Sweet Fellowship: Duggars and Friends (aka the Bates Family and Other Featured Families Thread)

[Sew Sumi]

Keep on saying that, Jessa. We know you're "just a family who happens to have a TV show." You just told us that yourself less than a year ago. All righty then, you keep on believing that, you little famewhore.  

At least the Bateses keep their mouths shut on that subject regarding their show-as-ministry. They've definitely learned from the Duggars' many, many mistakes. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

6 hours ago, FakeJoshDuggar said:

Home girl need to seriously lay off the black eyeliner under her eyes. It does her no favors. 

rodriguesfamilyministries.com/main/?page_id=1783

Actually Jill's eyeliner is not black.  It's a funky deep green, the color of a bruise on an anemic person.  I saw her do her eyes in her makeup tutorial video.  She just takes a cheap greasy makeup crayon and rings her eyes until she looks like Beetlejuice.   She follows that with several coats of mascara.  She must have to use a bath towel and an entire bottle of makeup remover to clean that mess off her face at night. 

In the picture of Timothy in Jill's Mother's Day self tribute, linked above, her son is shown kneeling on the ground.  Is that stuff littering the ground around him actual litter?  Because it looks like random trash just strewn about.  I think I see a couple of beer cans.  Sheesh.  I can't get the pic to post here, but go look ... blow it up.  Tell me that's not a bunch of TRASH all around him! 

Edited May 11, 2016 by Celia Rubenstein
I felt like it, stop nagging me

[riverblue22]

Yep, trash.

[OpieTaylor]

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

In the picture of Timothy in Jill's Mother's Day self tribute, linked above, her son is shown kneeling on the ground.  Is that stuff littering the ground around him actual litter?  Because it looks like random trash just strewn about.  I think I see a couple of beer cans.  Sheesh.  I can't get the pic to post here, but go look ... blow it up.  Tell me that's not a bunch of TRASH all around him! 

Yes! it definitely looks like beer or soda cans and maybe some other trash too

[MunichNark]

I just don't get this "I was able" thing. Why not say I did, I went, I could??

Tori looked so innocent on those older blog entries, now she is just obnoxious and loud. Sigh.

I was able to just look at someone called Courtney KG14 IG photos and one thing struck me yet again - there is a photo showing Josi wearing a Tshirt with a plunging neckline (with a layer under it, of course). Why is it okay to choose such an item? A deep neckline will not become modest just because you put something underneath. It still draws attention to it. I wouldn't wear such a thing and I'm not that hung up on modesty.

Here lies the tragedy I think. We ordinary heathens pay so much attention to their often minute details that they proclaim to live by that anything that doesn't conform to that is seen as hypocritical. Fair play to the girl for wearing a fairly short skirt and that Tshirt, but still....

[MargeGunderson]

8 hours ago, MunichNark said:

I just don't get this "I was able" thing. Why not say I did, I went, I could??

I assume it is shorthand for "by the grace and intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ......" because, well, Jesus. A constant reminder of how Jesus makes everything possible, even mundane things like having lunch. I'd like to think that somewhere Jesus is saying "leave me out of this mess."

[Arwen Evenstar]

28 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

I assume it is shorthand for "by the grace and intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ......" because, well, Jesus. A constant reminder of how Jesus makes everything possible, even mundane things like having lunch. I'd like to think that somewhere Jesus is saying "leave me out of this mess."

LOL!

After I read your post, I saw an oil painting of Jesus doing the SMH gesture!

i used to work with this lady who would often say..."the Lord told me..." One day, she told me.."The Lord told me to go to the bathroom..." 

Even though I knew her story was about confronting a coworker and he happened to be standing there en route to the ladies' room....it sounded so comical to me...I told her..."You know, I'd often wondered about that...."

Tha said, she was at least a sincere and authentic Christian woman, so unlike the ilk we love to snark on.

[Aja]

Very first entry I clicked on from the scrubbed Bateseseseseseses blog, on being missionaries:

"While there, we visited schools and were invited to teach character lessons. We also visited the Minister of Health, hospitals, orphanages, and Gypsy camps. We were able to share the Gospel message of love and encourage others through music and song. We were given a police escort through town with the President and Mayor of the county, while passing out tracts telling of God’s love. I think we all have a new perspective of life and missions."

