Dan Reynolds, lead singer of the rock band Think about Dragons, opened up about why he selected to depart Mormonism.

Talking with Individuals in an interview printed on Sunday, July 7, Reynolds, 36, was candid about rising up in a “actually conservative” Mormon household and mentioned his “sophisticated” relationship with faith.

“There’s clearly components of the Mormon faith that I really feel fairly strongly are dangerous, particularly to our homosexual youth,” Reynolds, who based LGBTQ+ centered non-profit LOVELOUD Basis in 2017, advised Individuals. “At instances I really feel fairly remoted from my household, however I additionally love them and am near them and see them, and there’s no animosity there. I’m on a unique path. I’ve to like myself sufficient to comply with my reality.”

Whereas the “Radioactive” singer shared that he “at all times struggled” with faith, it wasn’t till his 20s that Reynolds selected to depart the church. Up till that time, Reynolds had attended Brigham Younger College and even served on a two-year mission in Nebraska.

“[I] noticed quite a lot of the hurt that got here from it for me personally, nevertheless it additionally appeared to work extremely nicely for my household, they usually’re all wholesome, pleased people,” he advised Individuals. “As I’ve gotten older, I’m not offended about it anymore. If one thing works for somebody, that’s actually great and uncommon, and I don’t need to mess with it.”

Whereas Reynolds’ household stays energetic within the church, he has chosen to not elevate his youngsters — daughters Arrow, 11, Gia and Coco, 7, and son Valentine, 4 — as Mormons. (Reynolds shares his 4 youngsters with ex-wife Aja Volkman.)

“My biggest aim day-after-day is to not manipulate my children,” he defined. “I actually don’t need to attempt to inform them what their non secular path needs to be. I give them my ideas and clearly attempt to shield them and deal with them, whereas additionally ensuring they’ve freedom and company to decide on no matter they need.”

Reynolds and Volkman introduced their cut up in April 2018 after 7 years of marriage. Two months later, he solely advised Us Weekly that the pair have been “doing good” after going their separate methods. “I feel life strikes ahead and we’re doing good,” he advised Us on the time.

Think about Dragons will kick off the Loom World Tour, their largest headlining North American tour ever, on the finish of this month.

“I feel this might be our greatest file to play dwell. It has quite a lot of tempo, quite a lot of completely different feelings,” Reynolds advised Individuals. “We’re already in rehearsals for this tour, and I simply know — we’ve achieved this lengthy sufficient that I’m like, ‘Oh, that is going to be a celebration, nevertheless it’s additionally going to be cathartic.’ It’s going to be unhappy in the correct methods, heavy in the correct methods, pleased in the correct methods. It’s going to be a very enjoyable file to tour.”