Introduce Yourself - Part 2

[Evangeline]

Hi everyone.

I've already posted a few times without introducing myself. Sorry if that's a faux pas. I started reading here after I caught wind of the fact that you discuss some people I know. Once upon a time, I went to church with one of these families. It was an IFB church, but they still managed to out-fundie everyone else there. My parents both graduated from one of the famous fundie colleges you snark on here. So, there's lots of familiar names and places, and I enjoy the gossip. I'm a Christian but have never had any interest in living the fundie lifestyle, not even back before I had the words to explain why. I have a college education and a job. I have a reasonable number of kids who I happily send to public school, and a husband who I don't submit to. I think we'll eventually leave our denomination for something more liberal. For now, I try to be content with being the change I want to see.

[toejamflipflop]

I was a member but had been off for quite a while and forgot my name and password. I signed back up and its good to be back. No I am not that crazy lady who you banned but I do remember her. She was a pain in the ass if I remember. Anyway its good to be back, see all the new people here and catch up with older members posts. I also belonged to Duggar ideology at one point in time until I realized they were all full of shit. I'm back to being a lapsed Catholic.

[sugarcookie]

OMG where have you guys been all my life? (more appropriately - how the hell did it take me this long to find you?) :cracking-up:

[Pandora Spocks]

So I have been lurking intermittently for I-don't-know-how-many years. I've been oddly fascinated with the Duggars since the very first special. At first I thought they were a great family with "good values", wonderful parents, and strong faith. And that lasted for quite a while. Then I put down the kool aid - seems to me the final straw was the precious miracle child's birth and subsequent beatification. Ok, well really it was the fake pigtails. :wtf:

This season of 19 KAC I started to read the FJ boards, well, fanatically if I may use the term. I love reading the summaries and all the comments after a new episode comes out. I don't necessarily agree with every word that everyone writes, but most of the time I'm sitting here saying "right on!" or "tell it, sister!" in my head. I figured it was time to come out into the open. My name is Pandora Spocks, and I watch 19 Kids & Counting. Yeah.

Probably I will go back to lurkdom, but then again, the vigorous leghumper title is really appealing to me . . .

[pennsatuckey]

Hi all,

My name is Rachel and I've been fascinated with the Duggars since their first special. It's always been a guilty pleasure for me, but it's also a friendly reminder to take my birth control.

My life is pretty different from any of the fundie families. I was raised protestant but became disillusioned with Christianity when I was about 13. I've tried to go back to church or independently practice numerous times but it never felt right. My parents were fine with my decision (my dad's a closet agnostic anyway).

I'm currently studying speech-language pathology. I just finished my first year at school, but came in with enough credits to be a junior by the end of summer classes. I work at an autism center as an administrative assistant, but it's giving me a decent preview of what clinic work will look like for me.

I'm a feminist/working class/immigration/LGBTQIA activist in my area and was in a production of the Vagina Monologues a few months back, which was one of the coolest things I've ever done.

So... That's me!

[Tennilla]

Hi I'm Aileen. I love to hate watch The Duggars but I hate how much I love them. I live in Ohio with my husband and daughter.

[Bugnyou]

Hi

My husband and I often watch the Duggars mostly to snark, my husband said from the beginning that Michelle is addicted to having babies but doesn't pay much attention to the older ones. That was when I still kind of liked them. I have come around to his thinking (not because i had to lol) For some reason I am intrigued by reading about groups that are "cultish" I am often read stories of those who have come out of groups like this. I was involved with one for years and just often find the similarities of leaving these groups striking. Anyway I have read for sometime it will be nice to participate.

[catlady]

Hi! I'm Lisa and I've been lurking around for about 6 months or so. I "discovered" FJ when I saw a rerun of the Duggars and idly wondered whatever happened to Zach Bates and Sarah Reith; the google led me here. I have never known any fundies, but the Duggars, Bateseseses, the Amish, and others like them have fascinated me since the Jonestown tragedy, and I like to learn about new things. (I have to admit that after I read about Emily-and-Dan here, I genuinely feel so bad for Dan and his kids that I can't bring myself to use the misspelling of his name.) I probably won't post very often, but I enjoy listening in on what everyone else has to say. I promise to justify my presence and speak up now and then, because John Shrader is a big useless tool....

I'm a fallen-away Catholic turned atheist. I have no kids, but I do have a quiverful of pets, mostly cats. We live in upstate New York and do not attend church; instead we feel that Mother Nature's garden is our cathedral.

[It'sFunToRun]

Hi! I'm new here. I'm was trying to find the very first episode I watched (On the Road with 16 Children), and I found it on youtube, but the youtube version seems to have cut out the TH parts. Does anyone know where I can find the full episode?

[SuffolkNWhat]

Hi everyone

I'm new and have found my home here! As you might guess from my avatar I'm in England and have been watching the Duggar-circus on Home & Health (which show the TLC shows) since they started.

I'm outspoken, a feminist, a ginger and a teacher of Religious Education (hence why the fundies fascinate me!)