Lol. At least Kelly Bates doesn't even try with the "danger! important mission! relate to locals!" crap that Jill and Derrick always vaguely insist upon even with zero evidence of it.

[BitterApple]

How the hell did Gil and Kelly afford to send the girls on Mission trips? They couldn't even make ends meet without Lawson subsidizing their income.

I'm always amazed at how much traveling these families do considering most of them don't have a pot to piss in. They can't buy their kids decent clothes or purchase health insurance, but gosh darn it they'll find a way to haul twenty people cross country to attend a baby shower for a woman they met once at a homeschool conference. It's mind boggling. 

[Aja]

14 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

How the hell did Gil and Kelly afford to send the girls on Mission trips? They couldn't even make ends meet without Lawson subsidizing their income.

I'm always amazed at how much traveling these families do considering most of them don't have a pot to piss in. They can't buy their kids decent clothes or purchase health insurance, but gosh darn it they'll find a way to haul twenty people cross country to attend a baby shower for a woman they met once at a homeschool conference. It's mind boggling. 

I may never stop lol-ing.

[becca3891]

11 hours ago, MunichNark said:

I just don't get this "I was able" thing. Why not say I did, I went, I could??

Tori looked so innocent on those older blog entries, now she is just obnoxious and loud. Sigh.

I was able to just look at someone called Courtney KG14 IG photos and one thing struck me yet again - there is a photo showing Josi wearing a Tshirt with a plunging neckline (with a layer under it, of course). Why is it okay to choose such an item? A deep neckline will not become modest just because you put something underneath. It still draws attention to it. I wouldn't wear such a thing and I'm not that hung up on modesty.

Here lies the tragedy I think. We ordinary heathens pay so much attention to their often minute details that they proclaim to live by that anything that doesn't conform to that is seen as hypocritical. Fair play to the girl for wearing a fairly short skirt and that Tshirt, but still....

Exactly, which is why Bill Got-hard warned against women's shirts with any kind of decoration which might direct the eye to the breasts. It's all supremely ridiculous, but yes, if you really are that hung up on modesty, I fail to understand why you wouldn't acknowledge that the best option is a baggy, floor length dress. Anything else and, admit it or not, you're trying to look good and show your body. Actually, loose pants would be a lot more modest than the skirts they're wearing lately, which are fairly tight and push the boundaries of knee length, especially when sitting.

2 hours ago, BitterApple said:

How the hell did Gil and Kelly afford to send the girls on Mission trips? They couldn't even make ends meet without Lawson subsidizing their income.

I'm always amazed at how much traveling these families do considering most of them don't have a pot to piss in. They can't buy their kids decent clothes or purchase health insurance, but gosh darn it they'll find a way to haul twenty people cross country to attend a baby shower for a woman they met once at a homeschool conference. It's mind boggling. 

I've often wondered about that. Now, the Bateses have trips paid for by the network, like the Duggars. They're fundy royalty. And we know the Rodrigueses just get by with endless grifting. But how does the average fundy family make it work, and how did the Bateses do it before they got their own show? It's always possible they were quietly grifting too. When you're part of an actual church, which they are, if you put out a "prayer request" that you're hoping to make it to the annual ATI conference or a fundy wedding/baby shower but are asking for the "Lord's provision" for funds, people in the congregation may well step up.

It's the ones who live totally under the radar that I worry about. The extreme home churchers and anti-doctor ones, whose children don't have Social Security numbers and who generally live in extreme poverty. Reminds me of Vyckie Garrison's story.

[satrunrose]

I have a couple of theories related to the insane amount of traveling the high-ups in Gothard seem to do. 

First, for the Rodrigui, I'm guessing that travel's the only way to get the kind of hand-outs they need to semi feed the kids without attracting the attention of child protective agencies.

For the Bates, Duggars, Maxwells, Pains, Wallers etc. I think this is the one place where they actually are 'encouraging'. By blowing into town with 12+ perfectly obedient kids (which is how it looks to the audiences), they are shoring up any miserable pop-up camper-dwelling quiverfulls who are considering giving it all up and doing something drastic like wearing pants, getting jobs and going to school. They're travelling salespeople for the movement. Follow "Mr Gothard"/Jesus, buy our books and pamphlets and you too can be the perfect patriarch and happy helpmeet. Yay...

