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

[Barb23]

11 hours ago, heatherrrrz said:

I haven't seen that picture in so many years, look how unattractive most of the girls look lol

Is that Jana & Jessa on the left & Jill & Jinge next to Boob? 

[toodles]

On 11/12/2016 at 3:19 PM, RazzleberryPie said:

I'm not sick of the Sierra bashing. She looks 60 years old. Both of their dresses are hideous. 

Sierra looks like she has an immodest slip hanging out of her static cling filled polyester night gown. 

Her friend looks like she has on some sort of modest .saloon girl costume. Who else would wear fake blue satin and black lace together. 

Both would benefit from a bra fitting, too.

Ok, I'm officially pissed off.  I knew very little little about the assorted duggar groupies and outer circle until this wedding popped up.  Now I know more about them than my own outer family circle.  This thread has quickly become one of my favorites.  I wasted quite a bit of time looking for that poor baby's dump truck and stump pictures.  So thanks, I guess.  Lol

Anyway back to my point.  Who wears navy blue and black satin to an afternoon wedding anyway?  Oh right.  Duggar people.

I'm pretty sure that lady didnt buy that dress.  Can you imagine the side eye the people at Joanns gave that person when she bought the fabric? You know this person talked about going to a wedding in this dress.  

Ugh.  Duggar people.

Edited November 18, 2016 by toodles

[toodles]

On 11/13/2016 at 0:49 PM, BitterApple said:

Sleeveless dress? That trollop !

What on earth are those multi colored things on the tiered trays? Cookies? 

The collective hollering of NIKE from the duggars must have drowned out the vows.

[Love2dance]

2 hours ago, Love2dance said:

Wow. I wouldn't have even thought that was possible. 

You are the statistics mavin, SEW SUMI!

I thought I erased that post, cause as soon as I posted it, I realized I lumped the Duggar J's with the M's. They are not siblings.  I'm blushing with embarrassment. Sorry, SEW SUMI!  ?? (But you're still a statistics mavin!)

[Sew Sumi]

It's still not something you see in most families. Two sisters 8 days short of a year apart, plus a NIECE just a couple months older than the younger sister. Not too many of us have mothers who are still whelping when we have our first or second kids. It sure as hell didn't happen in MY family; my parents were 35 when I was born, and I didn't get married until I was an old maid at 31. LOL (No kids, but that's another story for another thread.)

[MunichNark]

I really cannot stand Dim Bulb, he's not even smiling there, but just grimacing.

People who are willing to wilfully damage their children are so utterly loathsome.

[Miss Fabulous]

33 minutes ago, MunichNark said:

I really cannot stand Dim Bulb, he's not even smiling there, but just grimacing.

People who are willing to wilfully damage their children are so utterly loathsome.

You mean Pimp-Bob? 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Is that Jana & Jessa on the left & Jill & Jinge next to Boob? 

Pretty sure

[Clemgo3165]

18 hours ago, toodles said:

Ok, I'm officially pissed off.  I knew very little little about the assorted duggar groupies and outer circle until this wedding popped up.  Now I know more about them than my own outer family circle.  This thread has quickly become one of my favorites.  I wasted quite a bit of time looking for that poor baby's dump truck and stump pictures.  So thanks, I guess.  Lol

Anyway back to my point.  Who wears navy blue and black satin to an afternoon wedding anyway?  Oh right.  Duggar people.

I'm pretty sure that lady didnt buy that dress.  Can you imagine the side eye the people at Joanns gave that person when she bought the fabric? You know this person talked about going to a wedding in this dress.  

Ugh.  Duggar people.

Isn't that Anna's sister, Priscilla? Since she just gave birth I don't think she needs a bra fitting. The dress is a bit formal for an afternoon wedding, but then Jeremy and Jinger were pretty formal too. She may have made the dress, but she also might have borrowed it since she's surely still carrying baby weight after only a couple of weeks.

[Absolom]

I don't think that's Priscilla in the navy with black lace.  She's in pinkish lavender in another reception photo.

