tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post1530078979053483812..comments2023-11-05T03:06:30.977-08:00Comments on Mormon Midrashim: Four Centuries of Mormon Stories Contest Discussion: The Defection of Baby MixoJames Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14422536627746885883noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-63691605220576670302014-07-27T05:56:10.280-07:002014-07-27T05:56:10.280-07:00It IS a worthwhile read, as I know from reading it...It IS a worthwhile read, as I know from reading it.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-67528718151974908682012-11-27T01:32:38.500-08:002012-11-27T01:32:38.500-08:00In case anybody happens on this discussion in futu...In case anybody happens on this discussion in future, here's a link to the first chapter of <a href="http://www.langfordwriter.com/" rel="nofollow">Jonathan Langford</a>'s book <a href="http://www.langfordwriter.com/NGBchap1.pdf" rel="nofollow">No Going Back</a>, about a gay Mormon boy dealing with his religous and sexual orientations. Looks like a worthwhile read.<br /><br />Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-68150981055108733632012-11-06T01:45:58.025-08:002012-11-06T01:45:58.025-08:00Valid. It's all valid. That's why it all h...Valid. It's all valid. That's why it all hurts.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-65969260131692871512012-11-04T22:48:49.697-08:002012-11-04T22:48:49.697-08:00Over the last few months, I have spent a lot of ti...Over the last few months, I have spent a lot of time wondering what the future holds in the way of reproductive technology and family formation. What's fascinating to me is the belief that because people are born gay it's unnatural and unfair to ask them to change or to miss out on things like marriage and parenthood. Of course, the opposing belief is that it's unnatural and unfair to force a baby to miss out on having a biological mother and father. As I've mulled over these ideas and reflected a lot on my exerpiences as a mother, I've developed a deeper reverence for biological families. There seems to be no end to the complexity of our bodies and reproductive processes, and I'm fascinated by the spiritual implications of these processes. I think part of our divine nature is to hunger for Mother Nature--for trees, rocks, rivers and mountains, and mommy and daddy. Lara Updikehttp://www.mormonworldview.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-5094827762789652072012-11-03T01:11:19.401-07:002012-11-03T01:11:19.401-07:00Thanks for the response, Karen. I'm really gla...Thanks for the response, Karen. I'm really glad to see that people are taking it more or less as intended. I find I'm very interested in writing about issues of faith and the larger world. It's not the only thing I write stories about, but I do write stories about it.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-7819063008381337902012-11-02T12:18:02.925-07:002012-11-02T12:18:02.925-07:00This story made me really squirmish -- but I guess...This story made me really squirmish -- but I guess that was the aim. In a few short paragraphs, the story articutes a lot of conflict experienced by people who live in the borderlands between various social spaces. It's heart-wrenching. And the futuristic quality makes it safer in one sense and really scary to see formalized factions in another case. God bless those living in the borderlands, and God bless those from ostracizing people into these borderlands. It happens again and again and againg throughout history. May we all find more methods for uniting people than dividing. Thanks for the story, Mark. Karen D. Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00681456166093275598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-25156039334183134442012-10-30T22:12:39.045-07:002012-10-30T22:12:39.045-07:00Wow! I'm not advocating what happens in the st...Wow! I'm not advocating what happens in the story, but that sounds like an endorsement of the story. Thanks for sharing, Cory.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-18691145798404221712012-10-30T12:22:04.186-07:002012-10-30T12:22:04.186-07:00I have a close friend who left the church some yea...I have a close friend who left the church some years ago, and is now part of a secular humanist version of the LDS church. <br /><br />The way that Baby Mixo resonated with what I've heard her say was very ... powerful.Cory Huffhttp://coryhuff.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-2163288251247423572012-10-27T17:12:31.447-07:002012-10-27T17:12:31.447-07:00Two of the short-shorts I wrote for this contest s...Two of the short-shorts I wrote for this contest seemed to me to beg expansion. "Baby Mixo" was one of them. The issue of sexuality within the faith and how it is and might be dealt with certainly intrigues me.<br /><br />I imagine such a church actually "co-existing" with the "Original" Church, buying its materials from Salt Lake, hanging on the voice of the prophet, striving to keep in step except in one area.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-46964925498543546582012-10-27T04:01:00.953-07:002012-10-27T04:01:00.953-07:00Who knows? It could survive in this universe if it...Who knows? It could survive in this universe if it was stationed on Mars. The word (co-exist) did not properly convey the true meaning of my thoughts.Christopher Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-76071594901759624202012-10-27T03:41:02.155-07:002012-10-27T03:41:02.155-07:00This was a good article that excavates through Mor...This was a good article that excavates through Mormon thought. I likewise am not sci-fi fan, so the Mars colony did throw me for a loop. However, what had my mind surging through the whole story was how the LGBT-LDS church would be structurally organized if it truly existed? I could imagine a huge flocking to this church once created, but eventually lead to a colossal demise from a power struggle on doctrine and beliefs from the head. The downfall would be eminent where the spirit lacks. Who knows? It could co-exist in this universe if it was stationed on Mars.Christopher Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-77091458713774324652012-10-25T16:26:36.688-07:002012-10-25T16:26:36.688-07:00Asimov and Clarke are two enduring favourites of m...Asimov and Clarke are two enduring favourites of mine. The Gods Themselves was an interesting read.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-90494439248046492982012-10-25T16:22:47.857-07:002012-10-25T16:22:47.857-07:00I didn't realize you disliked sci-fi. I was re...I didn't realize you disliked sci-fi. I was referring to comment 1, paragraph 3, which, by the way, I do not object to.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-19048026350962175602012-10-25T16:17:09.243-07:002012-10-25T16:17:09.243-07:00Kind of. During my last year of university, I rece...Kind of. During my last year of university, I received a lot of revelations. One of them told me to seek opportunities to teach English in the Soviet Union. I eventually met a professor from Ukraine during a visit to BYU and through him I wound up in Kiev. I served my mission in Haiti.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-12127089316384553582012-10-25T15:49:07.040-07:002012-10-25T15:49:07.040-07:00"not even Scott"...
