Lori Alexander 71: She of Appalling Ignorance

[wallysmommy]

My "husband got me saved."  No, Jesus saves you, not your husband.  Once again, husband worship in action.  

Lori, the boring life is YOURS.  You who has nothing better to do than to post the same things over and over on the Interwebs.  It's very sad when the most interesting thing you have to talk about are your flowered mawmaw shirts from Macy's and your $14/pound butter.  

[Frog99]

So I see her afternoon post is a regurgitation of one of her tweets praising Godly, masculine men. 

Two observations: 

1. Her FB page and twitter continue to attract some disgusting men. 

2. Ken doesn’t strike me as “Godly” (although I am not really sure what that even means or looks like). But 100% without a doubt, he is most definitely not masculine. Not now, and I doubt ever. 

As an aside- get the brain bleach ready-the other night when I couldn’t sleep I was skimming through her twitter and someone posted a comment of hers talking about how sex is painful but she does it anyway, because a bit of pain to please him doesn’t bother her. Lori, if this is why you see Ken as “masculine”, you are wrong. It makes him an ass. No real man is going to pursue sex with his wife when it causes pain. 

[hollyfeller]

52 minutes ago, wallysmommy said:

My "husband got me saved."  No, Jesus saves you, not your husband.  Once again, husband worship in action.  

Lori, the boring life is YOURS.  You who has nothing better to do than to post the same things over and over on the Interwebs.  It's very sad when the most interesting thing you have to talk about are your flowered mawmaw shirts from Macy's and your $14/pound butter.  

I feel like this is a dumb question, but how exactly does one become "saved?"  I'm always confused by the About Me sections of fundie blogs that say something like, "I got saved at age 12."  (Or even like age 3?  Is that even possible?) What exactly does that mean?  Is it just something that people say because it is expected in their circle, or is there like a supernatural thing that they experience all of a sudden one day when they're chilling in their bedroom doing their math homework or reading Anne of Green Gables?  Growing up my family only went through the motions of going to church (Presbyterian) and praying before every meal at home so getting "saved" wasn't something that was ever mentioned.  And now we are a tribe of unbelievers so it's secular humanism and Southern hospitality FTW.  If anyone could shine a light on this "getting saved" epiphany I'd appreciate it!

[Florita]

Last week on Instagram:

 

Spoiler

Frog Hollow sells these for $31 for 3 pounds, before shipping, that's $10+ per pound peaches and pluots? (plum/apricot hybrid I think).  I don't know about you guys, but if the fruit costs $10/lb I just walk on by.

fyi organic peaches and plumcots are $2.49/pound at Sprouts.

[Imrlgoddess]

15 minutes ago, hollyfeller said:

I feel like this is a dumb question, but how exactly does one become "saved?"  I'm always confused by the About Me sections of fundie blogs that say something like, "I got saved at age 12."  (Or even like age 3?  Is that even possible?) What exactly does that mean?  Is it just something that people say because it is expected in their circle, or is there like a supernatural thing that they experience all of a sudden one day when they're chilling in their bedroom doing their math homework or reading Anne of Green Gables?  Growing up my family only went through the motions of going to church (Presbyterian) and praying before every meal at home so getting "saved" wasn't something that was ever mentioned.  And now we are a tribe of unbelievers so it's secular humanism and Southern hospitality FTW.  If anyone could shine a light on this "getting saved" epiphany I'd appreciate it!

It's not a dumb question at all, I struggled with that concept as the lone Catholic teen in my community.  The way it was explained (and exhibited) to me was a person has, what I can only define as, an epiphany...they realize the grace of God and make a promise to devote themselves to living as Jesus would have commanded.  In the churches where I grew up a person wasn't baptised until they made this revelation before the whole congregation or at the very least the pastor.  I'd seen many a congregate be "called" in service while the choir would be singing away and make a tearful journey to the pulpit and the declaration.  Other times it would happen at home or during personal prayer and that person would tell a parent or spouse and come next Sunday they'd go through the same motions in the church.  

