Duggars, Boys and Romance Novels

[ILoveJellybeans]

I really hope so...but would they have the courage to actually accept and read them?

[snarkyjan]

I certainly learned a lot of defrauding information reading the Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel. That would be SO off limits. Ayla and Jondalar have sex every three chapters at one point, Ayla is the most awesome woman who ever lived and invents everything, and even though it takes place in the Stone Age there isn't a dinosaur in sight.

There's even more than that to make their heads spin:

Although Jondalar and Ayla met in book 2, they didn't actually marry until book 5. They spent 3 whole books living in sin (woot!).

Every other tribe they encountered, except for Neanderthals, worshipped a female deity.

The tribe they lived with in book 3 was led by brother/sister co-chieftains.

Also in book 3, there was a love triangle between Ayla, Jondalar and Ranec, the young black artist/sculptor (Ayla would have been better off with Ranec IMO, he had a lot more moxie than Jondalar).

In book 4, they encountered a tribe led by a FEMALE chieftain.

In book 5 the supreme religious leader of Jondalar's tribe was female.

[roddma]

Can I get a link to this video? I can't find it on the site.

ThE video is on the 19K Fb page.

It's ashame the young womens' only heroines are people like Sarah Mally who is 34 and never dated. Even Sadder is they quote her more than the Bible.

[roddma]

I wonder what they do with showers/baths because it is the best opportunity for masturbation. Having a buddy in their with them is too defrauding, and the idea of having a parent watch is incredibly wrong and perverted. Maybe 2 minute cold showers?

Maybe they do like Ned Flanders. In an episode of the Simpsons Ned had on trunks to prevent such things.

I hear in some cultures like the Amish they women wear pantaloons/tights in the tub-whenever they take a bath that is.

[Swamptribe]

Yeah, could we get a link to the video referenced in the first post?

If you think about it. The Duggar girls have made an idol out of their concept 'purity'. Not to say they don't have many other idols in their ideology.

Oh, not to change the subject but, I want to scream every time one of them spits out the phrase 'us girls'. For people who are in front of the camera, and who do public speaking gigs (paid public speaking gigs), their grammar is godawful. I often wonder if they speak this way because they want to sound un-worldy and folksy? Is it because they don't know any better having learned by the example of their parents? Or if they just think it's cute?

[MrMattyMatt]

They speak that way because that's all they know. They have limited public speaking experience as well as attendance.

[Butterflykisses101]

I certainly learned a lot of defrauding information reading the Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel. That would be SO off limits. Ayla and Jondalar have sex every three chapters at one point, Ayla is the most awesome woman who ever lived and invents everything, and even though it takes place in the Stone Age there isn't a dinosaur in sight.

Haha me too, I started reading them at 11/12!

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Haha me too, I started reading them at 11/12!

Me too! Loved them and learned a lot. They got progressively worse though, the last one was atrocious.

[trigger89]

Can I get a link to this video? I can't find it on the site.

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and ... dating.htm

[Salamander]

Maybe they do like Ned Flanders. In an episode of the Simpsons Ned had on trunks to prevent such things.

I hear in some cultures like the Amish they women wear pantaloons/tights in the tub-whenever they take a bath that is.

Maybe they're never nudes. Instead of jean cutoffs they have a sooper speshul Duggar shower skirt. :lol:

[Eternalbluepearl]

Don't forget the polo shirt to go along with that shower skirt.

[RosyDaisy]

I wonder what they do with showers/baths because it is the best opportunity for masturbation. Having a buddy in their with them is too defrauding, and the idea of having a parent watch is incredibly wrong and perverted. Maybe 2 minute cold showers?

