Doug Phillips (is a tool) resigning!

[thoughtful]

The Spousal Unit became concerned when I was falling out my chair laughing at Bradrick and Snoop Doug and wasn't able to explain any of it to him...

:lol: at Snoop Doug.

[thoughtful]

The real face of the inappropriate relationship that caused the Tool to stumble.

Well, you have to admit that is some defrauding beauty!

[treemom]

So how many interns are reading here tonight?

[singsingsing]

I bet KISA is lurking.

[Lillybee]

I bet KISA is lurking.

I hope he is and perhaps answer some questions.

[AnnieC 305]

I recall that at some point someone said that Vision Forum hired temp help for the holidays, and that between that and their call center staff they hired a number of women and couldn't discriminate against other faiths or over martial status.

I'm going to guess that he got involved with a business woman of some kind. Either one of his managers or someone who runs a temp agency or a vendor rep or something. Someone who can talk about something other than babies and tea parties and the Bible. Someone unlike Beall who's life is just those things and who is probably getting a little tired and bitchy about a house full of kids all day.

And then he became actually interested and he could relax around her and just talk and not have to worry about kids and pastor and all of that. Next thing you know he's spending more time with her and less time at home until someone catches them out to dinner together and now here we are.

Really, can't be a SAHD or a VF wife, they're chaperoned too closely.

[hoipolloi]

This news brought Jen Epstein out of blog retirement: jensgems.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/the-heavy-burden-of-doug-phillips-legalism-leads-to-his-resignation-from-vision-forum/

[thoughtful]

Maybe Faith was trying to tell her father something:

http://vimeo.com/59454915

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Interesting that this hasn't even made the San Antonio newspaper.

That's something I've kinda wondered for a while - just how well known is this group in San Antonio? Are they among the "movers and shakers" in town that would make the paper for internal personnel issues?

Or are people who aren't into the Dominionist/patriarchal/fundie "scene" (either seriously or for the snark) just not even aware of who they are?

Obviously The Tool's webpages make them out to be these super influential people, but that can't be taken as any sort of reliable source. The fact that they seem to be running out of money says a lot...

[VVV]

That's something I've kinda wondered for a while - just how well known is this group in San Antonio? Are they among the "movers and shakers" in town that would make the paper for internal personnel issues?

Or are people who aren't into the Dominionist/patriarchal/fundie "scene" (either seriously or for the snark) just not even aware of who they are?

Obviously The Tool's webpages make them out to be these super influential people, but that can't be taken as any sort of reliable source. The fact that they seem to be running out of money says a lot...

I've lived in San Antonio for 25 years, have been a regular church attender (CBF Baptist aka "liberal") that entire time, and never heard of either Doug Phillips or Vision Forum until I started reading FJ a few years ago. San Antonio is a city of a million and a half people; VF doesn't even register. If you were to ask the average person on the street to name a well-known local fundie, 10 out of 10 would say John Hagee.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Interesting. Can't say as I'm too surprised, I guess.

[Cleopatra7]

That's something I've kinda wondered for a while - just how well known is this group in San Antonio? Are they among the "movers and shakers" in town that would make the paper for internal personnel issues?

Or are people who aren't into the Dominionist/patriarchal/fundie "scene" (either seriously or for the snark) just not even aware of who they are?

Obviously The Tool's webpages make them out to be these super influential people, but that can't be taken as any sort of reliable source. The fact that they seem to be running out of money says a lot...

Nobody knows who the Tool is, except for his followers, people who have been burned by him, people who study dominionism, and us (eg snarkers). All together, this may be a couple thousand people, tops. Most people don't even know the Duggar-Gothard connection, and they have a tv show on a secular network and appear on mainstream talk shows. I'm actually surprised that the business end of VF has been able to last as long as it has, since their market is so small.

[GeoBQn]

Back when they were still allowing comments by others on the FB page, they got a ton of complaints from Mormon customers who bought VF merchandise because it was wholesome, then were angered by Dougie's anti-Mormon posts during Election 2012. That could have cost them a sizable market.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I'm actually surprised that the business end of VF has been able to last as long as it has, since their market is so small.

So small, and of course most of the followers are not nearly as upper-middle-class faux "gentry" as the Tool himself, it seems like. I mean, the single wage earner with no college and 12 kids lifestyle doesn't really lend itself to conspicuous consumption, does it?

So yeah. I guess maybe it's all the start of the end, now. All those costumes and fancy trips and the film festival, of all things (where His Toolishness DEFINITELY makes it seem like a way bigger deal than reality)... finally tipping over.

[Odd1Out]

Maybe Faith was trying to tell her father something:

http://vimeo.com/59454915

That was weird the way he kept having to reach over and touch her when they weren't holding hands!!

[Hisey]

I think the other "woman" was the PP. It was a long distance romance.

[nokidsmom]

I recall that at some point someone said that Vision Forum hired temp help for the holidays, and that between that and their call center staff they hired a number of women and couldn't discriminate against other faiths or over martial status.

I'm going to guess that he got involved with a business woman of some kind. Either one of his managers or someone who runs a temp agency or a vendor rep or something. Someone who can talk about something other than babies and tea parties and the Bible. Someone unlike Beall who's life is just those things and who is probably getting a little tired and bitchy about a house full of kids all day.

And then he became actually interested and he could relax around her and just talk and not have to worry about kids and pastor and all of that. Next thing you know he's spending more time with her and less time at home until someone catches them out to dinner together and now here we are.

Really, can't be a SAHD or a VF wife, they're chaperoned too closely.

