A lengthy Duggar/Gothard article

[FaithManor]

As much as they value husbands over the family, why do they say Gothard never married? Surely he could have convinced someone to offer up a daughter?

He claims he did not marry in order to be wholely devoted to the ministry.

 

I believe he wanted young girls and to keep a steady stream of them around for his personal amusement.

 

At his IBLP training center in Moscow, his bedroom is IN THE GIRLS' DORM!!!

Bucks in rut are less obsessed than he is.

[Katy]

As much as they value husbands over the family, why do they say Gothard never married? Surely he could have convinced someone to offer up a daughter?

 

They don't.  My guess?  Micropenis, childhood mumps rendering him infertile (which he wouldn't be able to reveal or it would be evidence his rules are hogwash), or plain old ED.

[Katy]

Found it.  Here's the bit about the parking lot, poor editing Debi's:

 

The Tale of the Purple Flowers PJ Girl

Just last week, while I sat in my van in the parking lot of Wal-mart, waiting for my daughter, I watched the people as they walked into the store. It was an interesting study in human relations. of the 25 or so couples who walked into the store together, only three of them were touching each other, and those three ladies were the only ones smiling out of the 25 I observed. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the prettiest, all three of these gals were 1s or 2s. One lady looked several (hard) years older than her young, tall, handsome husband. He had a delighted smile on his face as he watched her every move, possessively leading her by the arm. It was clear that she was enjoying telling him her tale. I could see it was a good story, because he threw back his head and laughed as they walked into the store. He was enjoying his woman.

Another couple passed by quietly, deliberately brushing up against each other, saying nothing, but the woman's smile said everything. The third smiling couple took the award of the day. He was a muscled-up, gorgeous hunk, and she was almost past describing. She was wearing flannel PJ bottoms that were cut off just above the knees. The shortened pants had 5-inch purple flowers scattered all over the white, almost see-through material. She was short, and at least 50 pounds overweight, with most of the extra weight bouncing in the skin-tight PJ shorts. Her hair was chopped off in an ugly cut and really greasy. Her gorgeous hunk had her in a headlock hug. She was laughing and poking him in the ribs while hollering for him to let her go. You would have thought he was hugging Miss America for the way he was grinning. He was really enjoying his purple-flowered sweetie. I caught his eye, and he grinned back at me, not one bit embarrassed. That gal had totally won his heart and my respect. He was proud to be her man. Of all those beautiful girls who had walked into Wal-Mart while I waited, it was this girl who was publicly being adored and appreciated. I suspect she has never removed her husband's hugging arm for any reason, much less to save her hairdo. She accepted all of his overtures with thanksgiving and delight.

In the coming pages, we will discuss how we need to cook, clean, take care of our children, etc. These are important and necessary, but the buck always stops right here at the word reverence. A man will allow his woman many, many faults as long as he knows she thinks he is great. If she will just look into his face with adoration, if she is thankful to him for loving her, he will adore her. She can dress awful, be grossly overweight, have terrible hair, not cook so well, be a little lazy and dumb, and not one bit pretty, but if she will just think and show that he is wonderful, he will love her.  It sounds simplistic, but that is the way of a man with a maid.

 

She goes on to describe how women aren't like that at all, and we expect the world or we try to change men.

[FaithManor]

Wow. That sction was stalkerish, creepy. What a nut job...go sit in Walmart parking lot and stare at people in order to come toe some profound conclusion on such flimsy observations! She is a troll!

[Rosie_0801]

but if she will just think and show that he is wonderful, he will love her.

 

Ah, the lies we tell. This is one of my favourites for setting up a blame the victim situation. This is my favourite picture of this dynamic. Don't click on it if a picture of a Tarot card is on your to-avoid list. 

[Katy]

Ah, the lies we tell. This is one of my favourites for setting up a blame the victim situation. This is http://wizardstarot.com/swords08.htmhttp://wizardstarot.com/swords08.htm of this dynamic. Don't click on it if a picture of a Tarot card is on your to-avoid list. 