Does this mean I..."not even Scott"...<br /><br />Does this mean I'm getting a reputation for being the only Mormon who doesn't like reading sci-fi?Scott Haleshttp://www.low-techworld.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-25404157251995571572012-10-25T15:36:45.288-07:002012-10-25T15:36:45.288-07:00Katya,
Absolutely. I'm trying to get all the...Katya, <br /><br />Absolutely. I'm trying to get all the links adjusted after the fact. Let me know if we miss any by contest's end. James Goldberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14422536627746885883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-80552626329001866432012-10-25T13:27:15.309-07:002012-10-25T13:27:15.309-07:00Oh man, that's a very old blog. I was attempti...Oh man, that's a very old blog. I was attempting to teach a friend a little Russian, but the effort petered out.<br /><br />I majored in French and linguistics at BYU, took a couple of years of Russian (where I picked up the "Katya" nickname) and a semester of Mandarin right before I graduated. (I really enjoyed Mandarin, but it was also about 10x harder than any other language I ever studied. It was also the first non-Indo-European language I studied.)<br /><br />I got a complete set of Pushkin's works for my birthday last year, so I'm attempting to get brush up on my Russian. We'll see how that goes. :)<br /><br />Was the 2-year stint in Ukraine for a mission?Katyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11771780464356547742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-60139878630327126812012-10-25T13:18:46.939-07:002012-10-25T13:18:46.939-07:00"No one's complained about it yet, not ev..."No one's complained about it yet, not even Scott, so I guess that means it doesn't bother people. But it's sure nice to hear that someone heartily approves."<br /><br />I've read Asimov more completely than probably any other science fiction author and that's one of my favorite of his works. (Also, I mentioned it once in a conversation with one of my physics professors, who appreciated the reference, so that was a nice moment.)Katyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11771780464356547742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-84374196524518587742012-10-25T13:15:40.811-07:002012-10-25T13:15:40.811-07:00No, not "Get on it!" :P Just, "Some...No, not "Get on it!" :P Just, "Someday, please?"Katyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11771780464356547742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-14064542240883922702012-10-25T09:40:23.142-07:002012-10-25T09:40:23.142-07:00I just checked your blogs. Your name should have t...I just checked your blogs. Your name should have tipped me off, but I see you're studying Russian. I majored in Russian at the University of Alberta, then lived in Ukraine for two years. That was twenty years ago, so I'm a bit rusty, but I still love Russian and am just getting back into reading it. It's a beautiful language, but then so are French and Mandarin and a few others I've dabbled in--and would like to take a whack at.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-30192877860061390042012-10-25T09:14:05.613-07:002012-10-25T09:14:05.613-07:00I'm glad! No one's complained about it yet...I'm glad! No one's complained about it yet, not even Scott, so I guess that means it doesn't bother people. But it's sure nice to hear that someone heartily approves. Mind you, I feel like that section, among others, could do with some revision. Anyway, thanks, Katya.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-3059331773766018732012-10-25T09:11:05.679-07:002012-10-25T09:11:05.679-07:00Yeah. Get on it, James!Yeah. Get on it, James!Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-89365260428353357862012-10-25T06:26:47.297-07:002012-10-25T06:26:47.297-07:00Also, I really liked the in-story Asimov reference...Also, I really liked the in-story Asimov reference.Katyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11771780464356547742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-4082013699180327162012-10-25T06:25:51.123-07:002012-10-25T06:25:51.123-07:00Can I put in a housekeeping request? Right now, th...Can I put in a housekeeping request? Right now, the incoming link from "Baby Mixo" goes to the Mormon Midrashim blog, but not to this specific post (which may have been necessary, given the order in which they were created). <br /><br />However, this post will eventually get pushed off the front page, which means the future readers of Baby Mixo (be they Martian or otherwise) will have a harder time finding this discussion thread. At some point, can you update the Everyday Mormon Writer links for this (and the other stories) so that they go directly to the post discussing them?<br /><br />- Katya, wearing her archivist hatKatyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11771780464356547742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127231318556758701.post-41736204949715093242012-10-25T05:22:53.146-07:002012-10-25T05:22:53.146-07:00I was really curious to see what piece of visual a...I was really curious to see what piece of visual art could possibly accompany this piece of literature. I think the Goldbergs (Jicole? Jamcole? Colejam? Jamole?) picked a good one. Think inversion. Sweet.<br /><br />"No beginner." You got that right, brother. 37 years I've been toiling in obscurity. But no more. I'm about to be quietly infamous. Or maybe just quiet.Mark Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390977154664061150noreply@blogger.com