Voices from the Dust: July 1997
previous: Voices from the Dust: June 1997
from Paul S. Thomas (t█████@r████████.com)
2 Jul 97, 8:48 p.m.
Hello! I received your e-mail and accepted your offer to check out the new site. I must say I was disappointed to see you go in February and I'm happy to see that you're back. Right off the bat, let me say that your new site is probably the most visually appealing of all my bookmarked sites. It's simple and effective. I do have to admit, however, that I've never been crazy about frames . . . just a matter of personal taste, I suppose.
Anyway, I wasn't able to find anything wrong with your site as I wandered through the Mormon section, the letters, etc. I haven't had a chance to check out any of your new writing yet but I'll get there. All the links worked as they were supposed to. I enjoyed catching up on the last few months of "Voices from the Dust."
Well, now that you're back, I'll be a frequent visitor to your website again and I'll be sure and let you know what I think.
By the way, I remember you mentioning several months ago that "Terror on Flight 789" was being considered for a movie. What ever became of that?
Best of luck to you, and, again, it's good to have you back.
Good to hear from you again, Paul! Here's how I answered the screenplay query in the "Infrequently Asked Questions" section of my old Web site:
"During the fall of 1996 I did indeed write a screenplay, The Accidental Terrorist, in collaboration with my partners Christopher J. Rivera and James Meek. (The story is a fictionalization of my exploits as a missionary/terrorist in the Great White North.) We never sold our script; rather, it was optioned by Maple Palm Productions, which means Dave Thomas (SCTV, Strange Brew, Grace Under Fire) and crew acquired the right to attempt to produce the screenplay for a specified period of time -- in this instance, six months. The option, however, suffered an untimely demise, cruelly slain by timidity and unimaginativeness. Before the ink on our contracts had even considered drying, Maple Palm's business manager decided that our screenplay was unmarketable and axed the deal we'd so carefully worked out with the assistant producer. (What -- the heartland's not ready for a feel-good comedy about a bumbling but loveable Mormon missionary who triumphs over adversity through pluck and good fortune? Not even with Leo DiCaprio and Jada Pinkett among the principles?) Ah, well -- that's Hollywood for you, where the bullshit flies thicker than lightning bugs in August. But rest assured that we're pursuing other deals, and thinking really hard about our next screenplay . . . "
Thanks for writing!
from s██████@v██████.com
3 Jul 97, 7:36 p.m.
Remember me? I'm the motorcycle mama Relief Society reject with a sonofabitch for a father. (Very accurate assessment of him, BTW.)
You asked us to critique your new site. I like it a lot. It took a few minutes to find my way around, but once I did, I found all the old hang-outs. I couldn't find the "Loud Laughter" part, though. Was hoping you added to it. I read some of your newly added SF short stories, too. I haven't been through all of them, but I enjoyed the one about the choir boys.
I finally got a hold of a copy of the book "The Mormon Murders". I had a hard time getting it; reserved it at the library and it took weeks and weeks. All the Mormons in town must want to read it! Anyway, I've seen a lot of parallels in Mark Hoffman and my dad. It's been really frightening to see how twisted the whole Mormon culture is. I recommmend that everyone reads that book if they really want a view of Mormonism.
Well, thanks for posting and answering my letter. And thanks for your new web page. Keep the stories coming! I enjoy them. Best wishes to you and yours.
Thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately, "Loud Laughter" no longer exists in its original form. I've broken out some of the features it used to contain, such as "No Man Knows My Pancreas" and "Postmarked: Clueless," and given them their own standalone sections. Others, like "The Great B.Y.U. Coed Joke Project" and "The Nauvoo Cabaret," have not yet been incorporated into the new site, but will return soon. Still others I've let die a quiet death -- like "The Wish List," which was no longer serving any useful purpose. (For the last couple of months, the only submissions I was receiving for "The Wish List" said things like, "I wish people would stop picking on us poor Mormons!")