[RazzleberryPie]

32 minutes ago, Clemgo3165 said:

Isn't that Anna's sister, Priscilla? Since she just gave birth I don't think she needs a bra fitting. The dress is a bit formal for an afternoon wedding, but then Jeremy and Jinger were pretty formal too. She may have made the dress, but she also might have borrowed it since she's surely still carrying baby weight after only a couple of weeks.

That wasn't Priscilla in the pic with Sierra.

[lilwhitelion]

I just watched the wedding for the first time, and saw the woman in blue sitting with her husband in one of the pews pretty close to the front - I'm 99% sure that's Joy's future sister-in-law, Meagan Ballinger!

[TomServo]

On 11/13/2016 at 3:49 PM, BitterApple said:

What on earth are those multi colored things on the tiered trays? Cookies? 

Given their position next to the nuts, I'm going to say those are mints of the ol' southern "cake, nuts, mints, and punch" trope.  They're basically cream cheese, powdered sugar, and food coloring.

And the lady whose head appears to the left of the cake looks sort of like Grandma Duggar.

[Bunnygirl]

28 minutes ago, TomServo said:

Given their position next to the nuts, I'm going to say those are mints of the ol' southern "cake, nuts, mints, and punch" trope.  They're basically cream cheese, powdered sugar, and food coloring.

And the lady whose head appears to the left of the cake looks sort of like Grandma Duggar.

I hate to admit it but I'm OBSESSED with those cream cheese mints.

[MunichNark]

Cream cheese mints?? Sounds interesting....off to google

[Sew Sumi]

12 hours ago, lilwhitelion said:

I just watched the wedding for the first time, and saw the woman in blue sitting with her husband in one of the pews pretty close to the front - I'm 99% sure that's Joy's future sister-in-law, Meagan Ballinger!

That couple had two small kids. The Ballingers are currently expecting their first. 

[Nysha]

On 11/17/2016 at 5:28 PM, toodles said:

Anyway back to my point.  Who wears navy blue and black satin to an afternoon wedding anyway?  Oh right.  Duggar people.

I don't know anyone in my corner of rural Idaho who would think twice about it. Outside of the major cities, I don't think anyone follows fashion rules anymore. You wear what you have, what you like, and/or what's comfortable.

 

Quote

Not too many of us have mothers who are still whelping when we have our first or second kids. 

Two families in my former church had their last babies when their oldest was in high school so they wouldn't overlap their kids with their grandkids. Both had 6 kids, but they spanned 16/17 years rather than the Duggar 6/8 span for that many kids.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Nysha
Added another quote.

[Sew Sumi]

Even Kelly Bates had Jebby about two years before Bradley was born. 

Mechelle, OTOH...Mack is two months older than Josie, and there should have even been MORE of an age gap. Josie was due in March 2010, IIRC. But what struck me is that Mechelle's own mother had her at or around the same time her older sister, Pam (22 at the time) had her first. I recall Mechelle saying (maybe jokingly) that they were in the hospital delivering at the same time. Now, I don't know if it was THAT close, but the point was made. 

[Sew Sumi]

Refreshingly normal! #notmodestywear

[Jynnan tonnix]

33 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Refreshingly normal! #notmodestywear

Waimea!! Surprised the surf is still so tame this time of the year! We lived on Oahu for a total of about 7 years split up into 3 tours of duty. There's the most gorgeous little (tiny) Catholic church with a square tower/steeple that features in a lot of photos if you look toward the direction they are facing. One of my favorite views on the island, even if it's not as spectacular as some. I was glad of the opportunity to go there with my sister in law (devout Catholic) when she visited, otherwise I probably wouldn't have had the ambition to actually get up and drive there on a Sunday morning. Sometimes I really do miss it there, even though I prefer living in a place with actual seasons.

[DangerousMinds]

I truly detest those hashtag explosions.

[RazzleberryPie]

The other Dillard's look so normal. 

[awaken]

Wow!  Between the normal bathing suits and sleeveless wedding gown, I'm in shock!

[RazzleberryPie]

Looks like they're just normal conservative evangelical Christians, nothing fundie about them. Makes me wonder when and how Derrick became so Fundie. 