I never 100% understood it but I guess it's that personal of an experience.  

[SongRed7]

22 minutes ago, Florita said:

Frog Hollow sells these for $31 for 3 pounds, before shipping, that's $10+ per pound peaches and pluots? (plum/apricot hybrid I think).  I don't know about you guys, but if the fruit costs $10/lb I just walk on by.

At that price, one piece of fruit would have to last the family all year.   I live in NJ and we have many local farms (and many are organic) One local farm stand sells "slightly dented" fruit (still very good to eat) for $1 for and entire basket.  Awesome for not only eating, but making pies, etc.  

If anyone paid $10 a pound for fruit around her, you'd be laughed out of the state. 

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by SongRed7

[elliha]

I would say I experienced a "saved" moment. I don't want to describe the details of it as it is private and intimate, just like I, unlike Lori wouldn't discuss the details of my sex life with my husband despite not being prudish at all. After this moment I have never doubted that god is a part of my life and I would say that I was permanently changed by this moment to a certain extent. There is some component of calm reassurance that I did not have before this point. If you have had one of these moments you know you have had one but my church teaches that not everyone will have them and especially someone who has grown up knowing god from childhood may never notice a "before and after" and their faith may be pretty stable throughout their lives. I sometimes feel a bit strange for having had one and one woman even suggested that I might become a baptist instead since I seemed "more like them" when I mentioned this experience. Yeah, she was a bitch, that much is clear but tells some of the skeptism experiences like this can have there. God meets people in different ways and none are better but I am a stubborn and pretty logical person so I think god knew they needed to hit me with a hammer to get to me. I honestly hated god for making me believe in them for like 6 months and making me so happy this way when I wanted to be a normal person who didn't experience such things. There was less Hallelujah and more "you stupid bastard" for me until I decided to accept and embrace what I was given.

[hollyfeller]

4 minutes ago, elliha said:

I would say I experienced a "saved" moment. I don't want to describe the details of it as it is private and intimate, just like I, unlike Lori wouldn't discuss the details of my sex life with my husband despite not being prudish at all. After this moment I have never doubted that god is a part of my life and I would say that I was permanently changed by this moment to a certain extent. There is some component of calm reassurance that I did not have before this point. If you have had one of these moments you know you have had one but my church teaches that not everyone will have them and especially someone who has grown up knowing god from childhood may never notice a "before and after" and their faith may be pretty stable throughout their lives. I sometimes feel a bit strange for having had one and one woman even suggested that I might become a baptist instead since I seemed "more like them" when I mentioned this experience. Yeah, she was a bitch, that much is clear but tells some of the skeptism experiences like this can have there. God meets people in different ways and none are better but I am a stubborn and pretty logical person so I think god knew they needed to hit me with a hammer to get to me. I honestly hated god for making me believe in them for like 6 months and making me so happy this way when I wanted to be a normal person who didn't experience such things. There was less Hallelujah and more "you stupid bastard" for me until I decided to accept and embrace what I was given.

Thank you for sharing your story!  When I was younger I thought I had a few moments of God's presence, but since then those feel like coincidence and my imagination.  I've been through my share of extremely difficult times and I feel like I've had to pull myself out of them completely on my own.  I was "saving" myself on my own.  That's what makes me an unbeliever.  I'm not bitter, but I don't pray for God's guidance anymore since it was completely absent when I felt I needed it the most.  Still, I am devoted to living my life as a kind and caring person who will be worthy of heaven if I end up meeting God in the afterlife.

So basically the opposite of Lori!

[elliha]

11 minutes ago, hollyfeller said:

Thank you for sharing your story!  When I was younger I thought I had a few moments of God's presence, but since then those feel like coincidence and my imagination.  I've been through my share of extremely difficult times and I feel like I've had to pull myself out of them completely on my own.  I was "saving" myself on my own.  That's what makes me an unbeliever.  I'm not bitter, but I don't pray for God's guidance anymore since it was completely absent when I felt I needed it the most.  Still, I am devoted to living my life as a kind and caring person who will be worthy of heaven if I end up meeting God in the afterlife.