I'm also glad you liked my stories, though I must point out that I've had them up on the Web since before I ever posted any Mormon-related material. Of course, now that people can actually find them, maybe they'll start getting more hits. ;>
from c███████@a██.com
5 Jul 97, 3:53 p.m.
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your site. I connected to "Mormon Matter" the first time through "Recovery from Mormonism," Eric Kettunen's site. I still giggle when I see the coffee beans you plastered all over your site! You have a wonderful sense of humor (to say the least) and your writing style is great. I love it. I'm in the process of reading "Terror on Flight 789." I love it! Thank you for every part of your site. It makes it a bit easier to deal with some of the crap we have all been through as Mormons and exmormons.
By the way, you handled Monsieur Ivie (the schmuck) and the Perotista beautifully. Heehee. You're good. Thank you!!
I feel somewhat guilty accepting praise for shooting fish in a barrel -- but what the hell. Thanks!
from Sarah Caldwell (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
8 Jul 97, 7:22 a.m.
You're back! Hurray!
I found this site maybe two months ago, when it was still Mormon Matter, and when I read that you were leaving it I was very sad. :( It's one of the most informative, consistently well-written sites I've found. It's especcially impressive that you manage to defend your beliefs without attacking others for having different ones (unless they attack you first, but hey, self-defense). "Terror" was one of the funniest stories I've ever read. I thought only high school could inspire such misguided obedience! I still can't believe you did that. Anyway, I'm of to check out more of your site. Just thought I'd tell you how glad we are you're back.
Misguided obedience turns up in the darnedest places. Just take one look at all the suits and ties in the neighborhood where I work and you'll agree. I mean, why don't these guys just all revolt against the dress code? Surely they couldn't fire everyone on Wall Street?
from Aimz Trujillo (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
8 Jul 97, 10:03 p.m.
Having had the misfortune of growing up behind the Zion curtain with a brain, a uterus and a less than "white and delightsome" skin, I find myself still happily identifying as "anti-mormon" when non-Utahns ask their inevitable question re my birthplace.
Unfortunately, sometimes that annoying dogma comes snapping after one's karma, so my far more Aryan niece has signed up with your old team, not out of religious seeking, but simply, it seems, for that "special, I'm a member" feeling. Quelle tragique!
Anyway, I now find myself cruising websites, looking for uplifting tales of people who've decided to come up for air and, thus, found your tales. First of all, your site's so gorgeous: such a lovely shade of mood indigo! My feelings are mirrored in that tint (read in your most goth poetic voice).
I'm a bit embarrassed to find myself understanding so much of your missionary bits. It must have been in the water. You do have quite an intriguing writing style. I'll have to come back some day and check out the non-Mo' fiction. Oh, but thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to revise Mo' history. I really think my version made a better foundation for a corpora, er . . . religion than Joe's 2nd or 3rd rewrite. (Please note that I send this missive off to you with with more than a few feathers ruffled at your choice of "send" command verbage -- it's never easy for a control-freak to "submit".)
Thank you again for a lovely surfing session, anyway! Keep away from that Faith! I'm sure you can be perfectly decent without it.
Oh, dear. I hope your niece comes to her senses. If she can't live without belonging to some larger entity, you might suggest something more healthy -- like a bowling league.
Thanks for writing, and drop me a line again some time. Any friend of Duke Ellington is a friend of mine.
from Karen Keil (k████@i█.██████.com)
10 Jul 97, 1:02 a.m.
Just read all of the latest letters in The Peanut Gallery. Someone remarking about the missing WISH LIST prompted your comment about people not really giving any MORE wishes except "I wish people would quit picking on us poor Mormons."
I got the impression that it was pointless to send any more wishes because we weren't going to see any more posted. Your site was pretty much stopped, finished.
I do have one more wish that I wished I had posted earlier:
I wish the Mormon Church would hurry up and put out the 'correctly translated' Bible that they keep talking about that they believe in.
Where is the Bible restored to its pristine and original condition, complete with all the missing books mentioned in the Book of Mormon, such as the books by Neum, Zenos and others?