This is what I am thinking. Someone he met as a part of doing business, he's got to not just deal with all VF people. And inadvertently found himself interested because she wasn't like the typical VF woman which is either a wife or SAHD. He might have found the change refreshing even if that person was a working woman.

And it's possible that not that much physical happened, but it was the emotional aspect that caught him. Something that he would be completely unprepared for because he wouldn't think that sort of thing could happen. Especially to someone like him.

People who think it can't happen to them, often find themselves proven wrong.

[Mary C Doates]

I'm willing to wager "the woman and her household" are VF-involved. Doug is not attractive outside of that subculture. He's not powerful politically (as was Edwards), he's not conventionally charming (unless a woman were to be intrigued by a diminutive, ultra-moral priss).

His cachet, such as it is, only resonates with his fans.

Speaking of marital woe, The Spousal Unit became concerned when I was falling out my chair laughing at Bradrick and Snoop Doug and wasn't able to explain any of it to him...

I'm not entirely convinced that this "inappropriate"' "non-sexual" relationship with a woman actually happened. Even if it did, I suspect it is being used as a smokescreen for something else. A "non-sexual" relationship with a female at least implies that Doug (Phillips who is a tool) had a heterosexual attraction and engaged in something that might be somewhat "acceptable" to a male-centric, patriarchal-type group of tools--the old "boys will be boys" excuse. A whole lot of public atoning, and Doug (Phillips who is a tool) will be off on his Jimmy Swaggart-ish Redemption Tour and Book Promotion/Hazardous Journey.

An "inappropriate" heterosexual flirtation claim would go over a lot better with the VF crew than, say, if the relationship was with a guy, or if Doug (Phillips who is a tool) was using the VF coffers to fund his personal lifestyle and playing his adherents for fools. Neither of these scenarios would surprise me at all. Can't wait to see how this plays out. I think there's much more to this story than VF is letting on.

I thought I was hearing sirens from my window earlier, but I suspect it may actually have been the despairing wails of Bradrick! responding to this tragedy.

Doug Phillips is a tool.

Edited because I am still stoned from surgical anesthesia, which is contributing to my incoherence and my absolute glee over Doug (Phillips who is a tool)'s comeuppance.

[Cleopatra7]

So small, and of course most of the followers are not nearly as upper-middle-class faux "gentry" as the Tool himself, it seems like. I mean, the single wage earner with no college and 12 kids lifestyle doesn't really lend itself to conspicuous consumption, does it?

So yeah. I guess maybe it's all the start of the end, now. All those costumes and fancy trips and the film festival, of all things (where His Toolishness DEFINITELY makes it seem like a way bigger deal than reality)... finally tipping over.

The VF crowd definitely seem to affect a "lord and lady of the manor" attitude. This is probably one reason why they seem to be into neo-Confederate stuff and slavery apologetics, because they see themselves as the "cavaliers and ladies" of the New Old Southern Order. This is why it's odd that the Duggars are associating with VF, since they seem to have more of a blue collar appeal. I can't see the Duggars - or any ATI family - buying the overpriced crap in the VF catalog. Gothardites in general don't seem to like toys, even if they are about building "manliness" or "beauty." As mentioned upthread, VF is too sectarian to appeal to a general audience, and the few who are buying probably cant afford to buy new things every year (ie hand me downs). So who's really buying this stuff?

[Closed Womb]

Well, well, well! Doug Phillips is a tool.

[miffy]

So do we want to place bets on how long it will take for the whole story to unravel? There is bound to be a traitor who releases some informations about it.

Also:

Hot Greek boy in Mykonos?

Botkinette?

Michelle Duggar?

A prostitute?

Male intern?

Female intern?

Stealing money from VF?

Doug the tool stuck his tool in something he shouldn't have!

[Dandruff]

Any chance Doug & family were invited to the Erin & Chad wedding? Would they go? I honestly don't have enough sense of fundie culture and psychology to guess whether he'd prefer to lay low or show family solidarity (assuming it's there) and attempt repairs.

[nokidsmom]

I'm not entirely convinced that this "inappropriate"' "non-sexual" relationship with a woman actually happened. Even if it did, I suspect it is being used as a smokescreen for something else. A "non-sexual" relationship with a female at least implies that Doug (Phillips who is a tool) had a heterosexual attraction and engaged in something that might be somewhat "acceptable" to a male-centric, patriarchal-type group of tools--the old "boys will be boys" excuse. A whole lot of public atoning, and Doug (Phillips who is a tool) will be off on his Jimmy Swaggart-ish Redemption Tour and Book Promotion/Hazardous Journey.

An "inappropriate" heterosexual flirtation claim would go over a lot better with the VF crew than, say, if the relationship was with a guy, or if Doug (Phillips who is a tool) was using the VF coffers to fund his personal lifestyle and playing his adherents for fools. Neither of these scenarios would surprise me at all. Can't wait to see how this plays out. I think there's much more to this story than VF is letting on.

I thought I was hearing sirens from my window earlier, but I suspect it may actually have been the despairing wails of Bradrick! responding to this tragedy.

Doug Phillips is a tool.

Edited because I am still stoned from surgical anesthesia, which is contributing to my incoherence and my absolute glee over Doug (Phillips who is a tool)'s comeuppance.

It should be indeed be interesting to see how this all plays out. And agree there's probably more going on but whether this is a cover for that or will simply bring more shenanigans to light remains to be seen.

Oh to be a fly on the wall.....

[dawniecakes]

What in the mother hell!!?? Shocked, but not surprised. Glass houses and all that...

[miffy]

I wonder how any of his followers will also think that this is a smokescreen? I get the feeling that old Jim bob might see straight through it.