They say you never forget your first. Today’s challenge is to recall the first time you broke the fundy code in some way.
What was the first movie you saw in the theater? What was your first purchase of unapproved music. What was the first time you wore clothes that didn’t check?
How did that make you feel?
first?
you never forget being first
My first post, strictly to congratulate YOUR first first.
Ahh, Bush, Swallowed. My first unapproved music love. I loved it so much I may or may not have named my first born son after it. 😉
You named your son “swallowed”? That is wrong on so many levels.
I’d like to think said child was named Gavin, but Swallowed would be way funnier …
First CD purchase ever was Usher’s “Confessions” circa 2003. 9th grade. Felt pretty dang good because I didn’t understand how anyone could not like the song “Burn” fundy or not haha
Definitely music. Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Metallica … I couldn’t stop myself. I’d listen to unapproved stations while getting ready for school in the morning, after school in the afternoon, and before bed at night. And then I delved into the darker realms of nonfundydom with unapproved literature — Sweet Valley High books and Judy Blume (zomg!). My downfall was all but guaranteed before I was even in my teens.
First movie: Double feature at the drive-in. Jurassic Park 3 and Planet of the Apes.
First unapproved music: Toby Keith’s Greatest Hits.
First time I wore “unapproved clothes”? Don’t remember.
How did it make me feel? I was constantly looking over my shoulder(I was a PK in fundyland). I felt guilt, but I also felt great. And I was slightly scared that God was gonna punish me.
First R movie in theatre: Gangs of New York.
First R movie, anywhere: The Matrix on VHS.
First movie in theatre: Muppets Christmas Carol
First cd: Dare to Be Stupid, Weird Al
First personal Bible: NIV!
First alcoholic drink: at my former pastors house! (he wasn’t home)
First (nonalcoholic) beer: from my former pastors fridge!
First enjoyment of non Fundy approved music: in the car ride home from the hospital a few days after I was born! (had to be, my parents love the Beatles)
And they all felt so, so good… 😈
First open rebellion to authority: I brought my NIV to church!
First confiscated contraband: comic books (DC – The New Teen Titans) hidden in my gym bag!
probably so many more if I could just think straight…
First Movie:
I was returning to Fundy U after Christmas Break. I flew into Atlanta, and the guys that were picking me up suggested before we go back to their home we see LOTR: The Return of the King. Yes, my first visit to a movie theater was my junior year of college.
First Conscious and Sustained Enjoyment of Unapproved Christian Music:
I was in grad school, I think, and under the guise of “well, I’m studying church music and looking to work in an urban church, so I’d better familiarize myself with modern Christian music” I bought the album “Let Your Glory Shine” by Phillips, Craig & Dean…mostly because it had a few “almost acceptable” songs on it like “Here I Am to Worship” and “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.” As usually happens when I buy any CD for one or two cuts, I ended up enjoying all the songs on there. I even took a day trip to Ambassador Baptist College to visit some friends, and while sitting in the parking lot of this uber-fundy “college” I found myself worshipping to music I had been told all my life was wicked! It was a very thrilling experience. 🙂
First sip of wine:
I had graduated – twice – and was now on staff at Fundy U. I was also part of the local civic choir’s chamber ensemble, a smaller paid group out of the volunteer choir. We had just finished a concert and were at the director’s house for a reception. He was (is) the archetypal Presbyterian Southern Gentleman, and as such, he had a bottle of wine on ice. When it came time to toast the success of our concert, I grabbed a glass and joined in. Two priceless reactions happened: his, seeing me holding a glass of wine (the only thing he managed to say was, “Drink ye all of it!”); and me, who was expecting something made from grapes to taste more, well, grape-y. But we both made it through that afternoon without any permanent damage. 😉
Well, considering I got a lecture from my mom for listening to southern gospel (The Cathedrals, no less) in the car on the way to school, it’s hard to figure out the first time I actually “broke the code” in regards to music.
First movie was “Twister” with friends from [non-fundy] college. They refused to believe it was the first time I had been to a theater.
Love the Cathedrals! I have often wondered what those who say such music is wrong (or other forms of contemporary Christian music) believe about the artists of this music, do they really think they’re not true Christians? There they go again judging others! 👿 Sometimes you meet these people and they are as genuine as they can be. It’s that hypocritical fundy who’s the problem! 👿
My pastor believes Casting Crowns will be in hell 🙄 That was a fun sermon.
