The Duggalos: Jinger and the Holy Goalie

[RazzleberryPie]

36 minutes ago, queenanne said:

I'm perennially surprised Jessa lined Jinger up with someone who could even remotely be competition for Ben in the looks department.  She seems like she'd be too insecure and clinging with fingernails for dear life to the "honor" of having the "hot" husband.

Me, too, unless it was more important to Jessa to steer anyone interested in a Duggar toward Jinger and thus screw over Jana a little more. I'd still like to know what the real beef is with Michelle and Jessa hating Jana. I suspect it's just unfounded, one sided rivalry with both. 

[Scarlett45]

12 hours ago, queenanne said:

I'm perennially surprised Jessa lined Jinger up with someone who could even remotely be competition for Ben in the looks department.  She seems like she'd be too insecure and clinging with fingernails for dear life to the "honor" of having the "hot" husband.

Jessa is vain but she loves her sister Jinger. I agree Ben isn't bad looking either, it's not his fault he's young. (Jessa is young too!) In a few years he could give Jeremy a run for his money in the looks department (he needs better clothes though). 

I honestly don't think Jessa steered Jeremy toward Jinger to screw over Jana, I think Jeremy clicked with Jinger and vice versa. Jana and Jessa have never gotten along, and maybe Jessa has some resentment because Jana wasn't molested by Josh. I think Josh was always a little afraid of Jana- although he's the oldest she's the first girl and has been defacto Mom for a while, Jana and JD never put up with his BS. 

[Jellybeans]

I hail from south Texas and don't take this wrong but I am glad I don't live there anymore...because as a deaf person, nothing frustrates me more than being around a bunch of spanish speaking people.  Texas is not Mexico.  If I was in Mexico I would understand.  Where I was from, 80% spoke spanish.  I could not deal with that.  I can't lipread spanish!

[floridamom]

Residents of the United States should know how to speak English and should be encouraged to do so. Common language unifies a nation. We have too many foreign languages being accommodated already. When I receive statements from my medical insurance company, there is a notice on the back written in 12 different languages. It's ridiculous. When do we draw the line? People who apply for the PRIVILEGE of driving a vehicle in this country SHOULD know how to read English...how are they going to read the directional signs on the highway? My own parents came from another country and didn't know a word of English, how to read it, write it, nor did they know the money. They had to learn and they did. My father was 25 when he came here and didn't know what Thanksgiving was. Assimilation to some point is needed. Back on to the Duggalos, no reason residents in Laredo who are bi-lingual can't give English lessons to those who should have it. Thanks for letting me share this. BTW, I have conversational knowledge of Spanish and Italian myself from a general educational point of view.

[Jellybeans]

Until the USA makes English the official language, we will have this problem.  If I moved to another country I would expect to learn that country's sign language...it would be impossible for me to learn to speak/understand a foreign language.  

To me, Jeremy and Jinger should teach ESL.

[Genevrier]

I think they're unqualified to teach ESL.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Totally agree that if one moves to another country they should learn the language.  It's easier to start when you're a kid , rather than 30 when you have to work 3 jobs  with no days off and spend hours on a bus just to make ends meet . There's ESL classes in Houston where I live, some for pay and some offered free at apartment complexes, community centers and churches.  The only way to move up and get a better paying job is to learn the language of where you live.

Mr E is a native Spanish speaker and after 12 years together, I still haven't picked up enough but could get by if I have to.  Trying to learn another language does give one empathy for how hard it is.  Mr E is from PR, where they were taught English in school as compulsory for being a territory, but everyone speaks Spanish at home, watches Spanish TV channels, and reads Spanish newspapers and magazines.  

I know fluent ESL soeakers who insist on English most of the time, unless its legal, financial, or medical, so I don't  have a problem with those exceptions. Our local chapter of the United Way accommodates over 150 languages, it's also very isolating to not know a language, a good enough incentive to push me to learn.

Back on topic, if Jeremy wants to reach more people and build his little flock, he's not going to get very far if he doesn't learn Spanish  or hires or finds a volunteer  translator to subtitle and stay afterward to answer questions.  Locking yourself in your apartment in lieu of being available at your church office a few hours a week is not really being a pastor, unless he has the phone forwarded to answer calls to provide some sort of  pastoral care.   In a mostly Hispanic and Catholic town/neighborhood, if you want to get people in the door, particularly those looking for an alternative to Catholicism, you've got to have the language and enough of a presence to minister to their needs. Otherwise, they will go elsewhere.

