What fund facts did you learn today?

[FundieFarmer]

Wow, VR. I'd flitted through the posts on Alectogate, so I knew some of that, but I liked your succinct summary. I'm down the rabbit hole with you now, thanks to your links!

[DowntownAbbey]

Okay, I went down the Arndt Family rabbit hole today.

• The Arndt family consists of Rick (Dad), Cathy (Mom), Paul, John, Mark, Luke, Jude, James, Philip, Seth, Jacob, Nathan, Mary-Elizabeth, Caleb, Peter, and David. [michelle voice]If you lost count, that's a grand total of 13 boys and 1 girl[/voice] (The list is in birth order.)
  
• They run famteam.com which is where I got pretty much all of this info.
  
• The "blog" on famteam.com is badly done and pretty boring. Dad tends to share links (and that's it just the links) to various pro-life articles an the like. The boys (or ManBoys as FJers call the) share photos with like a sentence or two of detail. Sometimes they even talk to each other via the "blog".
  
• There's a section of the website called "Dad's Diary." I didn't read it because you have to register.
  
• The Arndts also run Safe at Home Ministries which includes an annual softball classic since 1999, the Safe at Home tv show which is actually shown on cable ( :o ) which seems to be all about the family's excursions since 1998, a Christian fellowship on the Arndt homestead, and Christian retreats throughout southwestern Illinois.
  
• More on the Safe at Home tv show. It's hosted by Rick. I watched an ep. It's was super boring. Rick talked about filming for their "new" feature Vine Valley, the softball classic, some Christian worship leaders who were at the classic (who are going to be on Vine Valley...and I skipped over the singing),Rick then overanalyzes the worship leaders' participation in the classic after saying he wasn't going to, then there's a bunch of Christian advice, then there's talk about craaazy things that can randomly happen on Safe at Home shows like a hot air balloon randomly landing at their home twice, Rick hurt his shoulder at some point, and the episode is over.
  
• There's also the FamTeam tv show. It's basically 19 KAC but with only 14 kids.
  
• Ah, the upcoming Vine Valley tv show. This is supposed to be a fictional show which is new territory for them. The pilot episode is called "Winter On The Mountain" and the show is set in western New York state. They've been working on the show/pilot since 2011... JenniferJuniper wrote a post that sums up the series: viewtopic.php?f=99&t=22407&start=20#p939068
  
• There's a page on their website called "Come like a Child" which is basically a "Come to Jesus" page.

[happy atheist]

I don't know much about the Arndts, but I do know that whenever one of the kids has a birthday, they celebrate by eating cake on Mom and Dad's bed. :pink-shock: Keep in mind that these kids are in their 20s and 30s.

[DowntownAbbey]

I don't know much about the Arndts, but I do know that whenever one of the kids has a birthday, they celebrate by eating cake on Mom and Dad's bed. :pink-shock: Keep in mind that these kids are in their 20s and 30s.

That... I... just... what? :brain-bleach:

[Bethella]

Re: Arndt's- Please also note that all 14 "children" including the 11 that are over the age of 18 still live at home with nary a courtship in sight. They're worse than the Duggars with the unmarried kids still living at home, although at least the ManBoys work.

My find for the day was on CNN. I was reading about the Planned Parenthood videos and thought I recognized the name of the man in charge of organization responsible for them. Turns out he's a third cousin once removed on my mother's side of the family. :pink-shock: I invited him to family reunion last year but luckily he didn't come.

edited for spelling

[blessalessi]

I learned, via the Venting thread, and with the help of Urban Dictionary, that "Cheese and rice" is a popular substitution for the blasphemous expression "Jesus Christ!".

I have seen this several times now, used as an exclamation in forum arguments. I genuinely thought that cheese and rice must be a US food dish, and speculated to myself that maybe the posters concerned were recommending their opponent should retire for a good, balanced bowl of protein and carbs, to keep their blood sugar levels stable for the fight. :lol: :lol:

[blessalessi]

Aaand, by scrolling back a while, I can see that my cheese and rice discovery pales into insignificance next to velocirapture's account of alectogate. :lol:

I will now take my small, cold dish of white food substances off down an appropriate rabbit trail to learn things of more substance. :whistle:

[DowntownAbbey]

I finally figured out, after going back and forth for a while, that Uriah was the Maxwell's RV that was ultimately retired last year, not an actual person. :embarrassed:

ETA: The name is from Uriah, Bathsheba's original hubby. "I love the name Uriah because of who Uriah was in Scripture. He was a valiant, obedient, and faithful man. His life deeply touches mine....Therefore, I felt Uriah was an appropriate title for our transportation. I do not picture Uriah as being handsome. This old bus is not very handsome either. Most newer buses are amazingly good looking, but Uriah can’t compare. Our desire is that once we get him mechanically into shape and converted, he will faithfully serve us. Uriah was a mighty man who lived to serve his king and died in his service. We just pray this Uriah will have a long life before he gives it up."

blog.titus2.com/2007/12/11/uriah-update/

[VelociRapture]

I finally figured out, after going back and forth for a while, that Uriah was the Maxwell's RV that was ultimately retired last year, not an actual person. :embarrassed:

ETA: The name is from Uriah, Bathsheba's original hubby. "I love the name Uriah because of who Uriah was in Scripture. He was a valiant, obedient, and faithful man. His life deeply touches mine....Therefore, I felt Uriah was an appropriate title for our transportation. I do not picture Uriah as being handsome. This old bus is not very handsome either. Most newer buses are amazingly good looking, but Uriah can’t compare. Our desire is that once we get him mechanically into shape and converted, he will faithfully serve us. Uriah was a mighty man who lived to serve his king and died in his service. We just pray this Uriah will have a long life before he gives it up."

blog.titus2.com/2007/12/11/uriah-update/

I can't judge. My car is named after a character from my favorite book series. :lol:

[browncoatslytherin]

I can't judge. My car is named after a character from my favorite book series. :lol:

our van has been dubbed "appa" after aang's sky bison (from avatar: the last airbender) :D

and yes, we occasionally say "appa, yip yip!" upon starting up. we are weird.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

That... I... just... what? :brain-bleach:

Back to the origins birthdays...

more brain bleach

:brain-bleach: :brain-bleach: :brain-bleach:

[thoughtful]

I learned, via the Venting thread, and with the help of Urban Dictionary, that "Cheese and rice" is a popular substitution for the blasphemous expression "Jesus Christ!".

I have seen this several times now, used as an exclamation in forum arguments. I genuinely thought that cheese and rice must be a US food dish, and speculated to myself that maybe the posters concerned were recommending their opponent should retire for a good, balanced bowl of protein and carbs, to keep their blood sugar levels stable for the fight. :lol: :lol:

My wordplay-loving brain realized it was substitute for "Jesus Christ!" the first time I heard it.

However, if I hadn't, I think I would have been more inclined to think it was a suggestion that someone needs to cure their "diarrhea of the mouth," since cheese and rice are both notoriously binding. :D

Oh, and I've never named my cars, but this one has LEV, for "low emission vehicle" etched in one window. When I first noticed it, I thought "Lev, what a lovely name!"

It means "heart" in Hebrew, and is often used as a first name for men.

[VelociRapture]

So last time, I wrote an initial post regarding Alecto-Gate and stated I may do more parts. After thinking about it (and reading more), I've decided not to. It's a ton of work, would take a ton of energy, and it was a very very dark time in the site's existence. As such, I don't feel up to the task and I don't feel qualified to write a balanced summary.

Plus, I can't do all the work for the rest of you Godless heathens! :lol:

So, moving along...

What I Learned Today:

Today I veered off the Alecto-Gate path and back into the Family Cheat threads (because I'm lazy; don't judge!) My eye was caught by the title, "Emily and Dan (Dna) (Under $1000 per Month)"

With a title like that (and knowing they were a gateway drug Fundie for many FJers) how could I not be interested?!

Emily and Dan were bloggers. Emily ran the, "Under $1,000.00 per Month," blog while her husband Dan ran one titled, "Rant of Dan." General consensus states that Emily was the brains of the operation - in addition to routine spelling and grammar mistakes, Dan also once memorably misspelled his own name. Hence, his nickname of Dna.

Emily's blog revolved around how the family of (then) four lived off of, you guessed it, $1,000.00 a month. She often infuriated readers with her refusal to provide basic necessities - such as safe sleeping conditions - to her children in the name of living frugally. She also had a tendency to post about her cooking skills. . . or should I say, her lack of cooking skills. One such example:

When Emily decided to make homemade cheeses, it was not frugal enough to make homemade cheese and yogurt--she would have been ‘wasteful’ to buy a square of cheesecloth. Instead, she used an old (not very clean looking, with dyes that would be sure to leech out into the foods) skirt to strain her cheeses. (yes, this is the origin of the FJ word ‘skirtcheese’)

Source: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=15517

And a few more gems from her blog - because I'm a Hateful Bitch who highly enjoys the snark of posters past:

Giant plush toys were kept in the bathroom. (this would be the bathroom dog--Brad. He was mouldy looking, to put it mildly)

One child slept on a mattress under the rickety looking crib of the other child--the entire thing looked likely to collapse onto the baby.