 

Yes, I've known lots of women who put the man on a pedestal and instead of liking it he takes her for granted and cheats on her.

[redsquirrel]

Yes, I've known lots of women who put the man on a pedestal and instead of liking it he takes her for granted and cheats on her.

 

I've seen men like being put on that pedestal a whooole lot...and he still gets to take her for granted and cheats on her.

[Corraleno]

I've seen men like being put on that pedestal a whooole lot...and he still gets to take her for granted and cheats on her.

 

Exhibit A: Josh Duggar

[ChocolateMomster]

A girl or woman who didn’t dress modestly and “cry out to God†is, in Gothard’s view, just as guilty of rape as the assailant—and any sexual assault within families should be kept within the family and ATI if at all possible.

 

 

This just makes me sick. :cursing:

 

[DawnM]

Man, you guys are making me want to post "people of Walmart" pictures!  Stop it!  

 

And I must be like Gothard, because I do judge some of them!  :laugh:

[Guest]

She's nuts. That last couple clearly sound like brother and sister to me. What a dumb story.

[Tanaqui]

Yes, I've known lots of women who put the man on a pedestal and instead of liking it he takes her for granted and cheats on her.

 

Or emotionally abuses her, and though she's an awful person, I'm fairly confident, based on what she's written, that Debi Pearl is being abused. A blog I read did a criticism/read-through of Chosen To Be His Help Meet a while back, and honestly, sometimes I just want to take young!Debi by the hand and lead her away from that awful marriage sometime before she develops Stockholm Syndrome and goes completely to the dark side. Nobody really deserves that.

[elegantlion]

...clutching my spork...before it drops into my eye. 

 

This angers me and breaks my heart that one individual could create such a place of bondage for women. Breaking people is not in God's design. 

[FaithManor]

Or emotionally abuses her, and though she's an awful person, I'm fairly confident, based on what she's written, that Debi Pearl is being abused. A blog I read did a criticism/read-through of Chosen To Be His Help Meet a while back, and honestly, sometimes I just want to take young!Debi by the hand and lead her away from that awful marriage sometime before she develops Stockholm Syndrome and goes completely to the dark side. Nobody really deserves that.

I too believe she is being abused by him. She shows the classic signs.

 

To some degree, I think there is a bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on with Anna Duggar, and possibly Beall Phillips too. I know it is easy for us to say "Get out" to cult members because of our perspective on the outside free of brainwashing, abuse, and abject fear. But for them, leaving is like climbing Mt. Everest. It doesn't seem possible.

[Mimm]

Maybe. I think Debi Pearl is completely invested in her whole marriage and way of life. She seems like a very hard woman.

 

That Walmart passage is just weird. Go around with a big smile plastered on your face, hanging awkwardly all over your husband, or your a terrible wife doomed to divorce? My husband and I aren't overly affectionate in public, frequently not touching, and we don't smile unless we are actually amused at something. That doesn't mean we hate each other. So weird. And what's she doing staring at a "He was a muscled-up, gorgeous hunk". Creeper. Go look at your own man since he's so wonderful and stop staring at Walmart shoppers.

[Guest]

Smiling while you're walking into the damn WaMart is a sign of mental illness. Like smiling as you walk into a sewer or a prison or a sewer in prison.

[FaithManor]

Smiling while you're walking into the damn WaMart is a sign of mental illness. Like smiling as you walk into a sewer or a prison or a sewer in prison.

:smilielol5:  :smilielol5: :smilielol5:  

[livetoread]

Yes, I think it's nuts to make assumptions about any two people based on a snapshot encounter. That "couple" in Debi's last example might have been friends, cousins, high on meth, a hooker and her client, or who knows what else. He might have been trying to get laid, she might be cheating on her real husband, or any other number of various things Debi wouldn't approve of.

 

It's a huge pet peeve of mine when authors and speakers draw such unwarranted conclusions to make a point. I always miss the point because I'm still back on the example going, "Woah, wait a minute, you can't conclude that. How do you know that?"