[kokapetl]

Laredo is in Texas, not Quebec. The language can't be that much of a problem. 

[RazzleberryPie]

I don't think Jeremy wants to build a flock. I think he's content to be the church planter and have all of his ego and financial needs met while he studies and films for TV. 

[BitterApple]

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

 

I honestly don't think Jessa steered Jeremy toward Jinger to screw over Jana, I think Jeremy clicked with Jinger and vice versa. 

I don't think so either. I think Jessa could give two shits about Jana. The only time Jana's relevant to her sisters is when they need something. 

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, RazzleberryPie said:

I don't think Jeremy wants to build a flock. I think he's content to be the church planter and have all of his ego and financial needs met while he studies and films for TV. 

I don't think he wants to build a flock either. But I'm not convinced he's gonna keep his job as grand high church planter if he doesn't build a flock .... Or maybe that's just my wishful thinking. I don't want to think that anybody can be considered a successful church planter if they don't actually attract a lot of people to the church they plant and keep them hanging around. And I don't think his preaching ability and repeated absenteeism are going to accomplish that! 

[Churchhoney]

22 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Jinger claimed during last night's episode that they were "working on the ministry." That's a vague statement, and she didn't elaborate. In real time, this would have been early February. 

Oh, back when they should have started doing all that stuff folks have mentioned that help you build and help a congregation? .... 

And here's another idea -- based on yet another thing that grinds my gizzard about the church website. 

There's the inevitable page reference called "Gallery." Now, what do you expect from the "gallery" of a church (or any organization's, actually) website. Well, some things I expect are photos of folks in the church/organization, stuff those folks are doing, events run and/or attended by members of the church/organization, aspects of the facility/site.

So here's their "Gallery" page (and it's a long way past February now):     http://www.gcclaredo.com/gallery     Ah! Commercially obtained stock photos -- super-badly formatted and laid out on the page, I might add -- with relig-celeb (I assume) quotes about religion, more or less chosen completely at random, or I miss my guess. And, wow, that one about "surfers" -- that's certainly relevant to people in the Laredo area. Geez. 

But, hey?! Isn't the fabulous Jingle a famous photog???? .......Isn't that her long-time passion??? And now she's working in the ministry!! ....So why in the fuckity fuck fuck has she not put her fabulous photography skills to work documenting the church's life and the church's congregation and posting those photos in the "Gallery"? 

Seriously. Do they actually give a crap about that church at all? I'm thinking "Not." .....And, after all, they basically tell us that when they don't speak of Jeremy's church or Jeremy's congregation, but of "their ministry." Which of course is so much bigger and beyond -- and in their case about 100 percent divorced from, I expect -- the church and congregation that he's supposedly now working in. 

Argh. 

Edited June 28, 2017 by Churchhoney

[RazzleberryPie]

38 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I don't think so either. I think Jessa could give two shits about Jana. The only time Jana's relevant to her sisters is when they need something. 

I don't think she purposed with her countenance during this season life to screw over Jana, but having Jana remain the old maid - the biggest loser in their world - would be icing on the cake for Jessa.

[Pinke]

2 hours ago, Kokapetl said:

Laredo is in Texas, not Quebec. The language can't be that much of a problem. 

I'm a native French speaker from Quebec and I always find it interesting to see language ''issues'' discussed in other contexts - the US situation with Spanish being one. Every situation is different and I don't want to go too OT, but I'll just say... you can live your whole life here (in Montreal, at least) and not know a word of French (more or less). ''Bilingualism'' everywhere gives non-French speakers even less of an incentive to learn French. So I would imagine the same thing could be happening with Spanish speakers if they can (mostly) get by with Spanish alone... Not saying this is right or wrong, but it's just how those things go.

To get back on topic... If Jeremy really intends to build a flock (which, like others here, I doubt), he would do best to learn Spanish. It seems like most of his parishioners are native Spanish speakers, and even if they may be bilingual (or at least have a decent grasp of English), there's nothing like talking to someone in their native language. Granted, Jeremy is no great orator in English anyway, but still.

As Nelson Mandela once said: ''If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.''

