Pearls On Silly Boys

[browngrl]

This made me think of a quote from the movie "Uncle Buck" :

Buck Russell: "I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you! "

Life is too short and too hard not to be silly.

[pixydust]

How dare he call children stupid? Who the fuck does he think he is?

My youngest is 5, and you know what? He can be silly! I love it when he is silly, it's better than when he is sad or being hard on himself (he's a perfectionist, I've been telling him that he has 5 year old hands, and they can only act 5 so far).He is the most loving, caring child on the planet (he gives me his blanket when my back is hurting, because it takes away tears!). Is he impulsive? Does he want to do dangerous things? Yes, he's a kid!

I guess the Pearls would have suggested beating my son when he wanted to show his dad his new Angry Birds underwear. He walked backwards through the house, into my bedroom, bent over and shook his butt, saying "see my angry birds? See my angry birds?" and ran out. We thought it was funny!

[debrand]

Me, too. :(

I had not thought about silly being gay but it makes sense. The Pearls also complain about sissy and whimpy kids. Sometimes their observations are just bizarre. For instance, Michael Pearl went to pick something up and apparently didn't like the young man who waited on him.

The guy at the microphone responded to my order quickly. He sounded highly intelligent, about 35-40 years old, probably a college grad. When I drove around to the second window, I was surprised to see a scraggly-haired, 18-year-old, thin-skinned, pencil-necked sissy with bad complexion, but he had a great voice. It got me to thinking: I wonder if people have any idea who they are talking to or what we look like here at NGJ. I know that I’ve always enjoyed seeing what the people look like at ministries or companies we buy from.

Really, there was no reason to put this description in the article. Even though he was professional and doing his job, I guess the young man didn't fit Pearls' narrow view of masculinity. I think that the family is terrified of catching homosexuality. :roll: The young man could have been gay or he could have just been a normal teenager who is going through a growth spurt.

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/the-nu ... ts-of-ngj/

Sometimes when I read their articles, I wonder what kind of psychological issues Michael has. Was he abused as a child? Does he feel attraction for other men? What makes this man so vile and hateful?

[emmiedahl]

This made me think of a quote from the movie "Uncle Buck" :

Buck Russell: "I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you! "

Life is too short and too hard not to be silly.

This was the first thing that came to my mind. "She is a SILLY HEART!!!" :lol: And then the part about hiring a rat to gnaw that thing off her face.

When children are silly, ur doin it rite. It means they have few cares and can just be a child. There is a time to be serious and mature, but not *all* the time. Not even for adults.

I have a feeling Pearl is talking about effeminate behavior and not fart jokes or bouts of the giggles. One of my stepsons set off the gaydar of everyone in close range when he was a child and in high school. Now he is a heterosexual as a man can be, albeit a heterosexual with an impeccably decorated house and manicured nails. Some people have to "come out" as gay, but stepson basically had to come out as straight. One of my younger sons is not stereotypically masculine, but I imagine he would be if my husband and I demanded it. We indulge his love of purple and sparkles. I am not concerned at all, but this is probably what Michael Pearl calls silly.

I imagine that this is common in families where children are not expected to "do gender" (as my women's studies prof puts it).

[pixydust]

This was the first thing that came to my mind. "She is a SILLY HEART!!!" :lol: And then the part about hiring a rat to gnaw that thing off her face.

When children are silly, ur doin it rite. It means they have few cares and can just be a child. There is a time to be serious and mature, but not *all* the time. Not even for adults.

I have a feeling Pearl is talking about effeminate behavior and not fart jokes or bouts of the giggles. One of my stepsons set off the gaydar of everyone in close range when he was a child and in high school. Now he is a heterosexual as a man can be, albeit a heterosexual with an impeccably decorated house and manicured nails. Some people have to "come out" as gay, but stepson basically had to come out as straight. One of my younger sons is not stereotypically masculine, but I imagine he would be if my husband and I demanded it. We indulge his love of purple and sparkles. I am not concerned at all, but this is probably what Michael Pearl calls silly.

I imagine that this is common in families where children are not expected to "do gender" (as my women's studies prof puts it).