[deeaixi]

I'm a 29-year-old graduate student currently living in Spain (but based in Georgia USA). I grew up in a fairly liberal (within context) Hasidic household, and I came to FreeJinger in a roundabout way after discovering Old Testament Christianity via a friend's Facebook and becoming very interested in Quiverfull, Christian Patriarchy, OTC, betrothal, etc. I've never actually seen the Duggar show but I've read a decent amount about it.

I have a long-term live-in boyfriend, two cats, and a dog. I'm an outspoken feminist, an artist, and a researcher. My favorite fundie blog is Quiver Full of Kids, by the Brendemuhl family, which annoyingly hasn't been updated for two months even though I KNOW they've had a wedding and a baby in that time :/

[It'sFunToRun]

I'm a 29-year-old graduate student currently living in Spain (but based in Georgia USA). I grew up in a fairly liberal (within context) Hasidic household

I think I can guess which sect that would be. Were you from a supersized family?

I have a long-term live-in boyfriend, two cats, and a dog. I'm an outspoken feminist, an artist, and a researcher.

So I'm guessing that you're not Hasidic anymore. How did you escape? What was it like? Is your bf at least Jewish?

Sorry for the personal questions if they are unwanted, you don't have to answer anything.

[deeaixi]

Hi! No, not from a supersized family, there are only three of us. But many of our relatives do have them and I think that ours probably would have too if my mom hadn't had a hard time conceiving.

My boyfriend is not Jewish, but we've agreed to raise any future children to be liberal observant Jews and he's agreed to seriously consider conversion in the event of marriage or children (though it's not a dealbreaker if he doesn't want to). No, not Hasidic anymore, but still consider myself a devout Jew.

To answer your question about how I left, I hope I don't come off as rude, but I think it's a mistake to automatically frame leaving a religious/conservative background in the context of an "escape." It absolutely can be and is in many situations, but it's by no means automatic, and it adds an preconceived layer of drama and implied "evildoing" on the part of the family that doesn't necessarily exist. In my case, I maintain a friendly yet distant relationship towards my family, and there was never any kind of secret fleeing in the night, or blowup, or big watershed dramatic event. It was a slow drift that occurred over many years, long before I was conscious of it myself. There are a lot of things that I loathe about my upbringing and that did and still do a great deal of damage, but it's not really a good dramatic narrative :)

Hope that answers your questions!

[It'sFunToRun]

To answer your question about how I left, I hope I don't come off as rude, but I think it's a mistake to automatically frame leaving a religious/conservative background in the context of an "escape." It absolutely can be and is in many situations, but it's by no means automatic, and it adds an preconceived layer of drama and implied "evildoing" on the part of the family that doesn't necessarily exist. In my case, I maintain a friendly yet distant relationship towards my family, and there was never any kind of secret fleeing in the night, or blowup, or big watershed dramatic event. It was a slow drift that occurred over many years, long before I was conscious of it myself. There are a lot of things that I loathe about my upbringing and that did and still do a great deal of damage, but it's not really a good dramatic narrative :)

Thanks for answering my questions! I guess when I (and others) use the word "escape", we're not actually imagining an evil family that you literally have to jump over fences and dodge bullets to get away from; we mean it more in the way of those advertisements for resort getaways that say "plan your escape to fun island!", or something like that. Not that secular life is necessarily fun and relaxing, but that it has to be new and exciting and probably scary to someone who has only known life in an insular world.

[Lovebug]

Hello everyone, and thank you, Jill Duggar, for officially pulling me out of lurk-mode. A fabulous long-distance courtship followed by a whirlwind engagement and barn themed wedding will do that to a person, no?

Anyway, I'm just a your typical perplexed ex-catholic girl, who is now somehow ridiculously addicted to the Duggar family's every move. Unhealthy? Probably. Thank GAWD I found this place.

Beyond the Duggars and a few others (the Bates, the Keller family and the I-really-think-he's-not-out-yet-Priscilla David Waller family :gay-rainbow:) I had no idea there was such a plethora of other super-ridiculous sized families (and families in the making!) that are so much more perfect than I am. I am excited about all the things I am learning each day. Jesus would be proud!

The basics: I'm married to a great guy, and our common sense stopped us at having two children, because that's what we can afford. The only babies I enjoy at this point in my life belong to other people, because I like sleeping through the night and spending money on myself. We live in Florida, and it's awesome!

[The Larch]

I think I posted an intro before at some point, but my account's been inactive for quite a while (life gets in the way of my Internet time...) and I'm sure nobody remembers who the heck I am.

So, hi. :) The short version is that I was raised fundie, married a guy who was raised fundie, and, much to the chagrin of various family members, the two of us decided we were not continuing down that road. But, I still like to keep track of all the craziness going on, and I love the snark.

Life remains crazy, as we've recently had our first child, but I hope to join in the community some... Lurking has become my nap time guilty pleasure.