Bathing with your sister? :wtf: The last time my sister and I took a bath together we were very little girls. I cannot imagine showering with my sister as a teen or adult. That's just all kids of creepy. :shock:

[amers]

I've always sort of defended these people in some ways, but the episode where they were at the birthday party, and hearing these girls say that you shouldn't "imagine your name with a boys, or feel giddy" or god forbid flirt, well, I kind of lost my ability to look at their bright side. This is a cult, a self made cult by Jim Bob who has ingrained in his daughters that no man is worthy except for him, that any NORMAL urges or FEELINGS are BAD, and that to feel any differently will send them to hell. These girls will never marry, unless they run away in the night. He's bred them to worship him, and he is their "god" in some respects. It's unfathomable that a 22 year old who has never even dated can give relationship advice. It's laughable. "I've never dated, but here's what you are doing wrong..." Um, that's WHY you are 22 and have never had a boyfriend.

I'm rambling, but hearing those girls talk, it just screams CULT.

[Anny Nym]

Just had the chance to be able to watch the video clip in my area and I´d like to add my 2 cents about it:

Besides all that "romance novels are the ebilz becaus´they make you wanna explore your ebil hoochie coochie!" ridiculousness and the usual fundie maiden generic phrases, one thing this time struck me with its obviousness: This girls are heading down the Sad-Fundie-Spinster-Highway at a speed you usually only be allowed at the german Autobahn! They are in good comapny although, along with all the other fundie princesses like the Botkin sisters, the Ah the Life! sisters, the Mally girl... and al the others I haven´t a name to the face right now.

And at the end, there awaits them the sad and probably very lonely and forgotten-from-the-world life of a Bethany Lindvall, who is already in ther 40s and whose happy moments in life are mostly made of "rowing a boat on the pond with my brother, ... wet kisses from niece and nephew, spinning fiber" according to her blog.

Poor Sarah Maxwell is also already there.

[Guest LilaFowler]

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and ... dating.htm

Thanks!

[Rainytown]

There's a new video by TLC with the Duggar girls talking about relationships with boys blah blah and how bad romance novels are. In A love that Multiplies Michelle says romance novels are porn for women.

Welcome to my soapbox. You might want to pack a lunch. :D

Hey, Michelle Duggar, I'm your worst nightmare: A former fundie that writes romance novels, and NOT the "inspirational" kind.

Here's the difference between romance novels and pornography: Romance novels tell the story of the birth and growth of a relationship between two people. Sexuality is part of a normal relationship between consenting adults. (Michelle might have to read that one twice. After all, she persists in believing that sex is for procreation only, and only after those adults are married.) The physical involvement of the characters in a romance novel happens as a result of falling in love. As their relationship grows, they face challenges, but overcome those challenges and choose to stay together. Women (and a lot of men) read romance novels because they enjoy the feeling of falling in love, over and over and over again. They like an entertaining, engrossing story that takes them away from their everyday lives for a few hours.

Porn has no emotional element.

It's interesting to me to hear women say that the relationships explored in a romance novel are "unrealistic". Really? Why shouldn't any woman expect to have a happy, mutually supportive and loving relationship? Why shouldn't any woman expect to be sexually satisfied by her mate? The romance novels written in the 60's and 70's reflect society at that time - women were still controlled by men, etcetera. Today's romance novels are written by women who believe they deserve to chase their dreams and have a great relationship, too. Romance novelists are college professors (Eloisa James, Jennifer Crusie,) Ivy League grads (Julia Quinn, Sarah Maclean,) lawyers (too many to name, but try Courtney Milan and Julie James first,) and stay-at-home moms (Debbie Macomber, who is probably worth over $100 million at this point). We come from all walks of life. The biggest thing we have in common is that we love to write books our readers will love.

I think the reason why romance novels are so scorned by people like Gothard and Michelle Duggar is that they show women there's more to life than cooking, cleaning and eternal pregnancy. There's more to a sexual relationship than half-hearted foreplay and 30 seconds in the dark. Perhaps I should mention that it's also fairly lucrative to write a great romance novel. Nora Roberts' fortune has to be in excess of $150 million, for example. There are many other women making over six figures a year. One can make her own decisions in life with that kind of income.