Perhaps someone should (anonymously) suggest he check out their blog, specifically the Bible studies they post there. Just so he can pick them apart for the edification of the body, of course… 🙄
Started listening to music at age 14 at night in my bed with headphones, with my trigger finger always ready on the button that switched it back to CD! LOL just in case. Sad really.
Did “the deed” in the car at 19 in the church parking lot with my boyfriend, whose father was the assistant paster in the Fundiest of Fundy churches.
Started always having a pair of “GASP” jeans in the trunk of my car so that i could put them on for work or hanging out with friends, while walking out of the house in a (gag) jean skirt. At NINETEEN…..
Never felt a shred of guilt, only the rush from being “naughty.” Its finally a relief, 10 YEARS LATER, to be able to enjoy these things without having to hide them.
“Fundiest of Fundy” — is that FBCH? Assistant pastor’s son — that’s pretty daring!
*pastor
Sooner or later George happens to us all.
George??
George, the pooka responsible for misspellings, errors of grammar, punctuation, misplaced answers, and general mayhem in the responses on this board. Don introduced him to us.
LOL
I didn’t grow up fundy so before becoming fundy I was always breaking the fundy rules simply because I didn’t know what they were. After getting married and joining a fundy church I grew into the standards. But being I didn’t grow up fundy I didn’t always keep them at least at home. Outwardly I appeared to, so I guess I was a hypocrite. I have always used some kinds of what fundies would consider profane language, especially when I’m angry, (though I eschew the F word). I’ve read books they wouldn’t approve of though I do love Christian fiction. They would probably not approve of that since it’s not all fundy.
I think the one thing over the years that I tried to keep hidden the most is my love for the show “Dark Shadows.” 😈 I watched it as a kid before becoming fundy, but when it began to be shown in syndication in 1996 I knew I had to watch it again and I did, every weekday. I never told anyone in the fundy church. I just saved myself the trouble of having to defend it. 😳
We were on our way out of the former church last July when we joined a gym. I was still wearing skirts and jumpers (I still do simply because I find them more comfortable) but I needed pants for the gym. I’ll never forget how funny it felt to put pants on again after 26 years.
After leaving that church and joining the new one, I found that there are a lot of ladies who wear pants. Though I don’t want to wear them (I wouldn’t look good in them anyway) I’m glad to belong to a church where there isn’t all that garbage about pants being “mens'” clothes and you’re some kind of rebellious harlot if you wear them.
Oh yeah one more standard, I have never liked rock and roll so I don’t listen to it now or before but around 2000 or before we started listening to southern gospel music and developed a love for it. We began to go to southern gospel concerts on Saturday nights. The pastor found out that some of us were going over there and tore the place apart in a sermon. Why? Because there were women going who wore pants! And some of the people who went weren’t Baptists! Oh NOOOOOO! How terrible! I met a lot of very nice people there and who are we to judge their Christianity? I’m so TIRED of that idiotic and mean spirited notion that fundies are better Christians because of all the stupid rules they expect everyone to follow. Phooey on that. 👿
Well I didn’t mean to write a book but it was a fun post to answer.
Speaking of the movie theatre though, I have not been in many years through lack of interest. But I will be there in May for the opening of the new Dark Shadows movie with Johnny Depp. It looks like it’s going to be a great movie!
I seem to have an aversion nowadays to ladies in skirts…there’s just something about pants on a woman that beats some long jeany dress…
Can I get an amen? 😆
A-freakin’-men!!
Wow! This post absolutely cracks me up!
First unapproved music: Listening to the local country station with my sister on the radio – we had the volume down as low as possible, and we piled blankets over chairs to make a fort so that the noise would be even more muffled. Used the same technique in Bible college with a few friends in the dorms.
First unapproved dress: Accidentally wore only pants skiing at the fundy Christian school this winter – got spoken to by the principal because I had a broken foot and wouldn’t actually be hitting the slopes, so I should be setting a good example for the kids. This one really was an accident, I was taking the cat hair off the skirt and forgot to put it back on over my pajama pants (it gets cold here!). It felt so good being in pants, I have started wearing them out and about every so often. Sad that I had to wait to find out about pants until the age of 27!
First unapproved video: Star Wars – the Return of the Jedi. Those little Ewoks on the cover looked so cute in the Blockbuster store (that I theoretically shouldn’t have been in) that I had to bring the movie home and watch it.
