The Duggars and Pop Culture

[duchess0592]

I wonder how much the Duggars really know about pop culture. Do they know that Whitney Houston died and who she was? How about Tim Tebow, do they even know about him? Do they know about tragedies like 9/11, Columbine, or the BTK Killer? Anyone know the answer?

[freejoytoo]

I expect they were taught that 9/11 is proof that Muslims are evil. I don't expect they know anything about the rest - none of them knew who the Beatles were.

[doggie]

Not much really but even if they do they don't really understand it.

[xDreamerx]

I remember Josiah had to look up who Babe Ruth was in some dictionary they had on their computer. But without a doubt, it was some kind of fundie approved, focus on the family kind of dictionary.

I the odd thing is even Michelle seems proud of it. When asked about The Beatles, she joked that her children love finding them in the yard and all over. She's obviously old enough to know who they are. As a Beatle fanatic it just made me really angry and full of disdain. Even if you've decided to become some weirdo and drop out of culture to join a cult, you should still respect The Fab Four. That's just the way it is.

[marmalade]

Yeah, I remember that they had to look up Babe Ruth. I was SOOOOO tempted to tweet Smugs "I will always love you" last nite a #dollypartonwroteit hashtag.

[Knight of Ni]

I thought it was awful that Michelle was so proud of her kids ignorance of pop culture. It made it seem like this is just another way fundie families try to show how holy they are and one up each other. The more ignorant of pop culture their kids are the better they are. I can just imagine it:

Michelle: "My kids don't know who the Beatles are"

Kelly Bates: "You think that's good well my kids don't who Lady Gaga is."

[marmalade]

FTM, he deleted my Whitney "I Will Always Love You" even though I told him Dolly wrote it.

[lilwriter85]

I think the Duggar kids may know about pop culture to a small extent. They probably know about certain historical events like 9/11, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't know about Columbine, the BTK killer, or similar mass murder or shooting incidents. I don't think the Duggar kids know about Whitney Houston. Boob and Mullet probably know about her.

As for Tim Tebow, I think they might know about him simply from reading online news on their computers or iPhones.

[fluttershies]

I wonder how much they can override any blocks on their iPhones/other ways of getting internet access on things they own (as opposed to family computers). Maybe this is why the Duggar kids are some of the few non-blogging famous fundie kids?

Have they spoken about what software they use? Do they use Covenant Eyes (the Coghlans use it and no other filters, although I guess with a house full of girls the parents probably trust them more)? Wonder if that's how the Sin In The Camp (if it was porn-related) got found out.

[Peas n carrots]

I would guess they have a greater awareness of pop culture than the average fundie kid. Does anyone know about their cameramen...are they required to be fundie themselves? Are there riders in the crew's contracts where they can only discuss certain things with the kids?

Have been able to travel around extensively, they've probably intentionally and unintentionally been exposed to a few things.

[lilwriter85]

I wonder how much they can override any blocks on their iPhones/other ways of getting internet access on things they own (as opposed to family computers). Maybe this is why the Duggar kids are some of the few non-blogging famous fundie kids?

Have they spoken about what software they use? Do they use Covenant Eyes (the Coghlans use it and no other filters, although I guess with a house full of girls the parents probably trust them more)? Wonder if that's how the Sin In The Camp (if it was porn-related) got found out.

I don't think they have ever said the name of the filtering/blocking software they use on their computers.

[lilwriter85]

I would guess they have a greater awareness of pop culture than the average fundie kid. Does anyone know about their cameramen...are they required to be fundie themselves? Are there riders in the crew's contracts where they can only discuss certain things with the kids?

Have been able to travel around extensively, they've probably intentionally and unintentionally been exposed to a few things.

I believe it was confirmed at one point that Boob and Mullet said they don't want any gay crew members working on the show. The film crew consists of men and I don't think there is a fundie requirement. I kind of think Jim the sound guy is fundie lite. I don't if the crew members can only discuss certain things with the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a rule like that is in place.

[fluttershies]

I believe it was confirmed at one point that Boob and Mullet said they don't want any gay crew members working on the show. The film crew consists of men and I don't think there is a fundie requirement. I kind of think Jim the sound guy is fundie lite. I don't if the crew members can only discuss certain things with the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a rule like that is in place.

That is disgusting about the no gay crew members.

[bettertomarry]

I don't know how they compare with other fundies, but we know they've all seen Fireproof and were in Courageous And while those movies aren't the zenith of pop culture, they are vaguely mainstream/fundy lite.

Somewhere on the Seven Sisters blog (which makes me crack up since they totally don't get the irony of sharing this name with the group of elite women's colleges) they mentioned watching White Christmas and some other Christmas films which weren't exactly Kirk Cameron produced.

Edited: Because I always mistype something.

[fluttershies]

I find myself hoping that somewhere a fundie girl becomes a fan of Kate Hepburn via classic movies and gets into trouser suits :lol:

[debrand]

I believe it was confirmed at one point that Boob and Mullet said they don't want any gay crew members working on the show. The film crew consists of men and I don't think there is a fundie requirement. I kind of think Jim the sound guy is fundie lite. I don't if the crew members can only discuss certain things with the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a rule like that is in place.

Discrimination like this is wrong and, if true, disgust me with TLC.