And if it is not "translated correctly," then the Church should get its act together and employ its Prophet to translate the Greek and Hebrew words to the correct English words to show up the bumbling boobs that pass for "scholars" in the Christian/Jewish universities, who after thousands of years still can't seem to understand Greek and Hebrew to translate it properly.
Instead, here we have this King James Version with some of Joseph Smith's revisions as footnotes and as a section in the back. And no missing books are restored! And they call the coming of the Mormon Church the "Restoration?" Methinks there is no restoration until the Bible is complete with all the missing texts and books.
It is logical that a restoration means restoring the Bible to what it once was, not merely adding the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, of which most of their contents are admittedly never part of the original Bible but are something 'extra.'
I am still WAITING for that restored Bible! 167 years (since 1830) is more than long enough to get this Bible out! I don't know how Mormons can stand carrying around an incomplete and untrustworthy Bible, when there is a PROPHET in Salt Lake City who should complete the job Joseph Smith apparently never finished. I'm WAITING!
(end of wish)
Sorry, Bill, just had to get this off my chest. I simply cannot stand too much more of the 'correctly translated' stuff in the Mormon literature. It is probably just as well that I didn't post it on the Wish List at the time. It's lengthy enough as is.
Lengthy, but definitely worth saying.
from a reader who has since repented of emailing (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
10 Jul 97, 10:43 a.m.
Generally, when I visit your site, it is for a break from the rigors of the work day, while I'm still at work. Unfortunately, my computer at work doesn't have a sound card so I had never been able to listen to the Wenatchee Rap. Well, this morning, taking a day off work, I did some surfing from home where my system is slightly more advanced than my system at work, which means . . . yep, you guessed it . . . the artwork from Amsterdamsexx.com downloads tons faster . . . (talk about digressing). Anyway, after my appendages recovered (read whatever you want into that, but don't dirty your keyboard), I managed to make it to the Wenatchee Rap. Great piece of work. But I think you oughta think about a remake at your next missionary reunion. You'd be sure to be the biggest fuckin' hit there!
Viz a viz Road to Apostasy . . . now you're just teasing us. There I was, all poised for some great sex, and you couldn't even make at BYU in chapter 6. Pretty poor Bro'. Even I got laid at BYU. Well, I guess I'll just have to be patient until chapter 20. You promised, remember? Til' we meet again . . . watch out Amsterdam, here I come, again.
Oh, the lurid places you'll go in future installments . . . Hang in there!
from D█████████@a██.com
10 Jul 97, 11:14 p.m.
I stumbled upon your web-site rather late (end of May l997) via Eric Kettunen's "Recovery From Mormonism" web-site and have found it to be one of the most fascinating regarding religion and spiritual matters (or lack thereof). After devouring most of its contents over the next several weeks, I was dismayed to stumble upon your Web Adieu letter from earlier this year. Your return to the Web is most welcome.
Being a life-long (or as long as I can remember) agnostic, I have always had a perverse fascination with people who have or profess a deep religious faith, totally unable to comprehend the mindset behind it. To me, Mormons seem to be among the most devout and thus the most unfathomable. Your web-site has explained much of what accounts for this. The LDS church is unique in the way it intertwines religion with every facet of family and its society. Many of the letters in Recovery From Mormonism, in which ex-Mormons describe the anguish and isolation from family and friends following their decision to leave the LDS church, are especially poignant for precisely this reason.
If I may, I'd like to offer a few comments on your web-site. I find the discussions regarding correctness and lack of internal consistency regarding LDS doctrine and scriptural matters the least effective aspect. Refuting any religious doctrine with reason and logical thought is totally beside the point and is tantamount to building a straw man and then blowing him down -- it's just too easy. Fact is, ALL religions are primarily a mixture of mythology and folklore, taken literally by only the most fervent believers (I guess that does describe many Mormons, however). If organized religion has any lasting value it is as a source of imaginative literature, although it pales in comparison to classic Greek mythology.
