Duggars by the Dozen 36: The Drought Has Ended with Jessa's Announcement

[NakedKnees]

I worry about alcoholism in my life frequently. My family has a major history of it on all sides. Mr. Knees and I met in a bar, and we've gotten drier over the years but it's been gradual. We now commit to longer periods of time (weeks, or a month) sober and it's been great. Our worst fights have all involved alcohol, and the culture we live in is very heavily alcohol oriented... It's hard to avoid at social events and the like.

But we're both committed to working on this and I'm okay with that. The number 1 line that's important for me to draw is that if a doctor ever tells either of us to stop drinking, we will 100% listen and stop. In my life, that's always been the turning point between "regular" life and literal death. We certainly hope it never gets to that point though.

I have friends who won't keep booze in the house because they're sober, but I have other friends who won't keep it because they can't resist drinking it all.

I understand the Duggars potentially being afraid of their family's issues, but if they're referring to JB's dad as a tragic alcoholic... I don't know how much I believe that, but I honestly don't know. My understanding is most devout Baptists are quite dry, so I do think a big part of it is that and the Duggars still need to maintain a wide appeal so they play down that aspect. Also, as alcohol is an acquired taste, I can't see any of the Duggars as having tried more than a few sips of alcohol. Josh may be an exception though, with his secret Life and the "loosening up" role of alcohol in hookup culture.

[louisa05]

On 12/22/2018 at 6:28 PM, SassyPants said:

JC, do the Duggars have no concept of moderation??????

All the fundies and most of the evangelicals I know do not when it comes to alcohol. My college roommate, who remains a very dear friend, was raised in an evangelical home where she was taught that anyone who takes one drink will become an alcoholic. She also somehow came to the conclusion that any place where people consume any alcohol will turn into a high school party where everyone will be pressured to drink and ostracized if they do not. She refused to attend off site faculty Christmas or end of year parties as a teacher telling the others she couldn't come because she doesn't drink. They initially responded like she was crazy, trying to explain that that was fine, she didn't have to. 

One of the only events she has ever been to in her life where people were drinking was my wedding reception. She was absolutely astonished that 1--everyone wasn't falling down drunk by the time dinner was served and 2--no one tried to force her and her husband to drink or even broached the subject at all. 

At the Christian school I taught at, kids were taught that one drink makes an alcoholic by one of the Bible class teachers. The woman told them that all Lutherans, Anglicans and Catholics are alcoholics because they "drink at church". A student came to me once upset that her dad might be an alcoholic because he had a beer when he watched the local college football team play. Me: "One beer? Once a week? Only during football season? (Name), how on earth would that make him an alcoholic?". Well, Mrs. Idiot Bible Teacher said....

[MargaretElliott]

Slightly off topic, but a little related - I'm having a New Year's party and have several friends who don't drink. Anyone have any good punch/mocktail recipes? I want to make them something tasty and special and festive, instead of just offering them soda. Maybe spiced apple cider?

[QuiverFullofBooks]

3 hours ago, NakedKnees said:

I understand the Duggars potentially being afraid of their family's issues, but if they're referring to JB's dad as a tragic alcoholic... I don't know how much I believe that, but I honestly don't know.

No, he was talking about an uncle or something. It didn’t seem to have had much affect on his life, but was enough of a negative example that he was on board with Michelle’s no-alcohol policy. Though hard-core Baptists like them rarely drink anyway. 

[HarryPotterFan]

I’ve said it before, but I find it amusing that some religions forbid even a sip of alcohol and others have holidays where G-d wants you to get shit faced. 

[feministxtian]

23 minutes ago, MargaretElliott said:

Slightly off topic, but a little related - I'm having a New Year's party and have several friends who don't drink. Anyone have any good punch/mocktail recipes? I want to make them something tasty and special and festive, instead of just offering them soda. Maybe spiced apple cider?

Virgin Pina Coladas, Virgin Margaritas, try here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=virgin+cocktail+recipes&oq=virgin+cocktail+re&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.12219j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

6 minutes ago, HarryPotterFan said:

I’ve said it before, but I find it amusing that some religions forbid even a sip of alcohol and others have holidays where G-d wants you to get shit faced. 

I think it has to do with where the religion was founded, I think more European based denominations are fairly lax on alcohol where as U.S. founded faiths are a lot more uptight based on puritanical nonsense that was taught from one family to the next and enforced on the masses over the years.  

[AussieKrissy]

On 12/23/2018 at 7:40 AM, HarryPotterFan said:

I agree. And it’s weird and gives me the heebie jeebies. Do they call each other up to be all, “Hey I’m ovulating and we’re having sex tonight. You should have sex too. I’m going to call the others and let them know.”

