Comments on: The Parable of the Peccary

By: ujlapana

ujlapana — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:18:56 +0000

But what to do if the peccary has already married a beaver? Therein lies the challenge for many peccaries.

By: CS Eric

CS Eric — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:56:46 +0000

So, Part II has the robots?

By: Ann

Ann — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:06:14 +0000

I sense in this story great respect for the beavers, and envy for the javelina.

I also loved the story, Steven.

By: Randall

Randall — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:28:00 +0000

For some time now, my wife and I have been discussing how and when to discuss with our children “Why does daddy talk and act different than mommy as it relates to the church?” Our kids are familiar with the story of the Ugly Duckling, but it definitely has overtones that we don’t care for (i.e. the duckling was scorned by the other farm animals but then ends up being the most desirable).

Your parable definitely provides a similar narrative that would be more even-handed. No, I don’t think daddy peccary will be completely abandoning the dam, but he sure can get his nose out of joint with the beavers he meets at church.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:03:08 +0000

I enjoyed your story. I usually feel like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole (or a round peg trying to fit into a square one) and now find that I am trying to help my children who are also not quite the “right shape” to tap off an edge here and round off a corner there and fit into that pegboard of school and society. It’s often a halfhearted effort on my part, so hopefully they come out of it finding their own community of peccaries somewhere.

And since I just said that, I have to say: why peccary? Is the term javelina only used in a small area of the Southwest? To say “peccary” sounds to my ear like saying “Rudbeckia” instead of “black-eyed susan” or “Quercus” instead of “oak.” (Both of which I’ve been known to do, by the way.) Can someone please comment on this question that’s keeping my mind off of that bark I need to gnaw and that dam I need to build?

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:57:46 +0000

Besides looking up, any suggestions for finding the hawk? Oddly enough, I find myself having great sympathy with the peccary. Yet despite my exertions to find guidance, the forest is extremely silent.

By: J. Nelson-Seawright

J. Nelson-Seawright — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:47:32 +0000

I agree that Mormons haven’t made enough use of the idea of robots. How much better would virtually any Sacrament Meeting be with robots in?

By: Jami

Jami — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:35:27 +0000

I’ve been pondering the difference between a warthog and a peccary. Isn’t it amazing the diversity of thought a parable inspires?

By: StillConfused

StillConfused — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:23:24 +0000

I thought it was interesting that the peccary remained alone in his happy place. I expected the story to have him meet other peccaries. So I take from this that it can be better to be alone but at peace than to be in a group but living by others’ standards.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:47:23 +0000

In spite of its universal themes, perhaps this should be called The Parable of the Peckary. ;-D