Fundie vs Non-Fundie Bloggers

[Soldier of the One]

Do fundies inhabit a disproportionate section of the blogosphere? Especially when it comes to crafting, domesticity and parenting blogs? Often I end up reading fundie blogs because a) my fascination with them b) but also because some - apart from the reprehensible ideology - can be quite lovely and informative.

Now and again, I will try to break out of my habit of reading fundie blogs by searching out non-fundie blogs (with above themes) and will *still* run into 'fundie-lite' blogs talking about Jesus and male headship/female submission. But in beautiful layout with stunning photography and fashionable mommies galore, of course.

Case in point: pastorsgirlsponderings.com - cute photography blog, but dig deep enough and you discover the fundie-lite.

In short: where are all the cute, fun, educational egalitarian/feminist/secular crafting, domesticity and parenting blogs? Am I missing something here?

Tangentically, I am sure fundie bloggers are trying to corner their section of the internet for 'promotional' and political purposes. Am wondering whether they are genuinely successful at it and if it actually works to suck women into the lifestyle.

[constantgardener]

Maybe it has something to do with having too much time on their hands while sitting at home waiting for Prince Charming? Perhaps all the secular feminists are actually living life rather than blogging about it...

[linnea27]

Maybe it has something to do with having too much time on their hands while sitting at home waiting for Prince Charming? Perhaps all the secular feminists are actually living life rather than blogging about it...

this, combined with the need to proselytize, probably explains what you are finding. While there are many reasons to run a blog and I in no way wish to insult any fabulous feminist bloggers, if you work and are busy outside the house and have no need to force your lifestyle and faith down the throats of others, that probably takes away a lot of the incentive of blogging.

[Spider Burps]

I keep a fundie-free homemaking blog, but I'm sure if you dug around you could find something that makes me look fundie (maybe start with the fact that I'm a 24 year old skirts-only housewife?) ;) I have, however, found that a majority of similar bloggers are very overtly religious, and I've found myself wondering "WTF?" many a time. I think it has to do with the "territory," given that most homemakers these days seem to choose to do so for religious reasons. Plus, having a religion gives you a built in web ring, which gives you motivation to blog since you can pretty safely assume that at least one person will be reading/commenting. It can be a bummer to feel like you're writing to no one in those first few traffic-free months, so I figure that lack of encouragement could be the reason that secular sites fall off the map before they even get fully up and running.

edited for clarity

[Soldier of the One]

Constantgardener: good point. But alas, also less entertaining. Would love to find me an awesome feminist blogger who blogs cool recipes and beautiful photos.

Linnea27: you're probably right. Although there are great cooking blogs etc that aren't religious/proselytizing. Besides, feminists might want to share home-making experiences as well. I really resent that dichotomy, as if a feminist (m/f) can't be a great cook and home-maker :)

[Soldier of the One]

I keep a fundie-free homemaking blog, but I'm sure if you dug around you could find something that makes me look fundie (maybe start with the fact that I'm a 24 year old skirts-only housewife?) ;) I have, however, found that a majority of similar bloggers are very overtly religious, and I've found myself wondering "WTF?" many a time. I think it has to do with the "territory," given that most homemakers these days seem to choose to do so for religious reasons. Plus, having a religion gives you a built in web ring, which gives you motivation to blog since you can pretty safely assume that at least one person will be reading/commenting. It can be a bummer to feel like you're writing to no one in those first few traffic-free months, so I figure that lack of encouragement could be the reason that secular sites fall off the map before they even get fully up and running.

edited for clarity

Oh, that sounds very cool! May I be so rude to ask for a link to your blog? I completely understand if you don't want to share. If you do and don't want to post it here, feel free to PM me :)

[AllisonWndrland]

Take a peek at BlogHer and you will find quite a few that mix all of the topics/traits that you listed.

