Counting On- Part 10: Counting out in Central America!

[SassyPants]

8 minutes ago, Miggy said:

A few people have suggested cross over shows. I've just had a thought - I'd love to see Duggars + Hoarders. I want to see them go through all that junk in the shed and donate it to appropriate places so that other people can buy used and save the difference. I love to know just how many vehicles and machinery they own and which they actually need. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PINK AND BLUE FLAMINGOES!

Perfect- and I'd love for the Duggars to have bust bump to sort, pack, load and unload that crap- from JB down to Josie- work their butts off for about a month straight. I'd watch that.

[theinvisiblegirl]

23 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

Perfect- and I'd love for the Duggars to have bust bump to sort, pack, load and unload that crap- from JB down to Josie- work their butts off for about a month straight. I'd watch that.

Better yet, live stream it. 24/7 feeds of the Duggars busting their asses cleaning.

[EmCatlyn]

1 hour ago, Miggy said:

A few people have suggested cross over shows. I've just had a thought - I'd love to see Duggars + Hoarders. I want to see them go through all that junk in the shed and donate it to appropriate places so that other people can buy used and save the difference. I love to know just how many vehicles and machinery they own and which they actually need. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PINK AND BLUE FLAMINGOES!

They mated and produced purple and violet flamingoes, which Sierra sent to a special rehab for decorations to "pray away the gay."

 If they are succesfully born-again as pure white flamingoes in Jesus (through the grace of Clorox) they will appear at Jinger's wedding or Christmas, whichever comes first.

[Bad Wolf]

@Emcatlyn That was hilarious.

[SportsgalAnnie]

17 minutes ago, EmCatlyn said:

They mated and produced purple and violet flamingoes, which Sierra sent to a special rehab for decorations to "pray away the gay."

 If they are succesfully born-again as pure white flamingoes in Jesus (through the grace of Clorox) they will appear at Jinger's wedding or Christmas, whichever comes first.

If not do they turn black and get put in the prayer closet?

[Chickenbutt]

regarding the advertisers.....maybe we should start sending emails, texts and tweets to all the advertisers (in the ad thread) and let them know that we don't want to see their advertising on the new and improved (!) Counting On. Preemptive strike and all that. Just a thought.

[Timetostoplurking]

10 hours ago, Chickenbutt said:

regarding the advertisers.....maybe we should start sending emails, texts and tweets to all the advertisers (in the ad thread) and let them know that we don't want to see their advertising on the new and improved (!) Counting On. Preemptive strike and all that. Just a thought.

Good idea Chickenbutt!!!   Hold them to their word!!!

[Gillyweed]

Sorry, posted in wrong thread and idk how to delete my post. 

[Percy]

I just watched the counting on episode where the older girls spend a few days away.  Anna speaks about 2 courtships.  The camera crew do focus on Jinger (I knew to look for it because of discussion here) what I did not think about was who the camera crew focused on for the second possible courtship.  I deleted the show straight after watching due to Miss 20 saying how boring the show was and she could not believe I wasted my time.  

Was it Jana or Joy? Could I have missed something? Could it be one of the boys?

I feel embarrassed about watching it now as she was right.

[AnnaRuk09]

3 hours ago, Percy said:

I just watched the counting on episode where the older girls spend a few days away.  Anna speaks about 2 courtships.  The camera crew do focus on Jinger (I knew to look for it because of discussion here) what I did not think about was who the camera crew focused on for the second possible courtship.  I deleted the show straight after watching due to Miss 20 saying how boring the show was and she could not believe I wasted my time.  

Was it Jana or Joy? Could I have missed something? Could it be one of the boys?

I feel embarrassed about watching it now as she was right.

Im pretty sure it was Joy. During the show I recall Anna saying something along the lines of "well since you won't tell me you have a a guy what are you looking for in a guy?" to Joy. It did seem like as if Joy was hiding something, like as if she had someone specific in mind. Jana on the other hand was asked common boring questions just like they always ask. 

[IrishCarrie]

Counting On just finished this week in Ireland ... I had approximately two days of going 'That was sooooooo boring, it'll never be renewed, there wasn't even a climactic ending!' before the JinJer news broke.

And now I'm oddly excited for the show to start back on my screen so I can see Jeremy in action and get all judgey about them as a couple.

 Which basically means JimBob's master plan has worked on me. Oh dear. 

[defraudedbychipendales]

12 hours ago, Percy said:

I just watched the counting on episode where the older girls spend a few days away.  Anna speaks about 2 courtships.  The camera crew do focus on Jinger (I knew to look for it because of discussion here) what I did not think about was who the camera crew focused on for the second possible courtship.  I deleted the show straight after watching due to Miss 20 saying how boring the show was and she could not believe I wasted my time.  