Hey Y'all lets hang out heaps so that our cycles sync and we all fall pregnant at the exact same time....

[TheMustardCardigan]

My fiancé and I both don't drink all that much, usually a social gathering about once a week I'd say. Or sometimes a couple beers together at home. He says he used to go out on the town more a couple years before he met me. I used to go out more too, but amongst my group of friends in college I was considered the "responsible one--" i.e. the one that would hold the key to the apartment because the others would lose it while we went out, and the one who documented our night with Snapchat stories of the shenanigans. 

[WiseGirl]

I cannot unsee this. Wtf even if they were "teaching" about the birth of Jesus. 

 

[fluffernutter]

OMG what are they doing?! ? They are so weird.

[Pecansforeveryone]

I mean, if I didn't know any better I would think they were poking a bit of fun at the birth of Christ. I'm always amazed by how flippantaly and silly our fundies portray their faith that they are oh so serious about. Yes, I do realize this is the least worrisome thing the Duggars have done. I just have cognitive dissonance at this oh so serious, eternity altering event is portrayed in a silly way, if that makes sense. 

[marmalade]

Not to mention, they're about 30 years too old to play Mary and Joseph. Dipshits.

[Peaches-n-Beans]

9 hours ago, MargaretElliott said:

Slightly off topic, but a little related - I'm having a New Year's party and have several friends who don't drink. Anyone have any good punch/mocktail recipes? I want to make them something tasty and special and festive, instead of just offering them soda. Maybe spiced apple cider?

You can make non-alcoholic eggnog! eggnog isn't a favorite of mine but it is festive! Also we used to do sparkling juice when my sister and I were kids

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

J20 has arrived! This is a miracle of biblical proportions. Not only was he born to a barren woman (think Abraham and Sarah), but he is the second coming of our Lord and saviour, born on Christmas day.

May three wise men come to visit him with Pickles, Hairspray, and Tatertot Casserole.

[BachelorToTheRapture]

8 minutes ago, Peaches-n-Beans said:

You can make non-alcoholic eggnog! eggnog isn't a favorite of mine but it is festive! Also we used to do sparkling juice when my sister and I were kids

My husband rarely has alcohol but LOVES sparkling grape juice, particularly for new years. I always like drinks with chunks of real fruit in them whether or not I can have alcohol.

[candygirl200413]

martinelli's is my personal fav non-alcoholic (sparkling cider)

[Taylurker]

1 hour ago, WiseGirl said:

I cannot unsee this. Wtf even if they were "teaching" about the birth of Jesus. 

 

Oh no! I have that snowflake blanket... I will now never look at it the same way again.

[SamuraiKatz]

That picture should have beem left in the family photo album!

[miss_batson]

Christmas is over. Still NO annoucment. ?? Will there be an annoucment for New Year? Or waiting for new season which starts on unknown date. 

[LurkerOverThePond]

That Mary and Joseph photo - talk about smug! But I still find this oldie but goldie even worse:

(The tag on Jilly Muffin's baby bump says "To Jill and Derick, from God")

Oh look at that young, holy, precious couple, being so much better than the rest of us that God himself wanted to bless them with the next saviour.

[HereticHick]

I believe that we will actually make it to the end of 2018 without a Duggar pregnancy announcement.

But, we will get at least one by Valentine's Day.  

[Georgiana]

We've seen the Duggar girls accessorize with large scarves/pashminas before, so we know they own things that would be MUCH less ridiculous and more accurate to use as head coverings, but no, M and JB use blankets and towels because either their Christmas pageant was choreographed by 5 year old me circa 1993, or they are lazy people who are so deathly afraid of looking "too Muslim" that they would rather put cheap fleece print blankets on their heads than something that makes sense.  

Reminds me of this dramatic nativity production: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-kenny-loggins-ruined-christmas.html 

 

[OyToTheVey]

21 hours ago, HarryPotterFan said:

I’ve said it before, but I find it amusing that some religions forbid even a sip of alcohol and others have holidays where G-d wants you to get shit faced. 

I'm Jewish. Every shabbos starts off with a prayer with wine. Let's see the rabbis drank vodka after my nephews Bar Mitzvah, at my friends wedding, even after my other nephews bris. Actually now that I think about it he used wine to dip a gauze and gave a drop to my nephew as anesthesia. I would say we're on the other end of the spectrum from the fundies anti-alcohol movement lol

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

14 hours ago, Taylurker said:

Oh no! I have that snowflake blanket... I will now never look at it the same way again.

Moochelle chose to put it on her head because she's a speshul snowflake.