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

[RazzleberryPie]

Sierra definitely looks 35 in that photo, and ROUGH. I believe her if she says she was dealing with substance abuse for a while. That would explain why she looks older and also why she dove head first into the big vat of fundie Kool-aid. I personally know a couple of girls exactly like her - one, in particular, grew up fundie, went off the deep end (drugs, promiscuity, basically lived in a flop house for two years), then 'came back to the fold' and is now a minister of music married to a pastor.

 

The other one who first comes to mind was drinking, smoking weed, having sex, etc., in middle school, barely graduated from high school, then met a Captain Save a Ho when she was maybe 19 and got married the second he wanted to have sex. She's now a mother of 6, homeschools, sews her own clothing, every other word is 'blessing, precious, sweet, holy, etc.' The kids are all named things like Israel, Judah, etc. I will admit she is a great mom and has turned her life around, but definitely over compensates with her current lifestyle. 

[redlaces]

Sooo.. What did Sierra and her husband do wrong besides appearing on this show?

[Loves2Dance]

Sooo.. What did Sierra and her husband do wrong besides appearing on this show?

 

What do you mean?

[Sew Sumi]

I don't know that Mark has ever been on the show, certainly not with a speaking part, at any rate. 

 

Sierra? Just another sanctimonious, holier than thou blowhard who is apparently a real bitch to people she should be ministering to IRL. 

[Guest]

Sooo.. What did Sierra and her husband do wrong besides appearing on this show?

 

Much like Amy, Sierra and her husband haven't done anything wrong per se, but their decision to put their mugs on television in a dogged pursuit of their 15 minutes of fame turns them into public figures who are now open to possible criticism ... And IMO, judging from the fact that Sierra's many social media accounts and her blog are still set to public and not private, I think the former aspiring actress and motivational speaker likes the attention. 

Edited December 1, 2015 by Guest

[Churchhoney]

Much like Amy, Sierra and her husband haven't done anything wrong per se, but their decision to put their mugs on television in a dogged pursuit of their 15 minutes of fame turns them into public figures who are now open to possible criticism ... And IMO, judging from the fact that Sierra's many social media accounts and her blog are still set to public and not private, I think the former aspiring actress and motivational speaker likes the attention. 

 

And I think just the persistent hanging around the Duggars means that she wants attention. Because, seriously, how much fun -- how enlightening, how interesting, how rewarding, how pleasant -- can it possibly be to hang around the Duggars all the time? They're boring, preachy, loud, ungenerous, self-righteous, dirty, greedy, stupid, ignorant, passive aggressive, and their food and "entertainment" both stink. I doubt there's a single reason to hang around the Duggars at all except to get media attention.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Churchhoney

[SomePity1066]

And I think just the persistent hanging around the Duggars means that she wants attention. Because, seriously, how much fun -- how enlightening, how interesting, how rewarding, how pleasant -- can it possibly be to hang around the Duggars all the time? They're boring, preachy, loud, ungenerous, self-righteous, dirty, greedy, stupid, ignorant, passive aggressive, and their food and "entertainment" both stink. I doubt there's a single reason to hang around the Duggars at all except to get media attention.

Now I have my Post of the Day on time (sorry again for the delay, Janarella ! Me-o bad-o !) but this is just so much...

 

THIS !!!

 

Gah ! How horrible it would be to spend a day - even an afternoon - with them ! The noise, the endless Duggarisms, the repetition, the screeching, scratching violins and out-of-tune non-singing, the smell, the thousand-thousand close-calls with J-Kid Whatever almost falling into the fireplace or knocking their face off their skull because there aren't enough SisterMoms to pay attention to them all ?!?! 

 

No wonder the Bates (Bateseses ? Batesi ? I dunno - help me out here, please !) seemed to have backed off. After the freaking debacle of the Duggars swooping down in the Stink Bus to "help" them add a  simple laundry room and ended up effectively forcing them into a whole-home renovation by taking out walls, doors, etc, and having them live in a construction zone for nearly TWO YEARS it's no wonder they don't appear to be such Duggar leghumpers anymore. 

 

Sure, they all cross paths for photo-ops and weddings, showers, etc, but I don't think there's any love lost between them. All I can think about is the Duggar faction taking down the whole front wall of the Bates' (correct ?) house so quickly after arrival that the contents of their closets were still swinging in the wind and exposed to the elements. All those modest, long-sleeved shirts just drifting, back and forth...