[freejingerbeth]

Hello, I'm a 49 year old SAHM. I started watching the Duggars a couple of years ago and like many others, am horrified, but can't quit watching. Anyway, I started looking up more information about the family ( I even read one of their idiotic books) and came across this website by accident. I've been reading the posts, laughing out loud, and finally decided to join. Some of the posters here, should be professional comedians.

[RosyDaisy]

Welcome y'all!

[Mollyhooper]

Hi all!

I am a SAHM to two, soon to be three kids. I was raised in a Protestant Egalitarian house hold. And my husband and I tend to lean more egalitarian.

However, a few of my husbands family are becoming increasingly fundie and H and I are on the outside watching family drink the kool-aid.

[mygirlfriday]

Hey y'all! :lol:

I am a married 32 year old female from South Carolina (lots of fundies in good ole South Cackalacky). I have been married for 3 years and have zero kids and one dog. I aspire to one day own a goat. This will never happen as I live in a city,have no yard, and I am incredibly lazy and irresponsible.

I am a community college English instructor and I am fascinated pretty much by all different types of cultural groups. This is also why I have to be conscious of not writing insanely large ranting posts.

I have been reading around the forums the past few weeks and I am now a mixture of obsessed, enamored, and horrified.

I look forward to adding in my own snark!

[sol]

hello,

i can't remember how i found this forum, but for the longest time i thought that Jinger was pronounced with a hard "g". :embarrassed: as you might be able to tell, i've never actually seen the show that this place gets its name from. i do enjoy reading all of the snark (and intelligent commentary!), though, and it's been a welcome distraction during some really rough times.

i'm originally from the Deep South and have many relatives who would be considered fundie or fundie-lite. i'm certain they all think i'm going to hell and that my "[palpable pause] friend" (aka my wife) is as well. luckily for us, we live on the other side of the pond in a country where i've yet to hear anyone refer to another person as their "sister in Christ." my wife and i are invisible mamas to a little boy whom we'll never get to watch grow up. my name is kind of in honor of him.

i'm pretty shy, so i doubt i'll post much, but i will be sitting back and enjoying the long, strange trip ya'll provide.

[freejoyannatoo]

Hello people,

Well, I'm glad to read other people's posts expressing their car-crash-style fascination with the Duggars as this is one place where I won't have to try and explain what I see in them ...

I live in England, where fundies also exist but are much rarer than In the States I believe. Until recently I've always lived in big towns or in London, where I grew up. Now I live in the country, and village life is surprisingly feudal. We are all supposed to know our place in the village hierarchy and act appropriately. I am not succeeding in this.

FJ makes me laugh and also makes me think. I like that :)

[Sundaymorning]

Hello everyone,

I'm Sundaymorning from Austria. I discovered the Duggars a few years ago, and recently watched a few new episodes. I was appalled. That's why I'm here, cause I was wondering if I'm the only one who thinks that the parents are simply horrible.

I also think that the Duggars are quite dangerous, as they are using this tv show to pass their "lifestyle" off as harmless and friendly, when in reality, it's a cult which severely harms people.

[nastyhobbitses]

Hi all!

I'm a 22-year-old recent college graduate/very confused young adult who's currently living and working in China (though I'm moving to the UK for grad school come January), but I'm originally from Connecticut. I've been lurking FreeJinger for a while now, and I'm really fascinated with the Religious Right/Christian Fundamentalism/the Duggars, mainly because I grew up in a rather small, extremely liberal, Jewish family. I guess I'm so interested because it's a way of life so different from my own; that's also why I went to live and work in China after college -- though of course, living and working in China for a year and studying Chinese language and culture for seven years have made the Duggars Do Asia episode one of the most cringe-worthy things I have ever watched.

In addition to my weird obsession with the Religious Right in America, I am a proud feminist and an LGBTQIA activist when I have the time/am not living in a country where the LGBTQIA scene is still pretty hush-hush and just not really a "thing" outside of really big cities (Shanghai has only had Pride week since 2009, though it is gaining a lot of momentum). I hope to devote my future career to researching language education's role in international development or domestic immigration policies. And hopefully, if I end up in DC, I'll have a Smuggar sighting or two!

[BrownieMomma]

Hello all,

I reside in the Bible Belt, in my 50's, divorced mom of three kids who are college and high school age, been in and out of various Christian flavors all my life including a brush with fundie a la headship, homeschooling and all that stuff.

Currently, I attend a Pentecostal church, which is a new experience for me. My two sons are agnostic, yet my daughter and I are what you can say "Holy Ghost filled." But we all manage to live together in harmony, we conflict over who needs to change the cat litter rather than religious issues.

We recently adopted a mother cat and two kittens.

I've been lurking a few weeks, I'll explain further in the other thread about "why are you here."

Oh, I went back to college in my 40's and now have a professional career and currently in pursuit of a higher professional level. The last few years, think Chandler when he was an intern. Friends, if you didn't catch the reference.

I watch Duggars with my teen daughter, Arrested Development with my teen son, Maron with my college kid and play Pikmin for myself. :D