To this day, I still feel guilty when I break a Baptist rule. One more……………
First unapproved book: One of the Star Wars serials – I saw the female lead and that handsome Harrison Ford on the cover, so I bought the book and hid it in my desk for over a year before I read it. I think that book is still hidden in a purse or something in storage to this day. I was always horrible about books.
At HAC, one of my friends also loved Star Wars books. There was a new one out at the public library, and I had a master’s girl pass and would leave work early to go to the library for internet access. I borrowed the book and smuggled it to him to read for the week inside a fast-food bag. That was the first of many secular book runs I made during that year. I never did get caught! 😈
what’s a master’s girl pass?
The girls in the master’s program were allowed to sign out and leave campus alone as long as it was before dark and they were on their way to work. It was very convenient.
First movie in the theater: Chicken Run (“Eggs from heaven!” “No, from her bum!”)
First unapproved music purchase: Third Day Offerings.
Loved that film. Love anything by Nick Park and Ardman Studios. Pure genius.
My family wasn’t too fundy, so I was allowed to do some things, like watching movies and listening to some music that my church/school didn’t actually approve. It could have been worse.
First unapproved music – my boyfriend at BJU loaned me a tape of Steve Green’s Christmas music over winter break. It was awesome! I played Joy to the World to my mom, trying to convince her that it was not evil, but she was unconvinced. There was a drum beat, after all!!!
My boyfriend (now husband) also made me a tape of Air Supply with songs like “All Out of Love” and “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You” and “Here I Am, the One That You Love” (now I’m singing all those songs in my head!), but when he tried to play Journey for me in the car when he was visiting, I was shocked and thought it was worldly and evil so he threw the tape out the car window!!! (I hadn’t asked him to do that, btw!)
I didn’t move very far beyond Steve Green for years though, but four years ago, I went to a Casting Crowns concert. That was kind of scary for me, but I loved it.
My first movie: I was 23 years old. My fiance (same guy as above) took me to see “Patriot Games”. I enjoyed the movie but was very nervous that the Rapture would happen and Jesus would return to find me in a movie theater.
Clothes weren’t as big a deal for me as our church didn’t push skirts-only and my parents (who did prefer skirts) were flexible. I did wear a mini-skirt on my honeymoon and felt very daring!
Your music transition sounds a lot like mine. My husband introduced me to Steve Green and Michael Card and over the first year or so of our marriage they became acceptable (and now very much beloved). We eventually discovered Casting Crowns, too.
As a freshman in high school, my band went on a class trip to Hawaii. I saw “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Wayne’s World 2” in the theaters.
I am pretty sure I saw both of those in the theater too. Good times…
After we were married we went to see the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie in the theater. It was the first time either of us had seen a movie in a theater. We started going regularly after that.
We found that this could get us into trouble since my wife’s fundy parents were “agin’ goin’ to the picture-show” but, as is often the case, were quite into movies otherwise. They would invite us over to see a movie as soon as it came out on DVD. We would sit quietly and watch it even though we had already seen it in the theater! This was really hard to do when we knew that the movie was not worth watching.
While at Fundy U I discovered that I liked lots of different kinds of music. I set all of my car radio’s presets to stations that would not have been approved. 😀
I still am uncomfortable wearing shorts. I guess it is because I grew up hearing preaching against shorts. I am working on it though!
Why is it ok to watch it on DVD? Never understood that. Still supports the industry.
I stopped looking over my shoulder looking for Jesus a long time ago. I think he would get some pop corn and join us, as long as he didn’t tell us how it ends!
In the fundy circle I’m in, some believe that movies are all right so long as you don’t pay for them. So getting a DVD for free at the library or using a free Redbox code is fine because none of your money is “supporting the industry.” Some of those same people will watch movies that are rated R, even, so long as the movie is compatible with their TV Guardian so all cussing can be blocked out. Those are the strictest people in our church though (mainly some of the staff), but there are plenty of us who will pay for a good movie and watch movies without using a TV Guardian. At HAC, the only job we could have was telemarketing, and we were cursed at frequently by people we would phone. So I always thought that HAC or FBC couldn’t really make the argument that you shouldn’t watch movies with cursing if they’d send the college girls to a job where they were paid to listen to swearing (the money from that job paid my school bill and all the furniture for my first apartment, so I’m not too ungrateful).
telemarketing? This was the only job women could get or anyone working off campus? I guess it prepares you to badger people when you are soul winning and not take no for an answer?
one of my first jobs was selling the local paper via telemarketing. I stank at it. It was commission based and I could never sell a paper. They said no, I hung up.