Your autobiographical writings, however, make for compelling reading and are the strength of your web-site. I have learned far more about the LDS church from reading Terror on Flight 789 and The Road to Apostasy than from reading many other sources. I strongly urge you to continue working on The Road to Apostasy; your writing comes alive in the retelling of your Mormon upbringing and experiences.
One final piece of unsolicited (always the worst kind) advice. Over the year-and-a-half your site has been in existence, your e-mail responses have become progressivly harsher and less tolerant. The person described by your former missionary companion Michael Reed Gregersen in his Voices From the Dust letter of 7-2-96 and the persona coming through in many of your recent responses (excluding responses to hate mail and Postmarked: Clueless-type individuals -- entirely justified here) are different beasts. His letter was quite sincere and moving, obviously written by someone who still considers you a close friend, which is why I believe his description of you circa 1988 is quite accurate. This can also be seen by going back to your earlier responses in Voices From the Dust. For me, the earlier responses from a "kinder, gentler" William Perry Shunn are more telling and effective.
While you undoubtedly still have a residual of anger and bitterness for years of unhappiness as a Mormon, an inevitable sense of time lost that can never be recouped, the danger of succumbing to it is that it becomes difficult to prevent it from creeping into your writing. Your humor, wit, and gentle sarcasm in retelling very emotionally-charged and difficult material is one of your greatest attributes as a writer.
With that quibble aside, I'll sign off by saying that your web-site is a valuable contribution to the Web. In addition to providing many hours of enjoyable reading, the insight it provides into the LDS church and the forum it provides for discussion of religious matters by believers and non-believers are the sort of thing that, at times, makes surfing the Web a worthwhile adventure.
Best wishes to you in your career, your writing and your continued spiritual (or aspiritual) journey through life.
Those who have never endured lifelong brainwashing would probably have difficulty appreciating the importance of building straw men and blowing them down. It reminds us that those terrors really are imaginary. This is why children find dressing up like monsters at Halloween so much fun, and it is why I will continue to write "Mormon Mythology."
from an anonymous reader (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
11 Jul 97, 11:08 p.m.
I must say I was rivited to your story of growing up Mormon for a good hour or so. I can hardly wait till you write the further chapters.
I can only chuckle at the apostasy you mention. I think I am experiencing it myself, though in complete opposite manner than you. You see, I am Catholic and 33 years old. Went to Sunday Mass regularly until just a few years ago. It just seemed that one day something didn't seem quite right. You expressed the same feeling in your writings... something that you can't quite explain is missing in your life.
Catholics, as you may be aware, are big on confession and pennance, and the priest has the vested athority to absolve one of their sins. However, I didn't consider myself a sinner because I lost some of the belief in the church. In our local parish, the priest didn't take my feelings very well, which was all the more disturbing to how I felt.
Along about that time, the missionaries stopped by my house. Now I had been through Salt Lake City before, and felt in complete awe beside the Temple. I was not completely ignorant to Mormon doctrine, but as a Catholic, even a confused one, falling from the church was unthinkable. Anyway, I must have spent a good two hours of the gentlemans' time. I learned that there are a great many similiarities between the Catholocs and Mormons, perhaps more similiarity than any other two faiths. I could surmise a reason... Catholic doctrine teaches that when Peter built the church upon the rock, that was the Catholic church. Seems the Mormons join in where the Catholics went astray a few hundred years after Jesus' death.
Now understand I am *still* a Catholic, albait a non-practicing one. A pair of missionaries visited again a few days ago. Again I spent considerable time talking with them, though made no commitments or appointments for further meetings. However, I think I suprised them by knowing the Book of Mormon in considerable detail, along with the History of Joseph Smith and the Doctrine and Covenants. It was a very pleasant conversation, actually.
Where I have my problem is the "pray to God for the answer." I've never been an overly religious person, though I do like a bit of faith and something to believe in in my life. However, that answer never came. Nor did any such answer regarding my own Catholic church. I do find the Book of Mormon facinating, and frankly I cannot disprove it. Personal feelings seem to favor the fact that Jesus certainly visited places other than the areas neighboring Isreal after his assention.
