Young Raquel

[HotModesty89]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I am so conflicted.

I want to love Raquel.

She is young. She is naive. She loves her family. She believes in perfect love, which is a beautiful, beautiful thing. She has a healthy self esteem, which is so rare among teenage girls today. I want to encourage her and girls like her. I want to build girls up. I want to encourage them to realize their unique and beautiful qualities. I want them to look in the mirror and be proud of their reflection.

But how do you convince a girl that she must not rely on her religion or upbringing to find worth? How do you tell a girl that it's all fine and good to trust her parents, but that there is a world beyond the box her parents have confined her to?

I could argue with Raquel and girls like her all day about the validity of the bible. But honestly, I'd rather invite them to interact with the world around them. Those who follow another religion, who have had a different upbringing, who believe in nothing, who believe in love, who believe that the world is greater than what we can see.

I think Raquel is just a girl. Just a girl among thousands who are wondering where they fit in. I wish I could convince her to seek, rather than to "know" what she thinks she knows. I wish her a long journey of seeking and learning, and hope that I can be less judgmental of this little girl exploring the world.

[merrily]

I think for Raquel to become a non-fundie, she'd have to have some "perfect" fundie guy come into her life and completely destroy her own. She SAYS all the right things, but very little of what she DOES is true fundie approved. If she started courting some dude and had to follow the real rules that she admires, I think she'd change her attitude. She's a selfish little twit and nothing will change unless she directly suffers consequences.

BlondAgent007 said this on the thread 'what does it take to become non-fundie'. Right now, I think that's the only way Raquel is going to change her mind. She doesn't think critically, doesn't want to face the facts. So what else can you do?

[uber frau]

I tend to be much more forgiving with the average teen fundie than the average poster. I was one of them once (although I didn't have a blog, thank God) and was just as brainwashed and convinced of the rightness of everything I had been taught since birth and I can't help but think there-but-for-the-grace-of-God/FSM/whoever-go-I.

However, there's an arrogance and a vanity about Raquel that just makes me want to slap her. Teenagers are usually self-centred creatures who make everything about themselves, but they will usually be open to the POV of other ppl. Even if it doesn't come naturally to them, they can at least appreciate, in theory at least, they're not the centre of the universe.

On the other hand, Raquel just won't be told. Anytime somebody offers an alternative perspective, be it that it's cruel to forget to feed and water her horse or that the death of an acquaintance really isn't about her, she just blocks her ears and refuses to hear.

I think it will take a miracle for her to grow up into a decent, caring human being. If she continues with her present mindset, she's not going to learn from consequences-she's the kind of person for whom the shit that happens in life is always someone else's fault.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I do usually feel sorry for young fundie kids, especially girls who are generally treated like shit at home, but I find Raquel hard to like. I think its because Raquel has had the best of the fundie world-shes been indoctrinated with their world views and the holier than thou attitude, but she has also been spoiled and has everyone adoring her. She hasnt had the worst parts of fundie life that make me feel sorry for them-her parents dont beat her or shame her, she isnt forced to raise a sibling, she doesnt have to spend the whole day cleaning the house, she doesnt genuinely want more but has her dreams crushed, she will never be forced into an arranged marriage...she has a life of just doing nothing, and every opportunity to learn but doesnt. Her parents give her more choices and freedom than the average fundie, she just doesnt take it-she can decide to go to college or get a job, but doesnt. She can use her internet freedom to learn about the world, but she doesnt, she sits around on social networks uploading pictures of herself. There are so many fundie girls who are just begging to have the opportunities that she gets every day, but theyve been given to someone who doesnt use them.

I think she needs some serious intervention though, her parents need to stop spoiling her and make her do something with her life-she is either going to grow up into a spoiled, selfish adult who is still living in their house being waited on, or end up in an abusive relationship with a psychopath who acted like her Prince Charming til they were married.

[formergothardite]

Her parents haven't confined her to a box, though. She lives the life of a normal American teen except anytime anyone has ever criticized or disagreed her actions or beliefs she isn't forced to deal with that like most teens have learn to do, her parents coddle her. She is just an excessively spoiled 18 year old who happens to have latched onto fundie beliefs because she thinks that is the quickest way to get what she wants.

Most 18 year old I have known don't act the way Raquel does. We have members here who are not much older than she is and they don't act this way. This goes beyond being an 18 year old. Raquel is, frankly, just not a nice person. She might change, but she also might grow to be the next Zsu Zsu. Not everyone has it in them to turn into that, but I think Raquel does.

