Anna and the M Kids Pt 9: M5 Expected

[Justdatingtowns]

@Georgiana thank you for your kind words and insight into the culture here. I am incredibly happy in my ex ATI life, and don't feel this is the right place for me especially given the distrust and negativity. I am very sorry people have used and manipulated members of this board. I remember the whole RR fiasco and it's very unfortunate not everyone is honest. At the end of the day at I don't need to prove or disprove anything as my life does not revolved around this family. I was very upset initially when it came up on every thread yesterday as it isn't something I discuss with people in normal life. I wish you all the best and will deactivate my account momentarily. 

[Fascinated]

14 minutes ago, Justdatingtowns said:

@Georgiana thank you for your kind words and insight into the culture here. I am incredibly happy in my ex ATI life, and don't feel this is the right place for me especially given the distrust and negativity. I am very sorry people have used and manipulated members of this board. I remember the whole RR fiasco and it's very unfortunate not everyone is honest. At the end of the day at I don't need to prove or disprove anything as my life does not revolved around this family. I was very upset initially when it came up on every thread yesterday as it isn't something I discuss with people in normal life. I wish you all the best and will deactivate my account momentarily. 

Well, I hope you change your mind. Believe it or not, FJ is actually a great place.  We do, however, have a bad rep from many former members. And that's ok.  People here are smart, funny and incredibly supportive. Give us a chance and you might find your first impression is incorrect.  Best of luck, regardless. 

[VelociRapture]

21 minutes ago, Justdatingtowns said:

@Georgiana thank you for your kind words and insight into the culture here. I am incredibly happy in my ex ATI life, and don't feel this is the right place for me especially given the distrust and negativity. I am very sorry people have used and manipulated members of this board. I remember the whole RR fiasco and it's very unfortunate not everyone is honest. At the end of the day at I don't need to prove or disprove anything as my life does not revolved around this family. I was very upset initially when it came up on every thread yesterday as it isn't something I discuss with people in normal life. I wish you all the best and will deactivate my account momentarily. 

FJ isn't the right place for everyone. It can take some getting used to. If you don't feel comfortable here right now that's ok - I'm sure you'll find a site you feel is a better fit for you. You're always welcome to stop back in down the road.

Good luck!

[singsingsing]

18 minutes ago, VelociRapture said:

FJ isn't the right place for everyone. It can take some getting used to. If you don't feel comfortable here right now that's ok - I'm sure you'll find a site you feel is a better fit for you. You're always welcome to stop back in down the road.

Good luck!

When I first found FJ I thought it was absolutely terrible and the nastiest place on earth. But I lurked for like two years and my perspective shifted a lot. And I credit FJ pretty much completely with educating me about the realities of the Duggars and fundamentalist Christianity in general. I ended up feeling like FJ was an imperfect yet wonderfully diverse, interesting, educational and entertaining community. The good, in my opinion, outweighs the occasional drama or conflict. Even so, when I was in a very bad/vulnerable psychological state last year, one of the things I had to step back from was FJ. I only came back when I was feeling better.

[send*the*ferrets]

1 hour ago, Coconut Flan said:

A whole three hours?  Sometimes people read for weeks or months before jumping in and jumping on someone.  

I have literally read here for years, I'm a little embarrassed actually... like back in the days of Emily, skirt cheese, and dna. I would come and find various interesting blogs to read while on bedrest with my oldest kiddo. I finally decided to jump in last month ha 

[nst]

The announcer tonight on entertainment tonight told us that Josh and Anna are having number 5 

she went on to say if she could do an emjoi face it would be shock 

then they showed clips from the original show 

[Greendoor]

For the name Mea Culpa would be honest, but I will go with Mathew Joshua.  

Perhaps they really have formed a new commitment.   I know this is hopelessly romantic on my part and utterly without reason to hope.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

4 hours ago, Justdatingtowns said:

respectfully snipped

The best thing to do for the Duggar kids? Stop enabling the broadcasting of their crazy beliefs and abusive manipulative lifestyle. Stop watching the show. You're taking away every chance those kids have to leave if they wanted to. It is a horrifically hard process to leave under normal conditions, so to be watched by countless strangers makes it even worse. 