Yeah, never understood how the movies were bad, but the same thing on DVD (from a rental store, no less!) was ok. Our pastor’s family was two-faced like that. He ranted and ranted against movies, then they would all go to Blockbuster and rent the newest releases. Stuuuupid….so glad I left Fundy Hell.
Q: Why are movies in theaters taboo while rented DVD’s are okay?
A: Because Fundy’s DVDs are sanctified when they are scanned at Blockbuster or Netflix. *Netflix being preferred because your fundy church friends can’t see what they are renting*
First time listening to unapproved music: I was 15, listening to Bible Broadcasting Network and was tryying to find the local big band station. I heard the local hit station playing ‘Nsync’s song “Bye Bye Bye” instead. Was totally hooked.
First music purchase: ‘Nsync’s album “No Strings Attached” at age 16. I was so nervous about buying it that I almost stole it instead. After I bought it, I cried in the car because I thought I had been such a bad testimony to the woman at the store that I would never be able to witness to her if I saw her again.
First PG-13 movie: My friends were watching “POTC: Curse of the Black Pearl” at a sleep over. I was going to go to bed, but they told me I had to see Captain Sparrow’s funny entrance in the film instead. I was enthralled and watched the whole movie.
First R-rated movie: Air Force One at home with my husband.
First concert: Josh Groban (He was NOT approved by my parents, and I saw my mom’s brother at the concert. I emailed him the next day asking him not to tell my mom he saw me.)
First sip of alcohol: I tasted a friend’s stawberry daiquiri at Applebee’s. Soon after another friend offered me a glass of cabernet sauvignon at her house. That night my husband (who was still a student at Fundy U) and I bought three small bottles of wine to taste test. We have a wine rack at home now.
First kiss: in public at a local park when he and I were both students at Fundy U. We’re married now.
First movie in a theater: Goonies. During the semester at a Bible college in which it was against the rules to go to the theater. What did I feel? A complete lack of guilt or shame or remorse – I wasn’t even worried about Jesus coming back while I was there. Mainly, I realized that it was no big deal. After that, I went to a lot of movies during the semester – never got caught.
I did this, too. I kept my mouth shut about it at the time, though, because it would have been automatic expulsion, given the movies my friend and I saw.
Beauty and the Beast, in a theater at the age of 17. I felt so dirty afterward.
Thanks for the good laugh. My favorite response by far.
First movie: my parents (dad was a deacon, mom a IFB PK) took us to see Peter Pan. I was in the 6th grade. We were sworn to secrecy. So all of my friends were seeing Grease and I saw Peter Pan.
First beer: I was 22, in the lounge at school, playing a game with friends. Because it was at the hospital our campus was “dry”. A friend brought some beer and gave me one. I thought it tasted like crap. I poured it into a potted rubber tree plant. It died.
So not only did I have my first beer, but I also killed a plant. I soon aquired the taste for beer and became the party animal – I flunked a semester of school.
My parents now drink too.
First dance: went to Sadie Hawkins in High School, but my parents told me I couldn’t dance. It was nothing like I expected and I didn’t dance. The first time I danced was in college. I said I looked stupid, the girl said look at everyone else.
First Record – Sandie Patti. What a freak I was. My Baptist grandparents didn’t like her.
Like a badass. What am I referring to, you ask? The first time I listened to Evanescence. World. Opened. UP.
My family was visiting my brothers at BJU while I was about 14 when I learned that my parents were goign on a day trip with my aunt and uncle who live there [BJU faculty at the time]. I knew I would be stuck around their house all day while my cousins were at school [BJA]. Knowing this, I snuck down to the movie theater down the street from the University, alone, and saw my first movie at a theater. The movie was, by the way, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. I still chuckle everytime I see the movie on TV or at the store.
Curiously, my family in Greenville cut their BJU ties several years ago and would now have no problem with it. They laughed when I told them the story years later. My cousins, at the time, thought I was so brave when I told them what I did. I just can’t imagine a teenager getting in trouble for seeing a fairly wholesome movie.
To add clarification: Although my parents are fundies, they never has a problem with movies unless there was sex and drugs type stuff; They enjoyed movies like the rest of us. I was also permitted to listen to pop music; again, as long as it wasn’t filthy. But they were hung up against going to movie theaters or restaurants that serve alcohol.