[fun2beme]

I felt that way about Kristina. She was ultra-fundie but seemed naive and came across to me as being rather sweet. I left comments on her blog a few times and she was never rude in her replies, nor did she delete them. Her dad definitely ruled the roost and controleld her with a strict hand. I felt like if she had a normal upbringing and education, she had the potential to be a really neat person. She hasn't blogged much since having her zillion kids but I think her husband is a carbon copy of her father.

[formergothardite]

Kristina was way more sheltered and controlled that Raquel and she actually showed a willingness to engage in conversation about her beliefs with people who didn't believe like her. That is something I never see Raquel being willing to do.

[ari_belle]

I have no sympathy for Raquel. She is a spoiled brat, and she acts like a child. She has SO much compared to the other fundies. She is obsessed with herself and with men in an incredibly unhealthy way. It doesn't help that she has leghumpers, who tell her how beautiful and wonderful she is, even though she is not. I don't consider that "healthy self-esteem." Her attention-whoring is disgusting.

She also plagiarized without caring. Many fundies, upon being confronted with that from other people, would recognize that as stealing and take steps to remove it and apologize. Raquel covered her ears and went "lalalala."

Every day when I read her ignorant, arrogant, and rude words, I pray that she never gets married so she doesn't pass any of this stupidity along to any children. I know that all sounds very harsh, but I mean it.

Edited because I accidentally contradicted myself

[Kailis]

When I first found Raquel's blog, I wanted to like her. She seems like she COULD have the potential to be a very vibrant individual. And I think that for Raquel, a lot of that potential was put out by being spoiled. The fundie life is essentially a very spoiled lifestyle. Raquel and many other young girls are being told that they will basically have the rest of their lives handed to them- God will give them a husband, house, baby, everything if they believe. Why would you want to question that if it's always worked for you?

Which is why I pity Raquel. When she's not making me twinge by showcasing her sheer stupidity.

[merrily]

We were walking on a dock at a lake.

Side by side, hand in hand

I saw something glitter in the water

It looked like a treasure

I pulled Him over to the edge

As I leaned over

Reaching down

Trying to grab the object that was

Just underneath the surface

‘Let me get it,’ I said to Him

‘You can try, but I’d rather you stay here with Me.’

‘I won’t get hurt.’

‘You may fall in.’

‘Well then don’t let go.’

‘I won’t. But do you really want to try?’

I thought for a moment

Then answered with a ‘yes’.

I thought I saw Him give a sad smile

But turned away, as the glitter was more fascinating than His face.

I kept reaching forward

Until my arm and shoulder were in the water.

‘Stop pulling me!’ I told Him.

‘I’m not pulling. I’m holding.’

And then

I fell in.

The glitter disappeared.

I suddenly realized how dangerous this was

‘I should’ve listened to Him,’ I thought.

I looked up at Him, still on the dock

Me all wet, in the water.

‘Help me out?’

Without a word, He pulled me up

And into His arms.

My face was wet, but not with just water

With tears.

‘Thank You for pulling me out.’

‘I didn’t pull. I was holding you all along.

You chose to reach for the glitter in the water.

But it proved to be fleeting.’

I nestled in His arms

Dry and warm in an instant

‘Thank You for not letting go.’

‘You’re always going to be Mine

Even if you choose to do something I would rather you not

I won’t keep you from learning your lessons.’

‘And You’ll never let go?’

‘I’ll always hold your hand.

I always have.’

Another installment of poetry- but she didn't pull it from the internets this time.

[fun2beme]

‘I didn’t pull. I was holding you all along.

Maybe not plagarism per se, but heavily influenced by "Footprints" - "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." And they were walking along the water as well.

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

Maybe not plagarism per se, but heavily influenced by "Footprints" - "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." And they were walking along the water as well.

Yup, she just rewrote "Footprints". Same sanctimonious saccharine bullshit, somewhat reworded. :pull-hair:

[formergothardite]

The penis ferret is about as original as Raquel has ever gotten with her writing.

[Sobeknofret]

I wish I could muster up some sympathy for Raquel, but I can't seem to make it there quite yet. I keep hoping she's an immature girl who just needs some wisdom and maturity to critically approach problems, but I think she's pretty much stuck where she is. Her ask feed is just awful, awful stuff.

[fundiefun]

She reminds me of the very non fundie version of Jessi Slaughter who only 11 is foul mouthed who talks about her haters and gives the internet a big F you which was later met with a break down and apology.

