Miley Cyrus Explains to Hailey Bieber Why She Left the Church: 'My Gay Friends Weren’t Accepted in School'

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On Friday, Miley Cyrus and Hailey Bieber got real when it came to religion and spirituality. The 'Wrecking Ball' singer appeared on Bieber's 'Bright Minded' Instagram Live show and explained why she left the church years ago. According to the singer, it had everything to do with how the church treated homosexual individuals and those associated with the LGBTQ+ community. Cyrus, herself, identifies as pansexual, which made it personally difficult for her as she was being raised in the conservative state of Tennessee.

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"I was also brought up in the church in Tennessee at a time in the ’90s, so it was a less accepting time with all that," Cyrus explained to Bieber during Instgram Live segment. "I had some gay friends in school. That is the reason why I left my church is that they weren’t being accepted. They were being sent to conversion therapies."

"And I had a really hard time with that and I had a hard time with me finding my sexuality too. So, I think you now telling me that I’m allowed to redesign my relationship with God as an adult and make it how it feels most accepting to me would make me feel so less turned off by spirituality," she continued in explaining her aversion.

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Bieber, on the other hand, has been widely outspoken about being religious. The model was able to get her husband, Justin Bieber, to start going to church, something the 'Seasons' singer credits as helping him get through the dark times of his life that continued to haunt him.

According to Bieber, though, there's a big difference between 'growing up in the church' and having an 'adult relationship with God'. "I think there’s a difference between being raised in church and then being an adult and having your own relationship with God …. I feel like I’ve found my footing with spirituality and faith and church," she said. "I’ve found a church community that works for me where I feel supported and loved and accepted."

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Bieber's comments were an 'eye-opener' for Cyrus, as she had not previously thought about the freedom available to make new relationships with the church and spirituality "I was raised going to church as a believer, and that was a really important part of my life. And I kind of fell off that path a little bit because I think I had a hard time finding a relationship with God that worked for me as an adult," she said.

"I think what I just took away from you is I’m allowed to decide what my relationship is with spirituality as an adult … that doesn’t have to be aligned with the way it was when I was brought up."

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Justin Bieber has been open, himself, about religion in the last couple of years. Recently, the pop star sat down for an interview with Vogue and explained his views on religion and God. "I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks," he revealed.

"But I don’t believe in all the religious elitism and pretentiousness, like people are better than you because they come to church, like you have to go to church and dress a certain way," Bieber continued. "I get sensitive when religion comes up because it’s been so hurtful to a lot of people."