Jacob and Joshua Miller of "Nemesis Rising" and my reponse to their homophobic Jehovah's Witness parents

Episode 1: Meet the Twins[edit]
In the debut episode, Jacob and Joshua, Nemesis, are introduced. Jacob is the blond and Joshua is the brunette. They have been under contract to Curb Records for several years but have not progressed beyond the point of recording demo tracks. The boys live together in Los Angeles along with Jacob's boyfriend Nick. Joshua is single, and while Jacob and Nick are fairly domestic, Joshua actively tries to meet men on the internet and at West Hollywood gay clubs The Abbey and iCandy (itself the subject of an earlier Logo reality series, Open Bar).
Nemesis has a meeting the next morning with their manager, Garry Kief. Garry tells the boys that Curb is conditionally ready to commit to producing a single, album and appearances for them. Curb plans to mention in any marketing material that Jacob and Joshua are gay. Jacob is ready to come out to anyone and everyone, including his Jehovah's Witness parents. Joshua is much more reluctant. The boys argue about how being known as gay could negatively affect them both professionally and personally. Ultimately they decide to go home to Montana although Joshua says he may still not be able to tell them he's gay.
Episode 2: Coming Out in Montana[edit]
Joshua continues to stress over coming out to his parents, while Jacob invites Nick to go to Montana with them. They plan to have Nick come up toward the end of the visit. Joshua thinks bringing Nick is a bad idea.
The twins fly to Montana and their mother Sherry picks them up at the airport. Back at the house they meet up with brother Jordan and sister Sarah calls home. Dad Rex gets home as well.
As Jacob and Joshua get acquainted with the family's new horses and socialize with the family, Sherry, Rex and the twins interview about being Jehovah's Witnesses. The twins, who've left the religion, note that homosexuality is considered a sin and Joshua especially stresses over the secret he's carrying.






What proof do the JW's have that homosexuality is a "sin", other than quoting passages from the Bible?  Couldn't the Bible be wrong about homosexuality, I think that it could.















Over a family dinner on the porch, Jacob comes out to their parents on behalf of the two of them. Jordan and Sarah already knew. Sherry and Rex are hard-hit by the news. Sherry and Rex talk about their reactions interspersed with scenes of them telling the boys that they still love them. Sherry interviews that she believes the Bible tells her the God hates homosexuality and that homosexuals won't "inherit the kingdom." Rex interviews that his sons' homosexuality isn't "anything [he] wish[es] to see" and nothing he wants to embrace. He says he still loves them and he will embrace them and not judge them, but that he won't allow it to be part of his and Sherry's "arrangement" because of how they believe. Sherry notes that she thinks Joshua has an "agenda."




So Jacob and Joshua's mother believes that the Bible "tells" her that Yahweh "hates" homosexuality.  What reason would Yahweh have to "hate" homosexuality anyways, how would romantic and sexual relationships between people of the same gender be able to hurt him?  She claims that homosexuals "won't inherit the kingdom", how do you know that, Sherry?  Why should homosexuals be barred from the "kingdom of God" for simply being who they are and doing what they do, which doesn't seem to actually be hurting you or anyone else?  Rex says that his sons' homosexuality isn't "anything that he wishes to see". Well Rex, it is not like you have to watch your sons' kiss or have sex with other men.  He says that his sons' sexual orientation is not "something that he wants to embrace". I think it is a shame that Rex cannot accept his sons' sexuality without making it a big deal, but his religious preference won't permit him to do this, unfortunately.  He says that he loves his sons, that he will embrace them and not judge them, but that he won't allow his sons' sexuality to be part of his and his wife's "arrangement" because of how they believe.  You and your wife can ignore the fact that your sons' are gay all you want to Rex, but it still doesn't change the fact that that your sons' are romantically and sexually interested in other men and your beliefs shouldn't get in the way of treating them decently or thinking of them as being less than you, regardless of their sexuality or even if they choose to express their sexuality.  Sherry thinks that Joshua has an "agenda", what is Joshua's "agenda", Sherry?  How is wanting to be honest with your parents about how you really feel espousing an "agenda" exactly?




It's okay to be open about your religious beliefs without fear of reprisal, including if you're a Jehovah's Witness. Being open about identifying as LGBT is different especially if you have JW loved ones.  They most likely won't accept your sexual or gender identity.  I think that the Miller boys parents are prejudiced and find it pathetic that they use their religious beliefs as an excuse to maintain their bigoted beliefs. That is kind of selfish to me.  If I have any prejudices of any kind, then I think that they should be challenged if necessary, so that I can be a less biased and more thoughtful person.  Heterosexuals like myself, we don't have to come out of the closet to out loved ones.  Being LGBT and a Jehovah's Witness or an ex-Jehovah's Witness can be difficult, I'm sure.  I think that it might be for the best for LGBT JW's to leave the Organization if they feel they cannot lead a life of romantic and sexual repression or gender dysphoria until death.  Why belong to a religious group that won't let you be open and honest about yourself, that requires you to repress yourself, and probably really doesn't want you as a member anyway?

Joshua tells Jacob that he thought their parents' reaction was "freaky good" and that things went just as he had hoped. Jacob expresses his relief that for the first time he can set "the gay issue" aside, but interviews that Nick is coming and he hopes his parents can meet him.




I think that Joshua and Jacob's parents' reaction was more "freaky" than "good". 









Episode 3: Montana and Relationships[edit]
Jacob, Joshua and their family continue to come to terms with the twins' announcement. The twins and Rex do some fly fishing and talk about Rex and Sherry's marriage. Jacob tells Rex that he has always looked to his parents as relationship role models.
Ultimately Jacob decides against having Nick come to Montana. To make up for it, Jacob (who says he's not good at making romantic gestures) makes plans to celebrate their sixth anniversary. He takes Nick sky diving and for a romantic dinner in Laguna Beach. He gives Nick a ring that he knows Nick likes, interviewing that it's not intended as a wedding or "promise" ring. He tells Nick that he's concerned that when Nemesis' career takes off over the next several months, Nick might feel like Jacob is "slipping away" from him. Nick reassures him and they interview separately that they believe their relationship will endure.




I don't know if I would consider the relationship between these boys' parents as being a "role model".  Their parents might have a loving marriage, but they cling to prejudices which have no real basis to them, other than using "God" or "The Bible" as an excuse for justifying their prejudices.





 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_and_Joshua:_Nemesis_Rising