 

And ALL on Duggar Time. Meaning long, slow, slower, and unannounced. Feed us, house us, entertain us...and after the photo-ops are over we'll leave TLC, and JD and Joseph, maybe, to help complete the addition.

 

Not for a million bucks would I "fellowship" with that looney band of narcissistic nincompoops. 

Edited December 1, 2015 by SomePity1066

[riverblue22]

I wonder who watches Sierra's many children when she runs off for Duggar events?  Does her husband have a job, or is he an aspiring preacher like Bin, working on his Internet leadership?  She seems to be around frequently but I haven't seen her 5? children at the Duggars.

[Almost 3000]

Oddly Sierra should bug me but she doesn't. At least she has energy and does things. I just realized that the bar is low on this show.

[Churchhoney]

Oddly Sierra should bug me but she doesn't. At least she has energy and does things. I just realized that the bar is low on this show.

Yeah, I feel that way, too. She makes the chocolate fruit and such, which is way way more enterprise than any Duggar ever shows.

 

At the same time, though, I expect that her driving purpose is trying to prospect for some kind of media fame or media job using the Duggars as her stepladder. Because otherwise why the heck would anyone hang around them? And she's said that she had strong media ambitions as a young kid. But I don't think it's going to work. Amy's worked the trying-for-a-Duggar-spinoff for years already and has fallen flat. So I'm thinking Sierra's going to be in the same boat. Although I guess if she gets lucky on multiples, she has a shot at equaling or surpassing Michelle in the baby race a decade or so down the line, so there's always that for hope.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Churchhoney

[barbedwire]

I wonder who watches Sierra's many children when she runs off for Duggar events?  Does her husband have a job, or is he an aspiring preacher like Bin, working on his Internet leadership?  She seems to be around frequently but I haven't seen her 5? children at the Duggars.

This!

I too have wondered how she has so much free time to be at the Duggars.  The noise doesn't bother her, she has that at home too.  What she doesn't have at home is cameras and fame.

[cdp73]

Hopefully Sierra doesn't start dipping into Michelle's Xanax stash.

 

Maybe that's why she volunteers to plan so many parties for the Duggars...potential access to the stash.

[bigskygirl]

Once again, it okay to snark on the Duggars and people who are on the show, but it is not okay to snark on your fellow posters. Use the ignore button, send a PM to a mod, or use the ignore button instead. Also, please do not engage the poster trying to stir up trouble. Posts causing problems or trying to stir up trouble will be hidden or deleted with a possibility of warnings. If you cannot be civil, do not post or take it to another forum. Thank you.

[BitterApple]

And I think just the persistent hanging around the Duggars means that she wants attention. Because, seriously, how much fun -- how enlightening, how interesting, how rewarding, how pleasant -- can it possibly be to hang around the Duggars all the time? They're boring, preachy, loud, ungenerous, self-righteous, dirty, greedy, stupid, ignorant, passive aggressive, and their food and "entertainment" both stink. I doubt there's a single reason to hang around the Duggars at all except to get media attention.

Slow clap and a million likes to this post.

I think Sierra had hopes of promoting herself as a wedding planner by appearing on the show. Unfortunately, the Duggars' tackiness made both weddings look like low-rent debaucles. Contrast that to Anna's family, who is dirt poor and managed to pull off a respectable affair.

As Churchhoney stated, it's hard to imagine anyone willingly hanging out with the Duggars. Remember the family who came to dinner with the little boy who'd been a preemie? Michelle had the wife in the kitchen cooking TTC. I'm surprised the husband wasn't handed a lawnmower and told to get cracking on those twenty acres. They're the most inhospitable people I've ever seen.

[yogi2014L]

As Churchhoney stated, it's hard to imagine anyone willingly hanging out with the Duggars. Remember the family who came to dinner with the little boy who'd been a preemie? Michelle had the wife in the kitchen cooking TTC. I'm surprised the husband wasn't handed a lawnmower and told to get cracking on those twenty acres. They're the most inhospitable people I've ever seen.

Ahh yes the Popes! Sarah Pope wrote a blog post about the Duggars and had a very detailed and interesting blog about her sons struggles as a micro preemie and then his sister who was born at 32 weeks. I followed her blog for like 2 or 3 years. She has not posted in over a year. 

