Jinger courting?

[Mama Mia]

Also the thing about Southern Baptists is that they are usually white (not always) but usually most Black Baptists go to a regular Baptist or Missionary Baptist (I don't know the difference since I am Episcopalian). Many churches in the South are de facto segregated by race as well. So even if 85% of the South is Baptist they can go to different types of Baptist churches.

I used their church finder, out of curiosity, and in a 60 mile radius of me they seemed to be promoting church services aimed at least a dozen different languages/ nationalities/ethnic groups. The included area has a large metro area, and is very diverse -- but I was still surprised at the sheer number and variety -- particularly as it's not anywhere near the south. There were over 100 affiliated churches ( although some seemed to be counted multiple times -- once for each language/group). In an area with around 4 million people.

[BrownieMomma]

There are a lot of churches with the word Baptist in their name.

The key was always to find the SBC church. Most of the time First Baptist is an SBC church in any town I've ever been to and happened to find this out.

If I was to go to a new town and want an SBC church, the first place to look is First Baptist Church of ThisTown.

Black people do not really go to white churches. There have always been a smattering of blacks in church, generally other blacks call them Oreos. Black Baptist churches are not affiliated with the SBC, as a general rule. I don't know if there is some kind of organized convention or fellowship or anything, or if they consider themselves connected to sister churches in any way.

When you are counting only what the SBC counts as SBC Baptist, they are still the largest Protestant denomination in the country. They are second in population to the Roman Catholic Church.

SBC is big on the autonomy of the local church but there are standards and then there are unwritten rules, like SBC does not dance.

[Mama Mia]

There are a lot of churches with the word Baptist in their name.

The key was always to find the SBC church. Most of the time First Baptist is an SBC church in any town I've ever been to and happened to find this out.

If I was to go to a new town and want an SBC church, the first place to look is First Baptist Church of ThisTown.

Black people do not really go to white churches. There have always been a smattering of blacks in church, generally other blacks call them Oreos. Black Baptist churches are not affiliated with the SBC, as a general rule. I don't know if there is some kind of organized convention or fellowship or anything, or if they consider themselves connected to sister churches in any way.

When you are counting only what the SBC counts as SBC Baptist, they are still the largest Protestant denomination in the country. They are second in population to the Roman Catholic Church.

SBC is big on the autonomy of the local church but there are standards and then there are unwritten rules, like SBC does not dance.

If you wanted to find a Southern Baptist Church in any town, just go to their own church finder. You plug in a zip, and a radius, and it will list them for you. That's what I did, and was surprised to find so many, with such diverse target audiences, in my general region ( though only 2 in my county - but still, I was surprised at the 2!) . That didn't count any of the other kinds of Baptists, just the ones they list as affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Is it wrong that I'm a little freaked out by how many of them there are, so far from the Bible Belt. :?

[BrownieMomma]

just for grins..

http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/results ... ry=chicago

93 hits for chicago il

surprising!

Searched for Houston... 200 hits

NOTE: Results are limited to the first 200 matching churches.

Holy smokes lol.

JW, how are you determining the target audiences? I only see a church name and address.

[Walking Cat Bed]

Also the thing about Southern Baptists is that they are usually white (not always) but usually most Black Baptists go to a regular Baptist or Missionary Baptist (I don't know the difference since I am Episcopalian). Many churches in the South are de facto segregated by race as well. So even if 85% of the South is Baptist they can go to different types of Baptist churches.

There's a black Episcopalian church in my neighborhood! Not AME, regular (moderate-to-liberal) Episcopalian. I think a third of the families in the neighborhood are members of that particular church. They were VERY active leading up to and the day of the elections -- mostly making sure people had rides if needed, having coffee ready for the early morning voters, things like that. They're good folks.

[grandmadugger]

just for grins..

http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/results ... ry=chicago

93 hits for chicago il

surprising!

Searched for Houston... 200 hits

NOTE: Results are limited to the first 200 matching churches.

Holy smokes lol.

JW, how are you determining the target audiences? I only see a church name and address.

I searched for my neighboring town with many churches. It only has one, First Southern, First Baptist wasn't listed.

This town has to have the most churches based on population. The town has a little over 12,000 people and there are about 35 churches in town.

Just to give an idea there are 9 churches with Baptist in the name. Being raised Methodist I know all of those are pretty similar and there are 5 of those.

