truth-LGBTQ-Christians-Arent-Told-e3e4asr
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/10b47a908/podcast/play/114485595/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-0-24%2F416746124-44100-2-9c4d894c01c8f.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/you-can-be-both-7576307/episodes/can-you-pray-the-gay-away-the-truth-lgbtq-christians-aren-t-told
Duration seconds: 2060

## Resource

• LGBTQ Healing & Resource Guide: www.laurenlanzaretta.com/youcanbeboth• Submit your story: https://bit.ly/49G1tpz________________ Can you stop being gay?Can you pray the gay away?Does God actually change someone’s sexual orientation — and if so, why doesn’t He do it for everyone?In this episode of You Can Be Both, we take an honest, compassionate, and deeply personal look at ex-gay testimonies, conversion therapy, and the psychological and spiritual harm caused by shame-based faith narratives.Many LGBTQ Christians are told that if they pray harder, surrender more, or fully “commit,” God will remove same-sex attraction. But for countless people, that never happens — and the result is anxiety, depression, self-hatred, and even suicidal ideation.In this conversation, we explore: • Why “ex-gay” stories are often rooted in survival, trauma, or repression • The difference between healing trauma and trying to change sexual orientation • How shame-based Christianity fuels fear, guilt, and self-abandonment • Why being LGBTQ does not prevent you from following Jesus • The truth about conversion therapy and why it’s been denounced by major medical associations • How faith, mental health, and sexuality intersect • Why God’s love is not conditional on becoming straightThis episode is for: • LGBTQ Christians questioning their faith • Anyone harmed by “pray the gay away” theology • Parents trying to understand their LGBTQ child • People deconstructing harmful church teachings • Those healing from religious traumaYour identity is not a sin.Your attraction is not a failure of faith.And you do not need to change who you’re attracted to in order to be loved by God.✨ Resources mentioned: • LGBTQ Christian Healing Guide: https://www.laurenlanzaretta.com/shop/p/gaychristianresourceguid…

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