Sierra: Loving God Into Existence Through Her Husband

[singsingsing]

2 hours ago, Kangaroo said:

I had a friend once tell me Christianity isn't a religion, but a way of life people should strive to achieve. And she isn't even close to being on the Fundy scale! Probably my most religious friend, but she's one of these Hillsong type Hipsters (if that means anything to any of you?) 

Definitely. I know exactly the type you mean. I know a lot of people who won't call call themselves Christians or claim that they're not a member of a religion, they're a follower of Jesus, they just love Jesus, and so on. I think that was more in vogue a few years ago and now it's coming back into style to call yourself a Christian, though. Aaaand now I've got Hillsong music stuck in my head.

[frugaldreams]

On 2/10/2017 at 2:19 PM, OyToTheVey said:

BTW I also don't understand all those self-help how to have a good marriage books they all seem to love. Don't they grow up knowing what has to happen? Women cook and clean and the guy is the leader. What else can does books possibly teach? How to remain quiet?

I am reading one now for a lark and as far as I can tell the purpose of the book is to let me know how good, pious, long suffering, giving, kind, industrious, maternal, feminine, sexy, modest, submissive yet sassy and just generally all around better than me and everyone else the author is. Cause Jesus. 

[send*the*ferrets]

I am in the middle of the Bible Belt (I saw the Duggars at Silver Dollar City once, ha)- It's fairly common for people to say they are "non-denominational, Bible believing" Christians. Which is really too bad, because there are other non-denominational churches that are very liberal, and "Bible Believing" Christians are the opposite. 

[picklepizzas]

What does that mean in terms of church - going then? Do they not go? Or are there a bunch of conservative non-denominational churches for them to go to? 

[send*the*ferrets]

It's mostly fairly small churches, they usually have Bible in the name. I know of one church that has over 100 members, but it's actually only about 5 families- they each have a lot of kids! I can't imagine what a single person would feel like popping in for a visit not knowing.

 

Upon thinking about it a little more- the pastors don't (generally) have any formal training so they wouldn't be able to claim any denomination. For example, to be a United Methodist pastor there are strict regulations, you need a degree, etc- most of these ultra conservative churches have "self taught" pastors. Their only choice is to be non-denominational. 

[JMO]

On 3/21/2017 at 9:22 AM, send*the*ferrets said:

Upon thinking about it a little more- the pastors don't (generally) have any formal training so they wouldn't be able to claim any denomination. For example, to be a United Methodist pastor there are strict regulations, you need a degree, etc- most of these ultra conservative churches have "self taught" pastors. Their only choice is to be non-denominational. 

Therefore Gil Bates, Jeremy, JB, etc have all had churches.  Makes sense.  I think that this is also what Derrick/Bin aspire to.  

[luxfilia]

On 3/21/2017 at 8:22 AM, send*the*ferrets said:

It's mostly fairly small churches, they usually have Bible in the name. I know of one church that has over 100 members, but it's actually only about 5 families- they each have a lot of kids! I can't imagine what a single person would feel like popping in for a visit not knowing.

 

Upon thinking about it a little more- the pastors don't (generally) have any formal training so they wouldn't be able to claim any denomination. For example, to be a United Methodist pastor there are strict regulations, you need a degree, etc- most of these ultra conservative churches have "self taught" pastors. Their only choice is to be non-denominational. 

The churches of Christ here in the south are a good example of another kind of church that call themselves "non-denominational," but it doesn't have the usual meaning or connotation for them. They often have about 500 members in each congregation (separate building, but not referred to as a separate "church," except colloquially), sometimes more and sometimes less. Most of the preachers have college degrees from private Christian universities and have to meet other requirements of experience and lifestyle. 

But they choose to say "non-denominational" because, while each congregation has its own elders and deacons to make decisions (including hiring its own preachers, youth ministers, etc.), and to create necessary committees and such, they consider each congregation of the church of Christ as part of ONE church. They avoid the term "autonomous" because, while they do make their own decisions, they consider all "churches" of Christ (at least the ones that are pretty much exactly like they are, lol) as part of "the church" and all must follow the same interpretation of the Bible, keeping the same general guidelines.

