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

[GeeGolly]

A little peak about Evan, Carlin's new friend.

http://www.batesfamilyblog.com/search?updated-min=2017-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&updated-max=2018-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&max-results=50

[Sew Sumi]

So if he's in his family's "band," I guess we can assume college is off the table for him, and these two could fast track their relationship, unlike Tori, who will likely get a proposal in May when Bobby graduates. Erin finished college as a married woman, so there's precedence for Tori to do the same. 

[Marigold]

3 hours ago, heatherrrrz said:

Aw that's cute that Carlin's "friend" gave her a basket. Wonder if they believe in easter baskets like I always got when I was a child.

My husband would never in a million years do anything like this. Not now. Not when he was younger. 

It feels very '"cutesy"

Edited March 28, 2017 by Marigold

[BitterApple]

4 minutes ago, Marigold said:

My husband would never in a million years do anything like this. Not now. Not when he was younger. 

It feels very '"cutesy"

Mine wouldn't either. I think all these Fundie husbands follow the same playbook. Flowery poems, gift baskets, artsy/crafty decorations, elaborate proposals. In a way I think it kind of takes the uniqueness out of it because it's like they're following a script rather than doing something from the heart. 

Regarding Evan, I still think Carlin can do better than a guy whose family travels and "ministers." Um, hello, Shades of Rodriguii. It's almost like she's settling for a Duggar-level husband. Maybe Evan has some sort of job we don't know about, but judging by the bios on the site, nobody does much of anything besides the family band.

[Marigold]

These Fundie guys must be on Pinterest 24/7.

I'm a female and I would never ever think of some yellow filled basket "you are my sunshine"  Guess I'm not adorable like that. 

It's not a bad idea.  I might rip it off for one of my teen or tween daughters.  ;)

[FakeJoshDuggar]

Methinks a mom or a sister had a hand in that nonsense.

[geistmadl]

Ugh..... What can I say to all of this? They try to be chivalrous and come off as lame. It is like putting a hole and corn cobs in a luxury suite to use as a toilet.

The men ham it up for the cams while the women have no clue this is the first and only big thing that will ever happen to them....outside of being breeding stock.

[Churchhoney]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

A little peak about Evan, Carlin's new friend.

http://www.batesfamilyblog.com/search?updated-min=2017-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&updated-max=2018-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&max-results=50

Wow. What a ... um ... casual peformance style they've got. They don't sing too badly, but I don't know if I've ever seen a bunch of performers that old who were sort of fidgety and unconcerned-looking like that, especially the two guys, kind of million around during the opening notes, sticking their hands in their pockets mid-song. Kind of odd. .... Although I suppose it mostly speaks to the low level of performance that pertains in their world. See Bates, Lawson, vocal ability of.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Churchhoney

[lianau]

They all sound miles better than Jill R.'s hostages children . 

[cereality]

Evan has 4 sisters. I assume they are coaching him on how to romance a girl and one of them convinced him a yellow, you are my sunshine basket complete with Lays potato chips was the way to go.

So is this family band a hobby for Sunday's or a full time ministry? Bc I kind of liked that thus far the Bates have no sons in law lounging with a fake ministry - it adds some depth to their family that all hold jobs.

[kalamac]

I would love it if someone gave me a basket of potato chips. They don't even have to be someone I'm dating, just anyone who wants to gift me some chips...

[Lunera]

Looks like something a high school boy would give a girl during a promposal.

[Lunera]

Alyssa is doing phone case promos now and Michael is selling more handmade baby stuff. She and Brandon are writing a children's book, too.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Lunera

[Nysha]

I think it's commendable that they're willing to actually work. It's more supplementary income than support-a-family income, but it's not "pretend to buy and flip a car" like the Duggar girls. This is one of the things that makes the Bates more interesting than the Duggars, they actually do things instead of just sitting around drinking Starbucks coffee and posting sermonettes on Instagram.

[RazzleberryPie]

Those baby things are actually cute. Good job, Michael!

[lookeyloo]

What are the ones with the tabs for?

[BitterApple]

38 minutes ago, Nysha said:

I think it's commendable that they're willing to actually work. It's more supplementary income than support-a-family income, but it's not "pretend to buy and flip a car" like the Duggar girls. This is one of the things that makes the Bates more interesting than the Duggars, they actually do things instead of just sitting around drinking Starbucks coffee and posting sermonettes on Instagram.