[Sew Sumi]

[NewDigs]

I can't watch that video but can't look away.

Bitterness? I didn't think that was allowed. I didn't think they were supposed to know what bitterness is. God laid bitterness on their hearts? She let her sister get bedsores? I like to think I would visit enough for that not to happen. Divorce??? They're allowed to divorce?

I'd like to see the audience. Is there one?

Does she pop that stupid balloon? 

Her makeup, wow, Tammy Faye lives!

[Arwen Evenstar]

I don't think I could listen to her screechy Sarah Palin-esque voice for 60 seconds, let alone a whole hour of this drivel....Jayzus have mercy!!!!

Someone braver than me and with less sensitive auditory nerves, please take one for the team and let us know if there was anything of substance said....

[NewDigs]

It wasn't the voice that got to me as much as the message. I think I made it about 11 minutes in. I was concerned that I might roll my eyes right out of their sockets.

[Sew Sumi]

Oh darn, I'm at work and won't be home until about 10 eastern. #sobummed 

[NewDigs]

7 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Oh darn, I'm at work and won't be home until about 10 eastern. #sobummed 

Probably help to have a glass of wine or three.

[Arwen Evenstar]

5 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

Probably help to have a glass of wine or three.

I'm not sure there's enough wine to make this more palatable...I couldn't stand even a minute of it...I even went towards the middle and the end....about as engrossing as scrubbing my toilet.

[NewDigs]

I was surprised by what I considered to be contradictions to what I thought was their dogma. That grin-and-bear-it thing.

[sometimesy]

NewDigs, yah gotta wonder, it's kinda weird and confusing, so is she pretending there is an audience? She says  a 'bunch of you here today'.... crickets. Her daughters? 

Edited May 11, 2016 by sometimesy

[Churchhoney]

5 hours ago, becca3891 said:

Exactly, which is why Bill Got-hard warned against women's shirts with any kind of decoration which might direct the eye to the breasts. It's all supremely ridiculous, but yes, if you really are that hung up on modesty, I fail to understand why you wouldn't acknowledge that the best option is a baggy, floor length dress. Anything else and, admit it or not, you're trying to look good and show your body. Actually, loose pants would be a lot more modest than the skirts they're wearing lately, which are fairly tight and push the boundaries of knee length, especially when sitting.

I've often wondered about that. Now, the Bateses have trips paid for by the network, like the Duggars. They're fundy royalty. And we know the Rodrigueses just get by with endless grifting. But how does the average fundy family make it work, and how did the Bateses do it before they got their own show? It's always possible they were quietly grifting too. When you're part of an actual church, which they are, if you put out a "prayer request" that you're hoping to make it to the annual ATI conference or a fundy wedding/baby shower but are asking for the "Lord's provision" for funds, people in the congregation may well step up.

It's the ones who live totally under the radar that I worry about. The extreme home churchers and anti-doctor ones, whose children don't have Social Security numbers and who generally live in extreme poverty. Reminds me of Vyckie Garrison's story.

In that podcast interview with the young woman from a Gothard family that was going around several months ago, she said that her family wasn't able even to go to more than a handful of the Gothard conferences -- let alone travel around the world spreading the Word. And they actually seemed to be fairly average people with jobs and so on, and a respect for education, even for girls. I think she said that that was why ATI ultimately developed a lot of "conferences on video" and such -- so that the many people who couldn't do all that traveling could develop little Gothard groups in their areas with families in the cult getting together periodically just watching the videos and so on. Makes me wonder whether it's not just a tiny handful of these people who somehow go gallivanting all around, while the ones who practice more normal home economy don't see that as a budget item worthy of swallowing up many other things in life (or worth grifting for).

[louannems]

Well, if you don't listen to this drivel, then you will miss the huge fishing line story.  And the Amy Bedsore story. You will miss hearing about stepping stones and trials and bubbles of expectations.

And loving on people and god laying on hearts bla bla.

[Celia Rubenstein]

The Jill Ro video.  I watched it all.  Or at least I listened to it.  Ten minutes in I opened up another screen and started shopping for patio furniture on Amazon.

