Faith Pennington on Radiolab podcast

[turquoise]

11 minutes ago, Koala said:

Lisa had it locked down.  No documentation, no access to the outside world= you will do exactly what Lisa says.  It's practically criminal!  In fact, it feels like a form of unlawful restraint to me.  

Yes, exactly. Alecia and her siblings effectively could not choose to go anywhere else on their own. I hate to think how much harder it would have been if her grandparents hadn't been able to help her.

My kids are in this age range---one out on their own sharing an apartment with a friend, one still at home and going to school. They are happy to be making their own choices in life and I am proud of them. I  can't imagine treating them the way Lisa has treated her kids

[MamaJunebug]

I have always liked Radiolab for its production quality in bringing a story to life -- now I love it. 

Telling that James had no further comment after his "draconian" soundbite.  

[lilwriter85]

I just finished listening to the podcast. Kudos to Faith for doing this. I hope she does more podcasts and/or TV interviews like with more national prorgrams than Texas based media.

[picklepizzas]

re: lisa's rundown of the graduates - did the older three all leave home after faith "ran away"? and the sister who's engaged/"seeing" a boy - was this also a development post faithgate?  it seems incredible to think they lost control that quickly - four kids moved out, started working, started DATING in one year? after previously living in a compound about as secure as fort knox? i wonder how the older three broke away, and if it caused much more of a ruckus in private than lisa is letting on. 

[Howl]

One of the older sisters (the one who is engaged) went to the Dallas area to nanny for Lisa's sister, but I can't remember if that was before or after Faith's escape. Another older sister out on her own is frankly pretty mind blowing.  It also means all the older girls have escaped a life of household drudgery in the Pennington Pen. I think there's still a sister younger than Faith.   

I didn't think the oldest son has moved away from home.  Did anyone have a sense that he's living independently?  Although he's graduated from Oakbrook, he never went away to college, unless it was online.  I suspect he's helping Dad with his legal business and Mom with her Young Living essential oils. 

[Marian the Librarian]

I think Lisa's gift for hyperbole rivals Geoff Botkin's. Everything she says about the Pennington Pinterest Prison's* isolationist, infantilizing, hyper-controlled SOTDRT's wondrously successful outcomes should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

*Mad props to Peas n Carrots for the phrase! :-)

 

[feministxtian]

Is there a transcript available? 

[Howl]

15 hours ago, Marian the Librarian said:

I think Lisa's gift for hyperbole rivals Geoff Botkin's. Everything she says about the Pennington Pinterest Prison's* isolationist, infantilizing, hyper-controlled SOTDRT's wondrously successful outcomes should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

*Mad props to Peas n Carrots for the phrase! :-)

Heh, I had to look up SOTDRT and refresh myself.   Still mind blowing that Faith knew she HAD to get out of there, and what she had to go through to escape, which was (I think) make a WiFi phone call through her tablet to contact her grandfather, after finally finding out her grandparents phone number.  Then she had to hold firm with BOTH of her parents in the car.   Major courage. 

As with many of these fundy things, I peek in, grok the extent of the crazy to some degree, and then forget how crazy it really is.   On one of the earlier Pennington threads, someone was referenced who knew Lisa; this person was noted as saying that you just can't understand how awful Lisa is in terms of absolute control. Even with the oldest kids (in their 20s!), she was (is?) still pre-screening movies and books..  This is one of those things that's very telling.  When you want your kids to go out in the world and be successful, you teach them discernment and skills and how to be strong.  In the fundy world, for example, you'd be teaching older kids how to discern for themselves which movies and books were "wholesome".  They'd be screening books and movies for their younger sibs, for example.  Lisa was teaching total dependency and not independence. 

Not surprising that Faith felt lost coming face to face with the regular world. 

I still want to read one of Grace's YA sci fi books.  They're released on Kindle, which is a good move, considering her intended audience.  

ETA: One of the biggest "tells" for the super controlling families is not allowing or encouraging kids to have friends, making it hard for the kids to develop social skills; home then becomes the only place they are comfortable. 