I agree. If someone was going to pay me money to hawk useless shit on Instagram, I'd be all over it as well. I also think it's cool Michael has a home business. She has a decent sized social media base, so she'll probably do well. It's just nice to see these girls have something on the ball besides spitting out babies and playing missionary.

[RazzleberryPie]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

What are the ones with the tabs for?

Babies like to pick and pull on them. Chew them, etc.

[MunichNark]

Michaela's stuff looks nice. I like handmade things and she is properly working, doing something useful and not grifting like the Dullards. Peddling mobile phone cases, well......why on earth would I need to change them all the time?

I have said it before, but the boys/guys/nearly men of those fundies are odd. They always seem to have some kind of rule book that tells them how to be a good boyfriend/courter/husband. It just seems so contrived and laborious most of the time - see Brandon and also Chad. It's fake and artificial I think. Perhaps it needs to hide the ugly truths behind those marriages in their world.

Being thoughtful is one thing and probably underrated and neglected too much in our world, but those "thoughtful" presents have more than a touch of saccharine to me.

[Barb23]

It's nice to see Michaela doing something but why can't she have a job outside the house?  Didn't she graduate from college?  I'm thinking she has an associate's degree for something to do in the medicine field.  So why not get a job in that field?  I realize she loves to sew but why did she even bother with college when her ultimate goal is to be a stay at home mom(Not knocking stay at home moms) or why didnt she study for a business degree?

[RazzleberryPie]

2 hours ago, Barb23 said:

It's nice to see Michaela doing something but why can't she have a job outside the house?  Didn't she graduate from college?  I'm thinking she has an associate's degree for something to do in the medicine field.  So why not get a job in that field?  I realize she loves to sew but why did she even bother with college when her ultimate goal is to be a stay at home mom(Not knocking stay at home moms) or why didnt she study for a business degree?

If she's happy to be a SAHM and Etsy seller, why does she need a business degree? I'm all for education, but it isn't important to them. At least she is earning some income.

[BitterApple]

If I'm not mistaken, I thought Michael only did a semester at Clown.

[Marshmallow Mollie]

Even if her goal was to be a SAHM and never hold a job, there is still value in attending college or whatever form of higher education Crown College is considered to be. We can't underestimate the value of an educated mother. Just look at all the Duggars for reference. 

[Marigold]

26 minutes ago, Marshmallow Mollie said:

 We can't underestimate the value of an educated mother. 

That is a very important point.

One of my daughters really wants to get married and be a wife and mother.  i think she will be wonderful!  HOWEVER, I am insisting that she get a minimum of a 4 year degree in a field that will produce a job. 

Michael doesn't even need a full degree...just take some classes and LEARN. 

[Absolom]

Michaela attended a state community college.

[RazzleberryPie]

You would think there would be a whole lot more interest in education/teaching degrees, nursing, nutrition, medical assistant, etc. degrees with these girls who intend to be SAHMs.

[Mollie]

Both of the Bates parents have four-year college degrees from an accredited school.  The Bates family is much more intelligent than the Duggars.  I don't think Jim Bob, Michelle or any of the 19 kids could do well on the SAT.  And, If Israel is homeschooled by Jill, he'll never grow up to be Pistol Pete at OSU.  That University only accepts about 50% of those who apply and all applicants have to have high SAT scores. 

[Natalie68]

On 3/25/2017 at 4:39 AM, Arwen Evenstar said:

My most favorite German word EVER, schadenfreude, is what I feel. Their continued full on display of how uneducated, sheltered, daft they are...yet how smug, prideful, and arrogant they all are...just astounds me on a daily basis how they ignore this elephant in the room.

Me as well!  

[cereality]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 9:17 AM, Barb23 said:

It's nice to see Michaela doing something but why can't she have a job outside the house?  Didn't she graduate from college?  I'm thinking she has an associate's degree for something to do in the medicine field.  So why not get a job in that field?  I realize she loves to sew but why did she even bother with college when her ultimate goal is to be a stay at home mom(Not knocking stay at home moms) or why didnt she study for a business degree?

