Zack Bates is courting!

[xDreamerx]

But...but... it's "The Bateses," not "The Bates." *weeps* I emailed this fact to Big Daddy Bates, and he replied, "That's interesting. I never heard of that before." And never changed anything.

So I have decided that Big Daddy is The Bates, and each of his sons is to be called Master Bates.

Damn it! There is no hope! Why do they always have to fucking match?! Teal is the new brown polo shirt.

[browngrl]

I never find fundie courtships to be good news, because I know that the precious little freedom that poor young woman may have being single is soon to disappear. Now she'll have to live under full headship (more so than her father, since his is diluted somewhat by the other siblings), but she'll have to have that pasty white guy pronging her all the time. Unless she escapes, her life is over.

While I would never want a fundie courtship for myself or any woman in my circle - I don't think this young woman's life is over. I might be wrong but I rather like this young man and I don't think he will be a "pasty white guy pronging her all the time". I hope the couple are as happy as they look in their courtship picture.

[moreorlessnu]

Wonder if the wedding will be cowboy themed?

Did anyone else think of backward cowgirl?

They were on a Duggar episode during the Bateses' remodel. They showed up and the kids showed off their mad bluegrass skillz. They were actually quite good, especially the youngest son, who can really play the guitar. I think Sarah is the banjo player.

Oh, yes! They were very good. That young boy looked very young to be that good, but he was excellent. They all were. What a refreshing change from the "violin playing".

Is there a fundie rule that the girl has to have a crunchy perm when she knows the guy is coming to start a courtship or propose marriage? Her hair would look much better if it was merely wavy, or maybe even straight.

On the Bates web site, it looks like she's growing out a very tight perm.

I would love to see some of the Duggars courting too, but it doesn't seem likely...

I agree. It feels odd to wish this on such a young woman, but courting and marriage buy these girls a bit of a break from watching 16 siblings. Even Anna had the pleasure of only watching 1 baby (and a baby she chose to have, not one her parents decided to have) for a good 1.5 years.

My guess is the Bates are going to be a little bit more relaxed when it comes to courting. The couple probably won't kiss, but I could see them holding hands, and being able to talk alone (similar to Noah and Darth where a younger sibling tagged along but at a distance so that the couple were able to have a private conversation).

Could this be why Jana has been so blue, and in the background the past year or so? Could she have been secretly pining away for Zach?

[Feberin]

I wonder if this will be included on the show. I actually feel happy for fundie girls getting married assuming they seem happy together. They've been raised all their lives to want this and depending a husband might be more relaxed then a father. Think of Josh and Anna's TV. I also think most people would prefer taking care of their own children then somebody else's.

[camdendayton]

Wonder if the wedding will be cowboy themed?

I'll put money on Zach wearing a cowboy hat :)

Oh, yes! They were very good. That young boy looked very young to be that good, but he was excellent. They all were. What a refreshing change from the "violin playing".

I agree. It feels odd to wish this on such a young woman, but courting and marriage buy these girls a bit of a break from watching 16 siblings. Even Anna had the pleasure of only watching 1 baby (and a baby she chose to have, not one her parents decided to have) for a good 1.5 years.

Could this be why Jana has been so blue, and in the background the past year or so? Could she have been secretly pining away for Zach?

:auto-camptrailer: :animals-duckie:

[Freyacat]

Re: the fundie crunchy perm look, isn't that a Gothard thing? I think I remember one of the posters here who grew up in a Gothard family saying that Gothard said women should have their hair that way because it's the most attractive way, and therefore would distract men from looking at their body. Feel free to correct me if I misremember that.

[marmalade]

I think Gothard's decree is for WAVY hair (apparently the best for setting off the countenance), not crunchy perms.

Could this be why Jana has been so blue, and in the background the past year or so? Could she have been secretly pining away for Zach?

