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Sodomy outside of hetero marriage will NEVER be acceptable to the LDS Church, and even sodomy within hetero marriage is “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

So you’re saying that anal sex isn’t necessarily a sin or vice if it’s man and wife? What if it’s the wife pegging her husband with a strap-on?

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On the other hand, I personally don’t think all the emotions of homosexuality can as easily be chalked up to vice, even from a Mormon perspective. That’s a big part of the reason why this issue is so complex. No doubt there is some virtue in many of the emotions, although if/when they lead to same-gender sodomy, then obviously (from a Mormon POV) these emotions are not virtuous.

Sodomy outside of hetero marriage will NEVER be acceptable to the LDS Church, and even sodomy within hetero marriage is “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

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I think there is a kernel of truth here. Many gay males are more verbal about their emotions than straight guys, and you sometimes see “nesting” instincts that straight guys don’t have.

It’s very possible. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking that if I were to portray a straight male character analyzing his relationship like this, I know for a fact the straight male readers would complain “guys aren’t like that!!” (I contend that a few straight guys are like that, but they’re in the minority.) OTOH, if a gay guy portrays a gay character who loves to analyze relationships, who’s going to contradict him?

Actually, one really interesting point was when the (gay) main character was analyzing the problems in his straight friends’ relationship. The scene where his straight male friend was asking him for relationship advice struck me as pretty realistic. (Of course I’m not a guy of either persuasion…)

Who would you guess is the audience for Ockham’s Razor?

I don’t know who the intended audience is, but I think it would appeal to people who are interested in stories that center around interpersonal relationships. So to make a broad (stereotypical) generalization, that would be mostly gay men and straight women.

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LOL! Homosexuality was once known as the love that dared not speak its name. It’s actually more the “love that can’t shut up.”

I think there is a kernel of truth here. Many gay males are more verbal about their emotions than straight guys, and you sometimes see “nesting” instincts that straight guys don’t have.

I think this is related to the appeal of yaoi comics in Japan. The yaoi genre is based on romance between young men and is intended for a straight female readership. I believe that the reason it is popular is because the male characters are shown as sensitive and romantic and this appeals to women who have macho-fatigue. In yaoi, the guys *love* to talk about their feelings for each other.

Who would you guess is the audience for Ockham’s Razor?

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Beyond that, it’s a little difficult for me to judge. Both works (“No Going Back” and “Ockham’s Razor”) center the story around the introspection that goes on in the main characters’ minds. I was impressed by the feeling in Williams’s scenes when Micah and Brendan were together, such as the scene where Micah is watching Brendan dance ballet. Other scenes were a little clunky (especially some of the dialogs about drug addiction).

Both books were focused around examining ambiguous situations, but I think Williams did a better job of just portraying the ambiguity and letting it be. (His treatment of racism was particularly interesting, as Brendan is a “brown boy”). Langford’s is far more explicitly didactic (offering instruction to faithful Mormons on how not to be cruel to gay Mormons), especially the character of Paul’s mother (“Here’s how to love me and help me feel comfortable with who I am without encouraging my homosexuality, Mom!”).

I’m not sure if that answers your question…

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