My very first fundie sighting. I'm no longer a virgin-HA!

[TheSassyOne]

Anyone here lives in the Vicksburg, MS area? My hubby and I drove there last weekend for a quick getaway.

One of the things we did was to take a tour of the Civil War Park & Memorial. Hubby is a huge history buff and I love listening to the little "extras" he knows about all these battles and events. Anyway after we toured the museum, hubby went to the restroom and I was sitting in the lobby waiting for him. Well what do I spy? A group of fundies (they had to be) walking into the building. I had my camera and wanted to take a picture, but I couldn't figure out how to do it without looking like I was taking a picture of them. :roll:

So it was a family of eight, the women [even the youngest girl approximately 7 years old] wore long calico dresses. The dresses went to their ankles and all of them wore socks and tennis shoes. It was a strange combination, at least to me. The dresses were all the same print [blue] and they all wore some type of lacy bonnet/cap on their head. They guys were dressed in shirts and jeans, but definitely had a "different" look to their attire (think Duggars pre TLC).

Another thing that I noticed is that one couple was courting, I hope not married, because neither looked over fourteen or fifteen years of age. But they were holding hands like there wasn't a tomorrow :lol:

I did catch the Mom's eye at one point. She was very authoritative. As soon as the group entered the museum, she was the one giving orders, and rather loudly. Made we wonder if they were truly fundy, but then I really think some of these women do have the upper hand in their relationships (I'm giving the side eye to you JMichelle). Anyway, I caught her gaze and smiled and was in the middle of saying "good afternoon" when my darn hubby returned and ruined the moment. He leaned over and kissed me. Fundy Mom's gaze changed immediately to one of distaste. She kind of looked like this :x . I'm not sure if it was because hubby had the audacity to kiss me in public or it was because my hubby's white and I'm black. Hehe. She led the entire group away from us quickly and into the museum.

I was so excited and couldn't wait to share my little experience with FJ. Course the flu that I've had since Monday has been kicking my butt, so this is the first day I've felt like I was going to live and was able to share the story.

[ladypuglover]

The way you described the females made me think of the seven sisters, but I doubt anyone is courting any of them.

I see fundies every time I step out the door and it never fails to thrill me to this day. Congrats on your first sighting. :D

[NurseNell]

I saw a fundie the other day.....I think. I went to Cub, a grocery store. The Salvation Army bell ringer was so lively and just really into the holiday mood. She sang as bad as I do but that didn't stop her, she was singing The 12 Days of Christmas. Then she sees a little boy approaching the store entrance with his mom, she had her hair in a bun and some very small crochet thing on top, ankle length denim skirt with socks and sneakers, and a jacket. The S.A. bell ringer starts telling the little boy Santa Claus is coming and she sure hopes he's been a good little boy. Little boy doesn't seem to have a clue about Santa Claus and fundie mom isn't looking happy. This is the first time I've seen someone I think is a fundie in my city (excluding the Hassidic Jews in my neighborhood).

The people you saw at the Civil war museum sound like Mennonites.

[annalena]

I never see any because they are so rare here in Germany. :(

Well, I do see Muslim/Turkish fundies all over the place, but that's not the kind it's exciting to see.

Across the street from my old house though was a fundie family living (I think). 3 daughters, all quiverfully long hair, always wearing floor-long skirts, didn't seem to have any friends, mother hardly ever left the house and the brother was a priest or something. At least I saw him wearing a robe. It's especially exciting since I had NEVER seen people like this here (OR in the US).

[lilwriter85]

I haven't had a fundie sighting here in the city I live in for about 6 months or more. In the next year, I will be visiting a couple of fundie hot spot areas in state and out of state.

[AnnoDomini]

There is a Mennonite community in my area so sometimes I see them. They seem different and of course plain, but not frumpy. One comes to the same college as me, and she's rather stylish, with her fitted white button-down and long skirt. I think she's got pretty boots too.