[Koala]

This is an interesting article about the Penningtons.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2015/02/the-pennington-point-on-adult-kids-living-at-home.html

[CyborgKin]

8 hours ago, Howl said:

ETA: One of the biggest "tells" for the super controlling families is not allowing or encouraging kids to have friends, making it hard for the kids to develop social skills; home then becomes the only place they are comfortable. 

As I was homeschooled through my teen years, and the few close friends I made in that time later moved interstate, and I have a tendancy to introversion, I've ended up lacking social confidence (I'm okay once conversation starts but I'm no good at approaching people to start a conversation) which has left me feeling far more comfortable at home than anywhere else.

[katilac]

The "About Lisa" kills me: One girl, an accountant husband, 9 kids (and so on)

 It is way past time to quit referring to yourself as a girl! I guess that might tie in with the 'nothing can change' thing she has going on? 

[divadivine]

It made me sad when Faith's aunt talked about Faith's first night out of the Pennington Prison. The 18 year old wasn't sure what she could watch on TV because no one was there to tell her what was appropriate. That's sad. Give yourself a big pat on the back there Lisa, you managed to totally f-up your child to the point she couldn't decide what TV shows were appropriate. 

I'm glad Faith had people to support her on the outside. I hope they've been able to get her some counseling to deal with her depression issues and just deprogramming as she assimilates to life outside the Pennington Prison. 

[JMarie]

I saw this on another site and immediately thought of the Penningtons.  The dad has no clue as to the frustration he's causing for his baby when the son wants to, say, get a driver's license or attend college or join the military or a thousand other things.  He Is Not State Property!!!!1!!1!!!!1!!!!

 

http://funnyjunk.com/Theblackwomanisgod/funny-pictures/6016024/

[Imrlgoddess]

While I followed this young lady's story from the beginning...hearing it in her own words, her real voice makes it so much more real.  For years I though the only ones who were "cut off" were the FLDS or even the Amish/Mennonite...knowing it is/was a modern(esque) family in the middle of Texas....that scared the crap out of me.  

[Grimalkin]

 

 

        I was struck by how isolated they were. Lisa seems to have an active social life and her blog had some popularity for her design posts. She clearly has a piece of life outside her fundiism.

       I wonder how much of the kid's accomplishments are smoke and mirrors. How much of the illusion is for the kids than for outsiders. Son graduated from law school. Is it an accredited legitimate school? Would he be employable outside his father's law firm? (I honestly don't know maybe he would be) how much of his oil sales is about his mom than him?  The daughter has five self published books greatly reviews by friends and family. Writing one book is an accomplishment I don't want to diminish, I just wonder how the daughter sees this. Being so secluded and knowing so little of the outside world does she understand her family and friends have a huge part to play in its success an if she were to really persue a career in writing she would have a lot to learn and talent is only part of a person's success? How realistic are these kid's views of themselves? How much of this is an illusion the parents purposely put on them to control them further.

       They were so incredibly arrogant on Faith's FB page. I imagine some of it was defensiveness, and they were suddenly caught up in this. I just wonder how they view themselves compared to others.

[FunFunFundie]

Does anybody know - in the RadioLab podcast, it said that one piece of evidence that Faith needed was an affidavit from her mother basically saying that she had, indeed, been born.  They just said, "so we got that, and..." How did Lisa reply to that?  Did she just do it and go along with it?

[alexandracabot]

23 minutes ago, FunFunFundie said:

Does anybody know - in the RadioLab podcast, it said that one piece of evidence that Faith needed was an affidavit from her mother basically saying that she had, indeed, been born.  They just said, "so we got that, and..." How did Lisa reply to that?  Did she just do it and go along with it?

I believe it was her grandmother, who was present at the birth, that signed the affidavit. I am not positive, though.

[Miranda]

24 minutes ago, alexandracabot said:

I believe it was her grandmother, who was present at the birth, that signed the affidavit. I am not positive, though.

That's how I understood it as well. If I recall correctly, her parents were unwilling to provide any help without any strings attached, and only did so when forced to by law.

[Koala]

That's the way I remember it as well.  The price for her parents admitting that she had been born, was Faith coming home, "cooperating" with them, and then leaving again once she had their blessing.  

Translation? 