Also, I can’t believe you guys know the ratings of most of these movies. I never paid any attention to movie ratings and I still don’t. I rarely go to the movies anyway because they’re overpriced and I’d rather watch them at home.
Same here, Pete. I couldn’t tell you what most movies I’ve seen have been rated. And I only go see a movie in a theatre if I know it would be better in a theatre. Most of the time, I’d rather wait until they come out On Demand, where I can watch them from my couch, unlimited (cheap) sodas on hand, snacks of my own choosing nearby, lol.
When I was 9 I went to a wedding with a neighbor and they had a dance. I had a great time dancing, but as soon as I came home, I went crying and confessed my sins to my parents.
When I was 12 I went to an Amy Grant concert with my grandma. Yup…I had explain to my unsaved grandma we couldn’t tell my mom because Amy Grant was against our religion.
My older sis took me when I was 14 to see Parenthood in the theatres while she was home on break from HAC, I do not think either one of us got the funny parts.
I snuck jeans as soon as I turned 16 and wore them everywhere I went. I also started drinking booze and smoked cigarettes. I was a lost cause by then.
..I think it all started with the dancing.
One of the first things I did upon leaving Fundydom was to go out and purchase a TNIV 👿
First Theater Movie: The Lion King. (I got demerits at school for watching it with my parents! 👿 )
First Music: I had a Sony Walkman cassette recorder and caught a few minutes of songs on the Disney Channel Radio. I kept that secret tape forever! The second time was when I heard the group Rammstein on a target’s video we were investigating overseas in the Army. I was hooked as I had to translate it from German. 😎
First Clothes: PT Shorts when I first joined the Army. THAT felt really weird the first week! 😆
First Contact with Female: My wife (while dating). I think I placed my hand on her thigh while sitting next to each other watching a movie at her parent’s house. We learned to pull a blanket over us so we could get away with just a little more. It felt so awesome just to hold hands and touch! We of course didn’t go “all the way” until our honeymoon night like “all” good Fundies do. 🙄
First Drink: Wine at Olive Garden. It was NASTY but totally freeing! My wife scowled at me accepting the free sample for the first time. 😈 Now I’ve got some Bacardi and Malibu in the fridge.
I’ve never been big on alcohol, but I can handle some kinds of drinks. Wine, though, I’ve never figured out. It tastes more like rotted grape juice to me, lol. I just can’t get past the *gag* factor of it.
Yeah I don’t much care for wine unless it’s the German Gluhwein around Christmas time. That stuff is da shizzle!
The rums I like because they’re *almost* like flavoring syrups you can add to all kinds of drinks to “spice” things up a bit. It’s like adding an extra dimension to drinks. 😀
I don’t know that I’ve even had rum unless it’s in something else, lol. I can do martinis — lemon drops or whatever. And goldschlager is a particular favorite. But that’s about as far as I go, other than frou frou drinks, like pina coladas and such. I drink maybe a couple times a year, tops. Scotch sounds good in theory (as in, butterscotch), but I have no idea if it actually tastes good, lol.
Go to a wine tasting. Although, I don’t really recommend wineries around here.
The school having the nerve to give you demerits when it was YOUR PARENTS who took you to The Lion King? That’s crazy, but that’s just fundy for you.
First pair of jeans: ironically, in the girls’ dorm at BJU.
First unapproved music? The Beatles’ Abbey Road 🙂 My mom found it and was really upset and then about 20 minutes later my dad gave it back to me and said I can listen to what I want. Still one of my favorite albums.
First Movie in a Theater? Chronicles of Narnia
My first unapproved piece of clothing is my Lynyrd Skynyrd hat. My parents still give me funny looks for that.
My first bit of alcohol was during communion at a Presbyterian church. Honestly, going to a Presbyterian church was a bigger deal than the thimble full of wine (which was nasty, btw)
I never totally conformed and followed all the rules, and I broke some before I knew the rules existed. I did play by some of the rules to keep the peace among my fundy friends:
Secular music: I had stopped listening to all secular music but thought that was stupid so I started back but would put the radio station back to the Christian station before I got out of the car. One day I forgot and it was on the hard rock station. A fundy was about to get in my car to go to dinner with me. I quickly locked the doors then pressed the unlock button once and got in the driver’s side, put the keys in, changed the station back while pretending not to notice my passenger was locked out. The first time I listened to secular music after giving it up, I thought God would cause me to have a car crash.