I think that you have the issue right on in the tangential piece at the end of your post. We secular parenting/mommy bloggers don't have the same need to preach and show everyone how Godly we are. It's more of a "hey, my children threw baby powder all over their bedroom, come commiserate/celebrate with me as I live my life" kind of thing. Without the religious push and without the need to monetize damn near everything, secular parenting bloggers are tougher to find.

If you want a list of the ones that I read, drop me a PM. I tend to favor the sarcastic moms and dads in what I read, but I have been known to read the fundie-lite bloggers for their organizing and money saving tips. I promise I won't send you links to those ones, though.

[Scribber]

I think the problem with this type of blogging? You find an over-abundance of things once you're looking for them. (If that makes sense?)

I keep a blog about books. I had NO IDEA this was even a thing until I started doing it - now, 3 years later? Book Blogs are EVERYWHERE. There are hundreds of them.

So I think it's a lot like the "White Car Syndrome" you don't notice just how many white cars there are on the road until you have a white car yourself - then? They are EVERYWHERE.

[Soldier of the One]

Very true, Scribber! My Fundie-Blog-reading-proclivities have become quite odd and disconcerting ;)

AllisonWndrland: thank you, I will PM you! :)

[Soldier of the One]

Allison, just PM'd you. Must warn you though, I am a bit daft when it comes to this new PM system, which I haven't quite figured out yet :)

[Mama Mia]

Spider Burps - that is interesting that you think that most people who are homemakers do it for religious reasons .. can I ask why you think that ? In my experience , most of the mom's of young children who are homemakers do it basically because they can get by on one income, while the ones who can't - work. In a few couples that translates to the primary wage earner being the mother, and the father either stays home or works part-time. I live in a ridiculously overpriced area - so it is very difficult to get by on one income for most people. Just curious as to your experience.

Also, in my experience/ area, it seems like being a homemaker is a more common now than it was when I was raising my kids in the 80's - 90's.

[AllisonWndrland]

Allison, just PM'd you. Must warn you though, I am a bit daft when it comes to this new PM system, which I haven't quite figured out yet :)

Got it. No worries.

Edited to add: Except I can't reply or even compose something to you. I've not ever sent a PM or received one, so maybe it is user error on my part.

[Spider Burps]

Spider Burps - that is interesting that you think that most people who are homemakers do it for religious reasons .. can I ask why you think that ? In my experience , most of the mom's of young children who are homemakers do it basically because they can get by on one income, while the ones who can't - work. In a few couples that translates to the primary wage earner being the mother, and the father either stays home or works part-time. I live in a ridiculously overpriced area - so it is very difficult to get by on one income for most people. Just curious as to your experience.

Also, in my experience/ area, it seems like being a homemaker is a more common now than it was when I was raising my kids in the 80's - 90's.

You mean you can't read my mind? :( I was more referring to people in a similar stage of life to me but forgot to mention it because I'm speshul like that. I'm young and quit my job because it was driving me crazy; now that my husband has a decent job, we don't see a reason for me to go back only to quit again when we have kids. A majority of the people I know who have children rely on nannies/daycare rather than being stay at homes because they tend to be pretty entrenched in their chosen careers (I'm just outside of NYC, so that could have something to do with it). I just don't see many non-fundie people choosing homemaker as a "career", hence my assumption that it has something to do with religion. (Sorry if I didn't explain that well.)

[greek_chorus]

Constantgardener: good point. But alas, also less entertaining. Would love to find me an awesome feminist blogger who blogs cool recipes and beautiful photos.

Linnea27: you're probably right. Although there are great cooking blogs etc that aren't religious/proselytizing. Besides, feminists might want to share home-making experiences as well. I really resent that dichotomy, as if a feminist (m/f) can't be a great cook and home-maker :)

I love Smitten Kitchen and Barefoot Kitchen Witch. They're both primarily food blogs but BKW does throw in quilting, jewelry and other crafts, and I have no idea what her religion is. Perhaps we should create a reference list of sites we like and not just the sites we snark on. GOMI has a similar thread and I've found some good blogs from it. Most of the craft blogs I follow are knitting related and for those I don't care what religion the person is as long as it doesn't takeover the entire blog.