 

I saw her on the Duggars and started following her. She is Christian but normal conservative Christian. She was a teacher and her and her hubby ( who is South African) are pretty normal. She quite to take care of Samuel - who  like many other micro preemies had a lot of issues which she goes into detail explaining. I actually got very educated about preemies and it made me wonder what the heck the Duggars are doing with Josie., Samuel is healthy and fine but it took lots of therapy  and EDUCATED PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT for him to be so successful and it makes you wonder just how Josie is on a day to day basis 

 

She was told that what happened with Samuel was unlikely to happen again but at like 28 weeks or something went into labor and had her daughter at 32 weeks ( like my little niece born 2 weeks ago!). She went detailed that experience also and it really showed the difference in preemie vs micro preemie. She was on hospital bed rest for 15 WEEKS with the second baby! Amazing. 

 

Anyway if you would like to check out the blog post about the Popes here is the link.

http://samuelpope.blogspot.com/p/about-samuel.html

 

Here is the post about the Duggar episode

http://samuelpope.blogspot.com/2012/09/getting-to-know-duggars.html

 

There is another blog post about their second appearance on the Duggars for the ACH fund raising episode somewhere out there too. 

Edited December 1, 2015 by yogi2014L

[BitterApple]

yogi2014L, thank you. I couldn't remember their last name. Sarah didn't look too enthused about the prospect of Dining With the Duggars. She probably hosed little Samuel down with Lysol and anti-bacterial gel the minute they left the Tinker Toy Prison.

Edited December 1, 2015 by BitterApple

[RazzleberryPie]

I don't think Sierra is a bad person or has bad intentions. She's just really, really annoying, with those bulging eyes, simpering voice, adoration of Duggars. As a party planner, I know they have to factor the wishes of their clients in with budget and logistics, but she comes up with, or carries out, some of the goofiest ideas. Who doesn't realize that ice cream will melt if the freezer door is open? That guests at an outdoor even in November need heat and chairs? That dipping 100 flamingos in blue paint is messy, and spray paint would be a whole lot neater and faster. 

[GeeGolly]

I don't think Sierra is a bad person or has bad intentions. She's just really, really annoying, with those bulging eyes, simpering voice, adoration of Duggars. As a party planner, I know they have to factor the wishes of their clients in with budget and logistics, but she comes up with, or carries out, some of the goofiest ideas. Who doesn't realize that ice cream will melt if the freezer door is open? That guests at an outdoor even in November need heat and chairs? That dipping 100 flamingos in blue paint is messy, and spray paint would be a whole lot neater and faster. 

And that they should have been painting storks.

[flyingdi]

Was Sierra the wedding planner? Didn't think she was. I knew she planned the shower and stuff by I thought someone else planned the wedding.

[Jenniferbug]

To me, the most surprising part of Sierra's blog was the casual mention that her kids watch one episode Daniel Tiger while she folds laundry. That honestly made me like her a bit more.

[GeeGolly]

Was Sierra the wedding planner? Didn't think she was. I knew she planned the shower and stuff by I thought someone else planned the wedding.

Yehp, she planned the outdoor, ice cream, November, wedding reception. She also planned Jill's wedding reception, where she learned that ice cream can melt, and had to start over the day of the wedding to make the classy root-beer floats.

[Jenilane6]

I went to Sierra's blog and the famyfriday Ig, but I still can't see her wedding dress nor her granny panties.  And I am unusually curious about these.

[GeeGolly]

I went to Sierra's blog and the famyfriday Ig, but I still can't see her wedding dress nor her granny panties.  And I am unusually curious about these.

https://www.instagram.com/p/-seSCcKJVF/?taken-by=famyfriday

[Fuzzysox]

https://www.instagram.com/p/-seSCcKJVF/?taken-by=famyfriday

Thank you Gee.

Sierra sure loves satin. I'll leave it at that.

[Catlyn]

It looks like a mother-son photo! Not in looks but in age difference!

My exact thought!

[yogi2014L]

you guysssssss I drove past the old Gothard headquarters today around noon coming from spin heading back to work and there was a crowd of people ( maybe like 50? IDK was driving) standing for a photo in front of the building...I wanted to turn around and creep past but had to go back to work. 

 

I bet Micheala and Prissy and David where there!!! I was only lik e50 feet away. Couldnt tell but will be looking for the pic on social media. I wish i could have gotten a photo but you know...driving :-/

[kokapetl]

you guysssssss I drove past the old Gothard headquarters today around noon coming from spin heading back to work and there was a crowd of people ( maybe like 50? IDK was driving) standing for a photo in front of the building...I wanted to turn around and creep past but had to go back to work.

