Former Fundie Going to College

[Anise]

I came across this brief essay of a former fundie just now going to college for the first time: http://www.wyzant.com/scholarships/v3/e ... on-ME.aspx

Select quote: "They told us college would corrupt us, and lead us on a path to Hell. Besides, the good character we were learning as part of the organization’s program would be enough to get us jobs almost anywhere. Or so they said. Needless to say, that never happened."

It's sounds like so many of the fundies we hear about. Funny how those jobs anywhere are usually photography especially for weddings, "writing", and working for dad. It's nice to see someone escaping all that crap.

The best part: "I would love to start a safe house for girls like me, so they can start on life much earlier than I was able to. I want it to be a place where they can de-program at their own pace and gain new experiences as they are ready for them." :dance:

Oh yeah, and you can vote for her essay to help her out.

[salex]

Besides, the good character we were learning as part of the organization’s program would be enough to get us jobs almost anywhere

Sounds exactly llike the nonsensical bs one of the bloggers was spouting earlier this week.

I'm new so can't remember which one.

[Anne Tudor]

That was Kelly/ Generation Cedar: generationcedar.com :)

[Green Glass]

I voted for her essay and wish her the best of luck! I am glad that she was able to get away from it all and start out on her own, and that she's getting to go to college.

[Joan of Snarc]

I came across this brief essay of a former fundie just now going to college for the first time: http://www.wyzant.com/scholarships/v3/e ... on-ME.aspx

Select quote: "They told us college would corrupt us, and lead us on a path to Hell. Besides, the good character we were learning as part of the organization’s program would be enough to get us jobs almost anywhere. Or so they said. Needless to say, that never happened."

That's hilarious (well, not for the essay-writer.)

Yes, I'd like to apply for a job as an aerospace engineer/R.N./software developer/H. S. physics teacher/pharmacist/paralegal, etc.

Have you ever been arrested or had premarital sex?

NO! YAHWEH forbid! I was homeschooled!

Okay! You're hired! Go pick up your $80K/year paycheck down the hall.

:roll:

[kpmom]

I remember Steve Maxwell, in pushing his "Raising Sons to Provide for a Single Income Family" book, claimed a well-trained son, with only a SOTDRT high school education, should be able to make $35,000 per year right out of the gate.

He swore his two oldest were making more than he was at his engineering job at some point. I hate to call anybody a liar, but.....

[Seven Severn]

That's hilarious (well, not for the essay-writer.)

Yes, I'd like to apply for a job as an aerospace engineer/R.N./software developer/H. S. physics teacher/pharmacist/paralegal, etc.

Have you ever been arrested or had premarital sex?

NO! YAHWEH forbid! I was homeschooled!

Okay! You're hired! Go pick up your $80K/year paycheck down the hall.

:roll:

But...but...I have good character!! The organization that my family belongs to said so!! :?

[Boogalou]

Good for her! I voted for her essay.

[laura oz]

I voted for her when I used to read NLQ. I'm so glad she got her scholarship.

eta wait, did she get the scholarship or is the vote still going on?

[Anise]

I voted for her when I used to read NLQ. I'm so glad she got her scholarship.

eta wait, did she get the scholarship or is the vote still going on?

I don't know if she entered in past years, but she is not listed in previous recipients of the scholarship. This voting session is for this year.

[kitkat]

Depending on what they were doing, I could believe that they were making 35K a year. In a good job market, that is about right for a construction job. The only problem is that you're never going to make more than 35K, and its hell on your body.

[LeopardLady]

It's always great to hear stories from people who manage to make it out of fundydom and into college. I voted for her and I wish her the best of luck.

[snarkyjan]

I voted for her and will cross my fingers. I also shared it on my Facebook.

[YPestis]

I remember Steve Maxwell, in pushing his "Raising Sons to Provide for a Single Income Family" book, claimed a well-trained son, with only a SOTDRT high school education, should be able to make $35,000 per year right out of the gate.

He swore his two oldest were making more than he was at his engineering job at some point. I hate to call anybody a liar, but.....

He wrote that book about 10 years ago so presumably, he'd brag that it's even higher adjusting for inflation now.

I don't know if Steve is outright lying but he's probably playing with words. His oldest was hired one year to write a manual for a CC course on basic programming and was given a sum for that. I think it was that year Steve alluded to where Nathan made more than him as an engineer. Of course, at this point, Steve had been out of corporate for a number of years so I'm not sure why he'd brag that his son makes more than he did from years back.

