Fundies on Vacation

[Rider]

Just got back from camping on California's Central Coast. There were Fundies at our campground. There were three generations. The one that looked like the grandmother wore the long denim skirt down to her ankles. Her daughter or daughter-in-law's skirt went just above her knees. The youngest of the three generations also wore skirts above their knees.

They were near us and were very nice. Not at all like Fundies I have encountered elsewhere. I didn't think Fundies went in for camping, but they had a really nice setup.

[weirdghostboo]

From your description, they sound more fundie-light than full on fundie.

[kpmom]

Skirts just above the knee sounds short for fundies, although I can't imagine a non-fundy woman going camping in a skirt.

Were there any headships there?

[Rider]

I saw a couple of men there. They looked normal. They had a really nice truck. They didn't strike me as the "We had a ton of kids and now can't afford anything" types. The kids were running around with their brothers/sisters/cousins/friends on bikes. Nice bikes, not 20 year old hand me downs.

I wouldn't have thought Fundy except for the skirts the women/girls wore everyday.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

How do you know they were fundy, other than just wearing skirts?

[Rider]

Ok, valid point. I don't know they were Fundy for sure. But "all" the females, young and old, wearing long skirts everyday while camping kind of gave me a clue. Plus the grandmother of the group had really long hair and wore no make-up.

I've been camping there for years and you do see an occasional skirt of Sundays when some families go to church, but never during the week.

If not Fundy, they most likely were very conservative.

[NurseNell]

I have a friend who always wears skirts, once in awhile just below her knees but most of the time ankle length. She's a very liberal atheist and lesbian. She doesn't like pants. Another very liberal friend, married, mostly wears skirts, long. She does wear jeans once in awhile. In fact if I think about it I know a few other friends who wear mostly skirts. I will say none wear denim skirts though.

[Naga Viper]

Ooh, where on the Central Coast? Big Sur? I'm from the Monterey area, and while we get our share of tourists and have plenty of conservative locals, fundie dress would still stick out, both in my hometown and Monterey proper.

[NurseNell]

Ooh, where on the Central Coast? Big Sur? I'm from the Monterey area, and while we get our share of tourists and have plenty of conservative locals, fundie dress would still stick out, both in my hometown and Monterey proper.

If you're asking me, the first friend I mentioned lives in L.A. The others live in MN and WI.

[Naga Viper]

If you're asking me, the first friend I mentioned lives in L.A. The others live in MN and WI.

Oh, I was actually asking Rider where the campground was. I'm not sure if there are any near where I lived—maybe further up the 68 or the 1, it's been a while—but the image of fundie-lites mixing it up with my hometown gangbangers amuses me.

[salsa]

I have a friend who always wears skirts, once in awhile just below her knees but most of the time ankle length. She's a very liberal atheist and lesbian. She doesn't like pants. Another very liberal friend, married, mostly wears skirts, long. She does wear jeans once in awhile. In fact if I think about it I know a few other friends who wear mostly skirts. I will say none wear denim skirts though.

still, one wonders about the other women wearing only skirts. It seems unlikely that all of them would prefer skirts.

edited to add this bit of silliness that I probably shouldn't add, but will because I've had 3 Terrapin Hopsecutioner's (best ale evah)...

am I alone, in reading the title of this thread, craving a thread called "Fundies On Parade?"

[kpmom]

am I alone, in reading the title of this thread, craving a thread called "Fundies On Parade?"

It made me think of animal documentaries, except involving fundies rather than animals.

i.e., Mating Habits of Fundies, Fundies in Their Natural Habitat, Fundies at Leisure.

[salsa]

:)

It made me think of animal documentaries, except involving fundies rather than animals.

i.e., Mating Habits of Fundies, Fundies in Their Natural Habitat, Fundies at Leisure.

;)

[snarkbillie]

I saw some fundies today. I see some everyday but this time it was different because the little girl looked just like Elisa Wall. Just like her. It was a bit surreal. They didn't look FLDS otherwise, just random fundie.

[pixydust]

Did the ones in knee length skirts have leggings on with them? That is something that the Duggars do on occasion, but knee length alone, I don't think that I've ever seen Fundies dressed like that. I would imagine fundie-lite people would wear baggy jeans for camping (even Darthy's husband's family, sorry can't remember the name! wear jeans when chicken killing time comes around).

I would have been so curious, I would have had to find a way to find out!

[TrueRebel1]

FYI, there is another culture of people who generally wear denim skirts (younger girls will wear knee-length, as you described, but older women will usually wear longer, but nearly always DENIM!). They also like to wear their long hair in an elegant bun. These people are a sect of the conservative Pentecostals, and they have been dressing like this long before ATI made the typical "fundie" look popular.

From what I know, they are worlds different from the beliefs of Gothard, or Vision Forum. For example, they probably wouldn't home-school, home-church, home-birth, or do courtship. Although they are conservative in beliefs, they are just into "modest" dressing, not those other things.

Oh, and many of the Pentecostal families that I know are more well-to-do, and would definitely go camping, ATV-ing, boating and such.

[pixydust]

FYI, there is another culture of people who generally wear denim skirts (younger girls will wear knee-length, as you described, but older women will usually wear longer, but nearly always DENIM!). They also like to wear their long hair in an elegant bun. These people are a sect of the conservative Pentecostals, and they have been dressing like this long before ATI made the typical "fundie" look popular.

From what I know, they are worlds different from the beliefs of Gothard, or Vision Forum. For example, they probably wouldn't home-school, home-church, home-birth, or do courtship. Although they are conservative in beliefs, they are just into "modest" dressing, not those other things.