I bet Micheala and Prissy and David where there!!! I was only lik e50 feet away. Couldnt tell but will be looking for the pic on social media. I wish i could have gotten a photo but you know...driving :-/

I went to IBLP.org to see if I could find this group photo, and I found a photo of the least convincing, "family held hostage" smiles ever:

[Aja]

Oooh! It's one of my lottery dreams to bankroll a PreviouslyTV ATI Conference field trip (floor length skirts for the women and sideways baseball caps for the men included) in which we just troll the hell out of everything. I'm jealous!!!!!

 

I went to IBLP.org to see if I could find this group photo, and I found a photo of the least convincing, "family held hostage" smiles ever:

My god, two of them look like they have dental stretchers on.

[BitterApple]

Good Lord, was there a Gestapo squadron off camera holding rifles to their heads? Those are the most strained, fake looking smiles I've ever seen.

[Readalot]

Oooh! It's one of my lottery dreams to bankroll a PreviouslyTV ATI Conference field trip (floor length skirts for the women and sideways baseball caps for the men included) in which we just troll the hell out of everything. I'm jealous!!!!!

My god, two of them look like they have dental stretchers on.

you know way back in the 90's we went on the unofficial Seinfeld tour in NYC, but this tour sounds so much more special and awesome!

[Aja]

you know way back in the 90's we went on the unofficial Seinfeld tour in NYC, but this tour sounds so much more special and awesome!

I really feel like it would be neat and precious. And so.

[Churchhoney]

I really feel like it would be neat and precious. And so.

 

Ah, but would it be appropriate to your Season of Life?

[Jenilane6]

 

https://www.instagra...n-by=famyfriday

Thanks, GeeGolly.  She seemed kinda 'normal' back then...hopefully she was holding the wedding gown skirt up, it wasn't an extreme high-low.  The "Bride" granny panties are funny.  The pictures of her Mom look more like a contemporary, the girl just has a Lorde-type countenance.

[awaken]

https://www.instagram.com/p/-seSCcKJVF/?taken-by=famyfriday

It's fascinating to read what I assume are unmoderated comments on this post! MUCH more realistic than the scrubbed clean versions seen on the rest of the Duggar IG's. I was beginning to think I was in bizarro world with mostly only blathering leghumper comments to most of their pictures!

I went to IBLP.org to see if I could find this group photo, and I found a photo of the least convincing, "family held hostage" smiles ever:

They look like they're in severe pain! Dental stretchers- ha!!

[RazzleberryPie]

Note that she's wearing the "Bride" granny panties over her jeans, so pretty sure she's just being goofy.

 

I'm wondering if she's another one who, after a rough life, just found it a whole lot easier to spout a bunch of ATI/fundie 'submit and have babies' so she could get out of actually going to school, going to work, etc. If your husband feed off of that 'woman submit' stuff, and all you have to do is bat your eyes and simper, then hand your babies off to some spinster, that's a whole lot easier than a real job. Then, like a whole lot of 'modesty' pushers that I've encountered, after a few pregnancies and some weight gain and sag, and when marriage starts to get routine and boring, it's suddenly 'OH YOU HEATHEN SLUTS - PUT ON SOME CLOTHES AND STOP TRYING TO TEMPT MY HUSBAND. HE CAN'T HELP IT YOU HO!"

[awaken]

Oooh! It's one of my lottery dreams to bankroll a PreviouslyTV ATI Conference field trip (floor length skirts for the women and sideways baseball caps for the men included) in which we just troll the hell out of everything. I'm jealous!!!!!

My god, two of them look like they have dental stretchers on.

That would be amazing. I can only imagine the bonding that would take place and the lifelong friendships made, going through an experience like that together!

[Tabbygirl521]

I went to IBLP.org to see if I could find this group photo, and I found a photo of the least convincing, "family held hostage" smiles ever:

You mean someone, somewhere thought those looked like real smiles?!?!?!

I call "Professional models who spent time at IBLP for a long photo shoot being love-bombed (or as auto-correct would have it, "love-boned") by Gothardites and are terrified they won't be able to escape."

[yogi2014L]

Note that she's wearing the "Bride" granny panties over her jeans, so pretty sure she's just being goofy.

 

I'm wondering if she's another one who, after a rough life, just found it a whole lot easier to spout a bunch of ATI/fundie 'submit and have babies' so she could get out of actually going to school, going to work, etc. If your husband feed off of that 'woman submit' stuff, and all you have to do is bat your eyes and simper, then hand your babies off to some spinster, that's a whole lot easier than a real job. Then, like a whole lot of 'modesty' pushers that I've encountered, after a few pregnancies and some weight gain and sag, and when marriage starts to get routine and boring, it's suddenly 'OH YOU HEATHEN SLUTS - PUT ON SOME CLOTHES AND STOP TRYING TO TEMPT MY HUSBAND. HE CAN'T HELP IT YOU HO!"