[PrincessMommy]

Man, you guys are making me want to post "people of Walmart" pictures!  Stop it!  

 

And I must be like Gothard, because I do judge some of them!  :laugh:

 

I will the be first to say that I do judge some people by their looks..... but the difference is my church doesn't advocate doing so.

[Onceuponatime]

Yes, I think it's nuts to make assumptions about any two people based on a snapshot encounter. That "couple" in Debi's last example might have been friends, cousins, high on meth, a hooker and her client, or who knows what else. He might have been trying to get laid, she might be cheating on her real husband, or any other number of various things Debi wouldn't approve of.

 

It's a huge pet peeve of mine when authors and speakers draw such unwarranted conclusions to make a point. I always miss the point because I'm still back on the example going, "Woah, wait a minute, you can't conclude that. How do you know that?"

Yeah. A woman giving her husband a disgusted look may be having chronic morning sickness with her fourth child, and he's got coffee breath. You never know. 😋

[DawnM]

Oh whew, maybe I am not a Gothardite after all.

 

 

I will the be first to say that I do judge some people by their looks..... but the difference is my church doesn't advocate doing so.

 

[DawnM]

I do that too.  I hate those stories of other people they don't even know.

 

 

Yes, I think it's nuts to make assumptions about any two people based on a snapshot encounter. That "couple" in Debi's last example might have been friends, cousins, high on meth, a hooker and her client, or who knows what else. He might have been trying to get laid, she might be cheating on her real husband, or any other number of various things Debi wouldn't approve of.

It's a huge pet peeve of mine when authors and speakers draw such unwarranted conclusions to make a point. I always miss the point because I'm still back on the example going, "Woah, wait a minute, you can't conclude that. How do you know that?"

 

[staceyobu]

Smiling while you're walking into the damn WaMart is a sign of mental illness. Like smiling as you walk into a sewer or a prison or a sewer in prison.

Congratulations. You just won the internet!

[Lady Florida.]

I haven't read the long Duggar/Gothard article yet, but Debi Pearl sounds nuts. She seems hung up on the manly hunk/homely woman dynamic too. I bet she believes the "ugly women are grateful" bs too.

[Lady Florida.]

I haven't read the long Duggar/Gothard article yet, but Debi Pearl sounds nuts. She seems hung up on the manly hunk/homely woman dynamic too. I bet she believes the "ugly women are grateful" bs too.

[Onceuponatime]

I haven't read the long Duggar/Gothard article yet, but Debi Pearl sounds nuts. She seems hung up on the manly hunk/homely woman dynamic too. I bet she believes the "ugly women are grateful" bs too.

"If you want to be happy for the rest of your life...."

[gardenmom5]

...clutching my spork...before it drops into my eye.

 

Sporks don't go in your eye. So stop it.

They go in their eyes, or their boy bits.

[FaithManor]

I really think our new, and favorite phrase for the hive is going to be "gag me with a spork". I embrace it.

 

"The very thought of reading the works of Debi Pearl gags me with a spork!" See, it has a nice ring to it.

[Bluegoat]

Something about the fact that they hand out in Walmart and supermarket parking lots makes me giggle.  I wonder what they would see at Nordstroms, or a farmer's market?

[Katy]

Something about the fact that they hand out in Walmart and supermarket parking lots makes me giggle.  I wonder what they would see at Nordstroms, or a farmer's market?

 

Something tells me these people don't live anywhere near a Nordstroms.  Cities are entirely too worldly, you know.  And farmers markets are for dirty hippies.  :lol:

[Debbi in Texas]

Something tells me these people don't live anywhere near a Nordstroms.  Cities are entirely too worldly, you know.  And farmers markets are for dirty hippies.  :lol:

 

You don't need a farmer's market to buy the ingredients for a tater tot casserole. :)

[displace]

...clutching my spork...before it drops into my eye.

 

This angers me and breaks my heart that one individual could create such a place of bondage for women. Breaking people is not in God's design.