[Sew Sumi]

Derick was a in his first semester away from home when his father passed away. I'm sure that was a factor. Dan was still in the family home and was able to get more  direct attention from his mother. I'm sure they comforted each other a lot. Derick could only come home for so long or lose his whole semester. I think the different experiences informed a lot of Derick's choices. His brother wasn't even "saved" until at most two years ago, not too long before he started dating Deena about a year ago. He was actually "unsaved" when he appeared on 19Kids with his old girlfriend during Cathy's illness. I think DAN fell into a bit of family peer pressure on this one, especially as he watched his brother pretty much go off the deep end into fundieworld these past few years and watched his mother almost die. Cathy also seems to have become more fundie, feeling Jesus saved her from the Devil's invasion of her body (yes, she said this). It's hard to say where Deena is on the spectrum, but she predictably has a bible quote in her Insta profile. 

[Micks Picks]

Well I suppose you could respond to circumstances of death and mortal illness of parents in a variety of ways.  For me, that plus watching my brother go off the deep end would turn me far away from the uber religious thing.  

[Defrauder]

And wasn't Derick in search of a 'prayer partner' and that's how he found JB?  To me the whole this is how I met the Duggars is weird.  He prayer partners up with JB somehow, somehow JB starts thinking - Jill always wanted to go on missions, and next thing they're in a foreign land hunting down Derick who is going to court Jill.  The whole thing is weird and same with Jeremy while we're at it - just happening to run into Ben and Jessa when they went to one of his church's activities or something - and then - you would be great with Jinger?  These courtships and marriages happening so quickly (while JB visibly pretends for the camera that - it's too soon) it's more to it than meets the eye.  

[becca3891]

On 11/17/2016 at 7:26 PM, Love2dance said:

 

On 11/17/2016 at 10:57 PM, Sew Sumi said:

It's still not something you see in most families. Two sisters 8 days short of a year apart, plus a NIECE just a couple months older than the younger sister. Not too many of us have mothers who are still whelping when we have our first or second kids. It sure as hell didn't happen in MY family; my parents were 35 when I was born, and I didn't get married until I was an old maid at 31. LOL (No kids, but that's another story for another thread.)

When you consider Josie was 3 whole months early, she and Jordyn are really supposed to be 15 months apart, which is an age gap Mechelle pulled off quite a few times.

9 hours ago, RazzleberryPie said:

Looks like they're just normal conservative evangelical Christians, nothing fundie about them. Makes me wonder when and how Derrick became so Fundie. 

But we already know the answer to that! When he decided he wanted to pursue Jill. I think as far as he and Jeremy were/are concerned, they probably don't even know most of what Gothard has said and consider skirts, courtship and homeschooling harmless enough. 

[Minivanessa]

9 hours ago, RazzleberryPie said:

Looks like they're just normal conservative evangelical Christians, nothing fundie about them. Makes me wonder when and how Derrick became so Fundie. 

 

31 minutes ago, becca3891 said:

But we already know the answer to that! When he decided he wanted to pursue Jill. I think as far as he and Jeremy were/are concerned, they probably don't even know most of what Gothard has said and consider skirts, courtship and homeschooling harmless enough. 

I agree. AFAIK, fundies aren't all Gothardites by any means. @Defrauder, now that you point it out, I share your skepticism about the "official" versions of how Derick and Babe connected with the Duggars.

Especially Derick. There he was, living in Nepal under the auspices of the Southern Baptists' International Missionary Board, although not as a commissioned missionary. I assume he was also a member of a Southern Baptist church at home. Which means he knew a lot of devout Baptists. But out of all the people in all the world, as he sits at his laptop in prayer and meditation, Derick decides to propose himself as a "prayer partner" to - Jim Bob Duggar. Who AFAIK set up his own church (vs. being an active member of the Southern Baptist church). Hmm. And Jim Bob just happens to be a famous fundie with a TV show and a handful of marriageable daughters. 

God works in mysterious ways.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Jeeves
It helps to be coherent and use the right words.