Michaela isn't the one with the medical transcription certificate - that's Whitney. As for why she went to community college for a semester - Gil and Kelly encourage all of their kids to attend for at least 1-2 semesters and the parents pay for it. After that the young adult gets to decide whether they want to continue and finish a degree or whether they'd rather get a job; I assume if they want to continue, they sit down with their parents and come up with a plan for how many classes they'll take per semester and how they'll pay and what kind of job/profession that degree prepares them for -- bc I don't have the sense that with 19 kids, Gil & Kelly can pay for 19 degrees, even if 2 yrs each. I'm guessing Michaela did a semester at college, basically went to school and came home, and enjoyed other domestic things more like babysitting her siblings, cooking with her mom, and sewing; that likely led her to get a full time nanny job rather than continuing to pay for college. In contrast, Kelly has said that with Tori (and/or maybe Carlin) they love college so much, it's impossible to get them to come home after class bc they're hanging out; I am betting Michaela did NOT gravitate to the social life/making friends the same way and thus was not as excited to continue as her sisters.

I tend to agree the fundie cult is uneducated and each generation will get worse as the uneducated home school their kids. BUT I don't view Gil and Kelly as uneducated -- both have 4 yr college degrees; Kelly seems to really enjoy and value learning, so I'm willing to bet that she took home schooling seriously for her kids and didn't just sit them in front of a computer. And her kids seem to all be surviving Crown College; I'm not suggesting it's the ivy league - but even an unaccredited school will require that you can read and write at the high school level and if you can't, you'll fail out. Unlike the Duggars, I would bet many of the Bates kids are probably as educated as the average American high school grad (not an honors or AP student - an average B student).

I'm not a believer than everyone MUST go to college. How does a business admin degree help? Michaela wants to sew - she doesn't want to manage a bunch of seamstresses. And no college in the world gives you a sewing degree - it's a learning by doing trade. She can make goods to sell online. If she wants a bigger challenge and if the baby thing doesn't happen soon, she can always try to get together with a local seamstress/wedding dress place to do alterations, or do some advertising and start her own business making/altering dress pants; prom dresses; wedding dresses etc.

[Absolom]

Michaela did finish a two year AA program. She was working on it online after the wedding.  It was not the same as Whitney's program.

[riverblue22]

I think Michaela items are cute.  I might buy some if I could figure out where they are sold.

[Absolom]

It looks like she's selling them through their website.  I'd originally thought she was using Etsy. 

Her instagram has updates.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Absolom

[Sew Sumi]

This is sort of interesting, giving some insight into Bobby Smith (Tori's intended). I guess someone had to go into the ministry. 

[SMama]

I don't even know if PCC is accredited, but unlike the Duggar SILs, at least he is gaining experience, and studying. Not need for backwards hats, and wearing lame ass preachy T-shirts. But like the Duggar SILs same cult , horrible beliefs.

[Barb23]

Hopefully Michaela will keep up with her sewing when a baby comes along.  Like Cereality suggested, working doing alterations in a dress shop would be a great part time job.  But I don't see Brandon watching the baby on a Saturday while she works. At least Erin has many ways to use her music degree.

I'm thinking Michael's degree was along the lines of EMT training.  I was just questioning why she chose that field when she enjoys children &  sewing so much. Why not an early ed degree? May be she thought the EMT training would be helpful in the missionary field but I've never heard her express interest there. Maybe she tried to get EMT job, but they weren't hiring.  I just suggested business because who knows, she may want to open her own shop one day. I didn't mean an MBA even tho that would be great.  I also know that one's future career or job has nothing to do with your degree, Mr Barb included. But as we've seen, the Bates children are leap years ahead of the Duggars when it comes to education & employment. (And just about everything else.)

I thought Michaela said what her degree was in the episode where some of the boys were playing in a basketball league & the family traveled, including Michaela, to watch championship game.  One of the boys won an award.  Anyhow, Michaela was discussing the degree when she was talking with one of her sisters in the stands.  IIRC, she didn't make a big deal out of it, it was more along the lines of answering "what's new with you?"  Now I'm really curious & I'll have to track down that episode to see what she said.

[Mollie]

2 hours ago, Barb23 said:

I'm thinking Michael's degree was along the lines of EMT training.  I was just questioning why she chose that field when she enjoys children &  sewing so much. Why not an early ed degree? May be she thought the EMT training would be helpful in the missionary field but I've never heard her express interest there. Maybe she tried to get EMT job, but they weren't hiring.  I just suggested business because who knows, she may want to open her own shop one day. I didn't mean an MBA even tho that would be great.  I also know that one's future career or job has nothing to do with your degree, Mr Barb included. But as we've seen, the Bates children are leap years ahead of the Duggars when it comes to education & employment. (And just about everything else.)