TOTALLY what I've been thinking. Add that to Anna having a baby and I think that adds up to Jana's current stint at the Gothard re-indoctrination camp. Poor thing, she's human and those families are all tight; I'm sure she's known something has been in the works for some time. Since I think she's coveted Anna's position even before Mack was born (she seemed kind of frosty toward Anna during the infamous "chickenetti" episode), 2 kids and knowing that the guy she liked was in the "get to know you stage" of pre-courtship with another girl (that she knows!), made things even worse for her.

ETA: I forgot that adding to her load of woe is the fact that she's been appointed Josie's "buddy," which will keep a young lady who wants nothing more than to be a wife and mother on the shelf for another 5 years or until the howlers are older and Johannah can be the next washerwoman when she's 12, relieving Joy of that duty. Jill's off watching babies being delivered, fighting fires and going to "college," Jessa and Jinger have long abdicated their sister-mom duties (Jinger also hates to cook), and Joy is still a bit young. Jana is certainly cooking in addition to her mothering of a still not healthy little girl. I'm sure Jana loves the little Pussycat with all her heart, but seeing everyone around her getting offers and having babies, she must have some resentments.

I suspect Princessa Jessa and Crunchy Jinger will be at the next Journey in the fall. Those two are really in need of some re-programming; they have to do it if Boob says so, as long as this show is still on the air. After that, those two may demand their TLC trust funds (which have to be given to them by law) and make a run for it after Jinger turns 18.

[FloraDoraDolly]

Yay for him! Honestly, I've liked him the most compared to the rest of his family. He seems really down to earth and calm.

Aw, fail on TLC's part to see if Jana and Zach would court. Looks like Zach didn't want a Duggar. Don't worry JB and Michelle, there's still hope with JD and Erin.

Highly doubt the girls are gonna get married anytime soon; the parents need them to be second parents to their children so they can continue to have one more child or two. three. four.

Interesting to see that Zach picked a girl who actually has a career! :shock: And do the Reiths only have the four kids or are there others who aren't in the band?

Lots of musical talent between the two families... :whistle:

[tabitha2]

She won't have a career once she marries.She'll play when the family plays and then teach her children to play cause that's the way they roll but no more.

[NurseShannon]

Yay! Another fundie courtship, I can't wait to see if they maintain the "Maxwell 6in rule" or go with the "Duggar Hand Sex"

I just LOL so hard...I woke up my 4 year old! :lol:

[Beeks]

Wow, so the Duggars introduced them? Matchmakers!

[bozgirl14]

I do like Zack Bates, and he seems like a very nice guy. However, he is short like his dad, and the past year or so has seen him getting...uhhh...portly? Gil is stocky. Zack is beginning to look puffy. And in some of the shots of him he looks like the extra weight is making him sweaty too. Shame, because when he first came on the scene he was very cute. At least Smuggar waited till after he was married to gain the weight.

I feel a little bad for Michaela. She's right around Jana's age, and seems to be like Zack's best friend. They joined the fire department together and all. Now he's going to be going his own way and leaving the nest. She might be feeling a little melancholy too.

[zcccrv]

She looks like Kelly Taylor from BH90210. Minus the hair of course.

[terranova]

Exactly how is courting different from dating?

As far as I can tell, when you date you have lots of sex, get pregnant, have an abortion, do drugs, disobey your parents, drop out of school and vote for Obama, but if you court, then you go to heaven.

[tabitha2]

People keep saying he is a nice guy...when have we seen enough of his personality or character to determine this?

[keeks21]

So I have decided that Big Daddy is The Bates, and each of his sons is to be called Master Bates.

I see what you did there. lol

[SquirrelySquirrel]

People keep saying he is a nice guy...when have we seen enough of his personality or character to determine this?

Blech. All I recall of him was his stupid line about how the owner of such a vehicle must be selling "illegal pharmaceuticals" when referring to one of Josh's Escalades from the lot.

ETA - Also, I am in true physical pain over the great Bates/Bateses controversy. How do you not know how to pluralize your own name?!

[tabitha2]

So I have decided that Big Daddy is The Bates, and each of his sons is to be called Master Bates.So I have decided that Big Daddy is The Bates, and each of his sons is to be called Master Bates.So I have decided that Big Daddy is The Bates, and each of his sons is to be called Master Bates.

