I plan to do a podcast interview of my partner, Polly. What questions would you like me to ask her? Please leave them in the comment section.
Questions for Polly
I plan to do a podcast interview of my partner, Polly. What questions would you like me to ask her? Please leave them in the comment section.
Perhaps I missed it somewhere on your blog, but I had been wondering about Polly’s journey to unbelief. Was her path independent of yours, or did you both do it together?
It’s unusual for two committed evangelicals to turn so radically atheist. To what extent was Polly affected by Bruce’s disillusionment, or was it the very fact of being married that somehow intertwined your views? Did Polly’s doubts maybe start to take root even before Bruce’s?
You’ve written a lot about your life as a preacher and Polly’s life as a preacher’s wife. I’d like to know how Polly would describe her life in those days as a preacher’s wife. In her view, was it as harsh as you sometimes describe? How about those figurines you got rid of that were her pride and joy? I’d just like to hear Polly’s feelings about her life then and how she feels about those days now. And, yay! I’m so excited to hear from Polly!
I am excited to hear from Polly!
Polly, when you were a teen,what were your hopes and dreams regarding adulthood?
What guidelines (if any) did your parents place regarding your desire to pursue education after high school? For example, did your parents tell you you had to go to a Christian college, or was that your choice? Did they put restrictions on what you could study (like, my mother-in-law was told by her parents she could only go to college to become a nurse or teacher)?
Did you ever have questions about the Bible or God that you felt no one totally answered?
Did you have any misgivijgs about being a submissive and obedient wife as taught by fundamentalist Christianity? How did you deal when/if Bruce madd a decision you didn’t agree with? Did you just remain silent and pray, or did you talk with Bruce?
How did it feel to wear pants for the 1st time? Did you hesitate, or feel sinful, or uncomfortable? Or were you excited?
How did you feel when you started managing other employees at work? Did that feel strange after years of being told women were supposed to be “helpmeets”?
Is there any advice you would like to give to your granddaughters that you wished you had received? Is there any different advice you would give to your grandsons?
Hey Polly, hope things are good. Glad you still get to work. Anyway, when Bruce started on his journey away from Christianity, how did you first feel? Were you upset, or were you pretty much on the same page from the beginning?
You have a Podcast?
Is there a time or times you listened to all the patriarchal rhetoric and thought to yourself, this doesn’t make sense?
My name is Polly. Are you a real Polly or is that a nickname? I’m a real Polly, that’s my given name. Were you teased relentlessly as a kid because of your name (Pollywannacracker, PollyPurebred, etc).? Did you get angry, sad or did you laugh it off?
Other commenters have already asked some of the questions I had in mind.
So I am left with these:
—When you attended Bible college, did you go with the intention of being a pastor’s wife? Or was that expected of you by your family/community/church?
—Bruce really seems to have developed a vast knowledge of the Bible, apologetics, commentary and scholarship. As his (or a pastor’s, in the broadest sense) wife, did you feel the need to be as, or nearly as, knowledgeable as he was/is? Or did you have any pressure from others—or yourself—not to equal or “outshine” him? And, did you harbor and/or suppress any secular education ambitions that couldn’t be realized in a Bible college or that would simply be discouraged or forbidden in your religious milieu.
—How did your relationship with your children and grandchildren change once you left the faith? Also, how did no longer being a pastor’s wife change you as a daughter, wife, mother or grandmother?
—You are and were a beautiful woman. In addition to dressing modestly and not wearing makeup, were there other ways you had to efface your beauty, physical or otherwise? And, if you did, were you still burdened with the blame for the attention men gave you?
Good morning,Polly. I have a question that is relevant to church attitudes and doctrines, especially today : how come pastors NEVER weigh in on the closed factories, and jobs sent overseas,and how this enforced unemployment led to opioid use, domestic violence, and homelessness by destroying living wages for blue collar workers ?? And this has been happening for over forty years , without a peep from churches ! Was this ever discussed at home or church events ?