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

[BradandJanet]

I hope Medic Corps has people more qualified than the Bates and the Duggar spawn. There are many charities vying for my money. This won't be one of them. 

[Cinnabon]

Aren’t there a lot of ebil Catholics in the Philippines?

[BradandJanet]

1 minute ago, Cinnabon said:

Aren’t there a lot of ebil Catholics in the Philippines?

Yes. That's why the money will go to building a network of the "right" churches. 

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

Yes. That's why the money will go to building a network of the "right" churches. 

Good luck to them with that! The Catholic church is a BIG deal in the Philippines. I'm sure they will get some people, but I don't think they are going to convert the masses. 

[MargeGunderson]

Oh my god, what kind of fuckery is this? They are in no way, shape or form qualified to train other medical professionals. And of course they have to do it in a less developed country where they are less likely to get called out on their overinflated “expertise.”

[BradandJanet]

8 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

They see FIRE of CRAZY in Jilldo eyes.

 

And what they don't see is food on the dining room table. 

Wonder what happened at the Monster Truck Rally (which probably had a lot of the "right" Christians in attendance) or elsewhere that lit the fuse on Jill's hate bomb. This was one big explosion. 

 

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

And what they don't see is food on the dining room table. 

Wonder what happened at the Monster Truck Rally (which probably had a lot of the "right" Christians in attendance) or elsewhere that lit the fuse on Jill's hate bomb. This was one big explosion. 

 

This sounds to me like a late night cult rant ala Waco of Jonestown and we know how those ended. 

[Ohiopirate02]

I had to pull a quote from that mess-

"We’re reaching people at their lowest point with the Gospel of Jesus Christ—giving them a hand UP, not a handout—through training, equipment, and accountability."

WTF does this mean? What doe adequate emergency medical care have to do with spreading the gospel of Jesus?  Accountability? To whom would the hospital staff be accountable?

[farmgal4]

2 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

But did they convert anyone in the parking lot?

No, because if they had, we would’ve heard all about it.  I don’t think they even passed out any smiley face tracts, because if they had, we would’ve heard about that too.

[Cinnabon]

11 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I had to pull a quote from that mess-

"We’re reaching people at their lowest point with the Gospel of Jesus Christ—giving them a hand UP, not a handout—through training, equipment, and accountability."

WTF does this mean? What doe adequate emergency medical care have to do with spreading the gospel of Jesus?  Accountability? To whom would the hospital staff be accountable?

The “accountability “ jumps out at me, too. WTF?

1 minute ago, farmgal4 said:

No, because if they had, we would’ve heard all about it.  I don’t think they even passed out any smiley face tracts, because if they had, we would’ve heard about that too.

Well, they clearly missed a wonderful opportunity then, since ALL at that event were doomed.

[Spazamanaz]

10 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

JillR is so concerned about being judged, yet it seems she spends every moment of every day, judging others.

What makes her so sure so many needed saving at the Monster Truck show? Their clothing? Drinking? Swearing? She certainly didn't talk to them all. And we know her three oldest judge others harshly.

I just can't imagine spending so much time hating others and fearing the devil. That, to me, sounds like hell on earth.

And such a negative way to live your life. Hate takes up so much energy. Maybe she should take a hard look into herself, and maybe she will see that Hate equals the devil. 

[BradandJanet]

8 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I had to pull a quote from that mess-

"We’re reaching people at their lowest point with the Gospel of Jesus Christ—giving them a hand UP, not a handout—through training, equipment, and accountability."

WTF does this mean? What doe adequate emergency medical care have to do with spreading the gospel of Jesus?  Accountability? To whom would the hospital staff be accountable?

There's a White Savior vibe going on here, a shady White Savior at that.  

Their BOLD VISION needs specifics before they start asking for money. A projected budget and timeline would be nice.  I have a bad feeling this grand plan involves 42% proselytizing, 55% personal expenses and 3% health care. 

[sagittarius sue]

5 hours ago, beckie said:

It must be hard being so righteous. Huh, Jill? 

I've been a devoted lurker here, particularly of the Rodrigui, and this comment brought up a perfect song for Jill, with a necessary change. (Apology to the late great Mac Davis).

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I'm simply a godly woman*
Oh Lord It's hard to be humble,
But I'm doing the best that I can

*I must be a hell of a man (the original line)

[Rootbeer]

19 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

There's a White Savior vibe going on here, a shady White Savior at that.  

Their BOLD VISION needs specifics before they start asking for money. A projected budget and timeline would be nice.  I have a bad feeling this grand plan involves 42% proselytizing, 55% personal expenses and 3% health care. 

That's what I noticed.  They claim that local authorities have asked them to help, want them to step in and fix their poor, broken system of trauma care; and they've so graciously agreed to do it.  That being the case, why do they need donations?  Wouldn't the local health authorities in the Philippines be providing the financial support to set up and sustain the emergency care system?  Why would we in the US be expected to pay to start an Emergency Medicine residency at the local Philippino hospital?  How would that work over the long haul?

