A Nashville, Tennessee man who describes himself as a homophobic Christian did exactly what one would not expect from him. He became gay. That is, he posed as a gay man for a year in order to see if he would feel differently homosexuality.

Timothy Kurek was inspired to take on this project, which will culminate in the book, "Jesus in Drag," to be published on October 11, because of a friend who was disowned by her family after she came out as gay.

He told MSNBC during an interview that his friend had been brutally disowned," Kurek said. "She had been excommunicated from her entire life and two words changed it all. Two simple words. I'm gay."

Motivated by her story and curious to see what it was like to be gay he decided he would become gay and start the experiment by coming out to his religious family members.

He told Huffington Post the following about the experience of coming out to his family, "Every coming out story I've ever read or heard share one common trait: fear. Fear of the reactions and the great what-ifs. With that in mind, it was essential that I experience the same realistic fear and apprehension that comes with making the declaration that I was a gay man. In all of my life I've never been more nervous, or physically and emotionally shaken than I was standing in front of my family when I came out."

His family's reaction: "They treated me with the love and respect I expected. I don't think they quite knew how to react to having a gay family member, but, you know, that was the religious barrier there that we are all kind of captive to."

He told Huffington Post that he initially embarked on the social experiment not because he wanted to write a book but because he wanted to put himself in a gay person's shoes.  

He also said the experiment led him to shed his old beliefs quite quickly. He is now urging people to read the book because as he puts it, "It is imperative we experience each others' stories, and to allow ourselves to learn from people in every walk of life."