[naatashamaru]

There's a black Episcopalian church in my neighborhood! Not AME, regular (moderate-to-liberal) Episcopalian. I think a third of the families in the neighborhood are members of that particular church. They were VERY active leading up to and the day of the elections -- mostly making sure people had rides if needed, having coffee ready for the early morning voters, things like that. They're good folks.

woot " :D where do you live? I live a little outside of Atlanta, GA...you?

[Mama Mia]

just for grins..

http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/results ... ry=chicago

93 hits for chicago il

surprising!

Searched for Houston... 200 hits

NOTE: Results are limited to the first 200 matching churches.

Holy smokes lol.

JW, how are you determining the target audiences? I only see a church name and address.

Many of the churches have the target audience in the name: Grace Korean Baptist, First Japanese Baptist, Vietnamese Baptist Church etc....and some have the name of the church in another language. It looks like some of the physical churches either have different congregations sharing the facilities - or are counting services aimed at different specific audiences separately - because some of the addresses are listed two or three times. Don't know how that works in their structure.

[nomoxian]

Many of the churches have the target audience in the name: Grace Korean Baptist, First Japanese Baptist, Vietnamese Baptist Church etc....and some have the name of the church in another language. It looks like some of the physical churches either have different congregations sharing the facilities - or are counting services aimed at different specific audiences separately - because some of the addresses are listed two or three times. Don't know how that works in their structure.

If it's anything like LDS/Mormon churches, the services are often separated by language. It just happens that the names end up sounding racialized, like "Korean Ward"

In areas with more attendees, the services can also be separated by "Young Single Adults" where the focus is on getting you married off and "Family" (including older single people)

I'm not sure if Baptist churches force certain people to go to certain churches, but that is the case for LDS attendees... I would assume the structure is somewhat more flexible, since the churches are often stand alone or in smaller groups, instead of a bunch of them all over the planet.

[for_the_Kitties]

woot " :D where do you live? I live a little outside of Atlanta, GA...you?

I'm not the only georgian here!!! :D

[Walking Cat Bed]

I'm not the only georgian here!!! :D

North Carolina here; I'm in Raleigh for grad school. Who knows what next.

[16strong]

I'm not the only georgian here!!! :D

No, you are not. The longer I am here, the more of us seem to pop up. I am also from metro Atlanta, too...south side.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

In my experience, SBC followers are indistinguishable from other "modern" evangelicals. They are simply not separated enough.

And for what it's worth, I'm still SHOCKED that Jboob married Jill off to Derick.

Yeah...surely Derick has kissed someone before?

[OodOnTheLoo]

I'd take Tim Tebow over Ben Seewald any day.

Can you imagine if Jana or Jinger start dating Tim? Jessa will shit her pants that she settled for Ben when she could have had a chance with a real man.hahahaha

[Mama Mia]

Can you imagine if Jana or Jinger start dating Tim? Jessa will shit her pants that she settled for Ben when she could have had a chance with a real man.hahahaha

That would really require an almost unbelievable level of shallowness, wouldn't it?

[Walking Cat Bed]

That would really require an almost unbelievable level of shallowness, wouldn't it?

I can see it happening, though.

[singsingsing]

I'd rather have Ben Seewald than Tim Tebow, to be honest. Ben is much better looking to me, and I'd rather marry a 'normal guy' than a famous football player. Not that I'd want either of them, but you get my point.

"Jessa would shit her pants ... when she could have had a chance with a real man" - yet another great example of the caliber of comment we're lucky enough to get here lately. :roll:

[Mama Mia]

I can see it happening, though.

Okay, because I'm bored, I'll bite --- Why? She presumably just married someone she loves, who she is attracted to and who shares her belief system ( which based on what they have said and their very active social media accounts- is very important to her.

Why on earth would she be jealous of her sister courting/marrying some completely different guy?

[Walking Cat Bed]

Okay, because I'm bored, I'll bite --- Why? She presumably just married someone she loves, who she is attracted to and who shares her belief system ( which based on what they have said and their very active social media accounts- is very important to her.

Why on earth would she be jealous of her sister courting/marrying some completely different guy?