Maybe you can use a spork to clean the carpets?

[Wheres Toto]

Found it.  Here's the bit about the parking lot, poor editing Debi's:

 

The Tale of the Purple Flowers PJ Girl

Just last week, while I sat in my van in the parking lot of Wal-mart, waiting for my daughter, I watched the people as they walked into the store. It was an interesting study in human relations. of the 25 or so couples who walked into the store together, only three of them were touching each other, and those three ladies were the only ones smiling out of the 25 I observed. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the prettiest, all three of these gals were 1s or 2s. One lady looked several (hard) years older than her young, tall, handsome husband. He had a delighted smile on his face as he watched her every move, possessively leading her by the arm. It was clear that she was enjoying telling him her tale. I could see it was a good story, because he threw back his head and laughed as they walked into the store. He was enjoying his woman.

Another couple passed by quietly, deliberately brushing up against each other, saying nothing, but the woman's smile said everything. The third smiling couple took the award of the day. He was a muscled-up, gorgeous hunk, and she was almost past describing. She was wearing flannel PJ bottoms that were cut off just above the knees. The shortened pants had 5-inch purple flowers scattered all over the white, almost see-through material. She was short, and at least 50 pounds overweight, with most of the extra weight bouncing in the skin-tight PJ shorts. Her hair was chopped off in an ugly cut and really greasy. Her gorgeous hunk had her in a headlock hug. She was laughing and poking him in the ribs while hollering for him to let her go. You would have thought he was hugging Miss America for the way he was grinning. He was really enjoying his purple-flowered sweetie. I caught his eye, and he grinned back at me, not one bit embarrassed. That gal had totally won his heart and my respect. He was proud to be her man. Of all those beautiful girls who had walked into Wal-Mart while I waited, it was this girl who was publicly being adored and appreciated. I suspect she has never removed her husband's hugging arm for any reason, much less to save her hairdo. She accepted all of his overtures with thanksgiving and delight.

In the coming pages, we will discuss how we need to cook, clean, take care of our children, etc. These are important and necessary, but the buck always stops right here at the word reverence. A man will allow his woman many, many faults as long as he knows she thinks he is great. If she will just look into his face with adoration, if she is thankful to him for loving her, he will adore her. She can dress awful, be grossly overweight, have terrible hair, not cook so well, be a little lazy and dumb, and not one bit pretty, but if she will just think and show that he is wonderful, he will love her.  It sounds simplistic, but that is the way of a man with a maid.

 

She goes on to describe how women aren't like that at all, and we expect the world or we try to change men.

 

This just made me wonder how she was so sure any of the couples were married to each other.  There's a million other relationships it could have been - siblings, cousins, etc.  

[fraidycat]

This just made me wonder how she was so sure any of the couples were married to each other. There's a million other relationships it could have been - siblings, cousins, etc.

Unmarried fornicators...

[TranquilMind]

I'm sorry, my copy of the book caught on fire. I can't look up any references.

 

I don't remember which chapter, nor what Debi Pearl's goal was.

 

If you are leveling accusations at someone, you should be able to back it up with evidence.

 

Maybe she was pronouncing God's Judgment on them as people.

 

Maybe she was just saying that she saw some unhappy women.

 

We don't know. 

 

 

Oh wait, someone posted the snippet from the book.

Looks to me that she was just noticing who was happy, and that it didn't rely on a woman's gorgeous looks (though crudely worded in places, for sure).

 

That was her point.

 

That's not bad, to notice only a few women look happy, and that the man's interest in her was most decidedly not because she was utterly gorgeous at the time. 

[Tanaqui]

Actually, we do know, because somebody different quoted the relevant section upthread.

[Guest]

If you are leveling accusations at someone, you should be able to back it up with evidence.

 

Maybe she was pronouncing God's Judgment on them as people.

Maybe she was just saying that she saw some unhappy women.

 

We don't know.

TM, are you really going to bat for Debi Pearl or at you playing Devil's Advocate???

