Dillards 38: Still Chewing on that Foot in His Mouth

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

Its the whole cult thing. 

Yes.  And, like $cientology, they claim to be helping after disasters.  They are really looking for "raw meat" (distressed and vulnerable people.)  $cientologists offer "assists" while ALERT hand out IBLP tracts and Bibles.

ALERT seems to have been glomming onto Samaritans Purse these days to borrow credibility or legitimacy.  I don't like Samaritans Purse either.

[Georgiana]

1 hour ago, singsingsing said:

"How dare they put mittens on that baby" has got to rank in the top 5 of the most ridiculous and inane Duggar "criticisms" I've ever read here.

And they're really damned if they do and damned if they don't on this one.  Because if they DON'T put mittens on the baby, he might scratch his face (and some baby-scratches can be pretty bad looking).  And if he scratches his face, then the world goes nuts and calls Jill a bad and neglectful mother.  

Honestly, he's not wearing winter mittens.  They totally make light and breathable baby mittens for summer babies.  You can whip them up yourself with a bit of muslin.  

And as for ALERT, my uncle is a retired Green Beret who has done multiple tours of active duty and now is an active member AND instructor of the local search and rescue.  I've never seen anything from ALERT that suggested that those boys would make it through his basic courses.  There's a lot of marching and saluting and parading, which no one in SAR needs to know about, and very few high-level partner skills training, which is tons of SAR.  Do they even do drone training?   

[Palimpsest]

18 minutes ago, Georgiana said:

And as for ALERT, my uncle is a retired Green Beret who has done multiple tours of active duty and now is an active member AND instructor of the local search and rescue.  I've never seen anything from ALERT that suggested that those boys would make it through his basic courses.  There's a lot of marching and saluting and parading, which no one in SAR needs to know about, and very few high-level partner skills training, which is tons of SAR.  Do they even do drone training?  

Those of our FJ members who have been in the real military think the marching and parading done by ALERT cadets is pretty funny.  The kids can't even stand up straight.  ALERT has a few videos of them posturing and reciting Bible verses with "military" precision.

They do a lot of swinging from ropes and boy scout-like survival training.  They have apparently eased off on the endurance hikes due to complaints and practically killing a couple of cadets.

I'm told that the Fire, First Responder and EMT-type training that they do is worthless in the real world and they have to get re-qualified.

I hope to Rufus they are not training with drones.  Let's not give them ideas!

[Hashtag Blessed]

3 hours ago, Incognito22 said:

Something about alert really feels like Scientology to me.

Probably because, much like the Sea Org, they are borrowing the trappings of the military without any of the skills, discipline, or danger of the actual military. It allows them to take advantage of young people who don't know any better and think playing dress up an a uniform and saluting makes them a real soldier, only better because they're a soldier in God's army. Or L. Ron Hubbard's, as the case may be. All the military glory without ever having to risk life or limb. I find it pathetic and repulsive. It is a shallow military aesthetic that is entirely without substance. 

[Gillyweed]

1 hour ago, VelociRapture said:

Because they're limited to flip phones of shame and no social media. Because Jesus. And Fuckface.

Did Fuckface go to ALERT?

[Daisy0322]

Lol ALERT  looks like fundy Boy Scout camp to me... my husband is Army and for what he has said/ what I've seen of his training ALERT shouldnt use the word military at all in thier vocabulary. Really I think ALERT just draws the fundy boy who would've been interested in things like Boy Scouts, ROTC, survival camping and back packing, etc but couldn't participate because Jesus/ outsider influence.

[Hashtag Blessed]

5 minutes ago, Gillyweed said:

Did Fuckface go to ALERT?

Wasn't it speculated that he had just come back from ALERT in the very first special? Because his head was shaved? 

[Palimpsest]

11 minutes ago, Gillyweed said:

Did Fuckface go to ALERT?

No.  Fuckface would have failed the morality clause on the application form.  I don't think even JB or other members of the home church would have lied on that form.  His crimes were too well known in IBLP circles.

4 minutes ago, Hashtag Blessed said:

Wasn't it speculated that he had just come back from ALERT in the very first special? Because his head was shaved? 