I have not yet attended a Mormon service, though I'm beginning to feel tempted to do so. Hehehe... if nothing else, the people I have known that *are* church members are among the kindest folk I've ever met.
Seems strange writing this. You are telling your as-of-yet-incomplete story of why you left the church, and I'm trying to explain why I may explore the possibility of joining. (Of course I have a few vices that would have to go... I smoke, I drink caffinated drinks, and occasionally alcohol. Of course there is the matter of the 10% that would really take some discipline on my part.) Perhaps the biggest stumbling block I have on why I haven't moved faster is my views on marriage. I'm 33 as I said, and single. I *like* being single. Frankly, I have little feeling towards woman and sex in general. I'm not gay... there's just no feeling either way. I'm not unhappy with this fact, though I feel the church may have some problems with it.
What to do? I'm not sure. I haven't found anything yet to convince me the Mormon faith is a complete lie, just as I've found nothing to say Catholocism is. (Though I must admit I do have reservations of certain parts of the doctrine.)
Anyway, I thought you might like to read a note from someone who is considering the possibility of an unthinkable switch from the Catholic faith.
Take care... (please continue your story soon!)
Well, the most obvious schism between Catholics and Mormons is that Mormons believe the Catholic Church is the "great and abominable church" (1 Nephi 13:8) and the "mother of harlots" (1 Nephi 13:34). Now, the first thing I want you to do is to ask yourself if you can put your faith in a church that considers such hate-speech to be scriptural.
Next, I want you to do some hard, deep thinking about other aspects of Mormonism. Wouldn't you be doing yourself a bigger favor if you disciplined yourself to save and invest 10% of your income, rather than paying it out for the support of a bunch of gray old men who already run one of the richest churches in the world? Shouldn't you be actively investigating the question of whether or not the Book of Mormon can be proven to be false? (For starters, look here, and here, and here.) For balance, shouldn't you be reading books that discuss the other side of the Mormon experience -- books like The Mormon Murders by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, Secret Ceremonies by Deborah Laake and Shot in the Heart by Mikal Gilmore? Shouldn't you still be praying and trying to get an answer -- and recognizing what it means when one doesn't come?
Good luck, and my best to you.
from an anonymous reader (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
15 Jul 97, 5:47 a.m.
I just wanted to drop a quick line and let you know I saw my letter posted on your web page. Thank you. After you asked for permission I knew you would post it, yet I kept telling myself he will probably change his mind. I'm glad I was wrong, but man did I ever experience some strong emotion as I read through it. At first I was thrilled to see it then I started shaking so bad I thought Alma the younger and I were going to share a similar experience. I couldn't believe how scared I got. I was just sure someone from my wife's family or our local Ward would see it and know instantly who wrote it. After a couple hours though I felt the beginnings of liberation and realized it would be a blessing if someone did. One of the things I did not mention in my previous letter is the fact my wife does not want anyone to know how I feel about Mormonism. She wants me to keep it a secret. I should mention the Bishop knows so most probably his counselors do also. Other than those three, the rest of the flock still think I am a believer. Boy am I being naive. I am sure more than those three know, however I guess it gives my wife a warm fuzzy believing they are the only ones with knowledge of this dreaded secret. Anyway I have never wanted to feel like a hypocrite and yet that's exactly how I feel. My wife says its nobodies' business. She does not want to be embarrassed. I have tried to explain to her that I am not ashamed of what I believe. Unfortunately it does not matter whether I am ashamed or not I should respect her enough to keep my mouth shut. She is embarrassed!
I started this letter on June 30th, here it is July 14th and I still have not sent it. I just read the e-mail from the person with less than "White and delightsome skin" and wondered how many Mormon girls were at that exact moment trying to turn their skin a deep dark brown. I'd hazard a guess that when she was growing up there were many Mormon girls trying to do the same thing. What a pity she was made to feel less than acceptable to the good White Mormons. I can't speak for Utah Mormons but mid-western Mormon girls do lay out to turn that white meat into dark meat. Even 20 years ago when I was in High School I knew a couple Mormon girls, at the time I knew nothing about their beliefs, they always had beautiful tans in the summer. Well this was supposed to be a short note so I'll say adios. All the best to you Bill and may all your mistakes be little ones.
p.s. Hope you don't mind me considering you a friend since we've never met. But Webster says a friend is someone who - supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.