[vicka]

around here i'm seeing more and more women in full burkas. we always had plenty of muslim women who wear headscarves, but otherwise dress normal. the burkas girls freak me out though. they are like walking ghosts with nothing but eyes. always want to give them a hug, but i don't think they'd take it well.

and it gets hot in nyc... over 100 degree with high humidity. i can't imagine how hot they must be under there.

[AnnoDomini]

Sometimes I'll see a hijab or two, or saris (though I don't suppose saris are evidence of a fundy religious persuasion). I plan to explain casually to my little sisters if/when they ask, that it's normal for some Americans to dress like that.

[browngrl]

Sometimes I'll see a hijab or two, or saris (though I don't suppose saris are evidence of a fundy religious persuasion). I plan to explain casually to my little sisters if/when they ask, that it's normal for some Americans to dress like that.

Sari's are definitely not evidence of fundiness. Have you seen the tops that go with many sari's - totally defrauding - bare the belly, low cut and tight. Remember that the kama sutra was invented by Indians and we love our sensuous stuff. :D

[crazyforkate]

I live in Toronto, so have seen fundies of many kinds (in small numbers, but present). However, I also grew up in Southern BC, and spent a lot of time in the Creston area...so there were a few sightings of Bountiful back in the day.

[crazyforkate]

around here i'm seeing more and more women in full burkas. we always had plenty of muslim women who wear headscarves, but otherwise dress normal. the burkas girls freak me out though. they are like walking ghosts with nothing but eyes. always want to give them a hug, but i don't think they'd take it well.

and it gets hot in nyc... over 100 degree with high humidity. i can't imagine how hot they must be under there.

I've seen several women in burkas without even an eye opening (a sort of fabric grille over it, so they can see out but to you it's just like they have no face). It almost feels like there's nobody under there.

[Juliakitty]

I think I saw one in a convenience store last week. She was in front of me and I thought she was Muslim, but when she stepped aside and I looked at her face, she was white. Which doesn't mean anything really, but the head covering and the long skirt was unusual.

[thoughtful]

The SassyOne --

So, you've given away a piece of your fundie-sighting heart to this family, eh? No doubt, the flu was your chastisement from God.

:lol:

I would imagine that Mom could be bossy with the kids because that's her "jurisdiction." If she told her lord and master what Bible verses to read, or how to run his business, that might be a whole other story!

[vicka]

Sometimes I'll see a hijab or two, or saris (though I don't suppose saris are evidence of a fundy religious persuasion). I plan to explain casually to my little sisters if/when they ask, that it's normal for some Americans to dress like that.

i'm pretty sure saris are cultural not religious. my good friend who is a phd from mit in physics (seriously) and is most certainly not a fundy wears them all the time in the summer.

[liltwinstar]

Last weekend when I was out running errands, I saw a guy holding up a big sign for the 180 movie. That, of course, prompted a tirade from me to my long suffering husband about said film...

Sadly, the sign waver was on the opposite corner from where I was so I couldn't roll down my window and give him a piece of my mind.

[TheSassyOne]

So, you've given away a piece of your fundie-sighting heart to this family, eh? No doubt, the flu was your chastisement from God.

Hmmm, so if I go into my prayer closet (my walk in closet) and play doctor with my Hubby, do you think that would count towards true discipline? :lol:

I looked up some online images of Mennonites, and yes I think that's the group I ran into over the weekend.

Interesting stories everyone has too!

On a side note, we do have many Muslim-Americans living in this area. The ones I've seen (at business, or in stores, etc.) I would assume are not fundies. The women are all dressed stylishly and I've seen a few wear the hijab, but even then it was more of a "stylish" accessory because their faces, necks were easily seen. It definitely wasn't used to cover their features.

[thoughtful]

Hmmm, so if I go into my prayer closet (my walk in closet) and play doctor with my Hubby, do you think that would count towards true discipline? :lol:

Only if he beats -- er, excuse me -- gives you a whipping -- with a wet noodle until you submit.

[JesusFightClub]

I went on holiday to the north of England and, greatly loving the creatures of the deep, went to a sea life centre. It was very diverting to also notice a family where mum and two (early teen, at a guess) girls were all niqabi and they obviously took it very seriously as they were all basically shrouded in black.