(This lovely quote is not necessarily meant to apply to Jeremy's situation but I felt like sharing it anyway.)

[Sew Sumi]

4 hours ago, Genevrier said:

I think they're unqualified to teach ESL.

You need a master's to teach ESL at community college here. However, my sister is head if a community center in the heart of our Hispanic community that does carrying levels of night school ESL with teachers who only have bachelor's degree. Hell, my sister never graduated college. But again, this isn't formal education. Some of my colleagues see students at both the center and our college. 

[Jellybeans]

Since Laredo is in Texas, Jeremy should teach, preach, and speak in English.  If he goes to Mexico, then learn Spanish.  What the heck is he teaching Jinger Spanish for?  Are they leaving the country?

[Sew Sumi]

Laredo's a border town. If you want to listen to Jeremy pontificate for an hour, you best be fluent in English. He loves him some fifty cent words. In a border town that's 96% Hispanic, levels of English fluency are going to vary greatly. Immersion at a fundie church isn't the best way to learn any foreign language. I have a lot more to say about a National Language, but that's for another thread. I live in a very diverse city, and people succeed here just fine using their native languages. 

[BitterApple]

Lol, maybe it's a good thing if Jeremy's congregation is only semi-fluent. Listening to his sermons is the equivalent of Chinese water torture. If you can't understand half of what he's saying, it's easier to tune him out.

[Sew Sumi]

I know I havr. I was an English major and know all of his fitty-fitty cent words, yet I can't make it far into his drivel before my attention wanders, and I start swearing at the device I'm using at the time. 

[Jellybeans]

I am fluent in ASL and I tell deaf people to buckle up and learn English because ASL will not get them a job.  ASL is not signed English. I am for diversity but that goes both ways.  I'd expect Jeremy's congregation to learn English if he was going to learn Spanish.  It is how I was raised. I guess he wasn't raised that way.

[Temperance]

1 hour ago, Jellybeans said:

Since Laredo is in Texas, Jeremy should teach, preach, and speak in English.  If he goes to Mexico, then learn Spanish.  What the heck is he teaching Jinger Spanish for?  Are they leaving the country?

Not only is Laredo in Texas, but it has a large hispanic and Spanish speaking population. A friend school taught in northern state  that had a lot of hispanic students so she tried to learn some Spanish to speak to the children (who had most of their lessons and instructions in English). I guess she was trying to assimulate to a new job.  I have to admit I'm glad for time's sake I'm don't go to a Catholic church where they read the gospels in both English and Spanish in the same mass, but I'm glad there are Catholic churches trying to be inclusive. (I know of ones that do mass only in Polish or Latin or Ukranian so some of it's regional.) I certainly would be ok going to a church where there was one service in English and one in Spanish. 

I think learning Spanish is a great idea for Jinger. Learning anything is usually good. It might lead her to new ideas and meet new people. It will make travelling easier to many parts of the world. If she can speak even a little, it's an employable skill should she ever want to have a job.

[Lunera]

Idk what's the big problem with people speaking their native language. Catering to different ethnic groups is big business in the US.

Anywho, as a kid I grew up in a very diverse city in California and attended a church that had mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Each mass had a different priest who spoke both English and their native language. If Jeremy wants to grow his congregation it would be smart to offer Spanish services.

[Spencer Hastings]

I teach in a class where 98% of my students are ESL.  While we want them to speak English at school and learn the language, I've found it to be helpful all around if I learn some words that will help me do my job better for my students. Learning a little bit of Spanish wouldn't hurt Jeremy or Jinger, if only to relate to their congregation more. 

[Obsidian]

Knowing Spanish is a great 'in' for them if they're in a largely Spanish-speaking community. Languages don't follow political nation borders. How else will he hook people in and save them by getting them to donate to him? 

 

Personally, I have no problem with other-language church services. To provide such services welcomes people and would be understood more than services which are in a language that they might only speak well enough to do day-to-day transactions like shopping, catching buses, going to the doctor. They can concentrate on the message rather than translating. 

[ariel]

As a kid, the Catholic Church that my grand parents attended had a Polish service.  At the time, it was very well attended.

