So I just found out a German friend of mine stayed with fundie freaks

during his foreign exchange to the states. He was in Rochester, NY, and his host family I would categorize as hard-core fundies. He and his host family lived in a very poor area because they tithed $2000 a month of their income to their church, his mother covered the eyes of his host brother (who was 16) whenever there was kissing on TV or while watching a movie, the church the family went to had people speaking in tongues in the basement, his host mother told him the devil was everywhere all the time, and he was made to spend 7 hours at church every Sunday despite him being an atheist. There was no heating in his room, so during the winter it was cold enough to make his cologne freeze. He had to pay this exchange as well. He and another german friend both eventually had to bypass the local exchange program coordinator and find new host families on their own. The local program coordinator was close friends with the host families of both my friend and his frend from germany and refused to move them to other host families despite the unacceptable conditions of the house (he told me it was all filthy except for his room) and his personal reasons for wanting to move (they were trying to convert him).

He lived with these people for 4 months, and the only reason he put up with them is because he was very good natured, and another friend of his (that I mentioned earlier) was staying with another fundie family that lived a few blocks away. Both had lots of fun making fun of their respecive host families. Pretty fucked up stuff for someone to be exposed to against their will, IMO, though he's none the worse for it. I was pretty damn amazed hearing this, because he's had an up close and personal experience with a side of America few in Europe know anything about. Anyhow, thought I'd share this interesting story with everyone. :hi:

Edit: Re-wrote it some so I don't sound like a total Moran.

but I think I get the gist of it - weird fundy family. Though it might have been two you were talking about, hard to tell.

That must have been an interesting time for him! (or them, if you were talking about two people). I can't imagine coming from a foreign country and ending up in that kind of a situation - but it's an education none of his (or their) classmates in germany would ever have gotten!

I think I'd be rather uncomfortable in such a situation. But on the other hand, when in Rome and all that - I'd be there for the education and the culture, so roll the flow. I'm just not sure.

Despite the attempted indoctrination, he said it was still a good experience. He learned a level of English and a lot about America. I'm not sure how seriously he took the beliefs of his host family. My perception is he viewed them with amusement rather than discomfort. Quite a few of my friends think it's hilarious that some 'Christians' in the US really believe in the rapture.

It is amazing how in all of christendom, it's by far the majority of rapture believers are American. Next group - Australians. And after that, the third world areas in which the scary fundy Evangelical groups have been able to do a lot of mission work (especially in the Latin countries).

in Kentucky. They were left agape. When I showed them the section saying that the T-Rex was punishment from god for Adam's sins, they nearly died laughing. You do have conservative Christians in Europe, but I have yet to meet any I would regard as fundamentalists. It's quite refreshing to be able to have discussions about topics such as abortion, equal rights for gays and lesbians, and the like without having people say "Gays and abortions are sinful. And you're going to hell."

I lived in Brazil for a year on foreign exchange, and I did notice some non-denominational churches in my town, primarily in the poorer areas. Nothing big and flashy like in the US however, which stands to reason. I doubt roman Catholicism will be displaced as the predominant faith, but evangelicals are making inroads.

I read the SF Gate report about it today. WOW!

Sometimes I wished I lived in Europe, where you can talk about things and not be given the absolute theological truth about it. And can also talk about sex without either people giggling, or being offended. Oh, and you can breast feed in public and go topless in public, and no one really cares.

Ever since then, I knew I wanted to study over here. I'm currently living my dream, and it's been an awesome experience so far.

I think there is this evangelistic thing going on with foreign exchange and any kind of missionary thing. Also, it's a cheap way for fundie kids to go to Europe (like the aristocrats they so admire).

The exchange organization ignored the French girl until it happened that my niece suggested she live with my sister's family. If some alternative had not been discovered, I don't think anything would have been done about her overbearing host family. She was also being used as a babysitter.

Most people I've talked to have good experiences overall, but many have at least one host family that used them as a maid or tried to convert them even though they asked to be left alone. They usually got out of those places as soon as they were able to, but you do hear about students being unable to find another host family and being stuck there the entire time. Tell your sister she deserves a medal. :hi:

Pretty much all of the other experiences I have been around, as a sister, and teacher, were VERY good.

SOME Fundies also take teaching jobs because they have fascist impulses.

My mother gre up in an unheated house---one wood stove in the kitchen----she lived for 91 years.

Lots of places in the world with unheated bedrooms

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Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
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