Blackjack Bateses! - Bates 21

[jacduggar]

4 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

So Alyssa is working in a real job and is obviously on birth control. Some people said pants were not an evidence of she going fundie lite, but I think she's clearly designing her own life, not following Gothardite rules. 

Alyssa is my "pet fundie" if you will, but even I know this is not an indicator of fundie lite. Erin teaches private piano lessons as a job. Michael was a nanny and has been selling her sewn goods online (who knows, she could very well have a job in Chicago. She's been very private since moving and I know some places would require her to keep her job confidential since she's a public figure). Michael and Erin are about the fundie-est Bates there are. A job isn't an indication of veering fundie lite. In fact, I think the Duggars are fairly unique in their "women don't work" stance, because a lot of fundie women help run the family businesses. Doesn't the Proverbs 31 woman work, too? 

 

I read some some stories of former ATI/IBLP students, now adults, who reiterated that point. They were allowed to listen to (clean) mainstream music, hang out with neighbor kids, and wear jeans/bathing suits. Still fundie. Still went to JTTH. Still did Gothard school. Still went to Gothard church. Still went to Gothard "homeschool conference". 

[crazysnark]

It depends on what one means by "Fundie". We have this discussion a lot. Some people think being fundie is skirts only, patriarchy, super legalistic etc. Others think that simply being pro life and against homosexuality automatically lands you a spot in the fundie category. At this point I would consider Alyssa mainstream Christian.Yes she probably is against abortion and doesn't approve of homosexual relationships, but this is true of most Christians. 

 

[scoutsadie]

Chuckling at Carlin's recent post re: the missioncation in the Philippines with the hashtag #jesuslovesthemall - picturing her and Jesus walking around the mall, sipping bubble tea and trying the lotion samples from the pop-up stores...

[JMO]

2 hours ago, scoutsadie said:

Chuckling at Carlin's recent post re: the missioncation in the Philippines with the hashtag #jesuslovesthemall - picturing her and Jesus walking around the mall, sipping bubble tea and trying the lotion samples from the pop-up stores...

Sounds like that snark account about Barbie in Africa. 

Hahaha 

[jacduggar]

6 hours ago, crazysnark said:

It depends on what one means by "Fundie".

This is a fair point. In my eyes they're fundie if they tout Gothard's fundamental bullshit. As of the most current information we have, the Webster's are still doing that. I don't think anti-choice and homophobic beliefs necessarily mean fundamental, but I do think using ATI/IBLP as an educational or religious tool is.

 

A decent example of this is the sister wives. They wear jeans, send kids to public schools, have normal jobs, etc. However they still belong to a church and practice a lifestyle that is fundamentalist Mormon, even if they do other stuff that is not. Certainly within their religion there are people more extreme, but they still purport a fundamentalist ideology. 

[crazysnark]

5 minutes ago, jacduggar said:

This is a fair point. In my eyes they're fundie if they tout Gothard's fundamental bullshit. As of the most current information we have, the Webster's are still doing that. I don't think anti-choice and homophobic beliefs necessarily mean fundamental, but I do think using ATI/IBLP as an educational or religious tool is.

 

A decent example of this is the sister wives. They wear jeans, send kids to public schools, have normal jobs, etc. However they still belong to a church and practice a lifestyle that is fundamentalist Mormon, even if they do other stuff that is not. Certainly within their religion there are people more extreme, but they still purport a fundamentalist ideology. 

True.  What confuses me is I think a lot of people think fundamentalists= extremists when I would not argue that. If you really think about it Fundamentalist Mormons really just practice the fundamentals of Mormonism. Polygamy is a fundamental part of the religion. That's not extremism that is just actually practicing what your religion teaches.

 

Within the quiverfull /ATI/Gothard movement I think the term  extremism applies better because nowhere in the New Testament does it say no kissing before marriage, no working outside the home, father has authority over daughters and then gives it to the husband etc. That is just taking some verses and running with it. I hope that made sense. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I've always guessed that fundies wanting to touch their toes into "family planning" would either try NFP or condoms LONG before hormonal birth control. It just seems they demonize hormonal birth control and NFP and condoms don't alter your body or ovulation at all. And of course they can tell themselves there's still a chance they could get pregnant if god really wants them to. 

[season of life]

Josie changed her IG profile pic to her and the Agent Orange lover.

[JermajestyDuggar]

I'm guessing Josie and this guy officially started courting on her 18th birthday a week ago. And they've been "special friends" for some time now. Since he seems to be BFFs with Carlin's boyfriend. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I think the Bates kids are just trying to get around the courtship rules. They can "get to know" someone before they are even 18, they can court as long as they want, and they can break up like Ashley and Nate without becoming an outcast. This really isn't all  that different from other Christians who just date.

[HarleyQuinn]

I have no idea who this dude Josie is courting is. Just that he's 22.

[marmalade]

Kelton Balka just graduated from PCC with Bobby Smith (they met through Bobby, although the Bateses claim that they knew his family in Knoxville). His degree is in finance. He also works with the family plumbing business. Not sure if he's Gothard, but if the Bateses claim to have known his family (probably met at a church once), chances are pretty good that he's in the fold. 

eta: Just got on the laptop and saw my new post count title. I figured hitting 5k (this goes back to Yuku), I deserved to earn an awesome one. I now have a toilet baby! I feel like FJ Royalty!

