This research investigates the development of conflict between sexual minority identity and religious identity in sexual minority youth, examining religion as both a risk factor and a protective factor. Intrinsic religion was expected to predict self reported conflict between religious and sexual minority identity. Retrospectively reported homophobic content of childhood and adolescent religious socialization messages was expected to predict factors related to identity conflict, although individual intrinsic religion was expected to interact with or mediate that relationship. Thirty-three religiously and racially diverse sexual minority college undergraduates participated in this study. The data confirmed the hypotheses. Intrinsic religion predicted belief in the immorality of homosexuality, but was not significantly correlated with any other measure of internalized homophobia. Although intrinsic religion predicted self reported conflict between religious identity and sexual identity, belief in the immorality of homosexuality entirely mediated this effect. Homophobic content of childhood and adolescent religious socialization messages predicted anti-religious attitudes, but intrinsic religious mitigated against this effect. Although homophobic religious socialization messages put sexual minority youth at risk for higher levels of internalized homophobia, an intrinsically motivated religious commitment works simultaneously as a protective factor, buffering youth against some of the negative consequences of internalized homophobia. (Contains 24 references.) (JDM)