I just want to know who pays for her kids to travel the world for months! I admit I'm kind of jealous, especially with all the traveling Jen does too. I guess she must be making money doing what she's doing.

I don't think what is here is "extreme hate". What I have observed is a recurring theme of Christian women here challenging Jen's history within the church, profiting off of her connection to the church, her invention of her own church, and where she stands in her belief now. I see genuine questions about---and a deep valuing of--faith and Scripture.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She always paints the entire church based upon her narrow microcosm of spiritual community from the 80s and 90s, mostly.
Her use of "teenage child bride" is irksome. There are actual child brides in the world, Jen. And it's horrific.
The NYT commenters are all banging out the same "I left religion/the church/God and am living a more moral life than anyone who remained" schtick. Don't change, Times, don't change. Tiresome.

The irony of these people is that apart from their self congratulations and lack of self-awareness, they don't even realize that many of the moral beliefs they take for granted, like compassion, protecting the weak, and belief in the importance of individuals, find their roots in Christianity, the teachings of which have so deeply penetrated Western civilization that many think they can dispense with the root and keep the fruit.

^ This

X10000

Jen is obsessed with the trappings of fame and the public spotlight and all the goodies that can come with it. She had a taste at one time and would love to get some of that back. It’s what fuels her. In no possible way am I jealous. Her life seems like sheer hell. Everything is fake and shallow and transactional and an inch deep. And also super derivative and predictable. There’s no art or magic and real poetry in her. Jen is the sort of person that would have an existential crises of self if she lost a seat at the big girl media and influencer table, even for a second. The older I get the more that sort of life has no appeal to me whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:So I only know about Jen through this site and I agree that when I started following her she can seem a bit ridiculous at times. That said I was impressed when I listened to the podcast. She’s intelligent, thoughtful, well spoken and accomplished. Some real high profile people are on her book tour. So I wonder after all this time why the extreme hate and are you all as accomplished as she is?

Not Jen. Jen would never say "she can be ridiculous at times" about herself.

I'll agree she did sound intelligent and well-spoken in that interview. I didn't listen to all of it but I didn't notice any of those strange smacking noises she makes with her mouth. As for "real high profile," maybe Savannah Guthrie? Trisha Yearwood has been on her podcast before, multiple times and she hasn't had a charting hit in a long time, so I'd call her B list at best. She probably has some sort of transactional friendships with the rest of these people through publicists and since her memoir has gotten so much high-level press, bigger names are willing to commit to appearing with her. It's very quid pro quo.

The thing is, I don't see a lot of hate towards her here. There are some bitter bettys hanging around, sure, but she's mostly just someone we like to roll our eyes at.

People need to leave Jen alone rather than follow her obsessively and whine when she’s not perfect.

Anonymous wrote:So I only know about Jen through this site and I agree that when I started following her she can seem a bit ridiculous at times. That said I was impressed when I listened to the podcast. She’s intelligent, thoughtful, well spoken and accomplished. Some real high profile people are on her book tour. So I wonder after all this time why the extreme hate and are you all as accomplished as she is?

Why does everyone need to be "as accomplished as she is"? What's wrong with living a quiet life out of the spotlight, not needing to be constantly noticed?

And frankly, what has she "accomplished" that's so great? Writing a bunch of shallow books and preening on social media? Leading thousands of women into a me focused false version of Christianity?

Sorry not Jen . Sheesh

Hi Jen!

So I only know about Jen through this site and I agree that when I started following her she can seem a bit ridiculous at times. That said I was impressed when I listened to the podcast. She’s intelligent, thoughtful, well spoken and accomplished. Some real high profile people are on her book tour. So I wonder after all this time why the extreme hate and are you all as accomplished as she is?

It was 30 years ago. Get over it.

She's really doubling down and making the teenage child bride thing/it ruined her life in her recent Insta post. Yikes.