The point (to the extent there was one) had to do with not becoming bitter when what you wanted or thought you had in your life POPS in your face like a balloon.  Amy's perfect family life balloon popped in her face when she broke her neck.  Someone laughed when Jill Ro stuck a pin in the balloon, so we know there was at least one person in the audience, but I can't swear there were any more people than that in attendance.

The good part (relatively speaking) was when Jill described her balloon being popped.  Her life expectation was that everyone would always adore her (being the narcissist she is).  She found out some people didn't adore her when she went back to wherever it is she and David used to live to attend the funeral of a woman Jill was good friends with.  But apparently the Rodrigueseses left town under less than auspicious terms.  Jill implies the people there were not godly enough to live among, but she isn't judging!  She's just saying... smile.  So she was apprehensive about going back given the circumstances they left under (it sounds like they were rode out of town on a rail to me).  But Jill and company had apparently been asked to sing at the funeral by the woman who died, it seems (I don't know how she made this request since Jill says she died suddenly of a heart attack, but somehow Jill knew the woman wanted the Rodriguii to sing her into the arms of the Lord) so she basically had to go.  

Jill met with the family who was apparently okay with this clown act taking place, but when they showed up at the church and started to unpack their instruments, someone approached Jill and rudely told her she was NOT going to be singing at the funeral, no way no how. This person proceeded to rip Jill to shreds (about more than just the singing, it seems).  This all happened in front of a couple of her daughters and Jill was humiliated and mortified and her daughter was crying.  Since whoever it was that slammed the brakes on the show had some kind of authority with in the church, they had the final say and the Rods had to pack up their shit and have several seats.  

Anyway, somewhere in the middle of all this Jill realized everyone didn't love her, thus popping her expectation balloon, and she went home and bawled for hours.  Then it occurred to her that if Jesus could take being hung on a cross and still be a nice guy, Jill could handle one person not loving her and not lose her shit over it.  Because those two situations are sort of equal in Jill's mind, I guess. 

She managed to work in some crap about how envious people are of the way god is using her so amazingly awesomely in this life, but being as gracious as she is she has found a way to handle it because it's not like she is being tortured to death in Iraq.  She just has to handle the envy ...... smile.  Then she mentions how some people have had the sheer audaciousness to claim she is using the plight of her sister Amy to promote the family ministry!!!!  When it is really the other way around - Jill used her ministry to promote her sister's story and get people to pray for her.  It's a total FU internet moment, lol.  She basically implies everyone who says these things is just jealous of her walk with the Lord and she doesn't let it get her down any more than she lets some prick who doesn't love her singing bother her.  It's all part of god's big plan to make your ass miserable so that you appreciate the fact that he is not making it even worse. 

Makes you wanna run out and get saved, doesn't it?

[Sew Sumi]

More JRod.

[GeeGolly]

Thank-you for the recap Celia!

We're all being punked by JRo, right?

[Sew Sumi]

I just got home, and have a basketball game to watch that's starting in a few, so I won't be able to watch the second video either. However, I know that it's apparently about how and why she "homeschools" her poor children. 

Only JRod would martyr herself like she did in the first video. She's certifiably batshit; thinking that her critics are actually JEALOUS of her is just hysterical. If anything, besides her being totally delusional, I PITY the woman. Nothing close to jealousy or envy for anyone on this board, I suspect.

[sr7698]

That home school video. Just wow.  All I can say is those poor children.  I am not going to criticize them or snark on them.  They don't deserve it.  

Jill and David on the other hand ...  First, Jill needs to lay off the black crap all around her eyes.  She looked like Uncle Fester from the Aadams Family.  Come to think of it, David kind of looks like Gomez.  Also, it looked like David was reading his Bible verses from a piece of paper.  If it is so important David, why don't you have them memorized??  Also, both are very poor speakers and not very articulate.  I could not imagine paying a dime to hear either speak.  I have more thoughts but most circle around three words already mentioned above, those poor children.