Was it Jana or Joy? Could I have missed something? Could it be one of the boys?

I feel embarrassed about watching it now as she was right.

I actually watched it the other day. Well, only the part at the restaurant. I liked Jinger's face when she was saying, "The rule is, you have to ask the person about courtships." Her expression said - OMG! Can we get past this already! This is stupid!

[Thorns]

Holy Mother, Counting On has reached Norway. I can watch it on TV

They do make rather awkward "reality",  don't they? 

And why is everything so beige?!

[wikinggirl]

3 hours ago, Thorns said:

Holy Mother, Counting On has reached Norway. I can watch it on TV

They do make rather awkward "reality",  don't they? 

And why is everything so beige?!

What? I never thought it would reach us vikings! 

[Bad Wolf]

Even Vikings are not safe from the Duggar Borg. Sorry. 

[Miggy]

4 hours ago, Thorns said:

Holy Mother, Counting On has reached Norway. I can watch it on TV

They do make rather awkward "reality",  don't they? 

And why is everything so beige?!

I don't get this. If it's reality, why is it awkward? (I know, I know, all reality tv is actually set up.)

The early shows aren't nearly as bad. There was plenty of stuff that felt real. Lately though, I feel like I'm watching a primary school drama that's badly written and where the kids can't act. I couldn't make it through Jason's birthday video with Jeremy. Too awkward. Is it that TLC's set ups are making them uncomfortable or is it just that, as they have got older, the kids are aware of the cameras and perform to them? 

[AreYouThereGothard?]

1 hour ago, wikinggirl said:

What? I never thought it would reach us vikings! 

If it's ok, I have a few questions for our international pals on here. Very broad, but what is your opinion of the show/fundamentalism and how does that affect/reflect on your impressions of the US? I'm genuinely surprised that the show has such an international following. I guess for me, the Duggars definitely represent the Bible-thumping, excessively patriotic, and clueless segment of the US population (standing on a street corner asking if anyone speaks English, remember that gem?), but times a million. I know plenty of clueless and heavily religious (though very nice and hospitable) people, but even the Duggars' level of religiosity is too much for them. And since much of the developed world generally seems to have more left-leaning tendencies (gay rights, less religious, better gender equality, glorious healthcare), what are your thoughts on stuff like purity, courtship, and very specific/antiquated gender roles? 

I hope my questions weren't offensive/ignorant/ill-informed. I would be very interested in hearing what others around the world think who keep up with the Duggars and other fundie families. 

[Miggy]

I live in Australia

I was brought up on the idea that all Americans were very loud, very patriotic (with the extension that patriotic people tend to be racist), extremely religious (although not fundamentalist just that church was a huge part of life not an optional extra like here), gun mad and poorly educated. My friends and I all knew "if you hear the accent and they're nice or smart, they're Canandian. If they're nasty or dumb, they're American.

Life experience has taught me there are a lot of good people in the US. I know you aren't all Sarah Palin. (Please know I am not Steve Irwin nor is anyone I know. We call that sort of person a bogan which is the equivalent of redneck.)

I know a lot of people who still believe what I learned as a child. The Duggars really feed that image. So do the Bates, Honey Boo Boo, Swamp People, Kardashians and pretty much all reality tv families. Really though, it's leaders like Trump, Palin and Bush that feed that image.

[Lillymuffin]

6 hours ago, Miggy said:

I live in Australia

I was brought up on the idea that all Americans were very loud, very patriotic (with the extension that patriotic people tend to be racist), extremely religious (although not fundamentalist just that church was a huge part of life not an optional extra like here), gun mad and poorly educated. My friends and I all knew "if you hear the accent and they're nice or smart, they're Canandian. If they're nasty or dumb, they're American.

I don't think it's just you. I studied in London my junior year of college and lived in halls with students from other branches of University of London, both British and international.

One morning I was walking back from breakfast with some of my floor mates when someone asked me where I was from. (They thought I was Canadian.) I said I was from the States, and this rather bolshy girl told me I couldn't possibly be American; I was too nice.

[nastyhobbitses]

8 hours ago, Miggy said:

I live in Australia

I was brought up on the idea that all Americans were very loud, very patriotic (with the extension that patriotic people tend to be racist), extremely religious (although not fundamentalist just that church was a huge part of life not an optional extra like here), gun mad and poorly educated. My friends and I all knew "if you hear the accent and they're nice or smart, they're Canandian. If they're nasty or dumb, they're American.