Be warned she has a very foul mouth but it reminds me of raquel and I could see her having this mindset which got worse as she aged without the secular references.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy4gGs8_90w

[Persinette]

The penis ferret is about as original as Raquel has ever gotten with her writing.

My curiosity got the better of me and I had to look up the Penis Ferret story, and even that was basically a variation of "The Frog Prince," not that there's anything wrong with writing fairy tale retellings (I do sometimes for creative writing assignments)...her Ferret story actually kind of reminded me of a very "less good" variation of a short Frog Prince story called "Kiss, Kiss" by Tannith Lee that I read a while back.

[formergothardite]

I didn't mean the story, yeah, that one was just copying the Frog Prince. :lol: I mean the actual penis ferret which she didn't even mean to be a penis ferret. :lol: The chapter of her "book" Defiant sounded like she was trying to copy Divergent. She needs some writing lessons.

[lilwriter85]

I agree with formergothardite, Raquel is coddled a bit too much by her parents. There have been times I have felt sorry for her like when her book was rejected and the audition incident last year. She is extremely naive and like I have said before she would have had her ass handed to her in private or public school settings. Someday she will be forced to grow up somehow.

This was on her ask feed. I get annoyed with people who act like Christianity owns marriage.

I totally agree with you Raquel! If gays could marry, then the sanctity of a Christian marriage would be broken!!!1!!

Thank you! Amen!!

[ari_belle]

Audition incident? I haven't been here too long, anyone care to let me know about that? Also, she had a book rejected?

[fundiefun]

Audition incident? I haven't been here too long, anyone care to let me know about that? Also, she had a book rejected?

She went to an audition and it ended up being out of her league with having to do a song and dance routine and she couldn't make it past one of the portions and dropped out. She chalked it up to "God" not wanting her to be there or something like that.

[Dinaberries]

She went to an audition and it ended up being out of her league with having to do a song and dance routine and she couldn't make it past one of the portions and dropped out. She chalked it up to "God" not wanting her to be there or something like that.

It's pretty ingenious for lazy fundies and fundie lites who choose to adopt this attitude. You never have to try or work at anything because if you don't succeed at something, you can just tell yourself that it wasn't God's plan for you. No, it's never because of any of your failings or lack of talent. They don't even have to go to the effort of thinking because all the answers are in the good book. Raquel is the best example I can think of for this mentality.

[mockingbird]

Raquel reminds me of this kid in a lot of my high school classes who has come up recently in our small town rumors... very smart, never had to work for anything, parents spoiled/coddled him and his brother (who is the same way), etc. He was very arrogant but not obnoxious enough to get on teachers' or students' radars, really, beyond a lot of us agreeing he was annoying and avoiding him. He had his own little friend group with other people in the super academic extracurriculars so he never figured out this didn't work socially (or was told by his parents that he did nothing wrong, probably a combo of the two) and he kind-of coasted through school so didn't have much chance to fail. I have heard he's tried to apply to med school twice but failed to get in both times because he only applied to the very top tier schools (and at that point it's dicey... like college, you should have "safeties", even though no med school is really a guarantee - I know he's smart enough to get in otherwise though). My family friend who knows his parents pretty well told me she feels bad for the kids in the family because the parents have spoiled them so much that it is like another poster said, their potential was taken from them by the fact that they have basically had everything handed to them and have been told they are #1 from the first day, so there's no point in working hard or changing their perspective. As much as I want to agree with her... the kid drove me nuts and that is the first thing I think of when his name comes up. So I kind-of feel the same way about Raquel. I want to feel bad because her upbrining HAS limited her, if in a different way than other fundies. But she's just so annoying that I end up feeling a lot more sympathy for other teen fundy girls.

[fundiefun]

Don't forget the horse she couldn't take care or the waitressing job she couldn't keep its like when it gets hard she quits.

[ari_belle]

Check out her AMA feed.....did her admirer reveal himself? If so, she doesn't seem too thrilled...

[merrily]

I agree with formergothardite, Raquel is coddled a bit too much by her parents. There have been times I have felt sorry for her like when her book was rejected and the audition incident last year. She is extremely naive and like I have said before she would have had her ass handed to her in private or public school settings. Someday she will be forced to grow up somehow.

This was on her ask feed. I get annoyed with people who act like Christianity owns marriage.

That was me seeing if she'd banned me from posting or not. I asked her many, many questions regarding homosexuality, transgender, and marriage and THIS is the only post she allowed.