So basically the opposite of Lori!

"Live life on earth the way a good person would live if there was no god" is a description that I am quite fond of. I trust there is a god but I believe that our own abilities are important and everyone can make this world better, it is an active choice to at the very least choose to do more good than bad. If there is no god I can still feel that my life wasn't wasted.

Edited September 18, 2019 by elliha

[mango_fandango]

There are a few Chick Tracts about getting saved. Fundies have described it too. From what I’ve gathered, it seems to involve kneeling down and saying the sinner’s prayer. Many fundies do seem to get saved incredibly young - Jill Rod says she got saved at around four or so. Abigail and Bethany Maxwell got saved when they were six and four respectively, and Sarah made a post about their baptism. I think the other Maxwells, Steve and Teri’s kids, got saved at very young ages too.

[Alisamer]

I think a "saved" moment is different for everyone. For some, it's a "come to Jesus" epiphany. For some it's "OK, yeah, I am pretty sure I understand what I've been taught in church now, and am ready to officially announce it." A lot of the time it's a particularly moving sermon or service that does it, if they're already a churchgoer. Ever heard the song "Jesus take the wheel"? Some people's "saved" experiences are like that. A lot more are like "OK, yeah, I'm 9 and I understand what I've been taught in sunday school, and that preacher at camp was really good and made me want to go up and make a commitment or whatever." Apparently DRod was given a tract at the mall that made him have a "saved" moment. For kids growing up in church, it's usually more like "yeah, OK, I'm old enough to go up front and make that decision officially now". For those who are "born again" it's often more dramatic - that's where the "I was a sinner, and I hit rock bottom, and in desperation I prayed, and God answered my prayers! Amen!" sort of story comes in. (Those are often the most rigid and self-righteous ones, IMO. The "grew up in it" people are less fire and brimstone much of the time.)

I've always gone to Baptist churches, so that's how it is in my experience. We don't do infant baptism and confirmation, instead people decide when they feel "led" to and get baptized then. The youngest kid I've seen was 5, and there were some mutterings in the church about whether he really understood what was going on. 

It's a personal thing, and I can see how it'd be hard to understand. My experience was growing up in the church since infancy, going every time the doors were open (mom played piano), and after an inspiring week-long church camp decided I really understood and believed enough to go up front and "make a decision". I spoke briefly to the pastor about it beforehand, went up during the invitation, and then the next time they did baptisms (once a quarter) I got dunked. Somebody left the heater on in the baptismal pool all night, so it was bathwater warm! Then I got to take communion for the first time after that. I was probably 8 or 9, maybe? It wasn't a big deal to me, really. No big production, I don't even think my grandparents came to church that morning. We were a small church with very few children, however, and with my mom as pianist everybody knew me, so it was basically just something expected, really.

[hollyfeller]

11 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

I think a "saved" moment is different for everyone. For some, it's a "come to Jesus" epiphany. For some it's "OK, yeah, I am pretty sure I understand what I've been taught in church now, and am ready to officially announce it." A lot of the time it's a particularly moving sermon or service that does it, if they're already a churchgoer. Ever heard the song "Jesus take the wheel"? Some people's "saved" experiences are like that. A lot more are like "OK, yeah, I'm 9 and I understand what I've been taught in sunday school, and that preacher at camp was really good and made me want to go up and make a commitment or whatever." Apparently DRod was given a tract at the mall that made him have a "saved" moment. For kids growing up in church, it's usually more like "yeah, OK, I'm old enough to go up front and make that decision officially now". For those who are "born again" it's often more dramatic - that's where the "I was a sinner, and I hit rock bottom, and in desperation I prayed, and God answered my prayers! Amen!" sort of story comes in. (Those are often the most rigid and self-righteous ones, IMO. The "grew up in it" people are less fire and brimstone much of the time.)