[TranquilMind]

Actually, we do know, because somebody different quoted the relevant section upthread.

Exactly.  She was noting the disconnect between couples who looked happy with and engaged with each other, and the outward objective beauty of the woman (crudely worded, as I conceded). 

[TranquilMind]

TM, are you really going to bat for Debi Pearl or at you playing Devil's Advocate???

I'm stating that the accusations made are not substantiated by that portion of the book, as charged, but are based on bias. 

[Guest]

Found it. Here's the bit about the parking lot, poor editing Debi's:

 

 

The Tale of the Purple Flowers PJ Girl

Just last week, while I sat in my van in the parking lot of Wal-mart, waiting for my daughter, I watched the people as they walked into the store. It was an interesting study in human relations. of the 25 or so couples who walked into the store together, only three of them were touching each other, and those three ladies were the only ones smiling out of the 25 I observed. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the prettiest, all three of these gals were 1s or 2s. One lady looked several (hard) years older than her young, tall, handsome husband. He had a delighted smile on his face as he watched her every move, possessively leading her by the arm. It was clear that she was enjoying telling him her tale. I could see it was a good story, because he threw back his head and laughed as they walked into the store. He was enjoying his woman.

Another couple passed by quietly, deliberately brushing up against each other, saying nothing, but the woman's smile said everything. The third smiling couple took the award of the day. He was a muscled-up, gorgeous hunk, and she was almost past describing. She was wearing flannel PJ bottoms that were cut off just above the knees. The shortened pants had 5-inch purple flowers scattered all over the white, almost see-through material. She was short, and at least 50 pounds overweight, with most of the extra weight bouncing in the skin-tight PJ shorts. Her hair was chopped off in an ugly cut and really greasy. Her gorgeous hunk had her in a headlock hug. She was laughing and poking him in the ribs while hollering for him to let her go. You would have thought he was hugging Miss America for the way he was grinning. He was really enjoying his purple-flowered sweetie. I caught his eye, and he grinned back at me, not one bit embarrassed. That gal had totally won his heart and my respect. He was proud to be her man. Of all those beautiful girls who had walked into Wal-Mart while I waited, it was this girl who was publicly being adored and appreciated. I suspect she has never removed her husband's hugging arm for any reason, much less to save her hairdo. She accepted all of his overtures with thanksgiving and delight.

In the coming pages, we will discuss how we need to cook, clean, take care of our children, etc. These are important and necessary, but the buck always stops right here at the word reverence. A man will allow his woman many, many faults as long as he knows she thinks he is great. If she will just look into his face with adoration, if she is thankful to him for loving her, he will adore her. She can dress awful, be grossly overweight, have terrible hair, not cook so well, be a little lazy and dumb, and not one bit pretty, but if she will just think and show that he is wonderful, he will love her. It sounds simplistic, but that is the way of a man with a maid.

She goes on to describe how women aren't like that at all, and we expect the world or we try to change men.

That is the most revolting bunch of drivel I can possibly imagine. It sounds like something written in a teen girl's diary, not an adult woman making a reasonable analysis of anything.

 

To say nothing of the fact that I would slap my hunky husband silly if he manhandled me in such an undignified way. It would be the last time he ever did something so preposterous.

 

She's an idiot.

[Guest]

Something about the fact that they hand out in Walmart and supermarket parking lots makes me giggle. I wonder what they would see at Nordstroms, or a farmer's market?

I love to people-watch at the super Walmart near here. It's like a field study in cultural anthropology. My powers of discernment may be less well-honed than Mrs. Pearl's', though, because I actually think it is hard to tell whether people are godly, or happy, or married or just getting it on from a three-minute vignette next to the cart corral.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

If you are leveling accusations at someone, you should be able to back it up with evidence.

 

Maybe she was pronouncing God's Judgment on them as people.

 

Maybe she was just saying that she saw some unhappy women.

 

We don't know. 

 

 

Oh wait, someone posted the snippet from the book.

