The Duggars are VERY involved in Gothard's cult. They follow his life teachings (remember Michelle's list of tips to keep your husband happy that included the crazy hair rules? That's a Gothard publication) and use his homeschooling materials. The homeschooling conference they go to every year is ATI, which is part of…

Exactly! The headline is nothing but accurate. Gothard is the leader of a conservative Christian group with ties to the Duggars (and Palin). If you like the Duggars and don't like the association with Gothard, then you have to take that up with the Duggars, not Rebecca.

Thanks for the example, but I have to admit, I still really don't understand this concept.

They really really want to give their kid a complex.

Every time I've tried having this discussion, it turns into an argument because people don't want to admit what the word submission really means. They keep trying to pretty it up, and say that submission means every possible thing except...submission. Because it sounds bad. I've had people try to tell me that…

You'll probably get a lot of flack for your comments. But the simplistic answer you gave sounds like the compromise in any good marriage, where both partners want what is best for each other, and for the union. The issues arise when the man is not a good person, or is self-centered. Simplistic example - "no new car,…

^{Gives at least one Bible verse a new meaning...}

Yeah, but he only joins in after the Second Coming.

"the tenants of their religion"

My sister just texted me "Hi darl, thinking of your face," so thanks for this. Thanks very very much.

No worries. I didn't want you worrying needlessly — some childbirth practices definitely can be more for the doctor than the patient, but that isn't one of them. There are some known downsides to membrane sweeping such as discomfort, but generally it's a good first option because other induction options have more…

You and me both o, my sister. The thought that we Africans just might be able to speak for ourselves, if they would but listen, appears inconceivable to certain types of white people.

As a physician, there's nothing in that story that's alarming at all. First time mothers are offered membrane sweeps at the 40 week appt and repeat moms at 41 by many ob/gynes. I don't know what you were reading but membrane sweeps are definitely NOT almost guaranteed to bring on immediate labour. They only make it…

Whilst this was certainly stupid.

By the way — I'm glad your sister and baby are fine! I know firsthand how unsettling that can be, to say the least.

I replied to someone below with the same comment (just the first paragraph though), so pardon me for being lazy and not rewording this for you, but:

I've lost two pregnancies - early and late first trimester - one with complications that required two surgeries. So by the time I got close to my due date with my daughter, my "birth plan" was everyone is alive at the end. After a text book normal uncomplicated pregnancy, I ended up with a a baby in distress and an…

I homebirthed, but I am not an evangelist for it. It isn't for everybody. What is for everybody is birthing in the place that YOU feel safe and comfortable. Fear and discomfort make an already scary and uncomfortable process damn near impossible to deal.

That was just a hypothetical about the emergency c-section (which I probably should not have used because it's misleading). The birth center actually said that almost all "emergency" c-sections are performed because labor is stalling, or the baby's heart rate is going down —- events that happen slowly and are not true…

I definitely think that either a birth center connected to a hospital or a midwife in a hospital is the way to go. Or, just an OB who is willing to listen to your needs and concerns. But, I say this as a person who has the choice of maybe 8 hospitals within a reasonable distance to choose from.