Keeping kids away from pop culture is not only a way to 'protect' them but a means to isolate them from kids their own age. Imagine all the times that you've heard a joke or comment that is dependent on the listener understanding pop culture. Someone not knowing these little references will have a harder time negotiating through American culture. A visitor from another country is not expected to understand such references. An American will be seen as odd and unless the person explains again and again why they don't understand pop culture, people might judge them as being uneducated or lacking a sense of humor

For example If I tell you that Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run in my home town, Fayetteville, NC, you might disbelieve me. You might doubt my sources. However, you won't say, "Babe Ruth? Who is that?" Imagine scenarios like that happening to fundie youth, not just occasionally but repeatedly.

[xDreamerx]

If memory serves I think Jim the sound man (or Mr. Jim as they call him), might be fundie light. There was an episode where his daughters were over and they were all in skirts. Though, that might not mean anything. The Duggars might have asked that they wear skirts to come over, but then they don't ask that of Amy. I think there was an episode where Boob talked about the filter they use for the internet, but I can't recall if he actually mentioned the company or brand.

[bettertomarry]

Do I remember Jim's daughter was wearing shorts when she visited but participating in the group prayer? Or am I conflating episodes.

[razingruth]

I can only speak from my own experience; but, it's probaly pretty close to what the Duggar kids are living.

When the family goes ATI/Fundamental, time stops in a way. Fathers and mothers are encouraged to throw out cable access and only use television for VHS or DVDs that are "approved" by or reviewed by "Christian sources". This results in very little making it through the process. There were even some episodes of Andy Griffith that were considered too bad for us to watch. I knew of families within ATI that pulled the radios out of the cars just to not have that influence or temptation and others that kept a handheld tape player in the car to listen to approved tapes/letures/classical music. Fundy kids tend to be pretty on-the-spot with pop culture...from the 1500's. :) Since there's no tv and no radio (unless it's programmed to the gospel stations or the Emergency Broadcast System), you are pretty cut off from society. The internet wasn't a huge thing when I was growing up; but, even that threat has been reduced because a lot of fundmentalist families have net nanny software and user rules (we weren't allowed to be in the room alone with the computer, ever!). Store checkout counters become your only real source for current pop culture and that's limited to speed reading headlines. So, yes, they really are that backwards.

I was in culture shock when I left. I'm still learning things that would seem commonplace to most people my age. I didn't know about Tom and Jerry or Mickey Mouse until I left. I didn'tn know who the Beatles were. The only pop culture refereneces I was exposed to were things that Gothard considered evil: Cabbage Patch Dolls, Barbies, Michael Jackson, Madonna. It still seems funny to me that I *knew* the names of these supposedly bad things but didn't know why I shouldn't admit I knew about them. After leaving, I was stunned to discover that I did know certain melodies from taboo songs because the words were changed to have "uplifting" messages.

[duchess0592]

I can only speak from my own experience; but, it's probaly pretty close to what the Duggar kids are living.

When the family goes ATI/Fundamental, time stops in a way. Fathers and mothers are encouraged to throw out cable access and only use television for VHS or DVDs that are "approved" by or reviewed by "Christian sources". This results in very little making it through the process. There were even some episodes of Andy Griffith that were considered too bad for us to watch. I knew of families within ATI that pulled the radios out of the cars just to not have that influence or temptation and others that kept a handheld tape player in the car to listen to approved tapes/letures/classical music. Fundy kids tend to be pretty on-the-spot with pop culture...from the 1500's. :) Since there's no tv and no radio (unless it's programmed to the gospel stations or the Emergency Broadcast System), you are pretty cut off from society. The internet wasn't a huge thing when I was growing up; but, even that threat has been reduced because a lot of fundmentalist families have net nanny software and user rules (we weren't allowed to be in the room alone with the computer, ever!). Store checkout counters become your only real source for current pop culture and that's limited to speed reading headlines. So, yes, they really are that backwards.

I was in culture shock when I left. I'm still learning things that would seem commonplace to most people my age. I didn't know about Tom and Jerry or Mickey Mouse until I left. I didn'tn know who the Beatles were. The only pop culture refereneces I was exposed to were things that Gothard considered evil: Cabbage Patch Dolls, Barbies, Michael Jackson, Madonna. It still seems funny to me that I *knew* the names of these supposedly bad things but didn't know why I shouldn't admit I knew about them. After leaving, I was stunned to discover that I did know certain melodies from taboo songs because the words were changed to have "uplifting" messages.

Are you the razing ruth with the blog that I read on no longer quivering? (Celebrity freak-out moment)

[duchess0592]

for instance if I said my friends and I Gibbs slap each other, most American's know what I mean, a fundie would be confused and maybe worried.

[Buzzard]

I think they know about whitney. Smugs has shown his habit of watching the news and there's no way they missed it last night - and they're all together now. Amy is in "the music world" so she HAS to know who she is.

The girls go on walmart outings and have to see the magazines. They see the TV displays with the ebil shows on them. Sure, back in the day they could keep the kids in a bubble, but these days it cant be done.

[valsa]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't know about Columbine, the BTK killer, or similar mass murder or shooting incidents.

While I doubt the kids know about the BTK killer (most parents I know don't discuss individual serial killers with their kids), they may know about school shootings and serial killings in general. It seems like that would play into the fear-based "everything in the outside world is out to get you" teachings of most fundie families.

[MrsYoungie]

for instance if I said my friends and I Gibbs slap each other, most American's know what I mean, a fundie would be confused and maybe worried.

Well, this Canadian has no clue what you mean, and I am by no means living a sheltered fundie existence. Actually I might even be confused and worried.

[PokaDot]

Well, this Canadian has no clue what you mean, and I am by no means living a sheltered fundie existence. Actually I might even be confused and worried.

I think only people who watch NCIS would know what you mean...