[satrunrose]

9 hours ago, PinkyCupcake said:

I'm a native French speaker from Quebec and I always find it interesting to see language ''issues'' discussed in other contexts - the US situation with Spanish being one. Every situation is different and I don't want to go too OT, but I'll just say... you can live your whole life here (in Montreal, at least) and not know a word of French (more or less). ''Bilingualism'' everywhere gives non-French speakers even less of an incentive to learn French. So I would imagine the same thing could be happening with Spanish speakers if they can (mostly) get by with Spanish alone... Not saying this is right or wrong, but it's just how those things go.

To get back on topic... If Jeremy really intends to build a flock (which, like others here, I doubt), he would do best to learn Spanish. It seems like most of his parishioners are native Spanish speakers, and even if they may be bilingual (or at least have a decent grasp of English), there's nothing like talking to someone in their native language. Granted, Jeremy is no great orator in English anyway, but still.

As Nelson Mandela once said: ''If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.''

(This lovely quote is not necessarily meant to apply to Jeremy's situation but I felt like sharing it anyway.)

I'm biased because I'm a Canadian who works in my second language (Bonjour Pinky Cupcake! Joyeux fête nationale!) but I think it would be a good idea for JinJer to work on their Spanish. Trying to reach out to people in their first language, no matter how much success they've had learning English, is more likely to put them at ease and make them feel like their pastor cares enough to want to make them comfortable. With no apparent pastoral care and no obvious effort to communicate in a language (or language level) that the parishioners can understand, our baaaabe seems to be a pretty sub-par pastor. 

 

On the other hand, I find Jeremy's brand of theology kind of horrible, so maybe it's better for the world if he, like all the other Duggar's-in-law kind of sucks at ministering. 

Edited June 29, 2017 by satrunrose

[Natalie68]

On 6/27/2017 at 11:03 AM, Sew Sumi said:

Jinger claimed during last night's episode that they were "working on the ministry." That's a vague statement, and she didn't elaborate. In real time, this would have been early February. 

This makes me laugh because it reminds me of Paula on The View who calls intimate husband/wife time 'ministry'  Maybe that is what she is referring to.  I hope anyway!

[Churchhoney]

6 minutes ago, satrunrose said:

I'll admit some bias here as I'm a Canadian who works in my second language (Bonjour

I'm biased because I'm a Canadian who works in my second language (Bonjour Pinky Cupcake! Joyeux fête nationale!) but I think it would be a good idea for JinJer to work on their Spanish. Trying to reach out to people in their first language, no matter how much success they've had learning English, is more likely to put them at ease and make them feel like their pastor cares enough to want to make them comfortable. With no apparent pastoral care and no obvious effort to communicate in a language (or language level) that the parishioners can understand, our baaaabe seems to be a pretty sub-par pastor. 

 

On the other hand, I find Jeremy's brand of theology kind of horrible, so maybe it's better for the world if he, like all the other Duggar's-in-law kind of sucks at ministering. 

I have to say that, by this point, I seriously question the desire of any Duggar to take any steps that would allow them to truly reach out to anybody else -- in terms of being open to the other person or wanting to assist them or actually work together with them in any way. .... I do think that a lot of them think they want to do this. And, by their own lights, I'm sure a lot of them imagine that they're doing it. But it just doesn't happen. We obviously know about Jilly Muffin And I do think that to the degree she's able she has the best of intentions on the reaching-out front. But she can't get beyond her own walls, when you look at what really happens. .... I'm not impressed with Jessa's apparent blurb in Ohio. They wanted her to come and talk about fashion, and it appears she actually talked about how people who look nice are all going to hell. Is that really why she was invited? Were those people's wants actually in her mind at any time when she was "preparing' for her speech? And then we have the Laredo pair. I'm absolutely convinced that Jer doesn't give a crap about the people he's pastoring. His website, his sermons, his fixation with having him on video. And while Jinger may hold back only because of shyness or something, we certainly haven't seen her vaulting over anybody to involve herself. They were beaten over the head with the requirement to stay within the safe Duggar walls, and as far as I can see they're proving largely incapable of venturing out now, despite what may actually be real intentions to do so. They were taught never to extend themselves toward others (despite the damn "servants' hearts" they supposedly all possess), and, sure enough, they won't -- or, more likely, to my mind, can't -- extend now. Tine could change that, I guess. But first they'd have to realize how frozen and insular they are. And I don't know that they'll ever see it. 