[Happyfatchick]

I skipped and spotted my way through the second one.  Here's the recap: MrRod has the biggest and sticking-outest ears I've ever seen!  Ears like a donkey!  Jill's makeup is ridiculous, just as everyone said.  The best part of the video is when Jill takes over from MrRod and it takes her 3 times to get it off the ground.  When she messes up the second time (when she's holding the dog), she mouths something that looks an awful lot like the f-bomb.  Then I skipped to the "tour" but I think I missed the older ones, I picked up with a skeleton figure named Kaylee.  Kaylee talks with that pseudo-excited, gaspy, sense-of-wonder voice like her mom, Michelle and Prissy.  It must be something they teach, but the dugg's girls seem to have not watched that particular video.  (Except Jill does it, I guess).  Sorry, derailment.  Back to the kids.  Sickening.  What a LOAD of crap.  I admit I didn't watch it all, but what they all said was HOMEschool is such a BLESSING because PUBLIC schools are BAAAAD (like boogiemen and werewolves and monsters under the bed kind of bad).  Not only do they appear to be malnourished and brainwashed, they all have either a) bad teeth or b) teeth screaming for braces.  Those children are pitiful.  That's my summary.  Big ears, tons of makeup, malnutrition and scary bad teeth.  I apologize, I'm not nearly as diligent as CeliaR.  :/

[Arwen Evenstar]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Thank-you for the recap Celia!

We're all being punked by JRo, right?

Thank you, Celia, for enduring Jill's expectation balloon being popped and hearing her drone on and on about how jealous we all are of her.   I guess my expectation balloon of hearing her say something that would help me spiritually or be entertained or find her likable was popped.

[Celia Rubenstein]

29 minutes ago, Happyfatchick said:

 I apologize, I'm not nearly as diligent as CeliaR.  :/

You did a great job.  No way could I sit through another hour of Jill again today, so your efforts are much appreciated.

I am so creeped out by the screen shot for the second video linked up above.  Jill's eyes look like two black holes gouged in her face and that lipstick ... she looks like something out of a nightmare.  I am afraid to click on it because I expect her to let out a ghoulish howl.  Creepy!

[MargeGunderson]

Thanks Celia and HFC! I can't bring myself to watch any of JRod's videos/look at her blog, etc. For some reason I have conflated her in my mind with the  Prancercise woman and therefore won't watch (click that link at your own risk/you're welcome). I know it makes no sense, but there it is.

Edited May 12, 2016 by MargeGunderson
How could I mispell prancercise?

[LittlePeas3]

omg those poor kids, brainwashed beyond belief!  On top of that, why do the boys have desks and the girls lap desks or the corner of the coffee table?  They so don't have communication skills taught, that is for sure.  How unfortunate for them to have such dimwits as parents! They show Jill reading to the 3 little girls and 2 of the 3 little ones have dangling earrings! how mental is this woman???? It is 10:30 at night, I need to stop watching because I am ranting about random things! Oh, maybe that is listening to them is dumbing me down, oh dear me! 

[Jynnan tonnix]

Watched the first 8 minutes or so (might go back to finish if I can convince myself to listen to more), but was struck with this notion of how it is so important in their world to keep any ideas other than God 24-7 out of their children's minds lest they be influenced to stray. Not that this is the first time I've thought about that. It's discussed here quite a bit among other things, but it always gets me to feeling so outraged. 

First it was David rambling on about teaching them first and foremost to love and serve god with all their mind, heart, and strength. He said that according to the Bible, that is the only way to gain any grace in your life or live righteously. And that's just it; according to the Bible. There's never any thought or recognition that there may be people out there of different faiths (or none) who are indistinguishable from Christians in the amount of "grace", love, generosity, and any number of other supposedly "godly" virtues in their lives, and just why that might be. Just this blinkered terror of having their kids ever experience thoughts or ideas outside the cult.

Then Jill with how some people might accuse them of "brain washing" their kids, where she says it's no different than sending them out into the world to experience different ideas; that they will be "brain washed" (or, according to her, "brain dirtied"...smile) in exactly the same way. Does this woman honestly not see that "brain washing" refers to only being exposed to one idea being drummed into one's head, and that this is the exact opposite of what happens out in the "real" world, where a myriad of thoughts, beliefs, outlooks, attitudes are experienced, considered, accepted or rejected, with the result that most often the individual will still choose to follow something at least close to the way they were brought up with the difference that they now have actual understanding of the choice and also an understanding rather than fear of those who choose differently. Aaaaargh!! It makes me want to shake them both!