Looking at their credentials, it does look like the Medic Corps has some people with actual medical backgrounds and training, unlike the Duggars and Bates.  But, if these people are so very experienced at setting up trauma centers and helicopter transport, why aren't they contracting with the government to provide those services?  There are actual medical organizations that will send a team to less developed countries to help them upgrade their systems; why wouldn't they be used instead of a bunch of people who are more concerned with worshipping the 'right' Jesus than saving lives?

Sounds like  an upscale fundie grift to me.  I wanna see how much they earn in donations and how much they pay their US based staff in salary to provide these incredible life-saving services as compared to what they actually spend on the services themselves.  I expect they refer to themselves as 'consultants' on the project and collect a nice stipend for anything they do even remotely connected to the mission.

Edited July 9, 2021 by Rootbeer

[BradandJanet]

I always check out new charities before I give to them. Charity Navigator is one site that gives ratings and there are others. Medicorps is mentioned in Charity Navigator but not Medic Corps. Perhaps the name choice is intentionally confusing? Of course, it is. 

I'm also leery about a charity that has an osteopath in Michigan, Nathan Bates, and John Duggar as the top officers. The doctor, at least, has credentials. Nathan and JD don't even have a recognized high school diploma, much less a college degree or significant verified professional qualifications except for pilot's licenses.

If Medic Corps is a charity capable of overhauling the emergency medical system of an entire country, why are these two in charge of anything? Maybe they are the celebrity spokespeople. JD is a Law Enforcement Officer (capitalized) and CEO of Natural State Environmental Services (water damage restoration). He's also the father of little Gracie. Nathan is also in law enforcement (not capitalized), firefighting, and SCUBA diving. His specialty is recruiting more heroes. Here's the link to the website: https://mediccorps.org/who-we-are-2/

The website is definitely geared to the "right" religion. If that's what people want to give to, fine, if it's transparent. However, saving the people of the Philippines from medical emergencies is a little ambitious to be an achievable goal for this group. 

Medic Corps is based in the US, so it is required to file documents to be tax exempt. I don't see a link on the website to any financial documents, which many charities are glad to provide. The information about a gift being tax deductible is supposedly under "Giving," but that's just a link to PayPal. 

[Teriacky]

Hey Jill, the more you hate the uglier you get. All of the Plexus in the world won’t help.

[farmgal4]

The Rods are arm-wrestling again. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[emmawoodhouse]

2 hours ago, BradandJanet said:

I always check out new charities before I give to them. Charity Navigator is one site that gives ratings and there are others. Medicorps is mentioned in Charity Navigator but not Medic Corps. Perhaps the name choice is intentionally confusing? Of course, it is. 

I'm also leery about a charity that has an osteopath in Michigan, Nathan Bates, and John Duggar as the top officers. The doctor, at least, has credentials. Nathan and JD don't even have a recognized high school diploma, much less a college degree or significant verified professional qualifications except for pilot's licenses.

If Medic Corps is a charity capable of overhauling the emergency medical system of an entire country, why are these two in charge of anything? Maybe they are the celebrity spokespeople. JD is a Law Enforcement Officer (capitalized) and CEO of Natural State Environmental Services (water damage restoration). He's also the father of little Gracie. Nathan is also in law enforcement (not capitalized), firefighting, and SCUBA diving. His specialty is recruiting more heroes. Here's the link to the website: https://mediccorps.org/who-we-are-2/

The website is definitely geared to the "right" religion. If that's what people want to give to, fine, if it's transparent. However, saving the people of the Philippines from medical emergencies is a little ambitious to be an achievable goal for this group. 

Medic Corps is based in the US, so it is required to file documents to be tax exempt. I don't see a link on the website to any financial documents, which many charities are glad to provide. The information about a gift being tax deductible is supposedly under "Giving," but that's just a link to PayPal. 

I'm surprised Nathan left something off his impressive (snerk) resume. He has performed dentistry on children in the Philippines. And that's where he plans to live most of the time after his wedding. Preaching and performing dentistry, one presumes.

[Future Cat Lady]

The Filipino medical system is 30 years behind the US. We witnessed many critical patients dying preventable deaths because they didn’t receive intervention in a timely manner to make an impact.

 

 

That bit is hilarious considering what's going on with healthcare in the U.S. and the fact that they're against universal healthcare.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Future Cat Lady

[riverblue22]

The real reason:  Right now the Philippines must be safer for fundie missionaries than El Salvador and other Central American countries they have previously invaded.  And still plenty of Catholics to convert!

[emmawoodhouse]

2 minutes ago, riverblue22 said:

The real reason:  Right now the Philippines must be safer for fundie missionaries than El Salvador and other Central American countries they have previously invaded.  And still plenty of Catholics to convert!