I thought Michaela said what her degree was in the episode where some of the boys were playing in a basketball league & the family traveled, including Michaela, to watch championship game.  One of the boys won an award.  Anyhow, Michaela was discussing the degree when she was talking with one of her sisters in the stands.  IIRC, she didn't make a big deal out of it, it was more along the lines of answering "what's new with you?"  Now I'm really curious & I'll have to track down that episode to see what she said.

Michaela got her EMT training and volunteered on an ambulance for a couple of years.  She finished a two-year associates degree with Roane State Community College, taking many courses online.  The college is accredited and her degree is in liberal arts with a minor in health science.  Her husband works for the Gothard organization in Chicago and she works as a nanny.  

[queenanne]

13 minutes ago, Mollie said:

Michaela got her EMT training and volunteered on an ambulance for a couple of years.  She finished a two-year associates degree with Roane State Community College, taking many courses online.  The college is accredited and her degree is in liberal arts with a minor in health science.  Her husband works for the Gothard organization in Chicago and she works as a nanny.  

Well, that strikes me as smart.  EMT training probably is a top notch on her belt in being considered for nanny jobs, or she could go back in the other job direction.

[Sew Sumi]

I just wanted to put it down here that we know that the Duggars are currently in TN. A certain wedding of a former tutor and a former rapist is apparently still on for tomorrow. 

I know, repentence and all that bullshit, but what Tim Robertson did was absolutely vile. I'm still sick as hell about this. 

[kokapetl]

The analrapist marries the spinster. 

[BitterApple]

I saw Carlin and Joy together on Instagram, so I figured the Duggars were in town for this disaster of a wedding. It will be interesting to see if they post pictures or go completely radio silent. If they do, Jana will be working overtime to delete all the negative comments.

I still can't believe Tabitha is marrying a rapist. I can't imagine being that naive and desperate.

[Lunera]

7 hours ago, Kokapetl said:

The analrapist marries the spinster. 

I laughed so hard!

 

[Churchhoney]

7 hours ago, BitterApple said:

 

I still can't believe Tabitha is marrying a rapist. I can't imagine being that naive and desperate.

The rapist who continues to slime his victim because, I guess, he's been reborn and she's not. Or something. That's the worst and most ominous to me. That his later statements have, essentially, defended his actions and that he still backhandedly dissed her, and her boyfriend for leaving her alone, even, long after the fact. That he would go on thinking and slyly saying that he's better than others -- when he was the violent perpetrator -- is a scary view of how he handles situations just generally, I think.

Watch out the first time something you do has a slightly negative consequence for him, Tabby.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Churchhoney

[Rabbittron]

Today is the perfect day for Tabby to marry the rapist . After all today is April Fools Day and she is the fool for marrying him.

[Churchhoney]

37 minutes ago, Rabbittron said:

Today is the perfect day for Tabby to marry the rapist . After all today is April Fools Day and she is the fool for marrying him.

Unfortunately so. I really hope he turns out to be a better person than he seems to be from a distance and that she never has to look back on it in that way, though. 

I'm guessing that her multilayered Christ-Dad-Mom-Oldest-Sib Umbrella of Protection is telling her that this is a good move, however. I imagine that she's one of those who follows those judgments and would not tempt Satan by getting out from under the umbrella. 

Edited April 1, 2017 by Churchhoney

[cereality]

Just goes to show how fundie perfect Prince Chad really is. I mean he's supposed to be the protector of his sisters bc he was born a man. And you know he said/did nothing to stop this wedding or talk his sister out of it or even express his concerns to her so she'd feel it was ok to walk away. Nope. You know he and Erin have likely be thinking it's so sad that his 30+ yr old sister is STILL single and has no babies -- at this point she just needs to marry anything that professes to be godly and has a d--k -- doesn't matter about his past or what he's done or that he's decades older than her. Such a prince . . . there's something about that guy's "perfection" and soft tones that has always irked me -- no matter how much he loves Erin and his kids.