Looks to me that she was just noticing who was happy, and that it didn't rely on a woman's gorgeous looks (though crudely worded in places, for sure).

 

That was her point.

 

That's not bad, to notice only a few women look happy, and that the man's interest in her was most decidedly not because she was utterly gorgeous at the time. 

 

I saw this post before you edited to add the latter half. I didn't bother responding because the quote had been made available upthread, which means it was silly to call me out on it. Surely one quotation was sufficient; no need to repeat it. Which I couldn't anyway because of the bonfire.

 

 

I'm stating that the accusations made are not substantiated by that portion of the book, as charged, but are based on bias. 

 

It wasn't an accusation. It was a reference. I am proud to be very biased against the Pearls because of all the battered wives and dead children, but what I posted wasn't biased. I said what was in the book, and it was in the book.

 

I don't care if I said the Pearls fed their children feed corn and advocated for spanking children until they can't even breathe to speak, it's unthinkable for anyone to defend them and nobody will care what their defenders say. Defending the Pearls is nowhere to stand. Nowhere.

 

Those two things are also true, by the way. Debi Pearl fed her children animal feed when her husband didn't make enough money for groceries and she didn't go to work, either. That's all they had for months. Also, the court reports about the children who died after their abusive parents followed No Greater Joy refer to the instances (clearly available in the books) where the Pearls calmly explain that if your child still has breath to object to his whipping, you are not done whipping.

 

I'm not going to cite those references. Think what you want of that. If you search the internet, you will quickly find the evidence. If you don't want to, I'm just a stranger on the internet saying stuff you don't like.

[Carol in Cal.]

I saw this post before you edited to add the latter half. I didn't bother responding because the quote had been made available upthread, which means it was silly to call me out on it. Surely one quotation was sufficient; no need to repeat it. Which I couldn't anyway because of the bonfire.

 

 

 

It wasn't an accusation. It was a reference. I am proud to be very biased against the Pearls because of all the battered wives and dead children, but what I posted wasn't biased. I said what was in the book, and it was in the book.

 

I don't care if I said the Pearls fed their children feed corn and advocated for spanking children until they can't even breathe to speak, it's unthinkable for anyone to defend them and nobody will care what their defenders say. Defending the Pearls is nowhere to stand. Nowhere.

 

Those two things are also true, by the way. Debi Pearl fed her children animal feed when her husband didn't make enough money for groceries and she didn't go to work, either. That's all they had for months. Also, the court reports about the children who died after their abusive parents followed No Greater Joy refer to the instances (clearly available in the books) where the Pearls calmly explain that if your child still has breath to object to his whipping, you are not done whipping.

 

I'm not going to cite those references. Think what you want of that. If you search the internet, you will quickly find the evidence. If you don't want to, I'm just a stranger on the internet saying stuff you don't like.

I can attest to having seen these primary source references for everything in this post except the part about feed corn.  I believe the author to be credible.

 

It is reasonable to question source material, and it is reasonable to defend it whether you can provide a direct quote or not.  

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I can attest to having seen these primary source references for everything in this post except the part about feed corn.  I believe the author to be credible.

 

It is reasonable to question source material, and it is reasonable to defend it whether you can provide a direct quote or not.  

 

Again, I noted that someone else had provided the information, which I thought should have answered the question.

 

I don't claim to always be reasonable, nor to stay online indefinitely to defend every post I make. I came back within 24 hours, though.

[TranquilMind]

I saw this post before you edited to add the latter half. I didn't bother responding because the quote had been made available upthread, which means it was silly to call me out on it. Surely one quotation was sufficient; no need to repeat it. Which I couldn't anyway because of the bonfire.

 

 

 

It wasn't an accusation. It was a reference. I am proud to be very biased against the Pearls because of all the battered wives and dead children, but what I posted wasn't biased. I said what was in the book, and it was in the book.

 

I don't care if I said the Pearls fed their children feed corn and advocated for spanking children until they can't even breathe to speak, it's unthinkable for anyone to defend them and nobody will care what their defenders say. Defending the Pearls is nowhere to stand. Nowhere.