You were brave to let me post your letter, and I hope you find the consequences all beneficial. (And no need to soft-pedal your considering me a friend. I'm honored.)
from Rory Richardson (R█████████@a██.com)
16 Jul 97, 1:06 a.m.
My name is Rory Richardson and I live in Mesa, Arizona. Up front I will let you know that I'm very active in the LDS church and also served a mission almost 19 years ago. I read your piece on "Terror on Flight 789." I was very entertained and enjoyed it very much. That's an experiece that should be shared with others. I was almost brought to tears many times from laughter. Those of us who have served missions have certainly had both good and challenging experiences as missionaries. I would never change my mission for anything because of what I learned out there.
Anyway, I'm always saddened when one chooses to leave the church for whatever reason. We all have our free agency to do as we please and I certainly respect you for that. I'm sure that it wasn't an easy choice for you and I hope you do find peace and happiness in your life. I may be wrong, but I feel that you have alot of resentment towards your father and deep down inside, that may have been a contributing factor in leaving the church.
I hope your novels get published because I think you're a terrific writer. I would be' very interested in reading yours books. I'll keep your name in the back of my mind each time I buy a book. Who knows, maybe your name will some day be right up there with Stephen King and John Grisham. Again, good luck to you.
Much of the resentment I feel toward my father stems from the fact that he made me feel as though he would only like me were I a fine upstanding young exemplar of Mormon manhood. That more than anything else may actually have kept me in the Church for many years past the time when I should have left, and only made apostatizing harder in the end.
from D█████████@a██.com
16 Jul 97, 10:31 a.m.
One of the most informative and useful pieces of information I found on the LDS church was on Eric Kettunen's "Recovery From Mormonism" web-site. He wrote an article called "The Fundamental Beliefs of Mormonism" in which he listed and discussed what he felt were (in his own words) the fourteen fundamental articles or beliefs of Mormons, paralleling the concept of the 14 articles of faith that Mormon missionaries are instructed to teach. Frankly, I was amazed at how far it deviated from traditional Western Judao-Christian thought and how truly bizarre it is.
Because the actual teachings and doctrines of the Mormon church (aside from the social and sexual taboos) are virtually unknown to non-LDS individuals, it was refreshing to have someone outside the mainstream LDS church who is knowledgable and literate regarding Mormon doctrine describe the fundamental tenets that are the core of and are unique to Mormonism. As an ex-Mormon, Eric's article was light years better than any of the sanitized writings I have seen on LDS web-sites.
Since you are obviously quite informed and fluid in the specific teachings of the LDS church, I think it would be quite useful if you would do something similar on your web-site. Please write an article or list of what you feel are the fundamental points of Mormon doctrine from your unique perspective with whatever commentary you feel is appropriate. I beleive this will be quite interesting to many of the visitors to your web-site and may give some people investigating or considering joining the LDS church pause to reconsider. Thanks.
Since Eric has done such a marvelous job with his fourteen Articles of Faith -- and by the way, Joseph Smith's Articles of Faith numbered only thirteen -- I don't feel any compelling need to duplicate his effort or to compete with him and produce my own list. I have, however, inaugurated my "Mormon Mythology" series for the purpose of discussing the Mormon beliefs that strike me as the most bizarre, self-contradictory, and perilous. Watch for the second installment to show up soon.