[lookeyloo]

18 minutes ago, cereality said:

Just goes to show how fundie perfect Prince Chad really is. I mean he's supposed to be the protector of his sisters bc he was born a man. And you know he said/did nothing to stop this wedding or talk his sister out of it or even express his concerns to her so she'd feel it was ok to walk away. Nope. You know he and Erin have likely be thinking it's so sad that his 30+ yr old sister is STILL single and has no babies -- at this point she just needs to marry anything that professes to be godly and has a d--k -- doesn't matter about his past or what he's done or that he's decades older than her. Such a prince . . . there's something about that guy's "perfection" and soft tones that has always irked me -- no matter how much he loves Erin and his kids.

Are we sure they didn't have a conversation or two with her?

[BitterApple]

50 minutes ago, cereality said:

Just goes to show how fundie perfect Prince Chad really is. I mean he's supposed to be the protector of his sisters bc he was born a man. And you know he said/did nothing to stop this wedding or talk his sister out of it or even express his concerns to her so she'd feel it was ok to walk away. Nope. You know he and Erin have likely be thinking it's so sad that his 30+ yr old sister is STILL single and has no babies -- at this point she just needs to marry anything that professes to be godly and has a d--k -- doesn't matter about his past or what he's done or that he's decades older than her. Such a prince . . . there's something about that guy's "perfection" and soft tones that has always irked me -- no matter how much he loves Erin and his kids.

I'm just surprised. With all the people that Erin and Chad know, Tim was the best the Paines could come up with? I know Tabitha isn't a beauty queen, but she's hardly a troll on the Fundie spectrum either. She seems to have a little something going for her with the tutoring gig. Maybe she has an annoying personality, who knows, but you'd think the family would've matched her up with a better guy. Normally I'd say she's a grown woman and it's her choice, but we know how these people roll. Woman in this cult can't even go to the bathroom without getting permission from Daddy, so obviously Dr. Paine endorsed and encouraged the marriage. The whole things is so sad and creepy.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, cereality said:

at this point she just needs to marry anything that professes to be godly and has a d--k --

Well, she's partway there. She's marrying something that professes to be godly and probably is a d--k.

[ChaChaSlide]

The more I think about Tabby's wedding the more I wonder about John David and Jana. To me, the obvious reason behind Dr. Paine negotiating with Jim Bob to have Tabitha "nanny" the Duggarlings was to foster a courtship and marriage. She was their nanny for nearly 3 years; Rapist Tim was most likely allowed in when by 18 months there was no sign of any interest on John David's part. 

I truly wonder why Jana and John David have been "allowed" (I cringe saying that in regards to nearly 30 year old adults) to defer fundie marriage and it's byproducts, children. I don't think either's help is that greatly needed at this point; Miracle Josie is at the same age Jana was when she first became a sister-mom. Long story short the kids aren't needy babies/toddlers/preschoolers anymore who need 24/7 minding. The majority are teens and tweens, and even the younger girls are at an age where they'll most likely be farmed out to their sister-moms to be aunt-moms to their nieces and nephews. 

[cereality]

I too thought the Tabitha as nanny/tutor was a set up for her to live with the Duggars and for JD to decide that God was purposing for him to court her. He's younger than her but still the oldest eligible Duggar male. I kind of wonder why he didn't make a move? I mean where else is he meeting fundie girls? If one falls in your lap who is desperate to marry, don't you lock it up? He can't be holding out for someone with better looks, right - bc he isn't so hot himself? In prior seasons, he has seemed sad that he isn't married. There was some event where they went zip lining with Ben and Derrick - for them to prove that they were man enough to marry their sisters - and JD said something about how it doesn't matter if something happens to him bc he doesn't have a wife/kids waiting for him; and when he built that playground for his siblings, he made a comment about "lord willing I'll build something like this for my own kids one day." Yet last season when producers asked him if he was looking, he said "I'm too busy for that" -- which came across as -- I don't want to get married anyway . . . so he doesn't look like he's pining for something he can't/won't have.

I kind of wonder if he wants a "regular" Christian (like Whitney) so he can go fundie lite. With an arranged marriage set up by the Paines and JB -he'd be locked into a fundie life of no birth control, a kid every year etc. Even though Tabitha is in her 30s, I bet she could still have 8-10 kids if they tried constantly. I feel like he'd do better in a more "regular" religious conservative life -- a stay home wife; he provides as a contractor/construction guy; and 2-3 kids attending Christian school.