 

Those two things are also true, by the way. Debi Pearl fed her children animal feed when her husband didn't make enough money for groceries and she didn't go to work, either. That's all they had for months. Also, the court reports about the children who died after their abusive parents followed No Greater Joy refer to the instances (clearly available in the books) where the Pearls calmly explain that if your child still has breath to object to his whipping, you are not done whipping.

 

I'm not going to cite those references. Think what you want of that. If you search the internet, you will quickly find the evidence. If you don't want to, I'm just a stranger on the internet saying stuff you don't like.

Well, if you are bigoted against sources instead of material on its face, I can't help you.

 

But you ought not to accuse without evidence, and you used a specific situation here and drew unsupported accusations.  I called that out.  It isn't about the defense of the Pearls.  It is about accurately substantiating accusations with evidence.  You didn't. 

 

Rather, you are a stranger on the internet making unsubstantiated accusations. 

 

I'm not bothering to address new accusations you didn't support. 

[Carol in Cal.]

Well, if you are bigoted against sources instead of material on its face, I can't help you.

 

But you ought not to accuse without evidence, and you used a specific situation here and drew unsupported accusations.  I called that out.  It isn't about the defense of the Pearls.  It is about accurately substantiating accusations with evidence.  You didn't. 

 

Rather, you are a stranger on the internet making unsubstantiated accusations. 

 

I'm not bothering to address new accusations you didn't support. 

No, TM, this is not true.  She had had specific evidence, and it was no longer available to her.  She was clear about that.  That doesn't make it irresponsible for her to quote it.  She was accurate.

 

I have seen that specific evidence previously, as well as the news reports she cites afterwards of children who were killed by parents arguably applying the Pearls' techniques in a horrendous way.  And now everyone who has read this thread has seen the specific Walmart quote, verbatim.

[gardenmom5]

you know - if it wasn't for the hive - I wouldn't know anything about gothard, ati, the pearls, their books or teachings, etc . . .

 

it's been quite the education.  *quite*.  all sorts of things I'd happily never known existed until I came here . . . . btw: I'm horrified by them all - and don't think ignorance is bliss.  it's just ignorance.  (if my grandmother had been introduced to the teachings of the above - she'd probably have glommed onto them too. that's not saying much about any of them.)

 

c'est la vie . . . .

[Mimm]

Well, if you are bigoted against sources instead of material on its face, I can't help you.

 

But you ought not to accuse without evidence, and you used a specific situation here and drew unsupported accusations.  I called that out.  It isn't about the defense of the Pearls.  It is about accurately substantiating accusations with evidence.  You didn't. 

 

Rather, you are a stranger on the internet making unsubstantiated accusations. 

 

I'm not bothering to address new accusations you didn't support. 

 

 

:banghead:

[LMD]

you know - if it wasn't for the hive - I wouldn't know anything about gothard, ati, the pearls, their books or teachings, etc . . .

 

it's been quite the education. *quite*. all sorts of things I'd happily never known existed until I came here . . . . btw: I'm horrified by them all - and don't think ignorance is bliss. it's just ignorance. (if my grandmother had been introduced to the teachings of the above - she'd probably have glommed onto them too. that's not saying much about any of them.)

 

c'est la vie . . . .

Yep, the hive has taught me a lot! I'm so thankful too, because otherwise I surely would have missed the insidious undercurrent of these teachings that still have a presence in the Homeschooling culture here...

[MercyA]

I was curious enough to look it up. Yes, Debi Pearl fed her children field corn for one winter. She made it into corn meal mush, hominy, corn tortillas, and corn bread. No, she did not feed them only field corn. They also had cabbage, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and milk, and eggs and peanut butter when they could get them. She also mentioned 300 quarts of fruits and vegetables, but it's not clear if they lasted through the winter.

 

Primary source here. 

 

Not an optimal diet, but probably nutritionally sufficient for one season and not dissimilar to the way much of the world eats.