 

4 hours ago, dawbs said:

also snipped

Many (Most?) of the posters on FJ don't watch the show.  I'd say that FJ has done some good work in fighting the man re: crazy belief and manipulative lifestyles.

snipped

I watched 17, 18, 19 Kids and Counting right up until Joshgate 1.0 broke. I had some concerns about what I saw, but I set them aside and never did even a basic internet search to find out the truth about Gothardism. I really regret that. I have never watched one episode of Counting On and I never will. I will never regret that.

3 hours ago, Justdatingtowns said:

This is such a lovely place it's astonishing I've never heard positive things about it 

You posted some very civil things after this post, so I'm not saying this just to be mean. You reminded me of the comedian Tom Lehrer quoting his imaginary friend Hen3ry (the 3 is silent, you see): "Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it." People who come to FJ and listen, then post in a neutral or politely questioning way tend to get a different reception than you did.

If you ever decide to come back, it would be interesting to hear your views. Either way, I'm glad if you are making a better life for yourself and I wish you well. 

[Destiny]

3 minutes ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I watched 17, 18, 19 Kids and Counting right up until Joshgate 1.0 broke. I had some concerns about what I saw, but I set them aside and never did even a basic internet search to find out the truth about Gothardism. I really regret that. I have never watched one episode of Counting On and I never will. I will never regret that.

I haven't watched since the birth of Josie, and it was a hate watch at best before that. For me, because I grew up fundie, it was a "there but for the grace of the gods was I" sort of thing. I also love Jana and can identify with her in many ways. I've caught a wedding or two after the fact on youtube, and that's it. 

A pretty decent majority of FJ does not watch the show, and reads the recaps instead. I'm cool with that, and think it's pretty great.

Also, as a person who broke free myself, the major decision is, 'what am I willing to give up and is it worth it?" The tv show wouldn't really have all that much impact, and may in some ways make it easier because they would have access to help that most of us who got away didn't have - money from appearances and a book and things of that nature, along with people who knew them from the show and might try to help.

tl;dr: I think @Justdatingtowns is a bit off the mark, but I honestly wish she had stayed and not taken her initial combative tone. I think she could have been an interesting addition to FJ.

@WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?, I'll be sending you the cleaning bill for my comforter. I read your location and laughed so hard I spilled my water.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

Oh, yeah, @Destiny. I changed it to the hibernating thing when winter set in and added the anonymity part when Al Wilson was so upset about user names in the Community Discussion.  I guess it might be time to change the hibernating part, now that spring is here.

I don't see all the user titles and locations on my phone unless I look up people's profiles (I'm on my phone 99.9% of the time), so I almost forgot my location. I hope your comforter dries quickly. Wait, you don't have a duvet??!!! 

[Karma]

Oh no, not duvets vs comforters again please @WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?!  

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

Just now, Karma said:

Oh no, not duvets vs comforters again please @WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?!  

I guess I should know when to leave well enough alone, but I get a kick out of thread drifts! 

[Karma]

Lol, I love a good thread drift, but we've drifted that way as nauseum imho.  Speaking of threads though, how about sheets?  I love percale personally  

[Shadoewolf]

The ones that feel like my favorite t-shirt. Fitted sheet only, flat sheet gets kicked to the end of the bed.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

I had flannel sheets for winter before I got married, but my mister hated them. (They were a bit tricky if I was wearing flannel jammies.) We stick to percale. The jersey knits ones (t-shirt material) sound good, though.

And yeah, @Karma, the duvet drift is really .

[QuiverFullofBooks]

8 hours ago, Carm_88 said:

I would hope that Anna will give birth at a birthing center or hospital. 

Wherever she gives birth, it probably won't be filmed. Silver lining!

[lumpentheologie]

5 hours ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I had flannel sheets for winter before I got married, but my mister hated them. (They were a bit tricky if I was wearing flannel jammies.) We stick to percale. The jersey knits ones (t-shirt material) sound good, though.

And yeah, @Karma, the duvet drift is really .