I totally agree!!!!

[barbedwire]

Oooh! It's one of my lottery dreams to bankroll a PreviouslyTV ATI Conference field trip (floor length skirts for the women and sideways baseball caps for the men included) in which we just troll the hell out of everything. I'm jealous!!!!!

 

My god, two of them look like they have dental stretchers on.

My headship said I could go if we are all going to be crammed into a trailer and he not have to pay for a hotel room.  Also, where do we buy used gas for said trailer so we can "buy used and save the difference."  Now I am off to sew about 2 feet of material to each of my shirts and sleeves onto my tank tops.  Cannot be defrauding!

 

;)

[Aja]

My headship said I could go if we are all going to be crammed into a trailer and he not have to pay for a hotel room.  Also, where do we buy used gas for said trailer so we can "buy used and save the difference."  Now I am off to sew about 2 feet of material to each of my shirts and sleeves onto my tank tops.  Cannot be defrauding!

 

;)

Since money is no object in this scenario, what's say our first act of trolling will be to show up in a million-dollar Nightliner, the kind Dolly Parton tours in, and be all "Oh really? You just have a muddy van? I guess Jesus loves us more."

[barbedwire]

You know good and well that he loves those who have the most children the best!  Arrows and quivers and all of that.

[bigskygirl]

Jingle, Jingle Bell Rock!!! We are leaving the topic at hand and drifting into the off topic land. The sleigh dog team is reading to head back onto the snow and into the Sweet Fellowship of Duggars and Friends. Thank you and may the force be with you.

[barbedwire]

I am going to write a letter to Santa.  Dear Santa, can you have John Maxwell marry Jinger Duggar and make his life a little better (and I do mean little)?  After living together, maybe they will escape fundydum and he can carry her to her dream:  a big city!

[Churchhoney]

I am going to write a letter to Santa.  Dear Santa, can you have John Maxwell marry Jinger Duggar and make his life a little better (and I do mean little)?  After living together, maybe they will escape fundydum and he can carry her to her dream:  a big city!

 

"Santa" is an anagram of "Satan."   Just sayin.

[Abstract]

I'm about 90% sure I know one of those people in the picture. It wasn't as clear on my phone, but on my computer it's pretty obvious.

[RazzleberryPie]

Since money is no object in this scenario, what's say our first act of trolling will be to show up in a million-dollar Nightliner, the kind Dolly Parton tours in, and be all "Oh really? You just have a muddy van? I guess Jesus loves us more."

Just ask for a love offering for your ministry. I'm sure there are some widows and orphans who don't really need those warm coats or bags of groceries. It's an honor to give you a love offering so you can pay for gas for your tour bus and all that hair gel.

 

"Santa" is an anagram of "Satan."   Just sayin.

Although I agree that a totally commercialized Christmas is sad, "Satanizing" Santa Clause happens sometimes when you are living in Gothard poverty and can't afford even simple presents, because you have too many kids, mom can't work, and all those homeschooling seminars and wisdom books are EXPENSIVE.

[becca3891]

Sooo.. What did Sierra and her husband do wrong besides appearing on this show?

Sierra blogs, and one of her blogs was all about submission. She also has made Gothard references in her blog. Since she chose to put herself on national television, she is a public figure and very much fair game! :)

 

As for her husband, I won't really comment on him since we don't know much about him. Someone had mentioned him being a person of color, and although I very much respect each person's right to identify him/herself with whatever ethnicity they feel a part of, the reality is that he is likely not viewed that way by other fundies as far as his appearance is concerned.

[allonsyalice]

https://www.instagram.com/p/-6gkhoAqYJ/?taken-by=davidncil

 

where do I start? oh right. "46 months of marriage."
 

[iwadrade]

https://www.instagram.com/p/-6gkhoAqYJ/?taken-by=davidncil

 

where do I start? oh right. "46 months of marriage."

Yuck. 

Yuck! It's because they celebrate month anniversaries. They value marriage so much more than regular heathen people because they count the little things. 

Edited December 5, 2015 by iwadrade

[Barbie]

https://www.instagram.com/p/-6gkhoAqYJ/?taken-by=davidncil

 

where do I start? oh right. "46 months of marriage."

 

also why does HE get to use his whole name in their handle and she only has three letters?