Flimsy shelves hung in easy reach of the crib, all but begging to be pulled down upon a kid/climbed up by a kid.

Sketchy, non GFI wired lamps over water sources in the bathroom.

All the toys (trikes, slides, etc) hanging precariously on racks on the walls.

Fabric was draped over everything--because apparently a death-trap draped behind some fabric was a foolproof disguise for the death-traps.

Things were in a state of filth that was problematic. The rooms were filled with half-thought-out projects, from half a mural on the wall to half-a-paint-job on the crib.

I'll close with part of an update that Curious gave on the family last summer:

Emily and Dna are apparently not FB friends with each other--either through oversight, choice, or possibly, as the wise Ilovejellybeans said "Dan can't find Emily, because he cannot spell her name", this may be an oversight or may imply that they are indeed separated still (again?).

What I learned? I like this Ilovejellybeans person and I need them in my life. :lol:

[happy atheist]

You forgot the part where Emily's kid was basically in a coma for a few days before they took him to the hospital. And that she bitched about the food at the Ronald McDonald House they stayed in (for free) while he was hospitalized, because it wasn't up to her lacto-fermented standards.

[VelociRapture]

You forgot the part where Emily's kid was basically in a coma for a few days before they took him to the hospital. And that she bitched about the food at the Ronald McDonald House they stayed in (for free) while he was hospitalized, because it wasn't up to her lacto-fermented standards.

I was hoping that could be a horrible surprise for anyone that follows the link! :lol:

[SpoonfulOSugar]

The first time I entered SOTDRT, I ended up down the DNA & Emily rabbit hole. (I even did some research off the site.) I was so scarred I left the SOTDRT and forgot it was here.

Today, I read some of the Alecto threads. I figured out the little flasher dude and that some posters went into witness protection.

And then I found a new way to drive myself crazy: cleaning chokecherries and putting them into a small-mouthed jar . . . . I covered them with rum, but I think I should have just made myself a rum drink instead. Those damn things have the smallest stems, and no matter how you think you have them all - another one pops up.

Plus, I found a worm.

Oh, well, tequila has worms. If it turns out my chokecherry rum has worms, that just makes it more unique - right?

[HerNameIsBuffy]

I learned that Anna and Teri Maxwell get up at 4:00 am.

She was homeschooled, how long could the commute be to the table?

There is something very appealing to me about never having to leave my house (Steve Maxwell doesn't live here, so it's a happy place) but if that was tthe trade off then no thank you.

[VelociRapture]

The first time I entered SOTDRT, I ended up down the DNA & Emily rabbit hole. (I even did some research off the site.) I was so scarred I left the SOTDRT and forgot it was here.

Today, I read some of the Alecto threads. I figured out the little flasher dude and that some posters went into witness protection.

And then I found a new way to drive myself crazy: cleaning chokecherries and putting them into a small-mouthed jar . . . . I covered them with rum, but I think I should have just made myself a rum drink instead. Those damn things have the smallest stems, and no matter how you think you have them all - another one pops up.

Plus, I found a worm.

Oh, well, tequila has worms. If it turns out my chokecherry rum has worms, that just makes it more unique - right?

I'm not normally shocked by stuff I read here anymore. I mean, nothing says negligence like Baby Cage Rodrigues. But there was something especially shocking to me about the Emily and Dna thread. I mean, we snark on these people for being shitty humans, but I feel like most of them wouldn't be complaining about the quality of free food while their child is in a coma.

[RosyDaisy]

Say what now? The poor kid was in a coma for days BEFORE he was taken to the hospital? I don't think I want to hear what was wrong with him.

[DowntownAbbey]

Time to go down the Vision Forum/Doug Phillips rabbit hole. Don't worry about sending the rescue ferrets in after me; I'll regularly be coming up for air to check on the Bateseseseseses wedding today. Besides, they need to be ready to go rescue Curious as she writes The Drama of FJ: A History, Part MDLXIII. :ferret: :ferret:

[DowntownAbbey]

I'm going to break this into two post: Vision Forum and Doug Phillips is a Tool .

I skipped over the KnightInShiningAmore/Reformed VF/ATI person thread, the Bradricks, and the Botkins for my own sanity. I also did not fall down the Rethinking VF rabbit hole, but here it is: http://rethinkingvisionforum.org/.

