Mormon Transhumanist Association Community

Re: [mta] Re: NYT: Depression Defies Rush to Find Evolutionary Upside

noah.henin...@gmail.com (Noah Heninger)

I once argued here that the first transhumanists were priests who ingested
hallucinogenic drugs to bring on mystical experiences. I assume nobody
responded because they knew I was totally right and so had nothing more to
add. Think about someone with bipolar disorder. He would have had mystical
experiences *without *the hallucinogenic drugs. I can easily see how

Re: [mta] Re: What is spiritual REDNESS?

mikegash...@gmail.com (Michael Gashler)

Really? I need some convincing on this point. Got any examples?

Re: [mta] Regain financial sustainability

c...@youngbloods.org (Carl Youngblood)

On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 8:55 PM, Christian Schumann-Curtis
This might provide some inspiration:
[link]
Do you have the qualifications to become a city planner or something?
Would that interest you at all?

Regain financial sustainability

cucu...@gmail.com (Cucui)

I'm hoping to elicit some support and/or feedback from the MTA
community in my ongoing quest to regain financial sustainability.
I've been operating as an independent GIS consultant for some years
now, however this has not been financially viable for some time.

Ultimately I'm looking for something that could be called "Technical

Re: Leaving the LDS Cult of False Expectations

noah.henin...@gmail.com (Noah Heninger)

The problem the Church is facing now is that people who were born and
raised in the Church are leaving:
[link]
There is a myth that people leave the Church because of sin, because
someone offended them, or because they couldn't make friends. Actually, the

Re: [mta] Re: Leaving the LDS Cult of False Expectations

linc...@metacannon.net (Lincoln Cannon)

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that, Bryant.

Leaving the LDS Cult of False Expectations

buraia...@gmail.com (buraianto)

I just read this blog post, and it resonated so much with me that I
have to share it.

[link]

I've read or watched a number of LDS Church exit stories recently, and
it's dismaying how many bright, capable people have chosen to leave.

Re: Conference Papers Due in Two Days

linc...@metacannon.net (Lincoln Cannon)

Remember that papers for the MTA conference are due today. Thanks to all
who are contributing!

Re: [mta] Conference Papers Due in Two Days

linc...@metacannon.net (Lincoln Cannon)

Thanks, Giulio. I look forward to your submission.
To clarify generally, we're asking for the 1200 word papers to be submitted
tomorrow. Those selected for presentation will go through some editing
before we publish them together after the conference, so don't worry about
perfection at this point.

Re: [mta] Sky Cake!

jlcarr...@gmail.com (James Carroll)

Welcome to the discussion Tatiana!
Excellent thoughts.
James

Conference Papers Due in Two Days

linc...@metacannon.net (Lincoln Cannon)

Hi all. This is a reminder that paper proposals for the MTA conference are
due on 31 January, two days from now. Here again is the link to the
conference announcement and call for papers:
[link]

NYT: A New Generation Redefines Mormon Cuisine

chec...@panix.com (Frank Forman)

Also for your general interest. I am not much interested in food myself,
though.
Click the URL to get a recipe.
A New Generation Redefines Mormon Cuisine
[link]
Not Just for Sundays After Church
By JULIA MOSKIN
JUSTIN SOELBERG, the chef at Communal restaurant in Provo, Utah, has

NYT Daily Book Review of Matthew Bowman: The Mormon People

chec...@panix.com (Frank Forman)

For your interest, but the author does not know that the Mormons do not
regard themselves as Protestants, however much they may seem to be in the
eyes of sociologists of religion. But so are Unitarians!
Daily Book Review of Matthew Bowman: The Mormon People
[link]

Re: Sky Cake!

thetati...@gmail.com (Tatiana)

I have a couple of things to say on this thread: By the way, I'm
Tatiana. I'm posting here for the first time so forgive my gaffes,
please, and my vague understanding of people's positions and things
while I'm reading back.

I don't see the religious narratives as being foolish. I see them as

Re: [mta] Re: [MTA] Pleasure vs. Pain, attachments, and giving up all you fear to lose.

jdla...@gmail.com (JDLAW Booker)

Thanks for the link. That was a good talk on vulnerability. I repeat,
JDLaw said,
"We can build maze solving robots with no central processing (only sensors
and motors). Alas, they never know the joys of their struggle to complete
the maze."
Last night my youngest had an assignment to write about what it was like

Re: [MTA] Pleasure vs. Pain, attachments, and giving up all you fear to lose.

noah.henin...@gmail.com (Noah Heninger)

I do not believe pleasure is possible without pain. You have to remember
that the mechanism that creates pleasure in our beings is the same one that
creates pain. Pleasure did not, and could not, evolve without pain.
Opposition in all things, yo. The "telestial" phase is a necessary evil,
without which evolution (and human agency) wouldn't have been possible. Our

Re: NYT: Depression Defies Rush to Find Evolutionary Upside

noah.henin...@gmail.com (Noah Heninger)

Wow, this article is ignorant as all hell.

When I was younger I was on an anti-depressant (not for depression,
ironically). I took it for a number of years and hadn't realized it was
causing pretty significant mood instability. I was eventually diagnosed
with Bipolar II disorder. I can't explain why I didn't make the connection,