Jen Hatmaker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea that this gal can just jaunt off for a MONTH of “me time” is the most, absurd, selfish, unrelatable piece of her whole persona. I’m sorry, what adult woman — IN THE WORLD — is able to do this? I cannot.

I kind of get it. She only has 2 kids left at home, if you count Ben who is headed to college in the fall. Remy is away at camp, Ben presumably can stay with Brandon or an older sibling. So no parenting responsibilities. She also has the kind of job you can do at any time from anywhere. I think she mentioned something about finishing up a book...I presume she means writing one. It's not unheard of for writers to head off for a change of scenery when they are working on wrapping up a project. I have a friend who packed up herself and her family and spent a few months at Myrtle Beach last year because her daughter was doing distance learning and she and her husband had portable jobs. So logistically, sure, there are people who can do it.

Now, could most of us AFFORD a month of "me time" vacation rentals, car rental, etc? Umm, nope. That part is unrelatable. I think we did a 3 night rental and Grand Marais and it was something like $1100, for a tiny bungalow (which was adorable, but my husband couldn't stand up straight in the shower ). So, 3 weeks? I think I've sussed out where she's staying based on the video she shot from her back yard and the fact that the donut place is right by it. Similar rental price, a 2 week stay with all fees is about $6000. Toss in car rental for a few weeks...$2000? (I don't rent cars often.) It's possible, but I think most of us would hesitate even if we COULD afford to pay it. Ya girl has money, I have no doubt about that.

[Anonymous]

(Also if she's eating out every single day even for one meal, that will add up too.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stand corrected, thanks for the feedback. Then who are her followers? She has alienated the evangelicals, conservatives, Bible scholars, lovers of authenticity, haters of hypocrisy and those suspicious of snake oil saleswomen. Who does that leave?

I think some of the subsequent comments nailed it. The 40-something woman who married young and is starting to face up to the reality that life hasn't always gone according to plan. Maybe she's divorced, maybe she's bored, maybe she's exhausted from parenting, maybe she's lonely for a close-knit friend group. She gets to live vicariously through Jen. She may be at the end of the rope, but there's Jen, dangling the tantalizing idea of 'Me Camp.' And this woman thinks 'maybe, someday that can be me.' I also think there's a strong desire to feel 'cool kid adjacent.' Thus the constant barrage of "where did you get that bikini/lipstick/sandals/tummy tuck?" Because if we wear the Jen Hatmaker sandals maybe we'll be a little bit cool too. (I say 'we' because I've spent years trying to be cool by copying other people. Blah. Life got better when I realized I could just be my strange and unusual self.) And that's Jen's brand...always has been. She's the 'cool kid.' What shifts is the group she's coopting for her coolness.

Except… there’s nothing cool about her. She’s basic and try hard in every way. I totally disagree that anyone finds her “cool.” 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stand corrected, thanks for the feedback. Then who are her followers? She has alienated the evangelicals, conservatives, Bible scholars, lovers of authenticity, haters of hypocrisy and those suspicious of snake oil saleswomen. Who does that leave?

I think some of the subsequent comments nailed it. The 40-something woman who married young and is starting to face up to the reality that life hasn't always gone according to plan. Maybe she's divorced, maybe she's bored, maybe she's exhausted from parenting, maybe she's lonely for a close-knit friend group. She gets to live vicariously through Jen. She may be at the end of the rope, but there's Jen, dangling the tantalizing idea of 'Me Camp.' And this woman thinks 'maybe, someday that can be me.' I also think there's a strong desire to feel 'cool kid adjacent.' Thus the constant barrage of "where did you get that bikini/lipstick/sandals/tummy tuck?" Because if we wear the Jen Hatmaker sandals maybe we'll be a little bit cool too. (I say 'we' because I've spent years trying to be cool by copying other people. Blah. Life got better when I realized I could just be my strange and unusual self.) And that's Jen's brand...always has been. She's the 'cool kid.' What shifts is the group she's coopting for her coolness.

Except… there’s nothing cool about her. She’s basic and try hard in every way. I totally disagree that anyone finds her “cool.” 😂

YESSSS! I’m 10 maybe 15 years younger than Jen (not exactly sure how old she is) and back when she was super popular and all my friends were always sharing her posts on Facebook the only thing I really liked about her was how decidedly uncool she was. The giant earrings, ballerina bun, and riding boots that were a good 5 years out of style back then - and that she still wears now btw - kind of endeared her to me. She reminded me of that aunt everyone loves who is really sweet and fun and thinks Carrabbas is the best restaurant EVER! I saw her as this sheltered Christian mom who had a fun senses of humor. She didn’t come across as someone who tried too hard back then. Then she started trying. So hard. And the thing I liked most about her - her complete and utter uncoolness 😂 became the thing that made me unfollow her everywhere and quit buying her books. I wish she could be comfortable in her skin again. Because when someone tries too hard and is desperate and insecure and uncomfortable with who they are, it makes everyone uncomfortable to watch/be around them.

[Anonymous]

Jen is such a try hard. Remember her super mega Broadway booster phase? About how she did river Hamilton like two years after everyone else did and went on and on and on about it?

Someone told her that big feather earrings looked cool back in 2012 and she’s going to ride that horse until kingdom come.

Middles aged people are really cool and that’s okay. Just be yourself and quit trying so hard. It’s like her ex and his wallet chain, leather, tats, and cap. Dude, you’re a guy from small town Kansas. You’re not a member of the Hell’s Angels suddenly at 40.

