Fundie Kids: If they were not fundie

[infooverload]

Has one here theorized what fundie kids life would have been like if they had been raised differently? I'll give you an example I sometimes think about Micheala Bates and think of the life she could of had. For example she could have majored in Education, volunteered for the PeaceCorps, and tons of other possibilities. There are so many kids and so many missed opportunities.

[Jana814]

I think if those some say may be gay could admit it to themselves & not have to life a live of fraud.

[actuallyjessica]

jill could have become a real midwife, nurse or even a doctor.

jessa and jinger really could have been working at that coffe shop, earning reeeeeeeeeal money.

josh could have become the lawyer he wanted to become.

josiah could go to college and study the arts.

[crazyforkate]

Sometimes an asshole is just an asshole, though - the fundie parents could easily find a different channel in which to express their issues. For example, I can't see Stevehovah being a terribly permissive parent under any circumstances. It's possible many of the fundie kids could have turned out more or less the same way, just not with a religious spin on it.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I think that of they had been raised in a more normal way and gotten to go to school, then college and work in whatever place they want, and could develop their own interests and opinions, they would all have much happier lives.

Josh would probably be less of a douche if he was allowed to experience his teenage years as a teenager instead of a married man in his 20s. I can still see him being very self important and egotistical, some things never change, and religion didn't make him a smug dick, it gave him something to be smug about. He wouldn't be working for the FRC though, cause he would have gone on to be a lawyer like he wanted to. Not sure how many kids he will have planned on having, even without the Quiverfull thing he would be aware that his mother's abnormal amount of kids got them loads of attention and a TV show, and might still want to have as many as possible, but I also think he might want to stop when he realises how much work it is looking after a few. Anna likes kids, so maybe they would have at least one of the M kids by now, and I can see her wanting to have about 5, as she enjoyed being part of a big family. I think Anna might be working though, maybe she might teach, didn't she do some kind of education thing before marrying Josh? She seems to like teaching Mackynzie things too.

Jana would be a lot less sad looking, although I think she is naturally quite a shy person who keeps to herself. I can see her being quite intelligent and hardworking in school, and although she wouldn't be popular she would have a group of close friends. Then, after she graduated I cant see her wanting to be Jill's babysitter while she is training to be a midwife, it doesn't seem to be her thing, but I can see her wanting to work with kids, and planning on having a few in the future.

I think both JD and Joseph would be about the same as they are now, other than that they wouldn't be living with their parents and might be in a relationship. They would both still be doing more physical jobs, and would still be quiet and hardworking and stay out of the limelight.

Jill is very enthusiastic about things, and she seems to enjoy mission trips and wanting to help people. I could see her being the kind of person who would find a cause that she feels strongly about and put her energy into that. She seems to enjoy working hard and studying to be a midwife, she would probably enjoy school, and then I think she would go on to do something in the medical field, like being a midwife, nurse or doctor. Its something she enjoys, and I think if she had the right education she could take it further. I don't think she would be thinking of having kids yet, she would be too busy studying, but she would definitely have some when she is older.

I think both Jessa and Jinger would have been quite popular in school, I can see Jessa being a cheerleader, she seems a lot like Michelle was as a teenager, which is why I don't want her to turn into the dead eyed crazy woman that her mother is. They would still be friends and get on well-they are so alike and have so much in common, but would obviously have their own friends as well. After they had graduated college, I don't know exactly what job they might want to do, but I can see Jinger working in a coffee shop through college. Jessa would probably not be with Ben, if she wasn't fundie she would have grown more mature and not been interested in dating someone so young. She will probably have had a few boyfriends throughout her teenage and young adult years, but not be ready to settle down yet. Jinger would probably have moved to a city by now. I cant see either of them wanting kids just yet, although maybe at least one of them might change their mind and have no more than one or two when in their 30s.

Josiah is creative, and not the stereotypical fundie man, and if allowed to be himself he would probably be a lot more different. I can see him wanting to do something more creative in college, and have a group of close friends who are just as interesting and creative as he is.

Joy wouldn't be doing anything girlie, and probably would have stopped wearing skirts at the age of 5, and live in jeans and tshirts. She would be very active and have joined a sports team in school.

The other Jkids would be a lot better behaved and less neglected, even as part of a large family they would still be getting interaction with others through school and daycare, and would have friends their own age.

Out of the non Duggar fundie kids, I think Erin and Chad would still be together, they seem so good together and love eachother, although they would have each dated a few more people before that like pretty much everyone else has. They might have chosen to get married when they did, but that depends on when they met-if they had dated eachother in high school, and been together a while, they might, but probably not if they had met when they did now. They would likely be living together by now, but not be thinking of kids yet-Erin would probably be still working on her music, giving lessons to bring a bit of money into the house.

Sarah Maxwell would be married by now. She likes kids, and I think in her idea of a perfect world she would be married and have about 4-5 kids, named after the Moody kids, as I think maybe she wishes it was her real life and maybe they were the kids she know she never will be able to have. Before she had kids, she would have gone to school and college and made friends, and her children would be in school and have friends of their own. If she still wanted to write children's books, they would be way better as she would have been able to experience what normal children are like, be able to read more, and have enough social interaction to realistically be able to write how people talk. Steve would still be a control freak, some things never change, but without the fear of Hell making her obey him, she would have stopped seeing him as much once she left for college, and he would have minimal contact with his grandkids.

Raquel would still be a spoiled selfish brat, but without the purity crap might have managed to sleep with some poor guy who is now regretting it as she calls him 20 times a day every day since it happened and he woke up to find her in his room last night, having sneaked through the window, staring at him creepily.

[FloraKitty35]

Pecan Davy and Robert could be fabulous together in the open.