So Josh is what... a Mack daddy?

[FloraDoraDolly]

Blech. All I recall of him was his stupid line about how the owner of such a vehicle must be selling "illegal pharmaceuticals" when referring to one of Josh's Escalades from the lot.

I thought that was kind of funny, especially coming from a sheltered country boy who (as far as I know) hasn't spent a lot of time in the hood or even watched any rap music videos.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

I thought that was kind of funny, especially coming from a sheltered country boy who (as far as I know) hasn't spent a lot of time in the hood or even watched any rap music videos.

It is kind of funny in an ignorant way, as long as there aren't any racist undertones, which is what I fear.

I am now cracking up at the thought of dropping any of the fundies off in the middle of the hood. That's a reality show I want to see!

[tehgoobster]

I am now cracking up at the thought of dropping any of the fundies off in the middle of the hood. That's a reality show I want to see!

OMG! Can you imagine the Maxwells in the hood? :lol:

[FloraDoraDolly]

It is kind of funny in an ignorant way, as long as there aren't any racist undertones, which is what I fear.

I am now cracking up at the thought of dropping any of the fundies off in the middle of the hood. That's a reality show I want to see!

Actually, I don't think anything would happen to most of our fundie families if they went to the hood. With the way the fundies dress, nobody is going to mistake them for cops, drug dealers, gang members, prostitutes, or pimps unless it's an older Bates boy dressed in his cowboy regalia. The Duggar girls absolutely have to leave their big, expensive purses at home. John David can't tote any guns. It's highly likely that some of the boyz in the hood will make sexually suggestive comments at Jessa, Erin Bates, or one of the Botkin sisters but not any female wearing a frumper. It's also highly likely that panhandlers will hit them up for money (which I expect Jill will give them). But for the most part, the residents will recognize the fundies as "church people" and will probably assume they're in the neighborhood for some charity, not to make trouble. No one in the hood will think it unusual if the fundies start preaching, singing hymns, and handing out tracts, because there will already be people on the streets doing exactly that.

P.S. What I have described is based on my own experiences walking around various neighborhoods in Detroit, but other cities are probably different. Detroit, for example, does not have a large Latino population and the Latinos who do live in the city are concentrated in a middle class area that does not meet the criteria for a "hood". Therefore, in the hoods of Detroit there's little risk that Jim Bob will try to speak Spanish and end up offending a bunch of people.

[marmalade]

I could dump them at a bus stop about two miles from my house where it starts to get a bit unsavory (ie. more crime than the occasional car break-in). Or I could give them the full on treatment and drop them in what is known as the Iron Triangle where Black, Hispanic and Asian gangs may have their own turfs, but they sure like killing members of rival gangs of the same race. The upside is there are some great food trucks (well beyond the standard "roach coach") along the main drag during the day; they might stand a chance if they set up Uriah up amongst them to prosetleyze (better make sure they have some tracts in Espanol, Mandarin and Vietnamese). :auto-camptrailer:

As for Zach, I think I was the only woman on the planet who never found him attractive; kind of a lunkhead, IMO. My husband is about Gil's height, but he's very slender (the bastard can still wear old clothes he hasn't gotten rid of since he moved in almost 18 years ago). With my thyroid problems, my weight is slowly but surely creeping up to his. Not good for the ego AT ALL. At any rate, I don't like short and stocky, or average, bloated and so FAT you look 5 months pregnant (looking at YOU, Smuggar).

[SquirrelySquirrel]

Oh, I'm not saying anything would happen to them! I'm more thinking of what their reactions would be. How well would they be able to "keep sweet" and how often would the be shouting "Nike" and that sort of thing.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

As for Zach, I think I was the only woman on the planet who never found him attractive; kind of a lunkhead, IMO.

You're one of at least 2. I never found him or Gil attractive, though I was briefly a Jana and Zack 'shipper because I thought they'd look cute together.