I've always gone to Baptist churches, so that's how it is in my experience. We don't do infant baptism and confirmation, instead people decide when they feel "led" to and get baptized then. The youngest kid I've seen was 5, and there were some mutterings in the church about whether he really understood what was going on. 

It's a personal thing, and I can see how it'd be hard to understand. My experience was growing up in the church since infancy, going every time the doors were open (mom played piano), and after an inspiring week-long church camp decided I really understood and believed enough to go up front and "make a decision". I spoke briefly to the pastor about it beforehand, went up during the invitation, and then the next time they did baptisms (once a quarter) I got dunked. Somebody left the heater on in the baptismal pool all night, so it was bathwater warm! Then I got to take communion for the first time after that. I was probably 8 or 9, maybe? It wasn't a big deal to me, really. No big production, I don't even think my grandparents came to church that morning. We were a small church with very few children, however, and with my mom as pianist everybody knew me, so it was basically just something expected, really.

I went to an enormous church with some of the richest families in town.  My middle class family was like their poor country cousins in comparison.  All of the kids my age went to private school while I was a public school goer.  I had no friends there.  Also, our pastor was not only the most boring orator on the face of the planet, but also made an inappropriate comment to me when I was about 12 (I looked much older, but still) so I never felt comfortable at church again after that.  I'm sure I would have a better opinion of church if I had attended elsewhere, but it's too late for that now!

[hollyfeller]

On a different topic, Lori is ignoring logic in her FB comments today.

I think Elizabeth hit the nail on the head when she said that Lori is "making an idol out of motherhood."  Since hated college and she didn't like working she put all of her eggs in the motherhood basket because getting pregnant is was something she could do without a lot of effort.  It made her feel like a complete person.  She never considered that other women can feel like a complete person with a fulfilling job (with or without children).

[raspberrymint]

I was told being saved was believing Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins and thus from hell, and publicly professing it.  Because of mixed messages about whether the profession met baptism OR baptism and stating the beliefs in front of a large group of people, I feared I hadn't been saved.  Also, I peed in the baptism waters.  I was 3.  I feared I hadn't been saved and couldn't tell anyone that I was going to hell because admitting this was just too disgraceful for me at the ages that I believed in this.

Edited September 18, 2019 by raspberrymint
Typing error

[Florita]

Nope. No where in the Bible does it say this. The only command to "nurture" is directed at men.

Anyone out there who hasn't been blocked? Go ahead and tell her this.

[Free Jana Duggar]

4 hours ago, hollyfeller said:

I feel like this is a dumb question, but how exactly does one become "saved?"  I'm always confused by the About Me sections of fundie blogs that say something like, "I got saved at age 12."  (Or even like age 3?  Is that even possible?) What exactly does that mean?  Is it just something that people say because it is expected in their circle, or is there like a supernatural thing that they experience all of a sudden one day when they're chilling in their bedroom doing their math homework or reading Anne of Green Gables?  Growing up my family only went through the motions of going to church (Presbyterian) and praying before every meal at home so getting "saved" wasn't something that was ever mentioned.  And now we are a tribe of unbelievers so it's secular humanism and Southern hospitality FTW.  If anyone could shine a light on this "getting saved" epiphany I'd appreciate it!

Being saved means one believes Jesus as God's Son and has accepted Jesus' sacrifice on the cross as payment for his or her sins.   

They then repent of their sins and do their best to live right. 

Salvation is a gift of grace and not of works but if we love God, we will do good.  The two go together.

Ephesians 2:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast

Hope that helps.

 

[wallysmommy]

7 Tweets today.  So, tell me who is bored and lonely?  

[THERetroGamerNY]

6 hours ago, hollyfeller said:

I feel like this is a dumb question, but how exactly does one become "saved?"

You buy ultra-expensive butter; go to a beach; and you sit there and judge people while hammering-away about it all on Twitter. 

Strange ritual, I know, but Fundies swear by it!