[JMO]

I'm halfway through the last episode.  Lawson's music video. He's on the football team and giving away pieces of his heart. I can't.  Sounds like he's living out his thwarted high school dreams.  One of his sibs actually comments that he gets a chance to be on a high school football team like he always wanted.  Carlin makes a joke about another girl leaving him (saying that its happened in real life like in the video). Hmmm

[JordynDarby5]

Anyone watch last night's episode? So after their two youngest sons started a fire in the laundry room, the parents get fire alarms but just leave them sitting around in a box for months? Who does that period? Let alone after their two youngest started a fire in laundry room (because you know no one was watching them). Why did it take Nathan coming home to put them up? Seriously, what is wrong with these people? 

[Mayluka]

4 hours ago, JordynDarby5 said:

Why did it take Nathan coming home to put them up?

I've decided that Nathan must be the only one with any kind of initiative or solid work ethic. He's actually been impressing me recently, and he came across as fairly intelligent during the segment showing him as a pilot's instructor. 

[Melissa1977]

53 minutes ago, Mayluka said:

I've decided that Nathan must be the only one with any kind of initiative or solid work ethic. He's actually been impressing me recently, and he came across as fairly intelligent during the segment showing him as a pilot's instructor. 

Are you kidding? Erin, Alyssa, Zach, all of them are working. Michaela worked while raised some siblings. And Lawson has been hard working since he was a kid (although I'm not sure if he's working nowadays, but he seems to love money, so he probably is).

[Mayluka]

10 minutes ago, Melissa1977 said:

Are you kidding? Erin, Alyssa, Zach, all of them are working. Michaela worked while raised some siblings. And Lawson has been hard working since he was a kid (although I'm not sure if he's working nowadays, but he seems to love money, so he probably is).

Sorry, I should have clarified that better. I definitely don't want to discredit any of the ones you mentioned! However, I was thinking more of the those left at home who may have taken the initiative to put up the smoke detectors. Obviously Gil and Kelly couldn't be bothered to do it, and I think Lawson's sense of initiative is really only focused on advancing his music career at this point in his life. That leaves Nathan as the one to come home and do the things that need to get done. My comment was more a reference to the lack of effort on Gil and Kelly's part, not a criticism of the older/married children's work ethic. 

[Eternalbluepearl]

I did briefly wonder why Gil couldn't help put up the smoke detectors but then I remembered that it was Gil and I had my answer. 

I thought the surprise spin game was a fun idea to pass the time but I know that I would have cried if I got "do the dishes" and my sibling got "choose a fun day." 

[Mela99]

Anytime I hear 'Kelton Balka' I immediately think of "Perfect Strangers". 

I'm gonna refer to him as 'Balki' from here on out.

[HurricaneBells]

These boys are no Chad Paine :sniff: I find myself constantly rolling my eyes and thinking pfft, pretty boys! Busy couple of years coming up for the bates. Isnt Katie 16 or 17 too?

[BeccaGrim]

On 8/12/2017 at 8:59 AM, scoutsadie said:

Chuckling at Carlin's recent post re: the missioncation in the Philippines with the hashtag #jesuslovesthemall - picturing her and Jesus walking around the mall, sipping bubble tea and trying the lotion samples from the pop-up stores...

I read it the same way when I saw it.  I was like the mall? Took me a minute. LOL

[BeccaGrim]

The Bates children are heading back to the United States.  Lawson's Instagram had a picture of an airport runway with the USA flag on it.  Which one of them will suddenly be courting? 

[Kaylo]

I just read on the bates blog (the Ellie one) that Alyssa is planning to hold off on the next kid but plans to eventually have 6. That sounds like NFP at least to me.

[VelociRapture]

13 hours ago, HurricaneBells said:

These boys are no Chad Paine :sniff: I find myself constantly rolling my eyes and thinking pfft, pretty boys! Busy couple of years coming up for the bates. Isnt Katie 16 or 17 too?

She turns 17 in early October. She also recently got her own Instagram account. It's private, but her parents, ZachNey, Cherin, the Keilens, Carlin, and Lawson all follow it.

1 hour ago, Kaylo said:

I just read on the bates blog (the Ellie one) that Alyssa is planning to hold off on the next kid but plans to eventually have 6. That sounds like NFP at least to me.

It's possible. It's one thing to say something and another to actually make it happen though, so we'll just have to wait and see if they're able to hold off on another blessing for a bit.* I will say it's not a bad thing if they have taken steps to limit the number of children they have for now though. I'm a big believer in people only taking on the number of kids they can handle.

*(I don't say that to be mean or judgmental towards the Websters or anything. Some people do fudge the truth or don't do what's necessary to prevent, but sometimes shit just happens and you end up with a surprise. If they truly don't want more for now, then I do hope they are successful at preventing.)

[JMO]

I've finally finished up the episides today. So it took them 6 months to put up the new smoke alarms?!?! Wtf!!! After their house nearly burned down with most of their kids in it?! Ugh!!! The scene with Alyssa and John was one of the realest I've seen on this show. It reminded me of the tradeoffs I do with my husband to make sure we both get to work and the kids get taken care of. And that game? Nate has to do all the dishes for a day for the whole family but other kids get money or a day of fun? Wtf. No thanks mom. I'll sit this game out.