[Soldier of the One]

Got it. No worries.

Edited to add: Except I can't reply or even compose something to you. I've not ever sent a PM or received one, so maybe it is user error on my part.

Did you manage in the end? Like I said... I'm a bit daft with the PM system :)

[Soldier of the One]

I love Smitten Kitchen and Barefoot Kitchen Witch. They're both primarily food blogs but BKW does throw in quilting, jewelry and other crafts, and I have no idea what her religion is. Perhaps we should create a reference list of sites we like and not just the sites we snark on. GOMI has a similar thread and I've found some good blogs from it. Most of the craft blogs I follow are knitting related and for those I don't care what religion the person is as long as it doesn't takeover the entire blog.

I love Honey and Jam!

Thanks for the tips, I will check them out :)

[AllisonWndrland]

Good call, Greek. Soldier, here is my list of most often read: The Craft Donkey, The Adventures of Not Supermom, Masked Mom, Citizen Thymes, Freaks from the Hills, and Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs. I also cruise around on BlogHer quite a lot. There are some interesting feminist bloggers to be found there.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Most of the parenting blogs I am interested in are about large families, because its kind of an interest of mine. I dont think I have seen a non fundie who has a load of kids yet, but surely there must be some??

Also I think theres also how fundie women are so desperate to prove their life is awesome and perfect and Godly to make people want to start following Gothard, and also prove to themselves that their life isnt completely miserable.

[Soldier of the One]

Good call, Greek. Soldier, here is my list of most often read: The Craft Donkey, The Adventures of Not Supermom, Masked Mom, Citizen Thymes, Freaks from the Hills, and Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs. I also cruise around on BlogHer quite a lot. There are some interesting feminist bloggers to be found there.

Thanks! I will check those out :)

Not secular or feminist, but Orthodox Jewish in a non-obnoxious way is 'My Shtub'. Cute photography and real stories about parenting a kid with Down's Syndrome.

[sparkles]

I have no idea if this series of blogs is fundie or not--on the face of it, they don't seem to be--but I like some of the Simple Living blogs (Simple Bites, Design, Homemade, plus Homeschool, Kids, & Mom).

http://simplelivingmedia.com/

I don't read many blogs regularly but I do like these and Smitten Kitchen.

[Soldier of the One]

Thanks, Sparkles! I like Simple Living stuff also, so I'm happy to take a look.

So... what fundie blogs do you genuinely enjoy, people? I know there have been a gazillion threads like that before but I thought I'd ask here.

I love the photography of A Corner Pillar and Simply Vintage Girl. I know, I know, Fundie Royalty, way up there. But at least they can spell and don't seem *too* judgmental :)

I'm also a sucker for Aspiring Homemaker :)

[Bethella]

Did you manage in the end? Like I said... I'm a bit daft with the PM system :)

I believe you need 75 posts to send a PM, AllisonWndrland only has 31.

[Soldier of the One]

I believe you need 75 posts to send a PM, AllisonWndrland only has 31.

Thanks, Bethella, that might explain it.

[Mama Mia]

Thanks Spider Burps, I was just curious. In the small group of people I know, the ones who don't stay home when they have small children tend to either be very young/ low-income OR in well-established careers and a little older when they have kids. The ones who are 30ish seem to need to keep their jobs even if they don't want to due to mortgages, credit card debt, massive student loans. The few I know who stay home tend to be mid-twenties with no student loan debt and a husband with an okay job ( cop, store manager, i.t. ) and they rent. None of them have any religious motivations regarding their decisions as far as I know.

I think it's great that you were able to make a decision to have home making as a career ! I don't think I've met anyone who has done that before they had children. It sounds like it would be very fulfilling.

[AllisonWndrland]

I believe you need 75 posts to send a PM, AllisonWndrland only has 31.

Aha, makes sense. Thank you!