Then all of a sudden the smaller of the two girls who had wandered over to look at a display shouted excitedly "Eh, wor mam, tek look at this likes!" Mum responded distractedly "Wossat, luv?"

I had expected them to be speaking maybe a foreign language, not broad dialect English! Another stereotype in the bin for me ;)

[annalena]

I can not get myself to think it's a positive sign when native English (can I say that? you know what I mean) wear niqab.

Umm umm. :snooty:

[darkplumaged]

I finally saw a family of presumable fundies the other day: a woman and two little girls, all in long skirts, plus a baby. I wish I'd had more time to observe, so I could see who they were waiting for, but I passed them quickly on the way into the bathroom.

This sighting was at a Target about half an hour from HSLDA, so it's not that surprising. I doubt I'll see another fundie until I head out that way again.

Oh, and I was extremely excited to see two or three groups of Orthodox Jews at an aquarium recently. They were more conservatively dressed than I'd expect the average MO Jew to be, yet not clad in typical Chassidic garb. Yeshivish? I dunno.

[JesusFightClub]

I can not get myself to think it's a positive sign when native English (can I say that? you know what I mean) wear niqab.

Umm umm. :snooty:

I know what you mean, not recent immigrants, right? Because I'm from Scotland I normally associate the niqab with new Scots who might not have the language down yet. So I was surprised to hear such broad accents when I went to England. This was another presumption on my part as the family (well, it is somewhat difficult to tell with niqabi women,) but the impression I got, and certainly the dad was, is that they were British Asian.

I am trying with niqab to learn to respect other people's right to wear it because I don't like it much either. But I doubt that family approved of how I dress although they didn't show or voice any disapproval towards me. I guess, live and let live in the matter of clothing.

They seemed to be a close family (I admit to fundie watching them surreptitiously) the dad and mum seemed affectionate to each other and the kids and the girls were slightly more restrained than most teens but pretty excitable nonetheless. I was interested.

I see women in hijab loads of times every day so I never even think about it, work with some too, and have no problem with it. Niqab is a bit more difficult for me. But I cover my face sometimes too, on protests, and there the conflict lies. How can I say you can't cover your face if you want to but I can cover mine if I see fit? If someone wears a hoodie can they really be annoyed at a woman in hijab?

A lot of questions, no clear answers...

[annalena]

I don't exactly think it was a stereotype of yours, I think it was more of a experience value because traditionally, Scottish and English people did not wear niqabs.

I really try to implement this live and let live attitude, but women's submission and all outer appearance that comes with it and modesty makes it very hard for me.

I never cover my face, I guess because I don't go to protests. It's also technically illegal here because then you can not see the other person's facial expressions. It's to prevent stuff like robbery, I guess. So I just don't think anyone should have different right because of a different religion. If it's illegal, it's illegal to anyone.

Otherwise I'll propose my own religioin tomorrow that restricts me from talking to stupid people, paying more than I think I should have to, and getting up before 8. Or something like that.

[Lily]

I saw fundies at the thrift store the other day. I see this particular group - maybe 2 or 3 families that seem to be together - once in a while. They must live somewhere in the mountains behind us, because they roll into town in a group every so often, and other people seem to recognize them but no one seems to know where they live. I think they might be Hutterites, or wannabes of some similar type group, because they dress somewhat plainly, but seem to allow patterns, so I don't think they're Mennonites and definitely not Amish. Not the jumper and odd collection of dresses modest, I mean SERIOUSLY plain, almost Amish-ish just with patterned fabric.

Really odd lot, but not unsociable and I've never gotten a holier-than-thou vibe like I do with some run-of-the-mill fundies or fundie-lites. They'll talk to you and they don't talk about Jesus like it's some kind of verbal tic, so they're fine in my book!

[Rider]

Saw one last night in the parking lot of Target at midnight. I guess this particular fundy family celebrates Christmas, because they were heading to the back of the ridiculous line snaking around the store. Of course the males in the family were dressed "normal."

[adidas]

The OP sounds like our local Bruderhof women.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruderhof_Communities