Wine: I had stopped drinking wine even though I didn’t think it was a sin. I was at Olive Garden with my grandparents. My grandfather was dying at the time and he and I always joked about how it would be nice if I could have wine with him. So I threw the rules out the window and ordered a glass of wine with my dinner and had some wine with my grandparents. I’m so glad I did. Even though I was in another town, I still worried about being seen.
Pants: The first time I wore pants to a service at my new church I felt free. I felt like no one cared what I wore, I wasn’t putting on a fashion show, and I felt just as ladylike in my pants as I have in any skirt. It’s about how a lady carries herself, not whether or not she’s wearing a skirt.
Buying wine: The first time I bought wine at the regular grocery store, I looked over my shoulder constantly, afraid I would offend someone. My heart was about to beat out of my chest. I knew I wasn’t sinning but I couldn’t shake the fear of upsetting church members over the issue.
Shorts in public: I always wore shorts but when I held a position at church, I stopped because I had heard some women were getting talked to about being seen in shorts in public. I was helping my sister set up for her wedding and I had on regular cute shorts. I had to run to the big box store for more supplies and ran into half the church there. I told my husband about it and he said “Well if you gave them something to talk about that takes the heat off someone else…and you look good in those shorts.”
My first theater movie was Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The first one I snuck in to see was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I was on break at school and could have gotten into trouble.
I wore my first pair of jeans while ice skating. I think I was 17?
First movie after leaving: Harry Potter and the Half blood prince.
First time wearing pants in public: first say of my senior year of high school.
First time purchasing unapproved music: senior year, Evanescence.
I’d spent so long in Fundyland, I still can’t bring myself to wear shorts shorter than my knees. I just feel akward. So glad I’m out because the music world is amazing.
My first secular music was evanescence and Linkin park! My mom said they were “dark and un-christlike”.
First movie in a theater: Robin Hood: Men in Tights (I didn’t choose–I was in high school and went with my brother and a couple of his friends)
First movie after leaving: Cars (Took the kids who were 3 and 5 at the time. They LOVED it!)
First unapproved music: Random CCM, but the big one was the soundtrack to The Bodyguard. My mom eventually made me get rid of it, but I still remember most of the songs! I also remember leaving BJU campus for Christmas break and going across the street to the Christian bookstore and buying a Steven Curtis Chapman CD to listen to on the 10 hour ride home.
Clothing wasn’t as much of an issue until later in my fundy experience. I remember getting the stink eye for wearing pants (as a youth leader) when we took our kids to snow camp…in January…in norther Michigan. It wasn’t exactly warm there and snow was literally 2 feet deep.
Alcohol didn’t come until after leaving. I’m definitely a fruity drink kind of girl, but I’ve found a few wines I like. The first time I was carded…I was 33! 😀
I almost forgot! Not my first “bad” concert, but a notable one. I went to see Steven Curtis Chapman when I was a student at BJU. I was a married, town student by then, so I had more freedom than the typical dorm student. My husband and I had awesome seats…looked down our row…and saw a couple other students that we recognized but didn’t know. We all smiled and nodded and went on to enjoy the evening.
My first movie was after college, “Day After Tomorrow”, didn’t realize you where supposed to pay for the ticket outside, then go in 😳 I’ve since become a pro, though now I’m content to just see movies that look and sound best on the big screen, up next, “The Avengers”. Pretty sure my first DVD purchase was a Disney movie.
As a young teen I listened to a station that played old time radio from 8 or so in the evening till past midnight. They played a commercial for Phantom of the Opera and I was hooked, next time we went to the library I checked the soundtrack out on the sly, copied it, and pretty much wore the tape out over the next year. In college my friends introduced me to country music and my first unapproved music purchase was a Shania Twain CD.
First wore jeans at a BJU work day but felt so uncomfortable I didn’t try wearing pants again till 2 years after I graduated. Don’t really remember much about that but do remember how shocked my coworkers where when I first showed up at work in the normal scrubs instead of culottes!
First time I wore pants to church it was a two for one, went to a non baptist church and wore pants, figured if I was going to be a rebel I might as well go all the way.