Life experience has taught me there are a lot of good people in the US. I know you aren't all Sarah Palin. (Please know I am not Steve Irwin nor is anyone I know. We call that sort of person a bogan which is the equivalent of redneck.)

I know a lot of people who still believe what I learned as a child. The Duggars really feed that image. So do the Bates, Honey Boo Boo, Swamp People, Kardashians and pretty much all reality tv families. Really though, it's leaders like Trump, Palin and Bush that feed that image.

That tends to be how most Western non-Americans tend to view us, I'm afraid. When I'm in Europe, I'm a loud, stupid, gun-crazy racist. When I'm in Asia, I'm an unimaginably wealthy fat chick who will have sex with everyone she doesn't shoot with an AK-47 she got at Wal-Mart.

Numerous people I have met abroad have been shocked that out of all of those things, I'm just loud and not that hung up about sex. Jury's out on whether or not I'm fat.

[wikinggirl]

12 hours ago, AreYouThereGothard? said:

If it's ok, I have a few questions for our international pals on here. Very broad, but what is your opinion of the show/fundamentalism and how does that affect/reflect on your impressions of the US? I'm genuinely surprised that the show has such an international following. I guess for me, the Duggars definitely represent the Bible-thumping, excessively patriotic, and clueless segment of the US population (standing on a street corner asking if anyone speaks English, remember that gem?), but times a million. I know plenty of clueless and heavily religious (though very nice and hospitable) people, but even the Duggars' level of religiosity is too much for them. And since much of the developed world generally seems to have more left-leaning tendencies (gay rights, less religious, better gender equality, glorious healthcare), what are your thoughts on stuff like purity, courtship, and very specific/antiquated gender roles? 

I hope my questions weren't offensive/ignorant/ill-informed. I would be very interested in hearing what others around the world think who keep up with the Duggars and other fundie families. 

No problem! And no worries, your questions are not offensive.

For me, the show and fundementalism does not affect my impressions of the US. I've been to the US a lot, I have relatives in New England and an ex-boyfriend in California. I remember watching Honey BooBoo once when I was visiting relatives, and they were almost ashamed about it, kind of like "is this what you think we are", but of course it isn't. USA is a big country with a lot of diversity, both good and bad. 

I don't know when I discovered the Duggars, maybe on Netflix? But I've always loved trashy tv like teen mom, sister wives and stuff like that. And after I found the Duggars it didn't take long before I fell down the rabbit hole. 

Norway is a socialist country (or probably communist by some American standard! ) so the whole fundie world is so different from my life. I don't think you can find fundies here, not that extreme, we have a bible belt where they to tend to stay pure until marriage but they're not that many (and we're only 5 million people in total!) 

When it comes to gender roles we've come a long way here (but not as long as Sweden!) and it's really something that's talked about a lot. And I love it. So it makes me a little sad to see these young girls and boys being put into stereotypes that they may not fit in to. 

I hope I answered some of your questions, feel free to ask more! 

[Ungodly Grandma]

12 hours ago, Miggy said:

I live in Australia

I was brought up on the idea that all Americans were very loud, very patriotic (with the extension that patriotic people tend to be racist), extremely religious (although not fundamentalist just that church was a huge part of life not an optional extra like here), gun mad and poorly educated. My friends and I all knew "if you hear the accent and they're nice or smart, they're Canandian. If they're nasty or dumb, they're American.

Life experience has taught me there are a lot of good people in the US. I know you aren't all Sarah Palin. (Please know I am not Steve Irwin nor is anyone I know. We call that sort of person a bogan which is the equivalent of redneck.)

I know a lot of people who still believe what I learned as a child. The Duggars really feed that image. So do the Bates, Honey Boo Boo, Swamp People, Kardashians and pretty much all reality tv families. Really though, it's leaders like Trump, Palin and Bush that feed that image.

That stereotype fits the Bible Belt, Deep South and midwestern states.  Even there, not everybody is "Guns, God and Football. "The northeast and west coast tend to be very different culturally from those areas. Exceptions there too. I have often been dismayed at the racism in my supposedly progressive state.