[Jana814]

Sarah Maxwell would be married by now. She likes kids, and I think in her idea of a perfect world she would be married and have about 4-5 kids, named after the Moody kids, as I think maybe she wishes it was her real life and maybe they were the kids she know she never will be able to have. Before she had kids, she would have gone to school and college and made friends, and her children would be in school and have friends of their own. If she still wanted to write children's books, they would be way better as she would have been able to experience what normal children are like, be able to read more, and have enough social interaction to realistically be able to write how people talk. Steve would still be a control freak, some things never change, but without the fear of Hell making her obey him, she would have stopped seeing him as much once she left for college, and he would have minimal contact with his grandkids.

Love what you had to say about Sarah Maxwell and I completely agree.

[delilahdog11]

I was just thinking in more simple terms. Perhaps they would just be given the chance the express themselves as individuals. I do agree many of these parents would still be just as controlling even without religion and so their kids would probably be just as tightly controlled. But if their parents had taken a more moderate approach to religion then maybe they would have had less kids making it possible for their children to have their own childhoods instead of having to raise their siblings. I think much of the fundy parenting approaches stem from the fact that parents have a house full of small kids that they don't know how to manage, so they turn to "easy" solutions like spanking and blanket training to get their children to obey. Those peddling these aproaches use biblical language and principles to appeal to their followers and to justify otherwise heinous behaviors. The strict authorative approach also appeals to parents who have a controlling tendency and to parents that are stressed, anxious, or depressed.

[fun2beme]

I used to think Kristina had the potential to be a pretty open-minded person. She would respond to questions/ comments that others would have deleted, she once admitted she didn't agree with everything in one of the major fundie holy grails (I forget which one), and had a sense of humor. But she seems to have become more fundie since getting married. I truly feel bad for her lifestyle - all those kids, being constantly exhausted, health problems, etc.

[lawlifelgbt]

I'm almost exactly Jana's age, and I wonder how things would be different if she wasn't fundie. I think she'd be great at teaching pre-K/kindergarten, and she'd be much happier.

At her age, I've:

-Gone to grad school

-Traveled to Europe on my own

-Gotten engaged

-Lived alone

-Had four relationships

-Come out as gay

-Gone to political protests

-Finished college in a subject of my choosing

-Lived two hours from my family

Etc., etc. Jana's missed opportunities make me sad.

[SPHASH]

Christopher Maxwell would have been an EMT. Anna Marie would have marketed her soap better and become a millionaire. All the Arndt boys would be playing on their college sports teams.

[Dandruff]

Kendalyn would be in med school. Anna would be teaching small children, perhaps at a church. The Duggar kids would have had the opportunity to play soccer and Little League with kids from other families, some of whom they'd like and some they wouldn't. Opinions would be shared and they'd get to think about them and come to their own conclusions. Maybe some would join a debate team. There might be more conflict, but less guilt, and ultimately...I'd like to think they'd be happy without someone else telling them they had better be.

[Jana814]

---

Christopher Maxwell would have been an EMT. Anna Marie would have marketed her soap better and become a millionaire. All the Arndt boys would be playing on their college sports teams.

Didn't he want to be an EMT? But Steve talked him out of it.

[gypsygirl22]

If they were not fundie...they would have real choices.

[uber frau]

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Didn't he want to be an EMT? But Steve talked him out of it.

Can't have him partnering with a (gasp) woman. And what if he has to do CPR on someone with boobies? What if he goes.to help a labouring woman and ends up having to catch the baby? There's just too many breasts and vaginas on the loose tor such things to be safe.

[SPHASH]

---

Didn't he want to be an EMT? But Steve talked him out of it.

Yes he wanted to be an EMT. But Stevie used his fear of women and the bible as justification to Chris not to be one.

[Jana814]

Yes he wanted to be an EMT. But Stevie used his fear of women and the bible as justification to Chris not to be one.

Did Steve ever say what he told Christopher convince him not to be an EMT?

[Odd1Out]

Christopher Maxwell would have been an EMT. Anna Marie would have marketed her soap better and become a millionaire. All the Arndt boys would be playing on their college sports teams.

I'm not sure about the Arndt boys (men). I don't follow them closely but from what I've seen I don't know that the parents use religion scare tactics to keep them home. I think it's just some other form of emotional manipulation.

[Daenerys]

I think Raquel would have "accidentally" got pregnant to trap a guy into marrying her and it would go horribly, horribly wrong.

[fun2beme]

I think Raquel would have "accidentally" got pregnant to trap a guy into marrying her and it would go horribly, horribly wrong.

I didn't want to "like" this because it's a horrible scenario but definitely agree with it.

[Daenerys]

I can imagine Josiah being some kind of performer. Acting, singing, dancing, something like that. He definitely likes to express himself and it's a pity to see that squashed out of him so much.

[Jana814]

I can imagine Josiah being some kind of performer. Acting, singing, dancing, something like that. He definitely likes to express himself and it's a pity to see that squashed out of him so much.

Wouldn't that be nice! I can totally imagine him doing that.

[JenniferJuniper]

Pecan Davy and Robert could be fabulous together in the open.

I'd so watch an episode in which David Tutera has to step in and help David decide which veil looks best on him while simultaneously keeping Robert's jealousy at bay by letting him choose the wedding theme.

[marmalade]

I'd so watch an episode in which David Tutera has to step in and help David decide which veil looks best on him while simultaneously keeping Robert's jealousy at bay by letting him choose the wedding theme.

So which one gets to conduct the guests in the sing-a-long? I could see a lover's quarrel developing over this detail. :lol:

[Dutch_girl]

I'd so watch an episode in which David Tutera has to step in and help David decide which veil looks best on him while simultaneously keeping Robert's jealousy at bay by letting him choose the wedding theme.

I vote for a winter wonderland (with lots of glitter!)