Most church of Christ websites have a "what we believe" section or something like that, touching on their views on baptism, women's roles, non-instrumental music, literal interpretation of the Bible (worded differently), and so on, to show that they are part of the "true" church, with Bible verses to back up each one. Can you tell what my background was? haha. Confusing much?

ETA:
Also, they lowercase when saying churches of Christ, but capitalize when referring to The Church of Christ.
 

[send*the*ferrets]

21 minutes ago, JMO said:

Therefore Gil Bates, Jeremy, JB, etc have all had churches.  Makes sense.  I think that this is also what Derrick/Bin aspire to.  

Exactly! I have a relative that is this brand of pastor. Meanwhile the church where my daughter goes to preschool, the pastor has a bachelor's degree from a regular 4 year school, then a masters degree in theology (again from a regular, accredited university), then a degree from a Methodist seminary. But yes, Jim Boob is *totally* just as good and knowledgeable about the Bible, because he was convicted and God laid it on his heart to lead his family. 

[lizzybee]

I think there are some people who are Christians and are fundamentalist by nature (as people would define them here) but don't label/understand what that means in terms of what they actually consider themselves. Man, that was hard to articulate. Good luck understanding what I meant! Lemme try it this way: [Paraphrased actual conversation]

I once said to my friend, "Are you concerned about what other people think of  fundamentalists?"

Puzzled look. "I'm not a fundamentalist. I'm an independent Baptist." 

Actual fundies might not think to themselves, "Man, I'm so fundie." 

I think in Sierra's case and the case of other fundamentalists/quiverfulls that the given terms are now more derogatory or negative in popular conversation and they are hesitant to align themselves with the label for that reason. Not a good testimony or good for 'soul winning.' Hence, "I just love Jesus." 

[Coconut Flan]

I haven't met a fundie yet in real life who acknowledged that they were fundie except some extreme Catholics. 

[marmalade]

What if you're IFB? Fundamentalist is right there in the title! Pretty hard to deny you're a fundie under those circumstances.  /fundie pondering this conundrum. 

[Coconut Flan]

To the IFB that I know, the fundamentalist in the title refers to them returning to or practicing the fundamentals of the faith not to being fundamentalists.  Yeah, I know, I know.  They are not rational beings.

[Hmmm_idolatry]

On 3/20/2017 at 11:08 PM, send*the*ferrets said:

I am in the middle of the Bible Belt (I saw the Duggars at Silver Dollar City once, ha)- It's fairly common for people to say they are "non-denominational, Bible believing" Christians. Which is really too bad, because there are other non-denominational churches that are very liberal, and "Bible Believing" Christians are the opposite. 

When I was young, a friend of mine invited me to come with her to church camp at a place called Hume Lake.  I grew up Catholic.  My father is Italian-American, so he was culturally Catholic (if that makes sense-what I mean is that they never went to church unless someone was getting married or having a funeral, but the priest would come over for dinner and they'd eat fish on Fridays during Lent).  My mother came from a mixed marriage (Jewish and Episcopalian), and decided to convert to Catholicism when she married my father.  I've since left the church and grew up to be an agnostic heathen.  

When I went to Hume Lake, I had never before been around evangelical Christians.  I loved the camp at the time because there were cute boys and the activities were fun.  However, looking back on it as an adult, I remember that the speakers would say really horrible things.  One of the things I heard more than once during that time was a claim that any religion that wasn't evangelical Christian was a cult.  I also heard that Catholics worshipped Mary and as a result of that, were all going to hell.  Oh, and that the rapture was coming soon (I'd never even heard of the rapture before) and that fingerprinting kids was the mark of the beast (in the 80s, there was this big push to get your kids fingerprinted in case they were ever kidnapped).  I also heard the term "godly" for the first time.  Only evangelical Christians were godly, according to these people. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was basically indoctrination.  So very creepy and intolerant, and just outright ridiculous. 

[send*the*ferrets]

1 hour ago, Hmmm_idolatry said:

When I was young, a friend of mine invited me to come with her to church camp at a place called Hume Lake.  I grew up Catholic.  My father is Italian-American, so he was culturally Catholic (if that makes sense-what I mean is that they never went to church unless someone was getting married or having a funeral, but the priest would come over for dinner and they'd eat fish on Fridays during Lent).  My mother came from a mixed marriage (Jewish and Episcopalian), and decided to convert to Catholicism when she married my father.  I've since left the church and grew up to be an agnostic heathen.  

