TeamNoOne

I get the feeling that while Zach loves his family he thinks his parents theology and outlook is way off. He seems to have figured out that you can be a conservative Christian without creating a bunch of extra-biblical rules and regulations. For the life of me I can't figure out why the Bates and Duggar girls don't know how to cook. One of the main jobs of a stay at home mom is to put a good dinner on the table for her husband when he comes home from work, you would think this would be especially important in the Gothard world. Yet most of these girls seem completely clueless in the kitchen. Getting one or two cooking lessons from mom while the cameras are rolling is not a substitute for learning how to cook from mom over the course of many years.

I suspect there aren't a lot of union jobs in east Tennessee. Most of the southern states are right-to-work and have been for many decades. As such, unions are few and far between. You make some solid points though. If Jackson went to a trade school and learned a trade (welder, plumber, electrician, even truck driving) he would put himself in a much better position financially. Even if he held onto the absurd Gothardite notion that Christians must own their own business, a certification in HVAC, plumbing or electric will allow him to own his own business.

Erin is playing house and I do feel sorry for Chad who, unfortunately, is stuck with a wife who is clueless. I wouldn't say this situation is unique to these two or to Gothardite Christianity. History is full of clueless wives living in a fantasy land and their poor husbands who have to manage the stupidity. Presumably it works the other way too, idiot husband, poor put upon wife. In any event, Shakespeare and Jane Austen have written these sorts of characters, Erin and Chad are not unique. There comes a point where an adult child is responsible for his own behavior and worldview. I would submit that Nathan is long past that point. There's only so much a parent can do to teach their kids their faith. Eventually as adults it's up to a child to either agree with his parents faith, disagree with it or agree with parts while disagreeing with others. All of us on this board were raised differently, some of us have agreed as adults with our parents, others have disagreed and probably most of us have a mixture of agreement and disagreement. If Nathan has adopted his parents worldview, or perhaps even taken it to the next level, that's on him at this point. He deserves the blame for the bad theology he believes in and for the odd and disconnected attitude that flows therefrom. He's what, 24, 25. He makes up his own mind, no one forces him to do anything.

The problem with Nathan is that he thinks he has all the answers despite being 24 or 25. The reality is that he doesn't know how to think and masks that with having absolute opinions on everything. Compare that with Zach, who makes an attempt to try to understand things and think through matters. Knowing what the "right" conclusions are isn't the same as thinking about a subject and reaching the "right" conclusion. I say this to my woke friends all the time, knowing the right answer isn't the same as thinking through a difficult subject and reaching a conclusion. Nathan just can't think, much like 90% of 25 year olds. I think he might be bright enough to recognize it, which just makes him louder and more obnoxious. He's got to hide the fact that he can't think, he who speaks loudest wins. It goes back to the deep insecurity he has. He's terrified someone will figure out he doesn't know much or doesn't have all the right answers.

I'm also not seeing the all the negativity regarding Nathan. Especially so when it comes to the Ashley breakup, which was at least two years ago. The kid isn't a misogynist, at least not any more than the run of the mill Gothard kid. He's a kid with very little self confidence that masks his self doubt by projecting arrogance. I don't think this has much to do with Ashley, he was like this before and during their courtship. It seems to have gotten a little worse in the last six months or so, which suggests that Ashley doesn't have much to do with it. He's just a poser, pretending that he has all the answers while deep down he knows he doesn't know much.

One trip to the vasectomy doctor ends the battle.

It looked to me like Marlena was wearing the sort of jeans that require ironing.

Abigail has a solid self defense argument, in most state's she wouldn't even be charged. She belongs in the mental hospital though. She has DID and is a potential threat to herself and others as evidenced by Laura's attempt to murder Marlena, Kate and Vivian and Gabby's attempt to murder Marlena with a fire poker.

I can't imagine the alters leaving altogether. Especially so if Abigail ends up pregnant. I can see the rest of the year being spent with Abigail and Gabby fighting for control, with neither knowing who the daddy is. If this happens, it's going to be very tiresome come June.

Nathan doesn't have enough perspective when it comes to weddings. Decades later, at least half of couples regret what they wore at their wedding. There are entire decades (I'm looking at you 70's) where people regret their wedding day apparel. Nathan needs to stifle himself, it's not his wedding and it's frankly none of his business.

That's saying something in light of Vivian's history of burying people alive.

Claire needs to eat a sandwich. Beyond that, she's a dreadful, self absorbed cow. Ciara is an over the top blowhard who is only slightly less nasty and self absorbed than Claire. It's difficult to like or care about either one of them. If the plan is to have Ciara knock boots with either Wyatt or Tripp, are the writers going to revisit her rape at the hands of Chase? As far as anyone knows that was her only sexual encounter, you would think that the writers could spend a month with her agonizing over knocking boots due to her rape history. I have no idea what the plan is for the character but that would at least give her a story line that would be interesting for more than 30 seconds.

I was thinking about that last night. When John was knocked out with a fire poker by Teresa he was in a coma for a month. Marlena seems to be waking up in relatively short order. Either she has a thicker skull or Teresa has a stronger swing.

I thought Countless Lulu's costume looked more like Jan from the Brady Bunch movie than Diana Ross.

Anywhere else a gay guy like Sonny hooking up with some dude from Grindr would be par for the course. In Salem he should be very suspicious.