[DangerousMinds]

56 minutes ago, becca3891 said:

When you consider Josie was 3 whole months early, she and Jordyn are really supposed to be 15 months apart, which is an age gap Mechelle pulled off quite a few times.

But we already know the answer to that! When he decided he wanted to pursue Jill. I think as far as he and Jeremy were/are concerned, they probably don't even know most of what Gothard has said and consider skirts, courtship and homeschooling harmless enough. 

Do they even know that the Duggars follow Gothard before they marry? It's never made clear on the show, and we know they never get a chance to be alone before the weddings. 

[Defrauder]

46 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

 

I agree. AFAIK, fundies aren't all Gothardites by any means. @Defrauder, now that you point it out, I share your skepticism about the "official" versions of how Derick and Babe connected with the Duggars.

Especially Derick. There he was, living in Nepal under the auspices of the Southern Baptists' International Missionary Board, although not as a commissioned missionary. I assume he was also a member of a Southern Baptist church at home. Which means he knew a lot of devout Baptists. But out of all the people in all the world, as he sits at his laptop in prayer and meditation, Derick decides to propose himself as a "prayer partner" to - Jim Bob Duggar. Who AFAIK set up his own church (vs. being an active member of the Southern Baptist church). Hmm. And Jim Bob just happens to be a famous fundie with a TV show and a handful of marriageable daughters. 

God works in mysterious ways.

It would not surprise me if there is some secret fundie courtship ritual group meeting somewhere where they(the fathers of course) determine who goes with who and when.  It would horrify me yes, but would not surprise me.

[Defrauder]

23 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

Do they even know that the Duggars follow Gothard before they marry? It's never made clear on the show, and we know they never get a chance to be alone before the weddings. 

If we know, they know.  They are into religious meaning - Ben wants to be a preacher, Jeremy is a preacher, Derick goes on missions.  Their lives are about religion - how could they not know?  If they were not religious they would not be with these people.  The Duggars and TLC seem to want to play it down like it's just a coincidence how they met bla bla bla but that's all bs really.  It's a cult.  

[Sew Sumi]

3 hours ago, Defrauder said:

It would not surprise me if there is some secret fundie courtship ritual group meeting somewhere where they(the fathers of course) determine who goes with who and when.  It would horrify me yes, but would not surprise me.

I've already put it out there that I think Joy/Austin is arranged and has been for years. Remember, Boob almost made this work before with Smuggar and the Holt daughter before "sin in the camp" broke up that arrangement.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[RazzleberryPie]

Prayer partners for a lot of evangelical missionaries - Campus Crusade, IBP, etc mean donors. They need support to fund their missions. Most of those organizations require the missionaries to supply a big hunk of their income, and that hunk comes from Prayer Partner Donors. Derrick was looking for donors as much as sincere prayer partners. 

Probably 10 years ago I had a few friends who finished college, hated adulting, and the Lord laid it upon their hearts during this season of life to work for Campus Crusade for Christ. So they basically went through some expensive (their expense) training, were accepted, and placed with a few couples at a university. 

 Their ministry was to Greeks - as in sorority and fraternity members. For real. They hosted a whole lot of parties, tailgates, beach trips, ski trips, total BS in my opinion. 

At the time they had one baby. Expected income was something like $25k for two adults and one baby. Housing was provided. My friends spent half their time 'ministering' and the other half raising support with prayer partners. This means going to churches as speakers, getting love donations, signing up people to pledge so much a month, going to businesses with Christian owners who could write it off on taxes, etc, all for the Lord, of course. Because hey had so many well off kids in their ministry, they had a lot of support. A lot. Lots of extra donations that didn't go through the organization and straight to their pockets. Lots of free dinners, oil changes, babysitting, weekend trips, clothing, handbags, etc. I don't think they bought a single item for their baby every. 

I personally thought it was a total scam and it really changed my opinion of them. Few people enjoy adulting, but they were basically extending college like by taking trips to Europe every summer that someone else paid for - all for Jesus of course. 

[Churchhoney]

12 hours ago, Micks Picks said:

Well I suppose you could respond to circumstances of death and mortal illness of parents in a variety of ways.  For me, that plus watching my brother go off the deep end would turn me far away from the uber religious thing.  

