Former Disney Channel star Miley Cyrus just opened up about the real reason why she left the church. During an episode of her brand new Instagram Live series “Bright Minded” which aired on Friday, March 20, the songstress opened up all things religion with her guest Hailey Baldwin. While talking to Justin Bieber‘s wife, Miley revealed that she decided to step away after learning about her sexuality, and watching her friends struggle with their own identities.

“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,” the Hannah Montana star explained. “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.”

As fans know, Miley has been super open with fans about her sexuality, and in 2015, she came out as pansexual during an interview with Elle Magazine

“I’m very open about it — I’m pansexual,” she said at the time. “I change my style every two weeks, let alone who I’m with.”

After Miley’s admission during the livestream, Hailey added that her beliefs have also changed from childhood to adulthood.

“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,” the model said. “I’ve found a church community that works for me where I feel supported and loved and accepted.”

Now, Miley said, she has learned that it’s okay to have a relationship with God even though she’s not following the same beliefs she was raised with.

“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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