I think that was speculated before the details of his molestation came to light.  As it turned out, his head was probably shaved to humiliate him when he was sent off to work on an IBLP building renovation for reprogramming by IBLP.  Looking at the chronology, they filmed the first special immediately after he returned to the home.

The Duggars and TLC were still very cautious about admitting Gothard connections when JD was the right age for ALERT.  I still think he went but I can't prove it.  JD's career trajectory is so very ALERTy what with the EMT, volunteer constable and pilot stuff.  To say nothing of the posing with guns with Jonathan Hartono photo.

 

[Cleopatra7]

44 minutes ago, Hashtag Blessed said:

Probably because, much like the Sea Org, they are borrowing the trappings of the military without any of the skills, discipline, or danger of the actual military. 

I think the real point of ALERT is just to keep these boys involved with pointless busywork to ensure that they are too tired to resist the religious brainwashing/reprogramming. The boys may think they're being part of a real army, when all they've learned how to do is be obident cogs. My theory is that Duggar teens get shipped off to ALERT or JTTH so JB and Michelle don't have to bother with actually parenting their teenagers, and said kids come back "sweet" (i.e. Psychologically broken).

"Duggars and TLC were still very cautious about admitting Gothard connections when JD was the right age for ALERT.  I still think he went but I can't prove it.  JD's career trajectory is so very ALERTy what with the EMT, volunteer constable and pilot stuff."

3 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

 

Ages on the TWoP Duggar board, I saw a photo of JD at the "young men's" section of JTTH, and there was speculation about why he wasn't at ALERT. Given what we know now, I wonder if JD was harboring bitterness towards Josh and needed reprogramming to accept the family status quo.

(mods, my quotes have gotten jacked up; is there any way to fix them?)

[Palimpsest]

Just now, Cleopatra7 said:

Ages on the TWoP Duggar board, I saw a photo of JD at the "young men's" section of JTTH, and there was speculation about why he wasn't at ALERT.

I don't think JTTH and ALERT are mutually exclusive.  I'm sure boys MEN whose families can afford it can do both.  There are different levels to ALERT too.  Josiah seems to have done the higher levels but Joseph spent less time there, IIRC.

It would be a pity if JD were punished for Fuckface's sins by not being allowed to go to ALERT.  He sounds the type who would have actually enjoyed it.

[RosyDaisy]

Their actual activities are sod all - a group of ALERT members will sometimes turn up after a tornado or flood, and get in the way of real S&R teams because their main goal is evangelism.

This! The last thing people need after a disaster are people like that. I have seen these groups in action. They are a nuisance, rude, and an insult to real first responders and S&R.

[Rachel333]

I remember after the Joplin tornado in 2011 there were so many people who went there just to look and take pictures. There was one girl who posted on facebook about what a profound experience it was for her to go look, and how important it was for other people to go there too. I knew people who lost houses, so it really struck me the wrong way that people who weren't actually helping went there just to gawk, and on top of that had the gall to act like they were doing something important by it.

[bella8050]

Always thought Tom Cruise was bonkers but gave him some credit on helping people in distressing situations, till I saw the leaked video he was in talking about how the Scientolgists must stop to help people because they "know what do to". or some crap like that. The video is on Youtube and is creepy af.

[SeekingAdventure]

Tom Cruise still is bonkers. Had the chance to meet him two times now. One time when he was shooting in Vancouver, and I literally was at the place he was going to be (and was) 20 minutes later. Was my day of, but I still decided to leave and go to the library. The second time was in Vienna. Nah.

He's one of the actors I just cannot take seriously...

[WhoompThereItIs]

40 minutes ago, SeekingAdventure said:

Tom Cruise still is bonkers.

So what did he do?

[Palimpsest]

Tom Cruise is indeed bonkers and creepy af.

@bella8050, @SeekingAdventure and @WhoompThereItIs.

You may all enjoy our threads on $cientology if you haven't found them yet.

Here's the latest: 

But it is OK to thread-drift too.

[HarleyQuinn]

I love jill's #NotYet about Duggars in the military. Like 1) Kim Jong Boob would allow it or 2) lazy duggars could handle it.