(Of course, if you want a list from me badly enough, you could always commission it.)
from Snacky Janks (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
16 Jul 97, 2:21 p.m.
I've been pissed at the dysfunction of my Mormon upbringing for a long time now. Even tho I left the church over twenty years ago, I still can't get parents and sibilings to accept the fact. Their "sorrow" for my loss keeps me from associating with them. I recently declared to those of them who would listen, that I was unable to tolerate their obsession with Mormonism. I am amazed at the blindness of its followers, and completely disgusted with the leaders of the church. They are worse than politians as they not only "steal" the money of its members, they thrive on the collection of their souls! SICK! I try not to bash much these days, and I refuse any discussion with missionaries or members as they are as narrow and closed minded as any red-neck bigot I've ever met.
It's a comfort to realize (through your site) that there are others out there equally intolerant of this insidious cult. Keep up the good work!
P.S. I have my own church now - "The Church of the Born Again Comedians" We swim (and baptize) in the pool on sundays, and our sacrament is cigarettes and cheese.
I absolutely sympathize with you, but to be fair, not all Mormons are narrow and closed-minded. Just see my new pal Bongo's letter for proof.
from an anonymous reader (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
17 Jul 97, 9:29 p.m.
So. Like your site. REALLY like the redesign (I've been keeping up on you, unannounced, for almost two years now), but I'll get to that later.
Comments. Feedback, right? That's what I'm supposed to do, so I'll do it for a while.
The "great sacrifice" piece. Great. HIL-arious. loved it. Don't necessarily agree with it, but that, I'm afraid, is again reserved for later.
The MorMADLIB thing is cool too. I'm afraid my outcome didn't make much sense, but neither does the original [official] version, if you boil it down.
Okay. I've fed back, something which reminds me uncomfortably of regurgitation, so I'll move on.
I like you. I think you're NEAT-O. I'm on the "other" left of Temple Square, meaning that I'm an almost-100%-believing-in-the-whole-JS/BY-story kinda guy who despises (too strong) the institution of The Church. I don't like The Church. I like GBH okay, but The Church isn't any good. Uninstitutional chaos would be good for the faith (to which I adhere). I'm a reformed mormon, of sorts. Temples? Cool. Sacrament? Cool. Burning in the Bosom? Cool, but not on a first date.
My attitudes run the gamut from "lets all preach the gospel" super-active home-teaching to "I much prefer the road to apostasy to the strait and narrow, thank you" bong hits and whiskey (single malt scotch, if you please). Right now, I'm in an upswing. MAYBE I'll even make it to church again someday. The whiskey is fading out (faster than the bong hits, though) and the scriptures are becoming less and less blurry. I may even dust them off one of these days.
No point. Just wanted to let you know that I think your site is really groovy, lets go out to a movie . . . Seen contact? It's good. Seen Hercules? It reminded me too much of Saturday's Warrior. Seen Saturdays Warrior? Really shitty production, but the music! The magic! The message! OY VEY!
I was going to ask you if I could steal your site design for one of my pages, but have since thought the better of it. I am a child of god, with infinite potential. I should be able to code some creative html on my own.
Nuff said.
Interesting. I've always found the message of Saturday's Warrior -- that teen rebellion makes moms have miscarriages and keeps precious spirits from getting bodies -- fairly repulsive, not to mention doctrinally unsound (from a Mormon standpoint). But yeah, it does have some good tunes.
I don't worship at the shrine of the bong, but if you're ever in the Apple I'd be happy to raise a pint of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout to your glass of whisky. Anything I can do to keep you on the road to apostasy . . .
from an anonymous reader (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
18 Jul 97, 12:50 a.m.
As I wander your site, I somedays I findmyself thinking "What a waste of talent and a loss for the church". In my fantasies I imagine the great sucesses you could achieve in the name of God with your talent and wit.
Other times, I visit your site and see myself as I once was (and in many ways still am). I just finished "Chairman of the Board", and as I read it, I was reminded of a story I wrote on my mission that so alarmed my second compaion (who stumbled upon my writting at 3am one morning) that he called the mission president, who later convinced me to burn the manuscript. An action that I now regret.
Not that I question the wisdom of the action, I find myself missing that work as a part of me. Unfortunatly, I have been unable to rewrite it with same dark passion the initail work had. Of such things are paridises lost.