Of the oldest sisters, Jessa seems the most opportunistic -- her comments about how she COULD HAVE eloped, latching onto Ben despite seeming hesitation from parents, and so forth. It's *possible* that, if one of her sisters waited longer to marry and married someone with financial stability who could easily support her and any children without having to rely on JB&M for a house, when Ben does not have financial stability, a college degree, and is currently working for JB to support himself and Jessa (much less any children)...I can see some resentment.

I could be wrong, definitely -- I don't know anyone involved personally. I'm just going on perceptions from TV and internet.

[Mel314]

Of the oldest sisters, Jessa seems the most opportunistic -- her comments about how she COULD HAVE eloped, latching onto Ben despite seeming hesitation from parents, and so forth. It's *possible* that, if one of her sisters waited longer to marry and married someone with financial stability who could easily support her and any children without having to rely on JB&M for a house, when Ben does not have financial stability, a college degree, and is currently working for JB to support himself and Jessa (much less any children)...I can see some resentment.

I could be wrong, definitely -- I don't know anyone involved personally. I'm just going on perceptions from TV and internet.

Agreed. Plus, their entire lives have been about comparing themselves to each other.

[SassyPants]

Agreed. Plus, their entire lives have been about comparing themselves to each other.

Yep.

I keep seeing people responding on issues re the Duggars based on THEY, THEMSELVES, might respond. It's as if some have forgotten that the Duggars have spent the last 10 years telling us how DIFFERENT (and it seems in some sense BETTER) they respond, act, behave, decided, trouble shoot, live life...people need to remember these are the Duggars and their responses, not how any member on FJ might respond, act, behave...if placed in that situation.

This is where words, actions and attitudes will come back (and have) to bite the Duggars in the backside.

[Rebelwife]

woot " :D where do you live? I live a little outside of Atlanta, GA...you?

Not the OP, but we have a long established Episcopalian church in our town that is almost 100% African American. We all (all 5 ECUSA churches in town) partner together on a lot of local projects. The primarily AA church is very close to a Historic Black University. I'm in Florida, by the way.

[Walking Cat Bed]

Not the OP, but we have a long established Episcopalian church in our town that is almost 100% African American. We all (all 5 ECUSA churches in town) partner together on a lot of local projects. The primarily AA church is very close to a Historic Black University. I'm in Florida, by the way.

My roommate and I are two of five or six white people in a Historically Black Neighborhood. Somewhere in the city's housing rules there's something about keeping the structures in the neighborhood as close to its origins as possible -- no tearing down the houses that have been there for decades in favor of McMansions or renovations that change the appearance of the neighborhood (additions and internal updates like plumbing, flooring, room layouts are fine). And a lot of the houses are owned by relatives of the original owners.

I love the neighborhood. It's a good mix of retirees, families with young kids to teenagers, and my roommate and I -- both "nontraditional" but full-time students. Most houses are owned, not rentals.

[Mama Mia]

Agreed. Plus, their entire lives have been about comparing themselves to each other.

That's an interesting observation. I'm wondering how you're drawing that conclusion?

While I seriously doubt they all get along as well as they generally try to portray themselves - their whole deal seems to be about working as a team, being each other's best friends that sort of thing. So their values would seem to be more geared towards being happy for each other if one of them does well financially.

So it seems odd, to me, when people overlay on them more of a Real Housewives level of backbiting shallowness script.

I don't think that makes them perfect, by any means. I suspect they are like most siblings who will have some internal feuds, some they genuinely want as a best friend, others that annoy the hell out of them -- probably even some knock down physical brawls or screaming matches. Probably some who hate each other one day and get along great the next.

But the reaction of being actually upset you married someone you love because your sister married someone with more money/fame/education is so far outside the norms of sibling dynamics that I wonder how people are coming up with it.

[Coco]

Plus don't forget Jessa and Ben did get the 3 week honeymoon and elaborate trip to Paris. They're not missing out on much just because they're starting out with nothing.

I can see that level of jealousy in a poorer family than the Duggars, with no resources to help their kids get started in life, especially with a girl like Jessa who seems to like all the finer things and nice clothes, etc. Maybe that's where the sibling rivalry speculation is coming from - we forget they do have the show perks to keep a fashionista like Jessa happy. I think she's getting everything she wanted, and if one of the other Duggar girls ended up marrying a wealthy guy well- that would just be more interesting people to add to Jessa and Ben's social circle.

Wickham and Lydia parallels (but not that bad, of course)