Taliban Tony and Lina's crisis of faith/marriage

[yewchapel]

Just had a nasty thought: could the post about crouching death have been the apology/calm part of an abusive cycle? If so, thank FSM Lina had the sense to take the baby and leave.

I definitely see a violent side to TT. I hope it never got to the abuse stage. I do think Lina and the baby will be better off without him.

[wtylcf]

I definitely see a violent side to TT. I hope it never got to the abuse stage. I do think Lina and the baby will be better off without him.

It's funny, TT's atheist vegan incarnation seemed so much less frightening than his Xn fundie incarnation. "SaveEarthVegan" posted adorable pics of his baby with lines about how much he loved his family and how happy he was in life, but I should remember it's all too easy to hide behind a few lines in a status update. Taliban Tony's interaction with the forum is summarized in the excellent link roundup by Lissar. http://freejinger.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4503 A choice quotation below:

Allow me to offer my perspective about your whole Taliban statement: IF you want your husband to begin acting as though he were a Taliban Soldier enforcing Sharia Law... then disrespect him, and so will your outcome be. However, IF you want to live your life with a peaceful man that treasures you and Loves you with all of his might... then submit and follow him, and so will your outcome be.

Yeah. Most people who spout the "submission" crap would not entertain the idea that a misbehaving wife justifies her husband acting like the Taliban. More than a little scary, and potentially indicative of someone capable of abuse. I hope to God it's not true, and that TT abandoned his opinions on this matter when he started quoting Richard Dawkins, but one FreeJingerite warned Lina of this exact possibility based on what she'd read of TT's writing.

(edited slightly for clarity)

[formerlyfundie]

Wow.

I'm genuinely shocked that they are (I guess) divorcing. Their baby is PRECIOUS and she's been a lot more tolerable since he was born, she really seems dedicated and really connected with him. I hope she takes this as a learning experience and can live a happier, freer life with her adorable son not stuck in ridiculous spiritual bondage under a not so stable sounding husband. I really wish her the best.

[Morton Fan]

They're so erratic that I really doubt they're actually divorcing. I'm sure they'll get back together, have another blowup, change religions again, break up, etc. ad infinitum.

[ladyamylynn]

They're so erratic that I really doubt they're actually divorcing. I'm sure they'll get back together, have another blowup, change religions again, break up, etc. ad infinitum.

God, that would be super fucking annoying, wouldn't it? But, it does kind of remind me of my relationships when I was around her age. Full of angst. The difference, of course, that I never married any of them and I never brought a kid into the situation! The only people we drove crazy with our drama were our friends, mostly.

[LilMissMetaphor]

I'm sure they'll get back together, have another blowup

Hey, don't talk about the baby that way. :P

[slh12280]

Wait, where is all this talk of divorce coming from?

[Beeks]

Wait, where is all this talk of divorce coming from?

Lina went back to her maiden name on Facebook after TT had what seemed like a major crisis of faith.

[Dinorah]

I miss Lina, so to speak. I hope she and her baby are going to be ok. Her whole story feels like a massive teen age crisis gone wrong, maybe if she hadn't become emmeshed with TT she would have outgrown the whole thing. I remember her parents really wanted her to go to college and that her dad had little patience with her being skirt-only, head-covering, etc.

[clarinetpower]

Her new profile picture is gorgeous. Plus, she cut her hair, and no covering. I really hope that she is getting some help to deal with all of the (perceived) changes in her life. That is not easy for anyone to cope with, much less someone so young. I hope she doesn't just plug the hole with another whackadoodle ideology. (I almost typed idiology. That would fit. ;) )

[silvia]

Yeah. Most people who spout the "submission" crap would not entertain the idea that a misbehaving wife justifies her husband acting like the Taliban. More than a little scary, and potentially indicative of someone capable of abuse. I hope to God it's not true, and that TT abandoned his opinions on this matter when he started quoting Richard Dawkins, but one FreeJingerite warned Lina of this exact possibility based on what she'd read of TT's writing.

(edited slightly for clarity)

I remember how forcefully many people on FJ warned Lina against TT, and how she grew butthurt over it and assumed her concerned correspondents were looking to take her down. I wonder (not in an "I told you so" sense) what she might have to say about that now--and, in fact, I'd invite her to participate here again if she's open to it. Does she wish she had paid more attention to all those warnings? What would she tell other fundamentalist girls thinking of going down a similar path (early marriage to someone you've just recently met)?

[love2scrap]

I personally do not think they have divorced, at least not yet. Fundie girls can have such a low level of emotional maturity that should their "Love" make them butthurt in any way it might cause a name change on FB. All the same it creeps me out how Lina was so strongly warned about Tony and she would not listen. I guess they both proved themselves to be the headstrong kids they are.