Nothing is more cringe, to borrow a phrase from my kids, then adults in their 40s trying to be cool. Not as a wink wink joke. No, really trying to be cool. There nothing less cool
than that.

Few people are in desperate need of a new act than Jen.

[Anonymous]

I'm coming more and more to think that the reaction to her and Brandon's LGBQ "revelation" from their deep study and 'discovering' that 2000 years of Christian theology was incorrect,
was a major tipping point. Perhaps she misjudged her influence and the loyalty of her followers, but I think she was actually stunned by the pushback.
She actually did a post about how she really finally understood Good Friday, because she'd been betrayed by her friends, too.
That started the de-converting ball rolling.
Insights from some here who actually knew them in her church life makes this more understandable. I have to wonder, what did she think would happen?

[Anonymous]

Yes! Along with "2000 years of Christianity had it all wrong", there was hating half of all Christians because they are haters. Foolish arrogance and bigotry, and the tribe eats it up.

Really, what would be the odds that Jen and Brandon Hatmaker would suddenly have a new, clear, superior understanding of the truths of God that have escaped the faithful saints, clergy, theologians, and rank and file believers since Jesus walked the earth?

Pride goeth before a fall...

[Anonymous]

Then, too, that was a very public kind of fall from grace.
When Lifeways removes your books, it's not like being able to just quickly delete critical comments on FB.
I wondered at the time if they had run this by any trusted friends to get a critique, or some counsel on how to handle the announcement but I guess not.
Because the accounts sounded pretty ham-handed and yeah, arrogant.

[Anonymous]

ANC’s rank and file were utterly dumbstruck by Jen’s interview. Several of the elders were utterly confused and taken by surprise, including one very beloved elder who was dying of cancer at the time.

There was then a mad scramble to make the pronouncement “official” for the church but it was all nakedly transparently biased and one sided.

The leadership that remained then hosted a bunch of Q&A’s to address this news but they only invited in super biased voices like Matthew Vines.

The damage though was done and well over 50% of the partners headed for the exits.

[Anonymous]

Now ANC is a shell of what it was. Only about 20-30 people during the services not part of the worship staff.

[Anonymous]

The Hatmakers don’t even go anymore.

[Anonymous]

The guy the Hatmakers who was hired to lead the church is from Osteen’s church and wears a dumb influencer hat. A really slimey sort and a total try-hard.

That dude probably thought he was going to ride Jen’s coattails to some sort of Rob Bell like fame, get the book and media deals, become a famous voice , etc.

Man, I bet he regrets that decision now.

He’s now shepherding a ghost ship of a church heading for some nasty rocks .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Here's my take.
So much of the American Church has become so consumer driven in the past few decades. Megachurches, cult of personality, pastor sneaker, private jets, Six Flags Over Jesus, aka Christian Me Camp.

Jen came out of that. Before they started ANC she and B were at a snooty Westlake church that wanted real bad to be a megachurch like 2nd Baptist in Houston or Fellowship in Grapevine or Saddleback or Hillsong. That's where she first tried to be Cute Famous Jesus Lovin Jen and published a few books, but it hit a wall. Schtick fail #1.

So then they decide to become the sjw-erist Christian SJWs you can possibly be. They were the BEST CHRISTIAN SJWs EVAH Y'ALL. Problem was, as the many ex-ANC members on this board have testified, they really, like, weren't that into it. Running a church is really hard and boring and real homeless people are, like, icky. They had some great members who happily then begrudgingly floated them for years until they stabbed them in the back by announcing that ANC had decided to becoming LGBT+ affirming. Problem was, only jen and brandon and tray had actually decided that. So then the friends who had already clued into the fact that Brandon (and Tray) sucked at the whole pastoring a church thing but were happy for everyone else to do the actual work so that Jen could post it on her socials then disappear again came to their senses and left.

Schtick fail #2.

I mean the guy they hired to take over the BEST CHRISTIAN SJWs EVAH Y'ALL church came from JOEL OSTEEN. Whose church is a bajillion dollar 24/7 me-camp. The guy they claimed to be the opposite of. JOEL. EFFING. OSTEEN.

At the end of the day, it's always been about Jen. She's been at Me Camp ~50 years going strong. She's evolved from being a product of Consumer Christianity to being a diplomat for it. Same song, updated lyrics. Jen hasn't changed at all. We were just gullible. Y'all. Until we weren't.

Thanks for your take, Brandon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm coming more and more to think that the reaction to her and Brandon's LGBQ "revelation" from their deep study and 'discovering' that 2000 years of Christian theology was incorrect,
was a major tipping point. Perhaps she misjudged her influence and the loyalty of her followers, but I think she was actually stunned by the pushback.
She actually did a post about how she really finally understood Good Friday, because she'd been betrayed by her friends, too.
That started the de-converting ball rolling.
Insights from some here who actually knew them in her church life makes this more understandable. I have to wonder, what did she think would happen?

I remember that post about how she finally understood Good Friday. I was like huh???? How did Jesus being beaten and laying there with nails being pounded thru his skin and bones, and then hanging by his skin and bones for hours compare to her losing half her followers and money from books and facing the blowback as a result of her own actions? Oh, that’s right. His followers deserted him too. 🙄

The major eye roll was the obviously posed picture of her sitting on the deck with a glass of wine looking mournfully out over the lake.

[Anonymous]

I had forgotten the photo on the dock.
I had only read Seven, but that post made it clear that she was someone to steer clear of.

Thanks for the insights. Will just be praying for them.