I have many Filipino friends. Staunchly Catholic, every one. Their family back in the Philippines? Staunchly Catholic. 

Sorry Mediccorps, they are not as easy to convert as you might think. 

[GeeGolly]

The Philippines is the size of California and has a population of 100 million. There's a lot more to it than having a couple extra helicopters available. Never mind the politics of the country, but none of them have any experience with infrastructure even on the micro level, yet they think they can swoop in and "fix" a country.

And as far as I know God doesn't help only Fundies. Medic Corp can stay out of their religion.

I didn't think it was possible, but Nathan Bates has an ego larger than JB's, Josh's and Jessa's combined.

[libgirl2]

10 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

I have many Filipino friends. Staunchly Catholic, every one. Their family back in the Philippines? Staunchly Catholic. 

Sorry Mediccorps, they are not as easy to convert as you might think. 

Many religious orders here in the states are filled with Filipinos. I know someone who married a man who was going to be a priest at one point. 

[3 is enough]

The Filipinos take Catholic to a whole other level.  Every year on Good Friday they have reenactments of the Crucifixion and people literally get nailed to crosses. Good luck converting them, Mediccorps.

Remember when Lawson was crowing about getting some sort of emergency medical certification?  Turned out it was just an advanced first aid course.  These people have no idea and I shudder to think of how they could botch up a real emergency.

 

[auburn-waves]

My brother-in-law is Filipino and his entire family in the Philippines are nuns and priests. Heck, his own father was a former priest and mother a firmer nun! They are VERY religious, there’s def no converting Filipinos. My nephews are even in Catholic school, altar boys, the whole nine yards.

[zenme]

I think Lawson is just into Asian chicks.

[Cinnabon]

6 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

The Philippines is the size of California and has a population of 100 million. There's a lot more to it than having a couple extra helicopters available. Never mind the politics of the country, but none of them have any experience with infrastructure even on the micro level, yet they think they can swoop in and "fix" a country.

And as far as I know God doesn't help only Fundies. Medic Corp can stay out of their religion.

I didn't think it was possible, but Nathan Bates has an ego larger than JB's, Josh's and Jessa's combined.

Why don’t they go and try and “fix” California? 🤣

[Cinnabon]

38 minutes ago, zenme said:

I think Lawson is just into Asian chicks.

There are plenty in the US. No need to subject any other countries to him.

[galaxygirl76]

These people really like going to countries where there's no chance of converting anyone. Wasn't there a fundie girl that went on a missionary trip to Greece? Greece is like 90+% Greek orthodox, no way anyone there is going to convert to your particular brand of Jesus. 

Edited July 10, 2021 by galaxygirl76

[zenme]

24 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

There are plenty in the US. No need to subject any other countries to him.

IKR? They have their own troubles.

3 minutes ago, zenme said:

IKR? They have their troubles.

Well, if I was forced to go on missionary trips I’d wanna go to Italy, France, Iceland, New Zealand…

3 minutes ago, zenme said:

Edited July 10, 2021 by zenme

[Cinnabon]

57 minutes ago, zenme said:

IKR? They have their own troubles.

Well, if I was forced to go on missionary trips I’d wanna go to Italy, France, Iceland, New Zealand…

No one in those counties trusts Americans 🤣. Who can blame them?

ETA - I would LOVE to see them try to “convert” anyone in Iceland to their nonsense.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Cinnabon

[Teriacky]

As a Californian speaking for my people (other Californians) we don’t want them. 

[Cinnabon]

2 minutes ago, Teriacky said:

As a Californian speaking for my people (other Californians) we don’t want them. 

Oh, I know. I lived in California for 15+ years. They know Californians would tear them up.

I wonder if the Philippines mandates vaccinations for those coming in from the germ infested US? 

[Churchhoney]

On 7/9/2021 at 2:51 PM, BradandJanet said:

Yes. That's why the money will go to building a network of the "right" churches. 

Yeah. And with Bateses and Duggars involved -- and a at least a small base level of Gothardism already pretty long established there -- I fear these "right" churches will have lots of tinges of the Gothard cult, to boot. There've been many Gothard-heavy "mission trips" to the Philippines over the years, and it's one of the countries where they clearly did establish a foothold with some converted-into-the-cult clergy and so on. 

I mean, they won't say "Gothard." They don't do that any more unless they're talking to the old guard who still buy up all the recordings they sell of his old speeches and so on.

But while the name doesn't get used when they're talking to the new people they entice in, a lot of evidence has suggested that many of the old inner circle still go with al the Gothard-y bullshit and would love to re-establish it because they're diehard believers.

And they know how successful a lot of the Gothardy "principles" have been in the past at bringing people in and malforming their minds...So I'm sure they have hopes of a renewed source of power and money for them. Gross.