When I went to Hume Lake, I had never before been around evangelical Christians.  I loved the camp at the time because there were cute boys and the activities were fun.  However, looking back on it as an adult, I remember that the speakers would say really horrible things.  One of the things I heard more than once during that time was a claim that any religion that wasn't evangelical Christian was a cult.  I also heard that Catholics worshipped Mary and as a result of that, were all going to hell.  Oh, and that the rapture was coming soon (I'd never even heard of the rapture before) and that fingerprinting kids was the mark of the beast (in the 80s, there was this big push to get your kids fingerprinted in case they were ever kidnapped).  I also heard the term "godly" for the first time.  Only evangelical Christians were godly, according to these people. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was basically indoctrination.  So very creepy and intolerant, and just outright ridiculous. 

Have you ever seen the documentary "Jesus Camp"? It's about those type of churches!

[Hmmm_idolatry]

2 hours ago, send*the*ferrets said:

Have you ever seen the documentary "Jesus Camp"? It's about those type of churches!

I have!  It was really, really creepy.  This camp wasn't as intense as that camp-we didn't pray for or to Ronald Reagan, but the level of batshit craziness was definitely there in terms of the theology and speakers.  

[send*the*ferrets]

Just now, Hmmm_idolatry said:

I have!  It was really, really creepy.  This camp wasn't as intense as that camp-we didn't pray for or to Ronald Reagan, but the level of batshit craziness was definitely there in terms of the theology and speakers.  

One of the churches is actually in the (fairly small) town where we live. My husband and I have joked about going there under cover- but we said we would have to agree on fake names and a fake address, and then we were worried we would run into somebody we actually know! 

[Hmmm_idolatry]

Just now, send*the*ferrets said:

One of the churches is actually in the (fairly small) town where we live. My husband and I have joked about going there under cover- but we said we would have to agree on fake names and a fake address, and then we were worried we would run into somebody we actually know! 

I don't blame you for being tempted to go there just to check it out.  Everybody is always tempted to slow down and look at a train wreck whenever they drive past one.  

Can you imagine if you showed up and you did know some of the congregants?  I wonder what they would say?  

[send*the*ferrets]

5 minutes ago, Hmmm_idolatry said:

I don't blame you for being tempted to go there just to check it out.  Everybody is always tempted to slow down and look at a train wreck whenever they drive past one.  

Can you imagine if you showed up and you did know some of the congregants?  I wonder what they would say?  

I'm pretty liberal on my personal Facebook page, so they would probably take it as a sign they were personally supposed to help me find Jesus and I'd have no choice but to enter the witness protection program. 

[Hmmm_idolatry]

2 minutes ago, send*the*ferrets said:

I'm pretty liberal on my personal Facebook page, so they would probably take it as a sign they were personally supposed to help me find Jesus and I'd have no choice but to enter the witness protection program. 

  They might also show up and pray on your front lawn.  I'm sure you'd be on the church's mailing list until the end of time.  

[Coconut Flan]

Sierra should not do instagram live videos.  She's awful at it.

[Pasta]

The only way to get better is to practice... ugh

[Elvis Presby]

@luxfilia, Church of Christ is my background too.

[RosyDaisy]

Former Church of Christ as well. I left that crazy years ago. My family wasn't exactly chugging the koolaid, so my leaving the church did not mean leaving my family or being shunned.

[HideousGreenShirt]

She's back at it with the "gourmet" strawberries. For $45 you can acquire a single cookie from her talented friend and a dozen of her strawberries in a chocolate bowl. To whom is this a good deal? 

 

[MadeItOut]

At risk of being taken for a total grammar nut, which I swear I'm usually not, I do think that when you're asking people to part with their money, then you owe it to them, to yourself, and to your product to at least get the product description right. I don't care how amazing a product it may be, I'm not parting with my theoretical $45 for "chocolates" dipped anything, nor anything for "mother's" day. 

I know in the grand scheme of things they're little, finicky things, but in there somewhere is an enterprising lady. All she really needs is a friend prepared to proofread for her.