As sr 7698 said, "those poor children".

Edited May 12, 2016 by Jynnan tonnix
tweaked a thought

[BitterApple]

Wow, those kids are scary. Like Children of the Corn scary. 

That one little girl's collarbones were popping out of her skin. I know some children are naturally slender, but these poor creatures all have thin, drawn faces and deep undereye hollows. 

Regarding what drove the Rodriguii out of town, my guess is the locals got tired of the grifting or Chimp Boy and Jill screwed somebody out of some money. Jill seems like the type who would go to some old lady's house to spread the Gospel and then rifle through her jewelry box.

[Aja]

2 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Thanks Celia and HFC!

I second the thanks! I haven't gotten bored enough this week to sit through the JRod video myself, but I probably will. The fact that she got testy about using Amy to beg for donations and attention proves that she's at least peeks at these boards. You should be glad anybody is interested in you at all. Also, your makeup makes you look like a drag queen. Given the state of your soul, you might want to re-think it. Smile.

[Churchhoney]

14 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

More JRod.

Sweet merciful crap. Those poor destroyed children. Their parents oughta be locked up for the wanton murder of souls. I can't imagine what will ever become of those poor young things. They're like the kids in the Golden Compass after Mrs. Coulter separated them from their daemons. They're even physically like that, utterly malnourished. Horrifying.

[Churchhoney]

Mass escape of more allegedly homeschooled but mainly just home-imprisoned kids. Not surprising that faux homeschooling greatly appeals to maniacal control freaks, but what a tragedy that it has to be up to kids to escape mostly on their own. Kudos to this group for managing to do it. Wish they could inspire the Rodrigui to this kind of action, although I wonder whether Jill and dummy don't keep them on the road so much partly to squash escape plans because the kids seldom know any neighbors or other locals where they happen to be, don't know where things are so wouldn't know where to run to, and so on.

https://homeschoolersanonymous.org/2016/05/10/oregon-refuge-children-hid-the-guns-before-running/

"Last Friday, as soon as their mother climbed in the shower, five Sharp children bolted down the driveway of their Auburn, Kan., home.

Before they left, according to testimony in a Wednesday hearing, they took the guns out of a cubbyhole in the house and stashed them at the end of the drive. Then they got a ride from a neighbor to the Shawnee County sheriff’s office in Topeka.

And on Wednesday — three months after making headlines when they performed for armed occupiers who had taken over a wildlife refuge in Oregon — the children were taken into state custody because of abuse allegations."

[Fallacy]

That video is absolutely horrifying. Those children are clearly not eating enough. No child is naturally that thin, and it's all of their children too, not just one with a crazy fast metabolism. If it was just one or two, maybe I could excuse it on age, body type, metabolism, etc, but it's all of them. Plus, poor Timothy is very effeminate so I'm very concerned about how often they probably beat him to "man" him up. I can't even snark on this family because abuse isn't funny. Where do they live? Are we sure CPS has ever checked on these kids? 

How can she not realize how fake and rehearsed this video comes across? I don't believe any of those kids. I think all of their eyes are filled with terror and they're praying every night for rescue.  She's insane, truly. I'm seriously angry and devasted right now and I can't believe that parents in this country are allowed to do this to their kids all in the name of religious freedom. 

Go to about the 25 minute mark, and watch Jill pretend to be surprised by the camera. Christ on a cracker, every second of this film is propaganda. And they're worried about "brainwashing" in public schools? 

Okay, I'm ranting now, but every second of that video makes my skin crawl. And now, I'm afraid that Jill will read my post and she and David will beat each child severely for not being convincing enough in the video. I'm being completely serious here. She is so clearly obsessed with what others think of her "show," that I fully believe she reads this thread and any other site that posts about her. And I'm guessing if she doesn't like what she reads, she goes full psycho on her children. 

Edited May 12, 2016 by Fallacy
Had another thought

[Arwen Evenstar]

Jynnan

Tonix

If I could like your posts a million times I would.  At least if the Rodriguii got to experience other ideas outside their limited view of the world, and chose their upbringing or something close to it, then they would be making a more conscious choice to choose the belief system of their parents. 