When I was in my 20s, two of my best friends went super-cult-fundie when their parents died unexpectedly. Both from politically liberal previous stances. And one from a liberal mainstream and not very committed Protestant Presbyterian religious mode and the other from reform Judaism. Turned on a dime, both of them. And totally shocked everybody who knew them, from whom they largely cut themselves off as a result. One died several years later, without backtracking from it at all, apparently. The other very slowly, over decades, drifted back to where he'd been post-snap. Neither seemed to be particularly fragile before it happened and both had apparently strong leadership qualities. I'll never figure it out. But just from that I'm guessing it's not all that unusual.

[GeeGolly]

3 hours ago, Churchhoney said:

When I was in my 20s, two of my best friends went super-cult-fundie when their parents died unexpectedly. Both from politically liberal previous stances. And one from a liberal mainstream and not very committed Protestant Presbyterian religious mode and the other from reform Judaism. Turned on a dime, both of them. And totally shocked everybody who knew them, from whom they largely cut themselves off as a result. One died several years later, without backtracking from it at all, apparently. The other very slowly, over decades, drifted back to where he'd been post-snap. Neither seemed to be particularly fragile before it happened and both had apparently strong leadership qualities. I'll never figure it out. But just from that I'm guessing it's not all that unusual.

I agree, and not just from a death of a parent. Many tragedies lead people to deepen/change their faith. There is a non-PC joke, that everyone in prison is born again. I think folks look for meaning and answers, as well as support and comfort. The way the story is told about JB & M, it was a combination of a miscarriage and a proselytizing obstetrician that led them into Fundyism.

Edited November 21, 2016 by GeeGolly

[Ljohnson1987]

Tori Roloff and Maddie Brown are both expecting. I'm sure some Dillards or Voulo's will be added to that list.

[becca3891]

17 hours ago, Defrauder said:

If we know, they know.  They are into religious meaning - Ben wants to be a preacher, Jeremy is a preacher, Derick goes on missions.  Their lives are about religion - how could they not know?  If they were not religious they would not be with these people.  The Duggars and TLC seem to want to play it down like it's just a coincidence how they met bla bla bla but that's all bs really.  It's a cult.  

But we're obsessive when it comes to the Duggars! :) I think they were probably too horny for a "godly girl" to be doing the research about Gothard that we have done. I come from the evangelical Christian world, and most people I knew were vaguely aware of Gothard and thought "Doesn't he have family retreats and things like that?" They had no concept of who Gothard really is, and that could well be the case for Jeremy and Derek. 

13 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

I've already put it out there that I think Joy/Austin is arranged and has been for years. Remember, Boob almost made this work before with Smuggar and the Holt daughter before "sin in the camp" broke up that arrangement.

This, I do believe. I have a feeling too that Joy is in the Josh camp of needing to be married off -- she may have "shared her heart" with her parents that, for example, she doesn't long for marriage like her sisters seemed to. (Not saying she is gay, although she might be. There could be other reasons.) And of course, they being the people they are, think the best cure for that is to stop the "rebellion" and get married as soon as possible. That Holt girl REALLY lucked out with her escape. The whole arranged thing is beyond creepy.

[Fosca]

I'm hoping that Joy agreed to marry Austin because he was just as disinterested in marriage as she is, and that maybe they can just be friends when married.  I'm sure I'm projecting and it's probably not close to being true, but it might be a way for her (and him) to escape the marriage trap.

[Sew Sumi]

Looks like Suze is back in Ma and Pa Keller's good graces. Looking at Noelle, I've noticed how she's a dead ringer for Mack, and little Mere is a dead ringer of both of them. Neither of Anna's boys look like any of them. Are Keller genes stronger than the dreaded Duggar ones????

[sheshark]

Suze is so pretty!  What do they mean "roll tide" was she actually allowed to go to college?