[Mollie]

Jinger has never gone anywhere alone in her entire life − not even a simple trip to the grocery store.  It must be a traumatic experience for her now if Jeremy expects her to go places by herself.  This is one of the reasons that she and all of her sisters are so warped.  Imagine Jana, at age 27, going someplace alone for the first time.  She would probably have a panic attack.  

[floridamom]

I'd like to know if Jinger has gone out, ANYWHERE, by herself yet? How did she feel doing it for the first few times. (Not talking about the laundry room downstairs.) This would be something interesting to address on this boring show; allow Jinger to describe what it was like for her, etc.

[sometimesy]

Physically (for me) Jeremy>>>>Bin 

I think Jessa set them up because she is pretty happy in her own life with her easily manipulated husband, and really felt that Jeremy would be a good match for the sister she seems to genuinely care for. 

[LilJen]

4 hours ago, Obsidian said:

Knowing Spanish is a great 'in' for them if they're in a largely Spanish-speaking community. Languages don't follow political nation borders. How else will he hook people in and save them by getting them to donate to him? 

¡Dé nos dinero!

[satrunrose]

¡Porque Jésus!

[Genevrier]

7 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

You need a master's to teach ESL at community college here. However, my sister is head if a community center in the heart of our Hispanic community that does carrying levels of night school ESL with teachers who only have bachelor's degree. Hell, my sister never graduated college. But again, this isn't formal education. Some of my colleagues see students at both the center and our college. 

Yes, what I meant is that their own grasp of the English language is somewhat lacking.

[Temperance]

On 6/27/2017 at 2:03 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Jinger claimed during last night's episode that they were "working on the ministry." That's a vague statement, and she didn't elaborate. In real time, this would have been early February. 

 

4 hours ago, Natalie68 said:

This makes me laugh because it reminds me of Paula on The View who calls intimate husband/wife time 'ministry'  Maybe that is what she is referring to.  I hope anyway!

Yeah I could see many members of Jinger's family using that "working on the ministry" as another euphemism similiar to her parents "working on number 20". 

[awaken]

3 hours ago, floridamom said:

I'd like to know if Jinger has gone out, ANYWHERE, by herself yet? How did she feel doing it for the first few times. (Not talking about the laundry room downstairs.) This would be something interesting to address on this boring show; allow Jinger to describe what it was like for her, etc.

 Me too. I'm super curious about this. Especially as it relates to Joy, as I feel she probably had even less exposure to the world than jinger so must be completely at sea in her new role. 

[MunichNark]

Aah, the lingo problem, something we here also have, since immigrants often don't bother learning. Infuriating.

Somehow I don't think Jeremy really is that interested in his Church, he is absent too much.

Being a heathen Catholic, I have an entirely different idea of what Church and Priests entail - perhaps any of you knowledgeable people can chime in here, but shouldn't a Priest (or whatever the title of choice is) be THERE in the community? It's all fine and well to prepare speeches and the Sunday Service, but that can never be all. So Jeremy should be out there, talking to his flock, be less concerned about trying to recruit, since that would come naturally if you are good.

[Jellybeans]

Maybe I should clarify.. I was taught that there is a difference between assimilation and diversity.  Assimilation would be if you moved to China, you would be expected to learn their language and customs and fit in to their way of life.  Diversity would be if you moved to China and found a community that spoke Chinese and English by choice.  

In the case of Jeremy and Jinger...it seems to me if he wants to help the hispanic community in Laredo, Texas he would focus on helping them in English since they live in the USA because 1).  it is where they live and 2). if they master English, then wages go up.  Too bad Jeremy is doing this backwards.

I retired in this field-  finding jobs for the disadvantaged.  

In the deaf world, Martha's Vineyard is a community in which both hearing people and deaf sign.  I have never been there but I have heard about it.  Fascinating.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Jellybeans
spelling

[riverblue22]

I wonder if his church offers ESL classes.  I know quite a few of them do in my area and consider it one of their ministries.

[Churchhoney]

4 minutes ago, riverblue22 said:

I wonder if his church offers ESL classes.  I know quite a few of them do in my area and consider it one of their ministries.

doesn't list any on the terrible website, last time I looked. ... of course it's a terrible website. ... 