Meanwhile, they pretend it's because they're so nice and loving and generous and charitable and science-minded-about-medicine. Yadda yadda yadda. But it's all their self-serving cult-trying-to-revive-itself on the backs of the poor and the sick while pretending they're not doing that at all evil bullshit. The real reason Duggars and Bateses et al want to revive the cult is because they were all biggedy big big shots in that cult and got money and narcissistic supply in plenty from it. So they're hoping to make a go of it again. And now they're actually pretending that they're legit medicine/healthcare people.

And, strange as it seems, there have been a lot of pretty educated people in the Gothard cult. ... His pretentious pseudo-intellectual claptrap appealed to their pseudo-intellectual pretensions as well, I suppose. So I guess that can help them pull off this kind of scam. 

Loathsome. 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Churchhoney

[ginger90]

[iwantcookies]

She is the prettiest so far. Shocking considering how HUNKY the dad is.

 

Obedient aka a robot

Looking for a fiancée already? Definitely looks like a match.com ad

[BradandJanet]

Tessie's generic birthday tribute sounds a lot like Kaylee's except for the the part about how Kaylee Has Chosen (for HERSELF) to Live a Passionate, Separate, Godly Life, blah, blah, blah. Jill got flack for that message because nobody believes her kids choose anything on their own. I think that may have contributed to her post-Monster Truck Meltdown. Tessie apparently doesn't get any choices yet. 

Tessie is beautiful. As Tessie gets older and more beautiful and Jill just gets OLDER, there will be problems.  

Edited July 11, 2021 by BradandJanet

[ozziemom]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

I bet JillR can’t wait to slather make up all over poor Tessie. And pluck her eyebrows. 

[Teriacky]

She is a beautiful girl. Leave her face alone, Jill! 

Oh, and Jill get your thyroid checked.

[Westiepeach]

Tessie, you are beautiful. If your mother comes after you with tweezers… run. Just run. I don’t care where you run to… just freakin’ run.

[Temperance]

Big news out from the Maxwell family. Chelsy Bontrager Maxwell had her baby 10 weeks premature. She was due the end of September and baby was born early.

The baby's name is Madeline Sue. She looks good all things considered. Here is the full blog post. I hope the baby is okay, besides living in a cult. 

[emmawoodhouse]

1 hour ago, Temperance said:

Big news out from the Maxwell family. Chelsy Bontrager Maxwell had her baby 10 weeks premature. She was due the end of September and baby was born early.

The baby's name is Madeline Sue. She looks good all things considered. Here is the full blog post. I hope the baby is okay, besides living in a cult. 

I hope baby Madeline pulls through. 

Another side note: her premature birth makes her less than 13 months younger than Elliot. Or is it Axton? I always forget their birth order, but I do know the birthday of the second one, since I share it. 😁

Edited July 11, 2021 by emmawoodhouse
Autocorrect strikes again!

[Temperance]

40 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

I hope baby Madeline pulls through. 

Another side note: her premature birth makes her less than 13 months younger than Elliot. Or is it Aston? I always forget their birth order, but I do know the birthday of the second one, since I share it. 😁

Axton is older. He's almost 2.5. Elliot is almost 13 months. 

I hope I didn't make light of very serious situation. I really hope the baby will be okay.  Prematurity is no joke and the baby is 2.5 months premature.

[Temperance]

I posted Sarah Maxwell's post about her niece Madeline Sue, but here's Chelsy's post on her own blog.  She says her due date was mid-September, but Sarah says the baby is about 10 weeks early. 

Chelsy says the baby is looking at possibly 2 months in the NICU. It wouldn't surprise me if the stay was shorter than that, but probably at least a month. I'm sending good vibes to Chelsy, John, baby Madeline, and the Maxwell family.

[BitterApple]

That's a tough situation, but I thought the baby looked pretty robust given the circumstances. Hopefully she'll be okay.

[iwantcookies]

9 hours ago, Teriacky said:

She is a beautiful girl. Leave her face alone, Jill! 

Oh, and Jill get your thyroid checked.

Dr Plexus will fix all Jills ailments!

[andromeda331]

6 hours ago, Temperance said:

Big news out from the Maxwell family. Chelsy Bontrager Maxwell had her baby 10 weeks premature. She was due the end of September and baby was born early.

The baby's name is Madeline Sue. She looks good all things considered. Here is the full blog post. I hope the baby is okay, besides living in a cult. 

That's really early. I hope the baby is okay. 

[GeeGolly]

Maybe Plexus makes folks manic? Janelle from Sister Wives looks as whacked as JillR.

[floridamom]

Her eyes looked jacked up to me.

[Madtown]

Jill describes Tessie as "obedient." What is she, a dog? To me, when someone calls their child that, it takes on a whole new meaning.

Edited July 11, 2021 by Madtown