In my house it's pink and sparkly (he has a fedora like that!), but also loves cars and dinosaurs. I will be surprised either way with this kid!

[docmom]

Mr Pearl writes some pretty silly stuff. I think we need to go down there with a nice thin willow switch and beat it out of him.

[synchroswimr]

I love to be silly (when appropriate). We even included a promise "to be silly, to be serious and to enjoy all of life" in our wedding vows. Yay silly

[Koala]

This made me think of a quote from the movie "Uncle Buck" :

Buck Russell: "I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you! "

Life is too short and too hard not to be silly.

:clap:

As for the Pearls, they belong in prison.

[ukool23]

They really wouldnt like my 2 year old nephew then. Hes 'silly' as they would call it, we call it having a good sense of fun and a personality.

[Lemonbalm]

Really, there was no reason to put this description in the article. Even though he was professional and doing his job, I guess the young man didn't fit Pearls' narrow view of masculinity. I think that the family is terrified of catching homosexuality. :roll: The young man could have been gay or he could have just been a normal teenager who is going through a growth spurt.

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/the-nu ... ts-of-ngj/

What if the boy had a thyroid condition? What if he was battling some kind of sickness? Honestly stuff like this just makes me sad, people will never fit into the Pearls view of "perfect manly men" and I hate to think that people even true! And what happened to that whole I am a Christian and don't judge stuff?!

[latraviata]

Apparently, little boys being silly really, really aggravates the Pearls because they have more than one article dedicated to rooting out silliness in boys. I've noticed that some fundies seem to really dislike young boys who act like little kids.

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/a-dogs ... _slug=boys

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/silly- ... _slug=boys

and

and

How do the Pearls define silly? They must hate children. Their teachings and observations don't show a shred of warmth, affection or even the slightest amusement towards children. They lack an absolute knowledge of the development of children. Children are supposed to explore, play, dare to become real people instead of molding them violently into god fearing zombies.

Horrible, cold nasty people.

[Cannelle]

My son is ten and can be very silly. He and I have no problems bursting into ridiculous songs, dancing in the middle of the store (when there's no one around to bump into, of course; safety first!), making faces at each other, etc.

He's also incredibly mature and responsible. He was chosen to be a kindergarten leader at school (where he's in charge of leading the 5 year olds from one place to another), he comforted a little girl on the bus one day when she was crying, and he's always helpful and polite to his teachers. That sounds like the makings of a good man to me. I'd rather he turns out to be who he's going to be, rather than be even the slightest smidgen like Michael Pearl.

[Guest Anonymous]

Throughout most of history, young boys were allowed to be silly little kids, and they grew up just fine.

I think Michael Pearl is gay and ashamed which is why he focuses so much on beating the silliness out of little boys. He doesn't think it's conducive to a boy growing up to be a manly man, so you've got to beat it out of a child. Maybe he's thinking if his dad had beaten him for acting like a kid that maybe he'd have grown up different. The best I can come up for these people being so against things is because they loathe themselves for being whatever way they hate.

[BlueberryBird]

Is there anything that these people don't hold in contempt?

[ThisOlGirl]

"Now, please sit down, mothers."

Excusemewhat?

I have a better idea you despicable old creature. How about if YOU sit the fuck down and while you're at it--shut the fuck up.

I have a personal rule not to wish death on people but rules were made to be broken, right?

[Convicted Blossom]

"Alert Dad" may have got his "sober son" back but he's also created a sober son who is afraid of him, whose spirit has been crushed a little more. I guess that's what you do if you're a fundie father, make 'em afraid.

[BlueberryBird]

I love the deliciousness of this guy picking on someone else's appearance. Michael Pearl's exterior quite nicely matches his evil interior.

Reading things written by fundies has pretty much ruined the word "joy" for me; they always talk about it, but I rarely, if ever, see any evidence of it.

Any links to their art? I can't imagine either of the Pearls producing anything with grace, charm, joy, or interest. I'm a bit intrigued.