I'd bet the deed to our house that Michelle Duggar has not read a romance novel written after 1980, if she's ever read one at all. Furthermore, why should she want to be reminded how devoid of humor and emotion her own relationship is?

Hops off soapbox, gets back to work...

[oil]

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and ... dating.htm

So the girls call it now "dating with a purpose" like the way Mrs. Bates says it and not courtship any more?? Wow they show that they can change! I am surprised; I thought they would be more strict to stay with their way of "courtship" and never say the word "dating".

[Anny Nym]

So the girls call it now "dating with a purpose" like the way Mrs. Bates says it and not courtship any more?? Wow they show that they can change! I am surprised; I thought they would be more strict to stay with their way of "courtship" and never say the word "dating".

I don´t think that´s any signal of change. It´s probably just some sugar-coating.

[alchemy]

My mom was a fan of christian romance novels. I read a few of them, Janette Oke and Grace Livingston Hill come to mind. They were all so tame I don't know how even the Duggars would find them threatening. Although there was this one time I got this Christian YA novel that I'm sure my mom thought would be uber conservative but turned out to be pretty graghic for my virgin mind. Let's say those Amish don't have the same notion of courtship as the evangelicals do.

[Trynn]

Romance novels aren't my cup of tea. However, I found some of the Christian ones more defrauding (and unrealistic), at times, than the secular ones that had sex scenes.

[DarkAnts]

Romance novels can be a good escape for people who are into that sort of thing. I had a roommate in college who read them when she was stressed. She would snark on them and point out how silly they are. I have only read one. It was a steam punk romance called "Steamed." It was over the top silly.

[Czarina]

Sick of self righteous, ignorant Jill. She put the whole kabash on Jinger's big city dreams. Amazing how Jill can be a midwife, yet completely live in denial about the desires and passions that get a woman pregnant in the first place. Or, is she only taking care of pregnant women who are married?

[lilwriter85]

Romance novels can be a good escape for people who are into that sort of thing. I had a roommate in college who read them when she was stressed. She would snark on them and point out how silly they are. I have only read one. It was a steam punk romance called "Steamed." It was over the top silly.

My cousin also reads romance novels when she is stressed. She takes care of my aunt on the weekends and sometimes that can be stressful. My cousin likes reading various kinds of books, but she says romance novels are light and easier to read while you are going through stress.

[lilwriter85]

Sick of self righteous, ignorant Jill. She put the whole kabash on Jinger's big city dreams. Amazing how Jill can be a midwife, yet completely live in denial about the desires and passions that get a woman pregnant in the first place. Or, is she only taking care of pregnant women who are married?

I've been sick of Jill for awhile. She is kind of the female version of Josh. I think Jinger and Jessa are still to be like her.

[AnywhereButHere]

I certainly learned a lot of defrauding information reading the Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel. That would be SO off limits. Ayla and Jondalar have sex every three chapters at one point, Ayla is the most awesome woman who ever lived and invents everything, and even though it takes place in the Stone Age there isn't a dinosaur in sight.

I read the first one in the series when I was about 12-13. I was sitting on the couch, bawling my eyes out at the ending because it was so sad, she got kicked out of the clan, had to leave her baby behind, and my dad got so mad that I was upset, he forbid me to read the rest of the ending (I had like two more pages or something. I had to lock myself in the bathroom in order to finish it). All I could think was, if he had any idea of what was in the rest of the book, the sad ending would've been the least of his issues. My mom had no issues. I think her reasoning was, I had to learn this from somewhere and this saved her from actually having to discuss sex with me. :P

And, not for nothing, my aunt has a whole collection of sex-free Harlequin novels. All full of slightly sanctimonious lusting. Those wouldn't fly with the Duggars either though, I'm sure. As much as they don't want their daughters to think they should be enjoying non-procreational (hey look, I think I made up a word!) sex, they don't want them getting the idea in their heads that a romantic relationship could happen and not be sanctioned first by daddy.