[Sarah92]

4 hours ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

You buy ultra-expensive butter; go to a beach; and you sit there and judge people while hammering-away about it all on Twitter. 

Strange ritual, I know, but Fundies swear by it!

Don’t forget the paddle of righteousness and jean skirt of modesty. Gotta have the full armor of fundamentalism. Without it you can’t enter Lori’s chat room...I mean heaven, yeah heaven. 

[SongRed7]

SOOO we are playing the "There is no verse" game again today. Stupidest argument ever, Lori. Along with all the rest of your stupid arguments. 

"There’s not one verse in the entire Bible that commands that parents sleep with their children. No, not one."

I'm guessing Alyssa may be co-sleeping or maybe has some sort of side sleeper that goes next to your bed? Also, on her IG story yesterday Alyssa posted a picture of herself "baby-wearing" her son so she may be more into attachment parenting etc.  

Just to recap as long as we are playing, "There is NO verse":

There is no verse that commands:

• Being on the internet all day and night
• Buying $14 a pound butter
• Buying $10 a pound fruit
• Spending summers in the country while your mother is dying
• arguing with strangers all day (actually there are verses AGAINST that...might want to check again, Lori)
• men becoming orthodontic consultants 
• and a million other things

 

[usmcmom]

Conversational U-turn ahead.

I’m gonna go ahead and give Lori’s granddaughter the benefit of the doubt and  say she was talking to Lori about showing her bottom. 

*Child walks into living room; sees Grandma Lori sitting on the couch, face hidden behind the computer screen.

“Whatcha doin’ Grandma?”

“God’s work. I’m monitoring a holy chat room.”  

“Oh. Well you shouldn’t show your bottom.” 

[Loveday]

Apparently there's no command in the Bible to help the poor, either. Marie says:

Quote

"[name redacted]... it’s not our job to help the poor. Jesus wants us to take care of ourselves."

 

Never mind all the five THOUSAND verses from Jesus Himself about helping the poor. 

Surprisingly, our friend Severine had a bit of a rebuttal to Lori's post this morning:

Quote

My dad and uncle, who had two and zero young children respectively, used to deride my other uncle who had six for this. They had a small house and few resources, and managing that many small children was not easy.

It's so simple for women of the Dr. Spock era to forget that even older children run back into their parents' room. Many children are afraid of the dark. You can encourage parents to make an effort sure, but it's second nature to look back and forget.

Furthermore my great-grandmother had eleven and her husband worked in a mill town that is now a ghost town. I have a family history book that shows a very small house, maybe two or three bedrooms. Little House on the Prairie tells of family beds due to space. Biblical times are said to have seen the use of tents.

I'm sorry but the big house idea and raising children to be independent from day one is one of distorted 1950's ideals.

Lori's response:

Quote

I don't care about history, studies, or what others did, I care about the Word of God, and His Word is clear that wives are to submit to their husbands including the issue of co-sleeping or not.

 

And a reader's response:

Quote

The Transformed Wife what a rude response! I.m shocked at you honestly

 

Another response:

Quote

The Transformed Wife that was super rude of you. Also, normally i agree but this is a little Jone's-Town-y

 

There are others, Lori is definitely getting some pushback today. Even Cora Yisreal isn't in lockstep agreement. 

This morning's post has 'I WANNA GO VIRAL' written all over it. 

[Alisamer]

16 hours ago, hollyfeller said:

I think Elizabeth hit the nail on the head when she said that Lori is "making an idol out of motherhood."  Since hated college and she didn't like working she put all of her eggs in the motherhood basket because getting pregnant is was something she could do without a lot of effort.  It made her feel like a complete person.  She never considered that other women can feel like a complete person with a fulfilling job (with or without children).

I'm not convinced Lori chose motherhood for any reason other than that it gave her an excuse to not have to work. I'm fairly certain she got married so someone else would have to financially carry her, and we know for sure the only reason she had her second child was to get to stay home full time.

I wouldn't be surprised if the later kids corresponded to rough patches in the marriage and her decision to leave her womb "open to God" (conveniently after her peak fertility was behind her) and her commitment to "submission" came at times when the kids were getting older and less dependent and she needed some new way to tie Ken to her more firmly. Lori sees people through the lens of what they can do for her. Ken is her personal bank. The kids tied him to her, and gave her an excuse not to work. Suddenly becoming more devout and deciding to follow "biblical" tenets about submission had the double effect of making divorce much less likely and placating some of Ken's grievances about how terrible she is. We've noticed once her parents got to thee point of needing help themselves rather than being available to rub her feet for her, she seemed to basically ignore them, staying on vacation while her mother was dying. She's probably really jealous of all the attention Alyssa (and the rest of the family) are giving the new baby. It's taking away from LORI. (I admit much of that is speculation, but I'd be willing to bet a few dollars on it.)

She wants to live like a spoiled child - doing what she feels like while other people (her parents, housekeeper, nanny, Ken...) take care of the necessities for her. 

20 minutes ago, SongRed7 said:

SOOO we are playing the "There is no verse" game again today. Stupidest argument ever, Lori. Along with all the rest of your stupid arguments. 

"There’s not one verse in the entire Bible that commands that parents sleep with their children. No, not one."

I'm guessing Alyssa may be co-sleeping or maybe has some sort of side sleeper that goes next to your bed? Also, on her IG story yesterday Alyssa posted a picture of herself "baby-wearing" her son so she may be more into attachment parenting etc.  

Good for Alyssa. I hope she ignores her jealous shrew of a mother. 

Also, Lori again is being dumb. I'm thinking the majority of people in biblical times were not living in mcMansions where they could shut children away in their own rooms to ignore so Lori mom could sleep all night, take afternoon naps, and have peace and quiet. You don't have to command parents to co-sleep with their children when that is probably the norm and most houses didn't have multiple bedrooms. (Or bedrooms at all, I'd bet - I'm sure many families were living all in one room together, at least in poorer areas.)

Lori is a selfish, lazy idiot with absolutely no compassion and no reasoning ability at all. 

[SongRed7]

AND all of this drama she is causing about an issue that's not really that big of a deal and only for a season and frankly ONLY the private business of  each family/couple.

She is holding up the "marital bed" now as this big idol, when hasn't she admitted on multiple occasions that she and Ken don't even sleep in the same room? If I wasn't banned, I'd point this out.

Here is one reference, but she's talked about it on several occasions:  http://lorialexander.blogspot.com/2012/06/separate-bedrooms.html

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by SongRed7

[Sonic the Whoredgehog]

21 hours ago, Sarah92 said:

You know, as a Christian feminist I wouldn’t even dare to say that if you go against my thoughts you’re unbiblical. There are many pieces of Scripture that just don’t have a solid interpretation from my understanding. The part about faith is understanding that some things are a mystery or beyond comprehension. What we’re left with is the very plain command to love God and love others. 

Anytime the phrase "the Bible CLEARLY states...." is not followed by one of the most basic tenets of the faith, it is most likely followed by bullshit. That phrase and all variations thereof are my cue to stop listening because no, it probably does not. Sure, the English translation written thousands of years, thousands of miles, and dozens of cultures removed from the original may "clearly state", if you take it literally and at face value. 

There are things that the Bible is clear about that aren't basic, but I have never heard or seen that phrase used by anyone other than fundies about things the Bible most certainly is not clear about. Normal, intelligent people generally have the wherewithal to say, "my interpretation is..." or "this passage seems to indicate..." It's just so prideful to say that one interpretation that you happen to agree with is the only acceptable one. 

I honestly think Christians who take such a literal, face-value view of Scripture are seriously lacking in the guidance of the holy spirit. Which would make sense, as these are often the same people who spout off about emotions and feelings being "lies". If the way a passage is taught to you squicks you out, that's just because you need to transform yourself until you agree with your church or your parents! It's totally not a sign that you need to look deeper into the context and exegesis.