[silvia]

Just for context, a flashback from Lina's old blog (after many FJians confronted her about TT's scary tendencies):

"This blog post is directed at the malicious online forum called Free Jinger.

I am tired. Dead tired of having my privacy trampled upon.

Yes, I have a public blog. But what right do you have to go around flashing warning lights and spreading lies about me and my family, people you don't know? Why?

There is absolutely nothing to be worried about. What have I ever done to you, FJers? Why do you speak about me on your forums? Why do you go so far as to contact one of my family members about an issue that isn't even an issue?

How dare you?

You don't know me. You don't know Anthony. You don't know my family.

So leave me alone. Please.

There is absolutely nothing G-dly or good about what you do."

[CoffeeBean]

If her Pinterest boards are any indication, she's ditched veganism and is also back to celebrating mainstream Christian holidays. She hasn't changed her name on Pinterest, but has on her private Instagram account.

I started reading Lina's blog way, way back in the early days and while I think a lot of her life choices were/are silly, I do wish her well.

[Beeks]

If her Pinterest boards are any indication, she's ditched veganism and is also back to celebrating mainstream Christian holidays. She hasn't changed her name on Pinterest, but has on her private Instagram account.

I started reading Lina's blog way, way back in the early days and while I think a lot of her life choices were/are silly, I do wish her well.

Was she vegan before TT or did she do that for him?

[yewchapel]

Was she vegan before TT or did she do that for him?

She was vegan before TT.

[sea_gale]

She wass hella vegan before TT, then lapsed a bit (only to vegetarianism, IRC), then she showed TT some PETA style video and he said that they would be vegans henceforth.

And it is so sad that I know all that.

[wtylcf]

Small update on the divorce dramawatch: Tony undeleted his facebook. He still lists himself as married but all his public interactions with Lina have been scrubbed. No change on Lina's page (she's still going by her maiden name) except for the addition of some very pretty profile photos and some super religous banners about God being her husband or something.

[ladyamylynn]

Small update on the divorce dramawatch: Tony undeleted his facebook. He still lists himself as married but all his public interactions with Lina have been scrubbed. No change on Lina's page (she's still going by her maiden name) except for the addition of some very pretty profile photos and some super religous banners about God being her husband or something.

The "God is your husband" picture is from a facebook/pinterest page called "Ruby Wives," which is pretty snark-worthy itself. They don't outright call for submission, but there is a lot of passive-aggressive stuff about changing yourself so your straying husband will come back.

Meanwhile, TT posted a picture of Bertrand Russell on Tuesday, so I'm assuming he's still on the atheist bandwagon.

I can't quit the TT and Lina drama!

[Confused_by_religion]

"God is your husband" - this is so wrong on so many levels!

This is supposed to be the unknowable, unchanging, unparalleled, omnipotent, omniscient force that shaped the universe from the macrocosm to the microcosm - how can this force be boxed in a concept that is so human and so narrow as "husband"?

Besides, last time I looked, God didn't do any of the things for me husbands do, such as

- go groceryshopping and carry the heavy bags

- do bicycle maintainance

- clean the pipes if they get blocked up by hair

- rub your shoulder if you're tense

and so on and so forth

God is NOT your husband, ladies.

Get over it.

[CoffeeBean]

I'm getting the feeling they were briefly separated before the "crouching death" post, and that post was about a reconciliation (that didn't work out, I guess). Someone calling herself Jingie Frederickson @replied TT on Twitter on March 10 admonishing him to "stay with his wife" and saying he left his family. Was that someone from here?

[wtylcf]

I'm getting the feeling they were briefly separated before the "crouching death" post, and that post was about a reconciliation (that didn't work out, I guess). Someone calling herself Jingie Frederickson @replied TT on Twitter on March 10 admonishing him to "stay with his wife" and saying he left his family. Was that someone from here?

I'd be surprised if someone from FJ chastised Tony about leaving his wife...most board posters were concerned for Lina marrying someone who seemed very misogynistic and condoned violence against women. Also March 10 is way before the divorce drama broke over here on FJ. Still, they called themselves "Jingie" so I guess it's a possibility?

[wtylcf]

I screencapped this posting in case anyone's interested..."Jingie F" has only 2 tweets and Cassie, I do think given the initials that it's unlikely to be a coincidence. Someone must have had an inside scoop?

[CoffeeBean]

Could it maybe be a family member of Lina's or TT's in disguise? I know some of them were informed about FJ. That would be weird, though.

[bananacat]

Whoa, I took a break from FJ and I come back to hear in passing that they're getting divorced? This is predictable but I thought they would have waited until at least the second blessing came along. Can anyone link me to the original thread about the drama? Frankly, I think it's the best thing for them, including the baby.