After going all rebel with non-baptist churches I decided it was time to try alcohol. First drink was a sip of Corona from my roommates stock, yuck. Also tried straight Disaronno not realizing that’s what it was 😯 once I stopped coughing and could see again I decided the taste was okay but moderation and mixing it with other stuff was definitely the way to go. Once my roommate finished laughing, she took charge and would fix me small amounts of various drinks, with adequate sweeting its all good. Wine is a lot of hit and miss, mostly miss, so far have only liked a few sweet white wines. And communion wine is just nasty.
I remember the first time my “fundy-light” Mom did something that shocked me. In highschool our pastor had ranted against Titanic and our school had a no movie rule, even in your home if it was not G or PG. She rented it and let me watch it just because of the curiosity induced by the “preaching”.
First movie in a theatre: An American Tail. My little brother had talked of nothing else, so my parents took us all for his birthday. We drove an hour away and were sworn to secrecy.
First movie by choice: Jumanji. I was in college & could’ve gotten expelled. I felt daring, jubilant. And then guilty for breaking the rules. Bleh.
First alcoholic drink: champagne on my honeymoon. I was 22. Since then, I’ve had sips of various potables, but still don’t really drink. I do like Kahlua & Captain Morgan in my coffee, though! (Not together)
First bad clothing: my church & my school were on 2 different wavelengths, so I wore shorts (real ones) during the summer. I did feel terribly lascivious when I purchased my first pair of thing underwear, though.
First bad music purchase: a John Michael Montgomery single. Second purchase: Gangsta’s Paradise. Obviously, there was some deep self-discovery going on! 😆
First unapproved concert: Sawyer Brown; I went w/some people from work (again, on break from Fundy U) & prayed I wouldn’t end up on the news b/c of some freak accident. 😕 Second concert was Toby Keith. I was engaged & went with a totally platonic male friend. I couldn’t enjoy the concert b/c I felt like I was cheating, despite the fact my fiancé knew told me to have a good time.
The Fundy shame train…gotta love it! 🙄
I grew up very liberal fundy then, because I remember seeing movies in theaters as young as four.
On the other hand, the first R-rated movie I saw (something my mother had never done at the time I did it) was at 17. My Dad took me to see 1984, since I had read it to the point I could quote long passages of it.
I’d acquired a taste for rock music in the 90s. But the first time I heard a KISS song (KISS was the worst of the worst when it came to rock music) was a few years ago on American Idol when Adam Lambert did “Beth.” My response was “What? Since when is this bad news?”
I was always allowed to wear pants (it saved questions about my constantly skinned knees) and read anything I wanted.
My first visit to the theater was to see “Encino Man”. My first devil-music purchase was a cassette tape album of “Sister Hazel”.
I was not known for my good taste back in those days.
I’m just gonna plead the 5th on all those–a 5th of Jack.
Sat on the balcony of our apartment on our honeymoon and watched Star Wars (with no sound) at the drive in theater across the street.
Then for the REAL first movie, some movie with Meryl Streep or someone like that about some kind of nuclear contamination or something… Horrible movie, great experience.
All the rest of the firsts I guess I am still waiting for. I used to listen to “Rock n Roll” music, but I did that in High School secretly too. I never have smoked, or drank or used any drugs other than aspirin for a headache. I have never felt comfortable with any of that stuff other than I feel like I can pretend to be “normal” by doing those things I previously wasn’t allowed to do. I never actually feel normal though.
Ah, Silkwood. And Cher played a lesbian in that movie. I rather liked that movie; saw it again through netflix recently.
What is it with Casting Crowns? Did they speak out against IFB?
It was only last year (after about 6 months in the IBF) that I found out that movies were wrong. And that my precious Third Day was wrong. And there was so much more. I was in shock. That was my first clue that something wasn’t right.
If that is your conviction, then I am alright with that. But to tell me that taking my daughter to see Rapunzel for her birthday is wrong? And then I heard the PK’s talking about loving that very movie. At the time they said that it was not out on video yet. I kept that to myself because I don’t like to cause a stink. But the double standard is long and wide.
I totally agree that if someone feels something is wrong, they shouldn’t do it. But it’s not fair to put that restriction on other believers.
Casting Crowns is “wrong” because they use drums and vocal slides and electric guitars and have “worldly” dress styles, according to the IFB. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?
Oh. First time I wore pants. When I was pregnant and they were required for my Lamaze class. I wore my husband’s. Second time I wore pants was when we left the church and I got a job in a health club. I wore sweats at first, then progressed to jeans. Then from there the fundy dress code sort of disappeared and I wore (and didn’t wear) just about everything. I made up for all the years of uber-modesty by being the one who was wearing leather mini-skirts and halter tops. Ahhhh… fun.