Steve also made it sound like small business opportunities are just everywhere if people would put their books down and walk outside their lecture halls. I remember he said that even a simple mowing business could easily bring in a livable income if a young man has a lawn mower. Yes, as long as a young man was willing to work hard, he could easily make tens of thousands of dollars. And all those skills could be self-taught at home!

As for how much a 18 year old could make. Yeah, $40k/yr is possible if they ran their own successful business or had some in-demand skills. However, most kids that age are large enterprises or super skilled in something that could turn serious cash. Fundies like Steve Maxwell can talk their teeth off about the superior education they provide to their kids, but most have at most a bare bones education with severe limitations placed on anything resembling critical thinking. I doubt most of their 18 year olds would see much past a modest income given their education limitations.

Heck, even as a college student, I wasn't being paid all that much doing my engineering internship. The best paying ones were only available during the summers by companies looking to hire from such a pool in the future (i.e they were specifically catering to college students, and were not jobs for fulltime employees). Honestly, it's difficult to get a "good" job without further training past high school these days short of physical demanding work such as in construction or joining the military.

I think many fundies tend to do self-employment because it allows them utilize whatever skills they do have without need for certifications or degrees. As much as fundies like to prat on about the evils of colleges, the reality is not everyone is cut out to run a business or work in construction or farming. Some of these fundies kids really would do better going to college and joining professions that colleges can lead to. I think we are going to see a breaking point with fundies and their anticollege stance. There will reach a critical mass of fundie young men who are chronically underemployed which will hopefully push others to see why encouraging young men to eschew education is a bad idea.

[NeonJungle]

I voted. It is so troubling to me, that first big bold sentence, "I was raised to believe college was evil." Extrapolation leads me to believe this statement's building block is that learning is the same. I cannot get behind anyone who thinks learning is evil.

[Anise]

I hope it's okay that I bump this. I noticed when Libby Anne of Love, Joy, Feminism reposted this recently that the voting period is almost over and the writer is a few votes shy of being a finalist.

[anna2_0]

There was another good essay related to Quiverfull movement:

http://www.wyzant.com/scholarships/v3/e ... te-NC.aspx

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I think the Maxwells actually could make a decent enough living flipping houses or starting a true full-time house remodelling business. So many of the fundies we read about here though don't even seem to have that level of skill, and of course that's about boys (in that world), never girls.

The girls? I guess they're not supposed to want jobs anyway, but if something happens and they need to work (because the Church doesn't actually step in - oh my) they're pretty much screwed. Most of the at-home jobs you can do that are considered "women's work" don't pay much at all. If they go out of the house, it's pretty much retail or possibly sewing factories, and those don't pay so well either. Child care requires certification, if they're willing to get that, again, it doesn't pay well at all (particularly considering that you're caring for KIDS - this country's priorities can be very screwed up, but that's another rant).

[Anise]

There was another good essay related to Quiverfull movement:

http://www.wyzant.com/scholarships/v3/e ... te-NC.aspx

Yeah, I am glad they are both doing well. Jennifer, the author of the essay you linked to, is lucky to have gotten out so young. Sharon didn't escape until a few years ago, well into her thirties, which is a bit more unusual (but hey, it means there is hope yet for Sarah Maxwell!).

Jennifer's essay might be more popular because she names the movement that she escaped, but I happen to know that the organization that Sharon mentioned in her essay is ATI (I don't know her personally, but I know of her).

[Closed Womb]

I remember Steve Maxwell, in pushing his "Raising Sons to Provide for a Single Income Family" book, claimed a well-trained son, with only a SOTDRT high school education, should be able to make $35,000 per year right out of the gate.

He swore his two oldest were making more than he was at his engineering job at some point. I hate to call anybody a liar, but.....

"911, what is your emergency?"

"Hello, yes, I need to report a pants fire at the Maxwell residence."

:angry-extinguishflame:

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Both mentioned they would like to start safe houses for other girls. Just goes to show how many girls would leave if they actually thought they could.

[YPestis]

Both mentioned they would like to start safe houses for other girls. Just goes to show how many girls would leave if they actually thought they could.

Couldn't girls who escape from fundie-dom be labelled abuse victims? They are escaping a form of domestic abuse. They have similar problems that many victims face, including education and financial barriers.

[August]

Couldn't girls who escape from fundie-dom be labelled abuse victims? They are escaping a form of domestic abuse. They have similar problems that many victims face, including education and financial barriers.

They'd be like kids aging out of foster care, too. When you have that fallback of parents it's hard to see how big the advantage is, until you see someone like Razing Ruth foundering.