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The 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) will be held November 18-21, 2017 in Boston, MA. While the Mormon Transhumanist Association will not be officially participating in the event, it is noteworthy that the meeting will have sessions related to transhumanism and human enhancement. We encourage all to consider attending.

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Sometimes, being a Mormon is hard.

I don't mean that the expectations, assignments, duties, activities, and lifestyle is hard. They certainly are, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about identifying as a Mormon. Actually being Mormon.

Join us for a special MTA Meetup in SLC on Friday, November 3rd!

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Who: Everyone!

What: Discussion on The New God Argument and Diversity Representations, led by Lincoln Cannon and Blaire Ostler. In preparation, you can learn more about The New God Argument here, and Mormon Transhumanism here.

Where: SEGO 3 FINE ART GALLERY, 661 S 200 E, SLC, UT 84111

(We will still hold the usual 2nd-Sunday Utah Valley Meetup in Provo.)

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The Mormon Transhumanist Association is eager to announce the appointment of Shane Pittson to the position of Chief Media Officer. He was unanimously approved by the board of directors under the direction of Christopher Bradford, President of the Association.

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My ward snagged the last Sunday before my move to Switzerland to ask me to speak. Given the proximity to LDS General Conference, they assigned me the topic "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice." Here is an excerpt from my talk, given on September 24, 2017.

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In 2016, social media was in an uproar. The Mormon Newsroom, the official organization responsible for releasing news about the LDS Church, had just released an article praising the LDS Church's approach to victims of sexual assault. Originally written in 2010 by (now) Elder Von G. Keetch, the article claimed that the Church was the "Gold Standard" in handling sexual abuse. And victims were furious. The Church quickly removed the article, announcing that it's release had been accidental, and later released an updated version (though much of the original text can be here).

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I started this piece, and wrote this sentence, at 3:44 a.m.

Also, I wrote this article the day it was due and went back and forth between what to write, period, for four hours.

Frankly, I didn’t want to be fake. That’s because I have been rather certain for more than a year now that my involvement with the LDS church has concluded. I am, however, grateful for my involvement in the Mormon Transhumanist Association. That includes contributing to the Transfigurist – hence, this post.

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For years, the spectre of technological unemployment has been exploited as the sociological apocalypse that will require all kinds of new economic interventions like a universal basic income and universal healthcare. (More on those proposed solutions in the future.) This spectre, however, is harmless. It’s a tiny kernel of truth wrapped in a triple-ply fib of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

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Recently, while reading the Sunday edition of the Salt Lake Tribune, I spotted an article about a medical malpractice suit against a local OB/GYN physician I’ve come to respect as a mentor. My first opportunity as a physician to act on my passion for transgender medicine came through the mentorship of this physician, who works in the community near my residency hospital. She routinely went out of her way to teach me and my fellow residents about obstetrics, gynecology and the art of transgender medicine without any monetary incentive. She has always modeled incredible sensitivity, expertise and fearless advocacy for her transgender patients. I thought the journalist did a decent job presenting both sides of the story, as far as possible; however, due to HIPPA (a law that protects patient health information from being disclosed) I know there is more to the story that she and her attorney are unable to share in her defense.

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In an early blog post to the Transfigurist, I wrote some thoughts on the relationship to faith, creation, and programming: