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Or she never did, or whatever it is.
I only felt emotion, never what people callthe spirit.
Dan Reynolds did everything right.
He served as a Mormon missionary and attended the Church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
He then got married and fathered three children.
Reynolds towers over me and Im six-foot-one.
His tight, brand-new, white T-shirt tucks cleanly into black gym shorts.
He doesnt have long hair, visible tattoos, or any signifiers that hes in a band.
His handshake is predictably firm, and he exudes disciplined normality.
Their heavy-handed, hip-hop-laced verses tee up anthemic choruses that pulse over Jeep and Microsoft commercials.
The first song on their new album, Natural, is ESPNs 2018official college-football-season anthem.
Imagine Dragons embodies middle America and, Id assumed, middle American values.
I think they check in on their famous Mormons.
Ive since been fascinated with Mormon culture and presentation to the outside world.
In his quest to raise money and awareness, Reynolds is upsetting people onbothsides of his argument.
And theres also going to be people on the far left who are upset.
Because, who the fuck am I, mister white privileged guy.
Im his last interview of the tour, but I feel like his first.
I have seen so much damage done to these families.
Ive met with so many parents whove lost kids to suicide.
I have so much fire about it.
I want change, and I know that I can help make change.
Reynolds becomes emotional when he uses the wordkids, which he does often when describing his bands audience.
Fans reciprocate by holding up their own flags.
Some are store-bought, others are homemade sometimes from their parents color printers.
They demonstrate more solidarity than a sea of selfie sticks.
We just played in Turkey.
You wanna say scary place to have people bring up rainbow flags?
Those are the moments when its all just noise to me.
Because Im on ground zero and things are happening, he says.
While the Mormon Church doesnt prohibit same-sex attraction, its members are forbidden to act upon it.
Its acceptable to feel conflicted … even suicidal.
A safe place for you.
The Mormon Church is clear in its definition ofmarriageas the union of one man and one woman.
Government pressure then dissipated, and Utah was granted its statehood shortly thereafter.
Both of these revelations coincided with great political pressure.
In 1890, the Mormon Church had existed for a mere 60 years.
Refusal to end plural marriage would have been tantamount to suicide for the young religion.
How could a religion build temples in new countries while simultaneously refusing entry to its newly converted members?
Now, its 2018 and same-sex marriage is legal in most states.
HBO is airing a documentary about his successful, lucrative festival.
Apple CEO Tim Cookintroduced Imagine Dragonsat this years LoveLoud festival in Salt Lake City.
Surely, the Mormon Church is paying attention.
Do I think that Im going to lead to change in the church?
And whether its true or not doesnt matter, its my truth.
Like all missionaries, he was allowed only two phone calls home each year on Mothers Day and Christmas.
You have this little white handbook of rules that are so strict.
I followed every rule.
Wake up at 6:30, exercise for half an hour.
Read personal study for an hour.
Companionship study for an hour reading the bible super-boring shit.
Come home at 9.
Rinse, repeat [for] two years.
And youre the scum of the earth get spit on, get sucker punched.
Reynoldss volume increases dramatically and his hands naturally open to the sky.
I am Elder Reynolds.
Im here to teach you a lesson about Jesus Christ and how he cares about you and loves you.
There is a place for you in heaven.
Im sure youve always asked yourself the question: Why am I here?
Where am I going?
Well, theres an answer.
You become the ultimate salesman.
Every young person should feel loved and cared for in their families, their communities, and their congregations.
We are grateful to be a part of the work to find solutions.
The Mormon Church is not the only organization to respond to LoveLoud.
Utahs Republican governor, Gary Herbert,officially declaredJuly 28 LoveLoud Day statewide.
Reynolds and Carrera embrace, and the screen fills with the hashtag #turnupthelove.
I love the band.
I love making music.
I love everything Imagine Dragons stands for.
But its given me a platform to do things that I think are way bigger than the band.
Now Im 31 years old, and Im like … um … maybe you should change who you are.
Theres a remarkable juxtaposition in Imagine Dragons singer using his platform to fight this fight.
So here I am.
I know my truth.
So, the church made me into this.