[lascuba]

Religion/church is entirely unnecessary. It's basically just another form of entertainment for those inclined. That being the case, the onus on learning a language lies entirely on the business owners and their employees if they want to win the audience of their choice. Jeremy wants to be a preacher in Laredo and grow his church? Well, maybe he can use the vast amounts of free time he has to learn to speak the language of the people he's trying "serve." It would certainly be a lot easier for him that for those working class Laredo residents who actually have shit to do.

[GeeGolly]

On 6/28/2017 at 11:25 PM, awaken said:

 Me too. I'm super curious about this. Especially as it relates to Joy, as I feel she probably had even less exposure to the world than jinger so must be completely at sea in her new role. 

Actually I think Joy has had more exposure to the world at large than her sisters.  I think she's been toting young ones around without another sister in tow and when she is out with little kids alone, she is the adult. Also, I think she traveled with her 'friend' Carlin back home from CA, and traveled alone to Jing's & Jer's from somewhere to meet up with her siblings. The older girls moved about in twos and/or in a pack.

[Scarlett45]

16 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Actually I think Joy has had more exposure to the world at large than her sisters.  I think she's been toting young ones around without another sister in tow and when she is out with little kids alone, she is the adult. Also, I think she traveled with her 'friend' Carlin back home from CA, and traveled alone to Jing's & Jer's from somewhere to meet up with her siblings. The older girls moved about in twos and/or in a pack.

The oldest 4 were Sister Moms from a young age with the assorted duties. Joy was still little when the show came along and didn't really have "big kid" responsibilities until Jill got married, hence she probably had more time to watch and observe things without being responsible for a buddy team. 

[floridamom]

lascuba: I think that Jeremy didn't have the TIME to learn Spanish for his 'calling'. He was an athlete and that was the way he expected his professional life to go. When he was cut from the teams, he 'had the calling' to preach and everything happened so quickly that his daddy 'ordained him' and their friend, in that home church in San Antonio(?) assigned him to Laredo. It's all who you know, even in the preacher business, I guess. Jeremy didn't prepare at all, really to call himself a pastor. His sports career was washed up, so what else was he going to do? Don't get me wrong, I do believe that Jeremy has a belief in God and that he's grateful to Him. He did give up the party life and want to be closer to the Almighty...he just went the express route with his father's help. Jinger was supposed to have private Spanish lessons a few years ago with her siblings, but she knows NO Spanish? So much for the homeschooling, Duggar style.

[Jeeves]

26 minutes ago, floridamom said:

Jinger was supposed to have private Spanish lessons a few years ago with her siblings, but she knows NO Spanish? So much for the homeschooling, Duggar style.

Unless you're a small child, or someone with a knack for languages, it can take a lot of hard work to learn to speak another language. I agree with @floridamom -  even if Jinger did have some private Spanish lessons with her sibs, it was almost certainly the usual lazy Duggar stuff. I'd be surprised if any of the Duggar sibs actually practiced or worked at Spanish during the time they were having those lessons, or afterwards. 

[yogi2014L]

13 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

Unless you're a small child, or someone with a knack for languages, it can take a lot of hard work to learn to speak another language. I agree with @floridamom -  even if Jinger did have some private Spanish lessons with her sibs, it was almost certainly the usual lazy Duggar stuff. I'd be surprised if any of the Duggar sibs actually practiced or worked at Spanish during the time they were having those lessons, or afterwards. 

I believe Jinger said  in the last episode that she did not apply herself ( her words) in the Spanish "classes" they had during home school. I will be interested to see if they actually follow through on JInger learning. I would love for her to learn something. And then throw it in Muffy's face that Jinger can speak spanish  when the great white missionarys in danger america can't 

[Jellybeans]

I will challenge the Duggars here...why does it have to be Spanish?  Why can't it be a different language?  Such as Mandarin or a Slavic language?  Spanish is such a copout.  

Wait...it is the Duggars.  I have answered my own question.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, floridamom said:

lascuba: I think that Jeremy didn't have the TIME to learn Spanish for his 'calling'. He was an athlete and that was the way he expected his professional life to go. When he was cut from the teams, he 'had the calling' to preach and everything happened so quickly that his daddy 'ordained him' and their friend, in that home church in San Antonio(?) assigned him to Laredo. It's all who you know, even in the preacher business, I guess. Jeremy didn't prepare at all, really to call himself a pastor. His sports career was washed up, so what else was he going to do? Don't get me wrong, I do believe that Jeremy has a belief in God and that he's grateful to Him. He did give up the party life and want to be closer to the Almighty...he just went the express route with his father's help. Jinger was supposed to have private Spanish lessons a few years ago with her siblings, but she knows NO Spanish? So much for the homeschooling, Duggar style.