While I was a full-time student at PCC in 1980, I rode my motorcycle to a nearby town to watch Brooke Shields— I mean, Blue Lagoon at the theater. Loved it.
Hmmmm….
Pants — 11th grade. My parents finally said I could wear them. Too bad that a few years at HAC made me change my mind. Now I’ve been so verbal against them that it will be hard to start wearing them regularly again. Plus, my husband says I can, but he’s not totally convinced it’s okay (anybody have any advice on that one? He’s open to other opinions, I think, but going against something you’ve been told ALL YOUR LIFE isn’t easy). I do wear them when we’re out of town or something and I’m sure we won’t see anyone we know.
Movie — Dennis the Menace in 7th grade, and my Grandma took fundy little me. Haven’t been back since just because I think the cost is stupid. We do use Redbox every so often. We thought about taking our child to see Cars 2 at the local drive-in theater last year, but it didn’t work with our schedules and we’re tentative about it (we’re way too involved with an uber-fundy church), so we haven’t made the leap yet. Maybe this summer.
Alcohol — just isopropyl. Although at Thanksgiving I did pass the wine bottle to my non-fundy uncle. That’s actually a big step for those of us who’ve been told to not contribute at all to helping another person drink.
Mixed swimming — we went to a water park last year (we were out of town, of course) in swimming suits. Super fun — my husband even asked if we should go back to that particular town this summer so we could go there again. Big step for us, and our child loved it.
Music — I copied a friend’s (don’t laugh) Spice Girls CD in 11th grade. Didn’t stick, though. I mostly listen to happy Christian music (I like choirs and instrumentals). I’m kind of a dork.
Lastly, I started reading this site last spring. Probably the biggest fundy no-no. 😉
You have a drive thru? 😯
>>me so Jealous!
Apparently most everyone here was breaking fundy rules all along the way
😈
…so maybe were never fundies to begin with
Oh yes… I went to see Jingle All the Way with my cousin, who was a more laid back Southern Baptist. I got in SO MUCH TROUBLE with my parents! I was 15 🙂
I can’t remember if it was listening to a pop station under the sheets at night, or when I got my own library card and snuck back the Harry potter book to my house to read in my room with my door closed. I actually got in trouble for listening to pop music; my mom came in the room and took my radio, and then she stormed back in and interigated me as to what I was listening to. It was a scary night! She finally caught me reading Harry Potter around the third or fourth book, and because I hadn’t spontaneously burst into flames, turned gay, or voted democrat (yet), I guess she decided then that they are ok and let me finish the series.
Oh and there was also in middle school I snuck over to my friends house to play Halo!
I was raised fundy-lite (less dress code, more homeschooling, Josh Harris, and God-and-country), so my firsts aren’t quite as dramatic.
Harry Potter is still a favourite book because it represents a break with fundy reading rules. I, like everyone else, condemned it when it came out and explained in great detail how it was different from LOTR and Narnia. Then I got curious and decided to judge it for myself, on its own merits. I read it and was hooked.
I love wine because wine also symbolizes liberty, not law. My parents never drank when I was growing up, and I got the impression that it was evil to drink. I had my first drink when I was 24. I was at a party, and I expressed a little too much interest in a white plum wine. It tasted AWFUL. I had been told a few weeks back that vanilla extract was essentially alcohol, and all I could think of was how much this drink tasted like vanilla. I have some Pinot Grigio in my fridge right now, though, and a few favourite wines as well. 😆
First unapproved CD – Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right, but Three Do by Relient K, which contains the all-time classic, “Mood Rings.” Age fourteen. Exhilarated, terrified of being found out. Kept it in my Bible case for safe-keeping.
First non-Christian CD – Feels Like Today by Rascal Flatts. It’s still one of the happiest CDs I’ve ever owned.
First unapproved clothing – skinny jeans from the women’s rack in Goodwill. Don’t judge me, they didn’t make skinny jeans for men in 2006!
First trip to the Moviehouse – District 9.
A truly mind-altering experience.
(although what could be as awesome on a forty-foot-wide screen as a guy in an exosuit shooting a pig at someone? )
I was 16 and started dating a guy from work. He was Muslim so definitely not fundy approved and the no touch rule was not observed.