[Defrauder]

On 11/22/2016 at 2:09 AM, becca3891 said:

But we're obsessive when it comes to the Duggars! :) I think they were probably too horny for a "godly girl" to be doing the research about Gothard that we have done. I come from the evangelical Christian world, and most people I knew were vaguely aware of Gothard and thought "Doesn't he have family retreats and things like that?" They had no concept of who Gothard really is, and that could well be the case for Jeremy and Derek. 

This, I do believe. I have a feeling too that Joy is in the Josh camp of needing to be married off -- she may have "shared her heart" with her parents that, for example, she doesn't long for marriage like her sisters seemed to. (Not saying she is gay, although she might be. There could be other reasons.) And of course, they being the people they are, think the best cure for that is to stop the "rebellion" and get married as soon as possible. That Holt girl REALLY lucked out with her escape. The whole arranged thing is beyond creepy.

Well I can only speak for myself and I'm not obsessed with the Duggars.  I only use this forum for lighthearted humor to get my mind off of more serious things like politics, world issues, physical illness and real life problems.  I don't even watch the show and have only caught some views on youtube when I need a laugh.  As far as someone who is going to court and marry a Duggar - obviously they would know a lot more about them than I do or care to know.  So yeah they know about Gothard and the cult.  No way they didn't.  

[Lemur]

On 7/13/2014 at 6:12 PM, PecanSandie said:

In regards to Erin teaching in a Christian school, I'm pretty sure the state board of education in Tenn. Is legally prohibited from forcing the Christian schools to follow their accreditation rules. http://www.tacs1.org/assets/Files/49.50.801.pdf

States don't decide accreditation.  Accreditation Associations like Middle States or Southern States are third party, though they do report into a the Federal Department of Education in an advisory capacity.  Approval of the state board of education is different, as it has more to do with the curriculum. Accreditation has more to do with quality control and making sure that a diploma earned in Tennessee is recognized in Rhode Island and to make sure student aid is being applied to places that meet the Dept. of Education standards.  As for teaching in a Christian school, as most religious schools are not funded by taxes, they can have non-licensed teachers even if accredited.  It's how most Catholic schools operated for decades - free, non-licensed teachers in the form of nuns.

[Ljohnson1987]

13 hours ago, sheshark said:

Suze is so pretty!  What do they mean "roll tide" was she actually allowed to go to college?

I think Roll Tide is what Alabama football fans say?

[RazzleberryPie]

Yes. Alabama Crimson Tide = roll tide. 

[sheshark]

I knew that but it appears Suze is a fan.  Doubt she went to University though.  

[Sew Sumi]

No, Size was a teen mother. She was working as an apprentice Baker at a Cheesecake Factory a couple of years ago, by now seems to have moved back to FL with her kiveing-in-sin boyfriend and HIS little girl, who is maybe  6.

[BitterApple]

56 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

No, Size was a teen mother. She was working as an apprentice Baker at a Cheesecake Factory a couple of years ago, by now seems to have moved back to FL with her kiveing-in-sin boyfriend and HIS little girl, who is maybe  6.

Whaaaaa???? When did this happen? Hmm, so father has custody of daughter meaning bio mom is likely a hot ass mess. What has Suze gotten herself into? 

[Sew Sumi]

No, Suze was dumped/or dumped her babydaddy, and she seems to have sole custody of Noelle. She met another guy who seems to have sole custody of his daughter. Remember, Suze is only 23 or so. 

[becca3891]

20 hours ago, Defrauder said:

Well I can only speak for myself and I'm not obsessed with the Duggars.  I only use this forum for lighthearted humor to get my mind off of more serious things like politics, world issues, physical illness and real life problems.  I don't even watch the show and have only caught some views on youtube when I need a laugh.  As far as someone who is going to court and marry a Duggar - obviously they would know a lot more about them than I do or care to know.  So yeah they know about Gothard and the cult.  No way they didn't.  

When I say obsessed, I mean that we take the time to comment about them on a forum. :) I probably should have used a different word but we HAVE discussed Gothard here extensively, which was my point. Most Christians have no idea who he really is. In all their endless sermon, bible and life discussions while courting, there's really no reason why his name should have ever come up. So I very much disagree with you that Gothard is necessarily someone Derick or Jeremy know a lot about.