[Burris]

Reading things written by fundies has pretty much ruined the word "joy" for me; they always talk about it, but I rarely, if ever, see any evidence of it.

Agreed. I keep reading about all this “joy†the fundies experience, and yet it manifests itself almost universally as a sort of meanness – sometimes overt, such as is the case with the Stinking Fishwife; but more often hidden behind a veil of pink flowers, such as is the case with Lydia Sherman.

From every fundie's favorite dictionary, Webster's 1828 Edition:

Mean [Additional uses and definitions clipped]

(a)

2. Wanting dignity of mind; low minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless.

3. Contemptible; despicable.

Spiritless. Contemptible. Despicable.

Lydia Sherman joined another woman in mocking the clothing people wore who fled from or died in Hurricane Katrina.

Michael and Debi Pearl counsel brutal child abuse for minor, and sometimes manufactured, infractions. Despite their lack of education, they breezily dismiss the concerns of both secular child development professionals as well as professionals of the same faith-tradition as the Pearls.

The Stinking Fishwife - practically every word she has ever written is specifically designed to hurt or offend some person or group.

Jill Stanek – a complete and utter liar whose sole purpose seems to be making shit up about abortions and using said bullshit to castigate women who dare terminate pregnancies where the resulting child would have been born either dying or dead.

Oh, there are so many. And most of them go on to bitch and cry when they're called out for their nonsense, no matter whether the rebuttals they got were cordial and factual or not.

One could make a shorter list, and therefore more complete, of fundies who are demonstrably not mean – i.e., not spiritless, not contemptible, not despicable. (I have such a list in mind, but I'd never dare sully their good names by placing them on the same page as this lot. )

[JesusFightClub]

I don't have that rule, and if I was empowered, shall we say...made Commissar for Justice....weeeeeelll, Dzerzhinsky's a role model of mine.... :twisted:

It's so sick to think of weans getting their souls crushed out. And that this bastard is taken seriously by anyone.

[Irishy]

I am married to a silly man who encourages my kids to be silly. Hey let's play a trick on mummy or let's go buy a goldfish just for the heck or leftovers for dinner -meh- lets order a pizza on a Monday night type silliness. Thank God for him and his silly ways. We have FUN.

[Parkersmom120106]

My Dad is about the same age as this jerkwad (born in 1946) and would have gone to school during the same years. Based on the stories he told me about the mischeif he and his brothers and friends got into, I highly doubt that there was no silliness in boys back then.

[Arete]

Why aren't the Pearls in prison yet? :x

[Closed Womb]

Why aren't the Pearls in prison yet? :x

It is odd that people can publish detailed accounts of abuse and not even be investigated. Seems like offspring/siblings (theirs or any other child who suffered because of the Pearls' suggestions regarding child training abuse) testifying that they/their siblings suffered this treatment would be enough to convict.

[Brittany15]

"Alert Dad" may have got his "sober son" back but he's also created a sober son who is afraid of him, whose spirit has been crushed a little more. I guess that's what you do if you're a fundie father, make 'em afraid.

I would not take having "sober children" as a good thing. Don't you want your children to have life in them?

[FloraDoraDolly]

My Dad is about the same age as this jerkwad (born in 1946) and would have gone to school during the same years. Based on the stories he told me about the mischeif he and his brothers and friends got into, I highly doubt that there was no silliness in boys back then.

The kids of the 1950s were raised on Looney Tunes, the Three Stooges, and local kid shows featuring clowns and people throwing pies in each other's faces. There was plenty of silliness then.

If I had a son, I'd want him to have a sense of humor. If he he didn't, I would feel as if I had failed him somehow. Granted, I wouldn't want him to act silly at inappropriate times. Since ADD and ADHD type behavior runs in the family, I would be concerned about the kid acting silly when he should be paying attention to where he is going and what he is doing (for example, when he's crossing the street). I wouldn't exactly be proud if someone told me my son should audition for the cast of "Jackass" or if I had one of those sons who acts like a fratboy when he's in his thirties. But who wants a humorless child? I'm sure even Jesus Himself appreciated a good joke every now and then. (Not a dirty joke, though.)