My point, I supose, is to keep up the good work, find the peace and happiness you seek, but most importantly, ingore us self-rightous fools who where the holier than thou crown.
Oh, man, for a minute there I thought you were going to start riffing on that old eternal-progression theme: "As Bill is, Anonymous Reader once was; as Anonymous Reader is, so Bill may become . . ." Thank God you didn't.
That's a real tragedy about your burned manuscript. A lot of writers wish they could see their teenage scribblings go up in smoke, but but not me. I find them a fascinating guide to what was going on in my head back in those days. May you quickly recover that lost dark passion.
from an anonymous reader (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
21 Jul 97, 12:24 a.m.
Great to see you're back! Thanks for the latest installment of the "Road to Apostasy"- I've been suffering withdrawal symptoms for several months now. Keep up the great work and WELCOME BACK! BTW, nice new look to the site, too.
Glad I could get you your fix. And stay tuned -- I'm cooking up another hit for you soon.
from s███████████@g████████.com
23 Jul 97, 3:12 p.m.
Welcome back!
Here is my humble apraisal of your new joint. I like the minimalist approach to the graphics, and the colors are pleasing, and I'm glad to see your latest addition to the R. to A. I'll be hanging on every word I'll tell ya.
I must also say that I prefer the non-frames version -- it's easier to read long documents if the window is a little bigger. (But then I like frames as much as I like blinking text...just my little irrational prejudice.) Keep up the good work!
from a reader who has since repented of emailing (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
29 Jul 97, 6:49 p.m.
Ok, vacation time is over. You need to get your butt in gear and update some of your stuff for us loyal followers who keep your website going by needling you into ignoring you mammon-making endeavors. So, I got a topic for you to follow the Great Sacrifice article. Namely, let's answer the question why, if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, then why do WE have to put forth all the effort to have a relationship with him. Christ, if I did what He did, I'd have my kids taken away by Child Protective Services. I'd wonder if I'd ever had sex! Think about it. He makes us a "New World" that is like some He's made before, but we've never been there. But does He take us to this New World? No, He sends us there, but tells us to hurry home. But to make things more interesting, He makes us forget everything about our Old World, as well as our Old Man. If that isn't enough, if we want a relationship with Him, it HAS to be on HIS terms. We have to go to HIM. We have to ASK. We have to SEEK. What did He say, "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you." Hey, DAD, how about you comin' around occassionally to visit?!? Seems like someone with so much power, knowledge, and wisdom could put a little effort into establishing a healthy relationship with His kids. And for all you offended Saints, let me tell you, after 42 years of living with the Church, as an active, inactive, disfellowshipped, excommunicated, rebaptized, probationer, etc. Mormon, I've never been able to come up with a good answer to the question, "Why do I have to have faith?" And all your pat answers about, "Well, if you're given the knowledge, you won't appreciate it as much" or "Because if you know before you're ready, it'll condemn you" or any other such tripe is just that, tripe. The fact is, people act on knowledge, and by God, if I had a Father in Heaven who was a little more free with His resources, I think I might be a bit more willing to use those resources. But, like you Bill, I got no use for a Dad who shows the type of favoritism that Elohim shows. What, did my (earthly) dad not pray for me hard enough, or did I not beat up on my little brother enough, or did I not (yet) develop enough vices to warrant a visit by Moroni, or Gabriel, or Michael, or the like?
There you go. The start of a really, really great article for you.
And are we going to lose these frames pretty soon?
Sounds like the start of a really great article from you, Mark. Now don't disappoint me. I sent you out into the world with no memory and no clothes for a reason. (Heh heh.)
Oh, and hey -- how do you like the new frameless digs?
from a reader who has since repented of emailing (/dust/1997/07/voices-from-the-dust-july-1997.html)
29 Jul 97, 6:51 p.m.
Oh, and lest I forget, still love your site, 'specially all the love notes from equally lost souls.
Thanks! (Lost souls are the only kind there are, you know. Shh. Don't tell the Mormons.)