There's a world of difference between blindly accepting the idea of God vs questioning it and deciding for yourself one way or the other...the choice to believe (or not) becomes a conscious choice.

[MunichNark]

Holy fucking shit. I clicked on the video and zapped through to those children. I'm beyond horrified. Some of those elder girls look like tarts on a night out - and that boy, Timothy? talks like someone with a learning disability.

I feel so so bad for those kids. They look terrifying, all sallow, pasty skinny and unhealthy. Is there nothing that can be done for them?

[Celia Rubenstein]

Man,  I've never seen such a completely .... I don't know what the word is.  Homogeneous? group of Stepford children.   They make the Duggar kids look like the Kardashians.

And they are all so jammed in there like sardines.  Watching that video made me claustrophobic.  I had to laugh at the one little boy in the striped shirt who was talking about how he was so glad he got to study at home away from the distractions of evil public school, all the while there was some horrible piano and horn playing blaring in the background.  He seemed to actually becoming distracted by the noise while he was talking about not being distracted.

I will give Jill Ro credit for one thing, though - her chore list.  She has THE BOYS actually doing their fair share of housework and the chores the kids do vary every day.  No lifetime "jurisdictions" resulting in kids who can cook but not do laundry or who think that dusting and vacuuming and mopping magically happen on their own.  That bathrooms clean themselves.  And each child is responsible for making their own bed and keeping their own things tidy.  She could teach Michelle Duggar a lot about how to run a house, I will give her that much.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Celia Rubenstein
I'm a perfectionist.

[Sew Sumi]

OMG, a person from a group I'm in had a face-to-face encounter with TFDW! I can't go into detail, but he was wearing a suit for a task that doesn't require one, and he managed to be simultaneously very bad at adulting in the real world and a pompous ass.

So basically, everything we have suspected about him is spot on.

[FakeJoshDuggar]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

OMG, a person from a group I'm in had a face-to-face encounter with TFDW! I can't go into detail, but he was wearing a suit for a task that doesn't require one, and he managed to be simultaneously very bad at adulting in the real world and a pompous ass.

So basically, everything we have suspected about him is spot on.

*Ahem* I need details. 

[GeeGolly]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

OMG, a person from a group I'm in had a face-to-face encounter with TFDW! I can't go into detail, but he was wearing a suit for a task that doesn't require one, and he managed to be simultaneously very bad at adulting in the real world and a pompous ass.

So basically, everything we have suspected about him is spot on.

Not fair Sew. We need more. Please.

[Sew Sumi]

Sorry, it was in a private group from someone who posts very rarely. I will try to ask for permission to quote.

I can confirm that he's only 5'6" or so. Napoleonic complex much? (I say this as a person whose husband is only 5'7", but about as far from this asshole personality-wise as possible.)

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Sorry, it was in a private group from someone who posts very rarely. I will try to ask for permission to quote.

I can confirm that he's only 5'6" or so. Napoleonic complex much? (I say this as a person whose husband is only 5'7", but about as far from this asshole personality-wise as possible.)

Mr Evenstar is about 5'-7" and even with French and Spaniard ancestry is as far away from Napoleon complex and from being an asshole as can be.

We must hear more about this Wallerian encounter...dish! ?

[Joe Jitsu913]

10 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Wow, those kids are scary. Like Children of the Corn scary. 

That one little girl's collarbones were popping out of her skin. I know some children are naturally slender, but these poor creatures all have thin, drawn faces and deep undereye hollows. 

Regarding what drove the Rodriguii out of town, my guess is the locals got tired of the grifting or Chimp Boy and Jill screwed somebody out of some money. Jill seems like the type who would go to some old lady's house to spread the Gospel and then rifle through her jewelry box.

There is one Rodriguez boy that I'm positive is the spawn the Satan. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

29 minutes ago, Joe Jitsu913 said:

There is one Rodriguez boy that I'm positive is the spawn the Satan. 

The one that gets me is Angry Olivia...the one with the pigtails squirming

[Churchhoney]

3 minutes ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

The one that gets me is Angry Olivia...the one with the pigtails squirming

Glad to see Olivia's staying angry. Hold tight to that anger, kid. Anger can be your friend and your savior. And in your horrible situation, maybe the only one you'll ever have available.