Vision Forum

My starting point was Vision Forum’s Wikipedia Page where I learned the basics.

Vision Forum advocated Biblical patriarchy, creationism, homeschooling, Family Integrated Churches and Quiverfull beliefs.

They sponsored events like Christian Filmmakers Academy and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. There was also “"The Reformation of Food and Family Conference.â€

They also had a radio drama:

Jonathan Park is a radio drama series created by Pat and Sandy Roy at the Institute for Creation Research in the late 1990s that was later produced by Vision Forum Ministries. The storyline revolves around the lives and families of fictional characters Dr. Kendall Park and Jim Brenanas they build a creation museum.

Doug and VF in general are fans of history (that is revised to their liking of course). There’s this gem of an event:

In 2007, the group organized an alternative celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, saying that the official celebration did not give enough emphasis to the Christian perspective of the settlers.

Vision Forum was also infamous on FJ for photo shopping classic works of art.

There was also a celebration of the Sinking of the Titanic. That’s right, a celebration with a focus on the importance of the “women and children first†doctrine. People died, Doug.

They also answered pressing questions like “When should girls get their hands dirty?â€, How to have hope in tragedy like miscarriages, and how to create mini weapons of mass destruction.

A lot of the work on VF was done by interns who had to meet the following qualifications:

Any Christian home educated young man between the ages of 18 and 24 who has the full blessing of his parents may apply for the Vision Forum internship.

And yes, the parents (fathers, or mothers if single) had to actually sign off on the application with their blessing.

Interns also had to commit to:

protecting the confidentiality of any and all projects worked on while at Vision Forum as an intern, and to conduct yourself in a manner reflecting glory on the name of Jesus Christ, and honoring Doug and Beall Phillips, and the Vision Forum staff and principles.

[DowntownAbbey]

Doug Phillips is a Tool

Doug Phillips loves manly men, posing in manly ways, manly friendships, going on Hazardous Journeys in places like Iceland, Myanmar, and Zambia, and playing historical dress-up games throughout Europe. It is as homoerotic as you are thinking.

Doug Phillips and his manly buddies took a trip to the Amazon in 2011. There was much joking about anacondas which makes me sad that Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda†had not yet been released, but at least there was Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Backâ€.

His wife is Beall (Bell). His father was Howard Phillips, founder of the Constitution Party. His kids: Joshua Titus (The Fresh Prince of VF), Justice (male), Liberty, Jubilee, Faith, Honor (male), Providence (male), and Virginia Hope.

The Dominionist Doug meme generator was a brilliant find: http://memegenerator.net/Dominionist-Doug.

Wikipedia summed up the end of VF, the downfall of Dougie, and the current lawsuit better that I could:

[Doug Phillips] resigned as president of Vision Forum Ministries on October 30, 2013 upon confession of what he termed an "inappropriate relationship" with a woman.[4][5] On November 11, 2013,Vision Forum Ministries' Board of Directors discontinued operations in light of the "serious sins" which prompted Doug Phillips' resignation.[6] Vision Forum, Inc., Phillips' for-profit business, was closed after a liquidation sale during the last two months of 2013.[7]

On April 15, 2014, Lourdes Torres-Manteufel filed a lawsuit alleging she had suffered years of sexual abuse at the hands of Doug Phillips.[8]

On November 17, 2014, Phillips was excommunicated from Boerne Christian Assembly, the church that he founded.[9] Phillips had left the church in July.[10]

In conclusion, Doug Phillips is a Tool. Even Google knows this.

[wotdancer]

I'm going to break this into two post: Vision Forum and Doug Phillips is a Tool .

I skipped over the KnightInShiningAmore/Reformed VF/ATI person thread, the Bradricks, and the Botkins for my own sanity. I also did not fall down the Rethinking VF rabbit hole, but here it is: http://rethinkingvisionforum.org/.

Vision Forum

My starting point was Vision Forum’s Wikipedia Page where I learned the basics.

They sponsored events like Christian Filmmakers Academy and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. There was also “"The Reformation of Food and Family Conference.â€

They also had a radio drama:

Doug and VF in general are fans of history (that is revised to their liking of course). There’s this gem of an event:

Vision Forum was also infamous on FJ for photo shopping classic works of art.

honoring Doug and Beall Phillips, and the Vision Forum staff and principles.

[thoughtful]

Did you see the warehouse swordfight, complete with faux-British-accent narration by DougTool?

[bBvideo 560,340:21evzig6]

[/bBvideo]

[DowntownAbbey]

No, I skipped over that because I had already met my homoerotic euphemism quota for the day. [emoji38]