[Georgiana]

Hey now...

If you had Tom Cruise's troubles, you might be Tom Cruise crazy too!

 

[Shadoewolf]

Ex Navy myself (blown ACL & MCL right at the end of Basic) Hubby is ex Army.  Ex husband is active duty Army with multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Both of my FIL's on Hubby's side are veterans as is my half brother. Lots of military in my life!!

ALERT is a joke, those boys wouldn't make it though the first 24 hours of P-week without crying out to God for mercy. Not yet my ass Jill, just tell the truth..aka NEVER. And where was all their help with the various flooding/tornadoes etc in the last year? Or was their version of 'helping' just sitting there praying? Ugh I hate fake military wannabe's. 

[bella8050]

Thanks @Palimpsest. I love how Leah Remini is dishing some dirt on TC!

[NakedKnees]

Wow, maybe I was a bit too easy on the Dillards on the language front. That said, I had no idea that SOS actually holds their volunteers to particular language-level expectations. If that's true, then good for the organization, I guess.  

I'm still not going to snark on folks' language skills. There are just too many good reasons why people might not be up to snuff in any given language... not that the Dillards necessarily have a good reason. Honestly, at this point, I doubt they do, haha.

I forgot who said it, but to everyone here who's mentioned enjoying and picking up Chilean Spanish: major props to you!! I love it but I do find it difficult. That said, I would call myself "fluent," by most of its definitions, although certainly foreign-sounding.

Interesting that Jill is openly plugging an IBLP program. Maybe I've missed some things, but I thought the Duggars had generally moved away from showing their support of Gothard/IBLP/ATI so obviously to their leghumpers (although it wasn't that well-hidden either, of course).

[motelmum]

10 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

Thanks, though, for the condescension.

oh sweetie, if I was going to be condescending, you would know it.

I actually thought perhaps you didn't know as you mentioned it twice and I couldn't imagine that any person would be snarking on somebody taking measures to protect their own child from harm.  But you have proven me wrong.

[CorruptionInc.]

44 minutes ago, Shadoewolf said:

Ex Navy myself (blown ACL & MCL right at the end of Basic) Hubby is ex Army.  Ex husband is active duty Army with multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Both of my FIL's on Hubby's side are veterans as is my half brother. Lots of military in my life!!

ALERT is a joke, those boys wouldn't make it though the first 24 hours of P-week without crying out to God for mercy. Not yet my ass Jill, just tell the truth..aka NEVER. And where was all their help with the various flooding/tornadoes etc in the last year? Or was their version of 'helping' just sitting there praying? Ugh I hate fake military wannabe's. 

This!

My brother is Ex Navy as well. He has served several tours of duty in real war zones over a period of 14 years. 

You and my brother are something to be proud of. Alert graduates? No.

[Snarkle Motion]

3 hours ago, Hashtag Blessed said:

Probably because, much like the Sea Org, they are borrowing the trappings of the military without any of the skills, discipline, or danger of the actual military. It allows them to take advantage of young people who don't know any better and think playing dress up an a uniform and saluting makes them a real soldier, only better because they're a soldier in God's army. Or L. Ron Hubbard's, as the case may be. All the military glory without ever having to risk life or limb. I find it pathetic and repulsive. It is a shallow military aesthetic that is entirely without substance. 

Some of the Scientology stuff is like hard core torture labor camp though. I actually do think they mimic psychological techniques from the military - they break you, then build you back up to follow a mission and obey.

This is necessary for military recruits who need to follow commands, keep a strict regimen, and obey orders. It's f***** scary for cults and religion.

Actually it's a bit scary sometimes for the military too. There is a dead behind the eyes for people who have seen some shit and have lost a part of themselves and going through the motions. Not trying to be insensitive, it's just a trauma self-protective response. It's actually the same 100 mile stare Michelle gets at time.

[SamiKatz]

6 hours ago, singsingsing said:

"How dare they put mittens on that baby" has got to rank in the top 5 of the most ridiculous and inane Duggar "criticisms" I've ever read here.

Baby mittens. Seriously. I just... what?

And I thought snarking about the diapers Jessa had on her kids was bad.  lol