[foreign fundie]

13 hours ago, AreYouThereGothard? said:

If it's ok, I have a few questions for our international pals on here. Very broad, but what is your opinion of the show/fundamentalism and how does that affect/reflect on your impressions of the US? I'm genuinely surprised that the show has such an international following. I guess for me, the Duggars definitely represent the Bible-thumping, excessively patriotic, and clueless segment of the US population (standing on a street corner asking if anyone speaks English, remember that gem?), but times a million. I know plenty of clueless and heavily religious (though very nice and hospitable) people, but even the Duggars' level of religiosity is too much for them. And since much of the developed world generally seems to have more left-leaning tendencies (gay rights, less religious, better gender equality, glorious healthcare), what are your thoughts on stuff like purity, courtship, and very specific/antiquated gender roles? 

I hope my questions weren't offensive/ignorant/ill-informed. I would be very interested in hearing what others around the world think who keep up with the Duggars and other fundie families. 

I am familiar with many types of fundieism in several countries. When encountering the American version (through fellow ex-pats and by reading on-line), several things shocked me:

-USA fundies are so much about sex. I am used to it being rather taboo in fundie circles

-USA fundies are so much about(mainstream) politics and power, not about being a religious fringe group with maybe a small political presence.

- USA fundies are so outspoken, so public and seeking media attention, whereas fundies in other places often keep to themselves and are kind of private

- USA fundies and guns... What can I say. Before I met them, I thought any Christian would rather dance in a gay club than sell or own let alone use a murder weapon.

- Black and white! My fundie friend was convinced if Obama got elected, it would mean the end of the USA. But it seems you're still around.

- The no compromise/ no reality check attitude. I know many foreign fundies not using BC, but if medically adviced, they wouldn't think twice. Not so in the USA.

- The patriarcy. I have known many milder and assumed but unspoken forms. But USA fundies not only defend it, but they are proud of it and think it has the potential to solve all problems on earth. 

So I have often wondered how such extremes are even tolerated in a modern country. And how they can continue so far past their due date. I concluded it must be because the USA is so big and people can live in their groups without interacting much or getting on society's nerves. But yeah, it does enforce the unflattering stereotypes. I tend to walk on egg shels round Americans, because I dislike political rants, or being told why everyone should have a gun or why health insurance is a limitation of freedom (that one I still can't begin to get my head around). Or why doctors are evil and I shouldn't immunise my kid. I got quite a list of topics not to mention around Americans, just in case they are more fundie than they seem.

 

[AreYouThereGothard?]

Damn. I don't know what jerky Americans find themselves traveling internationally, but I would like to formally apologize for their behavior (and the crap television that seems to be a big export. I had to look up what Swamp People was). I will say, I lived in Germany for a semester and many of my fellow program people saw it as an opportunity to obnoxiously party in Europe. My group of friends and I actually cared about learning things and we were deemed the "weird" ones. Alas... 

I am reminded of the quote from Mean Girls: "And on the 3rd day, God created the Remington bolt-action rifle, so that man could fight the dinosaurs. And the homosexuals". 

I am proud to be an American in many respects, but my fellow countrymen make me face-palm a lot. A lot of what you guys have been talking about is what many other Americans (myself included) think about the very right-wing population. Election season is already very very stressful... 

@foreign fundie Thanks for bringing up the fundie obsession with sex. For those needing some summer reading, "The Purity Myth" by Jessica Valenti and "Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape" by Peggy Orenstein are excellent books. Valenti tackles the notion of purity in religious communities, particularly things like purity balls and purity rings (only for girls, obviously). She makes a good point: what's more damaging, having access to biologically accurate sexual information from a young age (eek! a penis!), or being told as a child that if you have sex or do/think anything sexual ever without a spouse, you're dirty and filthy and make that vow NOW to abstain? IIRC, Orenstein brings up that teens in the US and Netherlands have similar amounts of sex (ie, they're certainly not unaccustomed to it), but Dutch teens have lower rates of pregnancy and STIs, which is largely attributed to the more lax and healthier attitude towards sexuality. I really don't understand the Duggars'/fundie logic of "you can't know anything about it, but you have to stay pure and then be your husband's 24/7 slampiece and make a shit ton of babies". I'd like to give props to the Orthodox Jewish community, who don't typically show physical affection period. While I think they're just as conservative in many aspects, at least they're not flaunting kissing/hugging/air humping in front of their children. If your only source of physical affection/sexuality come from Jim Bob and Michelle... I don't even know how to finish this. It's just all sorts of sad.        

also, @nastyhobbitses, you're not fat. To quote Professor Layton: "you deserve a glass of lemonade and some cake"

[violynn]

4 hours ago, Ungodly Grandma said:

That stereotype fits the Bible Belt, Deep South and midwestern states

4 hours ago, Ungodly Grandma said:

Even there, not everybody is "Guns, God and Football.

Gee, thanks for not stereotyping *too* much there, Ungodly Grandma!