One of the bits of 19 Kids (I think it was before Counting On, anyway) that I saw was a so-called Spanish lesson at Margery's house with her mom. And if that was any example of how things went -- and I'll bet it was -- it would be hopeless to learn in that situation. Pretty much the whole clan assembled around the Jackson's table and then Mrs. Jackson tried to get them to engage with Spanish words. All any of the kids did was laugh at the whole process and make fun of it. Seemed clear to me that they were disdainful of Spanish, disdainful of learning anything and, especially, terrified that they couldn't do it -- so their response was to laugh it off, sit slack jawed, and pretend they were too cool for the whole thing. And Mrs. Jackson was clearly powerless to change the mood -- because what authority did she have? She clearly made no attempt to exert authority. It was absurd. While I'm sure there were some lessons over time that went better-- such as when cameras weren't on the scene, maybe? -- the whole attitude there was not feigned by the kids. This is how they felt about it and no mistake. .... Of course, their highly esteemed and uber-godly role model is Jizm Bob, who goes to Japan and greets people with "Hola." (Was Japan where he did this?_.... Well, somewhere non-Spanish-speaking anyway...)m And they're in a patriarchal situation where the father is supposed to be the role model. It'd be a miracle of anybody knew more than "Hola." 

49 minutes ago, Jellybeans said:

I will challenge the Duggars here...why does it have to be Spanish?  Why can't it be a different language?  Such as Mandarin or a Slavic language?  Spanish is such a copout.  

Wait...it is the Duggars.  I have answered my own question.

Well, in their defense, if you're going to learn a language, you're much better off learning one that you have a chance at practicing in some real-life situation or at least with people who actually know it. And if you want a reading knowledge of a language, you really should learn one where there are books you can and want to read. So if Jinger wants to read The Brothers Karamazov, then it'd be great for her to try to learn Russian. (since she doesn't yet appear to have read much of anything, though, there's little chance of that)...... In any case, though, just doing the "learning" part without employing the language in some way won't get you very far and will probably just turn you off of learning, really, seems to me. 

Edited June 30, 2017 by Churchhoney

[Jeeves]

@Churchhoney, great description of the Duggars' mindset, as handed down from their Headship JB. I agree, any Duggar kid who might actually be interested or curious about a secular subject (much less - heaven forbid - actually passionate about it), is going to be:

• afraid of failure,
• devoid of study/learning skills and the discipline to learn and study on your own, because homeschooling Duggar style doesn't teach that, and
• mocked by his siblings/parents because the default Duggar attitude about anything unfamiliar is disdain.

I know that JD managed to get his pilot's license, and I'm sure he had to beat those ^^^ handicaps to do it. But I also assume that the third item wasn't such a problem, because JB saw JD's being a pilot as of immediate financial benefit to Duggar Enterprises. 

[EVS]

On 6/28/2017 at 1:17 PM, PinkyCupcake said:

As Nelson Mandela once said: ''If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.''

(This lovely quote is not necessarily meant to apply to Jeremy's situation but I felt like sharing it anyway.)

If it is not too OT, I have a nice story that supports this beautiful quote. 

About 5 years ago, we were at Disney's Hollywood Studios on a really hot day so we stopped at a churro stand to buy some bottled waters.  The kid that helped us didn't seem to speak English very well and his name tag said he was from South Korea. We happen to know a few Korean phrases so we thanked him in Korean. He looked confused and I thought he was reacting to our bad American accents. 

We had gotten a pretty good distance away when we heard yelling behind us. We turned around and the kid is running towards us yelling (Korean thank you) over and over. He caught up to us and handed us a churro, a pretzel and a third sweet treat I don't remember. He kept repeating (Korean thank you) and we were thanking him for the treats in Korean. I think we set a record for the most (Korean thank you)s ever spoken in 10 seconds. Then he ran back to the churro stand.

One of my boys asked my husband why the kid gave us the treats and my husband said that the kid was far from home and it must have meant a lot to him that someone spoke to him in his native language. It was a nice lesson for my boys. 

Edited June 30, 2017 by EVS
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