RazzleberryPie

Oh, and I see from Ben's facebook that modest Jessa has discovered eyebrow stencils and gold nail polish. She's the epitome of flashy and vain. I guess the skip those verses about beauty coming from the inside and not outward adornments.

Ben's an ignorant fool. 3/4 of my family is Catholic, and I've been to Rome a few times and several cities in Italy (family scattered throughout), and I have NEVER seen a crucifix with Mary being crucified. Maybe a decorative cross with the Madonna holding the infant Christ, but NEVER as her being a redemptress. I've been to or in about a million Catholic weddings, and many did have the couple honor Mary with flowers, but as a tradition of recognizing her as the model of perfect womanhood/wifehood/motherhood and implying that the couples want to exemplify her devotion to God during their marriage and childrearing. I've also been on a few mission trips to rural Mexico (I know this isn't where Ben and Jessa went, but it is Latin America) with my Methodist relatives. We built and maintained a school. We aren't as fundie or zealous as Benessa, but those types did similar trips. When you have an annoying, condescending, over eager missionary, the most common answer was "We're Catholic," simply to get the zealots to go away. Most people in Latin America are traditionally Catholic, whether or not they were baptized, confirmed, attend mass, or basically do anything besides claim the title. That's not to say there aren't devout Catholics in Latin America, just as there are tons of people who identify as Baptists or Methodists or whatever in the US who never go to church. If Ben had an ounce of maturity or any real desire to actually learn about whatever he's ranting on for the moment, he wouldn't make such ignorant and intolerant claims. It's perfectly OK to express your opinion, but when you spout falsehoods with no desire to learn facts, you're a pompous idiot.

I hope she meant the bible and not Ati wisdom booklets.

I never thought of it, but it would be really expensive to pay for meals for you, your date and two others everytime you wanted to eat.

I wish they would realize there is no shame in a child having special or extra needs. There is shame, however, in ignoring needs AND shame in creating behavioral issues AKA Howler Manners. Plus the pretend fly gulping was just bizarre in the middle of a conversation.

Yes! We all move at different paces, but I liked that Jessa was like, no ring = no dress show. Josie ain't right. I don't know if she is delayed/ challenged, feral/howlette or just weird. That talking head with her sisters talking, then her swatting fake flies, staring at her hands, then gulping them, was not normal. God help me but she reminds me of those SNL skits with the Fake Lawrence Welk Sisters who are all beautiful and sing, then the weird youngest sister comes out with the doll hands and does something bizarre.

Except engineering is still about a 70-80% male dominated field, probably more like 95 in Arkansas, and only brazen hussies and/or lesbians would work in that environment. In their defense, I think they totally grasp the concept of sexual parts for pleasure vs sexual parts in a medical setting.

I have worked at a public university, a nonprofit, two medical centers and a large construction company. Every single job has had at least one person in the department, and usually a couple if interns, who were not qualified, but were related to somebody. The public university actually had more nepotism than the family owned construction company. I can't blame josh for taking that job, but I do question those who hired him in the first place.

Good thing Derrick's beliefs are a little more tolerant of other views and cultures. Jill isn't doomed.

Once Jill is married, she doesn't need a chaperone to go anywhere alone.

I think JimBob already has seen the light with Gothard, and is backing off somewhat. He hasn't renounced him on the Today show, but he has loosened up some with the courting rules, clothing choices, etc. I do wonder if this new freedom will confuse or anger some of the kids, like when you see FLDS moms try to escape, and some kids are so ingrained they just can't leave, while others leave but see scarred for life.

In their world, what Jimbob is doing is exactly what 'good guys' do. I choose not to live in that world, and I wish the kids truly could feel like they had the freedom to choose how to live without the fear of disappointing their parents and disobeying God. Jimbob is like all of us - he has good qualities and bad. He is extremely annoying most of the time, and his cheapness makes me want to smack him (not frugality, but trying to sell crap and pull one over to get good deals). His cultural unawareness is smack worthy, too. However, I think he does really love his kids, and is realizing in the attempts to pander to a narcissistic wife, he has neglected the well being and happiness if several older ones. So many parents seem to fall into the trap of 'the first one left the nest and is ok, so the rest will follow, I can relax', and I think the Duggars did, especially because no one was complaining (due to Michelle's constant Ati character trait instruction). I do think he had an 'oh, crap,' moment when the Bates girls started marrying off, and realized his daughters are allowing him to be their purity keeper, an he better live up to his part of the deal and help them court. Michelle is still in MichelleLand trying to catch another baby (such a weird expression).

Whatever Jana wants, she seems so sad and forlorn, I don't think she's getting it.