Oh, and many of the Pentecostal families that I know are more well-to-do, and would definitely go camping, ATV-ing, boating and such.

Do you know what denomination? I went to Assembly of God churches until I was 14 and I never saw people like this, but I also never knew well-to-do pentacostals. I'm not disbelieving you, just curious.

[maybeizfundie]

We have holiness penecostals and SDA groups around here that might fit the description. The SDA girl I knew in highschool was required to wear skirts/dresses, but apparently they didn't have to be "modest" or frumpy. Lots of above the knee skirts, or things with slits "up to there".

One of our tenants is "holiness Pentecostal", and they also have the dresses only requirement.

QF is a standalone belief, not universal to all fundamentalists, but something that some hold to while others reject.

[pixydust]

We have holiness penecostals and SDA groups around here that might fit the description. The SDA girl I knew in highschool was required to wear skirts/dresses, but apparently they didn't have to be "modest" or frumpy. Lots of above the knee skirts, or things with slits "up to there".

One of our tenants is "holiness Pentecostal", and they also have the dresses only requirement.

QF is a standalone belief, not universal to all fundamentalists, but something that some hold to while others reject.

I find the differances in SDA to be interesting. Hubby has SDA family, they almost never wear skirts. His cousin was a cheerleader from little bitty until she graduated highschool and has worn bikinis and short shorts her entire life. I wonder if their church knows about that? Haha!

[TrueRebel1]

I am not sure what denomination of Pentecostals do the dresses-only/denim skirts. There are several churches in our area, but I'm not too familiar with the differences, just that they call themselves "Pentecostals".

I've also noticed some SDA's who are dresses-only, and some who are not "modest" at all! I'm guessing it's not written into their religion, and some groups just decide among themselves to go the more fundie route? I do also know a lot of SDA's who are anti-modern medicine and practice questionable medical care amongst themselves (extreme "health" diets, non-certified midwife care, will not go to a traditional dr, etc.).

[pixydust]

I am not sure what denomination of Pentecostals do the dresses-only/denim skirts. There are several churches in our area, but I'm not too familiar with the differences, just that they call themselves "Pentecostals".

I've also noticed some SDA's who are dresses-only, and some who are not "modest" at all! I'm guessing it's not written into their religion, and some groups just decide among themselves to go the more fundie route? I do also know a lot of SDA's who are anti-modern medicine and practice questionable medical care amongst themselves (extreme "health" diets, non-certified midwife care, will not go to a traditional dr, etc.).

Yet another big diff! Hubby's grandmother (SDA) works for a Doctor! I'm betting that his family goes to a much more liberal SDA church.

The SDA's that you know, do their kids attend church schools or public school? Hubs family's church has a private school and his cousins went there for elementary, then public.

ETA: Cuz you know, I should reply to the entire post!

Hmm, the Pentacostal churches might be non-denominational, that seems to be the case when people just say "I'm Baptist" or whatever.

[RationalSquirrel]

I just saw some fundies on vacation too! It was my first time seeing them IRL. I wonder what they were doing in San Francisco? Why would they vacation in Sodom? What if they caught they gay disease?

They were walking down Grant Ave towards Chinatown. What I wouldn’t give to see their faces when they reached North Beach with it’s strip clubs, sex shops and bars on every other corner!

It was a Patriarch and Helpmeet with three daughters. Two looked just like Helpmeet but one had different colored hair and body type, so maybe she was a friend? The women were in full regalia, denim skirts, poufed hair and giant coke bottle glasses, but the most striking thing was how painfully thin and pale they were. Actually they were downright gaunt (except for Friend, she looked little healthier). Their skin was sallow with dark circles under glassy eyes and their hair was sparse and stringy.

All the fundies with blogs look so apple-cheeked healthy and convincingly happy in photos. I wonder if they Photoshop the images?

The women’s mismatched clothes were enormous on their thin frames too. It looked like it took all the effort they could muster to drag around all that extra heavy fabric. Patriarch looked well fed, almost doughy. He had a stern look on his face but the women all had giant vacant smiles on their faces. It was hard to tell how old the Daughters were, they looked like women-children, despite being as tall as Helpmeet and Patriarch.

One Daughter started squealing, jumping and skipping all over the sidewalk like an excited 5 year old. Seriously. Then she went back to the Daughters, they linked arms and walked three abreast down the sidewalk! BIG NO-NO on a city sidewalk! :naughty: I guess they didn’t read up on their urban etiquette before coming down to the big city for some culture. They probably don’t walk on the left and stand on the right when on an escalator, either. Tourists....

[Coconut Flan]

My sighting for the day is I believe Old Order Mennonite. Do Amish ride trains? I really think they are Mennonite. Very quiet and keeping to themselves. No buttons on the clothes and long, long dresses for the women and black coat and trousers on the males.

[Rider]

Ooh, where on the Central Coast? Big Sur? I'm from the Monterey area, and while we get our share of tourists and have plenty of conservative locals, fundie dress would still stick out, both in my hometown and Monterey proper.

I was south of you in the San Luis Obispo area.

[Rider]

Did the ones in knee length skirts have leggings on with them? That is something that the Duggars do on occasion, but knee length alone, I don't think that I've ever seen Fundies dressed like that. I would imagine fundie-lite people would wear baggy jeans for camping (even Darthy's husband's family, sorry can't remember the name! wear jeans when chicken killing time comes around).

I would have been so curious, I would have had to find a way to find out!

No leggings. The skirts came to a couple of inches above the knee.

They were all good-looking, friendly and none of them had the "Holier Than Thou" scowl. Maybe not the traditional Fundy, but the skirts while camping is what made me immediately think Fundy.