I love my flannel sheets!  Flannel fitted sheet + flannel comforter cover (on a down comforter) and I'm so snug all winter.  I like having a cool room and being warm in my little sleeping cocoon.  

[nst]

10 hours ago, Karma said:

Lol, I love a good thread drift, but we've drifted that way as nauseum imho.  Speaking of threads though, how about sheets?  I love percale personally  

Ralph Lauren sheets are amazing from Winners

that and polka dot sheets - i am into polka dots preferably blue or black

I am a very Nantucket y type of person even though I live in Canada

[Carm_88]

10 hours ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I had flannel sheets for winter before I got married, but my mister hated them. (They were a bit tricky if I was wearing flannel jammies.) We stick to percale. The jersey knits ones (t-shirt material) sound good, though.

And yeah, @Karma, the duvet drift is really .

Love flannel sheets. Although, I should probably switch them up. Hard to let it go though!  

[TeamDefraudinSquad]

Whoa...its so trippy that Anna's (childhood?) friend was on here  She did get a bit defensive with Velocirapture, considering how easy it would be for someone to start a random account on reddit or FJ, and claim to be someone the Duggars knew, or knew by proxy, for trolling. On the other hand though, I can see how FJ would be a difficult place to be as a member if the snark is directed at people you used to know, even if you yourself have escaped and don't adhere to the cult mindset anymore. I'm not surprised shes not sticking around here. Anna signed up for the cult, so snark we will, especially on FJ, but I understand how it might be hard to read those things about someone you used to care about (still do, maybe?)

On the duvet thread drift... my husband and I just bought the coolest looking duvet cover on ink and rags. Octopi ahoy! 

https://inkandrags.com/products/lightweight-cream-octopus-bedding-4

ETA: It just occured to me how much having a friend in a cult must be like being close to an alcoholic or drug addict. You love them, you want to help them, and know they need help, but they have to want to help themselves. 

[jacduggar]

14 hours ago, singsingsing said:

When I first found FJ I thought it was absolutely terrible and the nastiest place on earth. But I lurked for like two years and my perspective shifted a lot. And I credit FJ pretty much completely with educating me about the realities of the Duggars and fundamentalist Christianity in general. I ended up feeling like FJ was an imperfect yet wonderfully diverse, interesting, educational and entertaining community. The good, in my opinion, outweighs the occasional drama or conflict. Even so, when I was in a very bad/vulnerable psychological state last year, one of the things I had to step back from was FJ. I only came back when I was feeling better.

I had a similar beginning here. I'm actually not super active because the overall tone of the site doesn't align with me and I honestly can't stand that it's just turned into mega threads. I completely understand how someone can feel FJ is a difficult place to be. For a lot of posters here who's views align totally it's great for them, but I really only try to come here for Duggar/Bates snark and stay out of the general discussions and rabbit holes. 

[TuringMachine]

I feel like the odd one out since I never thought FJ was a terrible place. Maybe it was because I was already aware that the Duggars' beliefs were harmful? I dunno I always got the impression that the FJ haters were people who didn't like being disagreed with and/or couldn't follow rules.  You know, like Pickles.

[HermioneSparrow]

FJ is diverse as said upthread. When I started some longtime poster (who's not a member anymore) attacked me but most people here were very nice to me. I'm gonna be all emotional LOL but I love this place, it's my little getaway from daily stress.

[Carm_88]

17 minutes ago, TuringMachine said:

I feel like the odd one out since I never thought FJ was a terrible place. Maybe it was because I was already aware that the Duggars' beliefs were harmful? I dunno I always got the impression that the FJ haters were people who didn't like being disagreed with and/or couldn't follow rules.  You know, like Pickles.

No, you're not at all. I never had many problems. I feel that it's like the real world, you are not always going to agree on something but unless it's something truly hurtful; you're not going to get crucified. 

[Kailash]

When I found FJ I was absolutely delighted. I had no idea a place based on exposing the danger of fundamental religion existed. Over time I have been thoroughly shocked with much of the information that has come to light. I admit to being put off by some of the snark directed at certain posters and also some of those we discuss. But FJ is a vast place of incredible wisdom, compassion and humor.  It is Justdatingtowns' loss that she chose not to stay.