Come home, accept discipline (see: Lisa's post on disciplining adult children), clean Lisa's house, raise Lisa's children, pose for photos that make it clear that she is Lisa's servant, never leave.  

Of course (as someone mentioned), the law fell on Faith's side.  Lisa and James got their asses in gear once the penalty was 1 year in jail and $4,000 in fines if THEY didn't cooperate.

[PopRox]

I just listened to the podcast today, and Faith's talking about how lost she felt just broke my heart. I am so, so happy for her breaking away and starting HER life on her own terms.

I'm pissed as hell at Lisa and Whatshisface for ever putting their children in that situation to begin with. 

[Howl]

As noted above, Lisa's recent blog post about homeschooling had this to say about Faith:

Quote

 -Our fourth child is the one who has been a struggle for us.  She ran away from home and it broke my mom-heart.  There is still much pain and loss involved and it’s a story yet unfinished.  But I can tell you that there is still joy.  If my joy was wrapped up in my kids then I would be lost…..instead it is wrapped up in Christ and His love, mercy and grace.  Even through the pain I am filled with happiness and victory.

I was thinking about my ex's family.  Kid #2 was the designated scapegoat, who ran away from home and was living on the streets at 16.  She was artistic and creative and a good target for her dad's anger.  Her mom in her last years was still saying some variation of, "If only she'd been a good girl."

I can say that, based on the words above, Faith is the designated scapegoat for the Penningtons and especially for Lisa.   Lisa can't say she's a fanatical controller who is incapable of forgiving someone who made in independent decision and thereby escaped Lisa's control. Instead,  Faith's "been a struggle".   There's something about that post that's just so incredibly mean, and assuming that Faith checks in her mom's blog, a reminder of what a horrible daughter Faith is and how wonderful the other kids are.    

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Hooray for child #3 (Hope) also leaving home! I wasn't aware. Looks like (from Instagram) she has an apartment and a job. Wtg!

Faith always seems mature when talking about her mother. She never bashes her. Meanwhile, Lisa has to act like an ass every time she mentions Faith.

[Marian the Librarian]

It was definitely Faith's grandmother who provided the sworn "I was in the room when Faith was born" affidavit - somewhere in one of FJ's Pennington threads there's a link to a local (i.e. Texas) TV news piece that includes an interview with grandma. 

I agree with other commenters here - Faith is a class act. Lisa, on the other hand, has been playing the "good daughter/bad daughter" game ever since Faith moved out (or, as Lisa continues to play it, "ran away"). The Pennington Point FB page is replete with Lisa-captioned photos singing the praises of Faith's "good," "sweet" sisters. See below:

(Couldn't get everything to fit in the screen snip. Caption reads "I stopped to visit my sweet girl Grace before heading to my retreat. It was SO good to see her I could have listened to her talking for hours. #XOXO She moved to Dallas a few weeks ago and while we talks on the phone several days a week, there's nothing like face to face."

 

[Peas n carrots]

It was definitely Faith's grandmother who provided the sworn "I was in the room when Faith was born" affidavit - somewhere in one of FJ's Pennington threads there's a link to a local (i.e. Texas) TV news piece that includes an interview with grandma. 

I agree with other commenters here - Faith is a class act. Lisa, on the other hand, has been playing the "good daughter/bad daughter" game ever since Faith moved out (or, as Lisa continues to play it, "ran away"). The Pennington Point FB page is replete with Lisa-captioned photos singing the praises of Faith's "good," "sweet" sisters. See below:

(Couldn't get everything to fit in the screen snip. Caption reads "I stopped to visit my sweet girl Grace before heading to my retreat. It was SO good to see her I could have listened to her talking for hours. #XOXO She moved to Dallas a few weeks ago and while we talks on the phone several days a week, there's nothing like face to face."



 

The thing is if it wasn't for Faith, it's extremely likely Grace would still be languishing at the Penningtentiary.

[Rhetorica]

Earlier this year Lisa wrote a post, "The best memories are made when things go wrong" about moving her eldest daughter from a relative's place (the nannying gig?) to her new place she's sharing with a few other young women. I couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't a damage-control post intended to show what a cool, supportive mom she is.

Looking forward to hearing the podcast!