Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[Sew Sumi]

Ah, a paradox. Religion relies so heavily on them. 

[Micks Picks]

Good grief I'm totally bummed out now.  Looks like you are sunk if you follow their god.  Mine is better.

[cmr2014]

Honestly, it just looks like teenage level "deep thinking" to me. I'm not a religious zealot, so my version of this didn't look like Ben's, but I recognize it. This is why people go away to college. You're supposed to sit up late with your friends drinking beer and having these "deep" conversations. Unfortunately for Ben, he isn't in college, and has no friends, so his self-absorbed, pompous drivel is now fodder for the amusement of everyone with internet access.

[MunichNark]

I find it rather amusing (yes, I am easily amused) that the Dullards message of "don't worry, be happy" is followed by young Bin's message of doom. What HAS happened to him that he is so fire and brimstone? He reminds me of one certain Ian Paisley really. I suppose his Calvinistic views aren't helpful, but blimey, he must be a bundle of laughs at home.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Ben's missives (if they can be called such) sound like the philosophical broodings of an "emo" teenager. If he wasn't already a rabid Fundy, his writings might warrant parental concern.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[NewDigs]

Oh, the angst!

I think he's trying out a preaching style. Get ready world...

[Aja]

Quote

But what if I myself am weeping, in pain, lonely, burdened, and weak. How can I bless anyone when I myself am in desperate need of help?

Then I realized that the One who wipes away our tears also shares our grief. The One who comforts us also experiences our pain in the most intimate way. The One who is a companion in our loneliness knows what it is to be despised, rejected, and utterly forsaken. The One who listens to us knows what it feels like to be misunderstood.

The One who bears our burdens on His very own back will also strengthen me to strengthen others. This one is Jesus.

Perfect example of words strung together with punctuation marks for no apparent reason. I can't tell if Bin thinks he's Jesus or if he's just going through his delayed goth phase. Maybe that's why the Gregorian haircut.

[DangerousMinds]

I guess his "degree" didn't include a basic grammar course.

[Almost 3000]

13 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

I refuse to give that monetized blog any hits, ever. Can someone either c/p or summarize Ben's Greatest Hits? Wanna bet this was a term paper for one of his "classes?"

Yes! Its my firm belief that if you post a link you should provide a quote that shows the point of you linking it in the first place. Clicking can mess with people's computers or many, as you mentioned, don't want to click on monetized blogs or rag type gossip sites.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Almost 3000

[sometimesy]

Guess Bin has no one. Poor lonely Bin. Where is his family to lean on? Is his wife tattling to the Boob? I think Bin should take a look at the Dullards, and move far away where there is NO room for a truck full of Duggs. Go to school in Manhattan and live in a 250 sq ft apartment. But get away, because I would be surprised if Jessa doesn't use Boob to threaten her little beta fish. 

[Churchhoney]

15 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Is there a discernible thesis? You know, something like "empathy is something because something, etc." 

It's kind of -- I feel bad sometimes and so I know that other people feel bad too. I should have faith that God will help me in my troubles and that probably one thing he has in mind when he gives me strength is that he wants me to reach out to and help those other people who feel bad.

Not that he says this with any clarity. But I'm pretty sure that's what he's driving at. Wouldn't actually call it his thesis, I guess, more like his little moral preachy thing. However, I do like it better than his usual -- You're all going to hell.

[Boofish]

I was bored at worked so I decided to catch an episode of "Counting On." Unfortunately it's even more boring than work and all they showed was them talking over clips of crap that happened on 19 Kids and Counting. Is this the TLC way of keeping Michelle and Jim Bob on TV without actually saying they are part of the show? Is every episode an hour of "Last time on the Golden Girls .... "

But with that said - the only genuine relationship in this family seems to be between Jill and Jessa. I did feel Jessa was honestly happy to see Jill and her emotions were real. Actually the only one who seems to pull any real emotion from any of the Dugbots is Jill. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

Dugbots!  I LOVE it! Well done!

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 hours ago, sometimesy said:

Guess Bin has no one. Poor lonely Bin. Where is his family to lean on? Is his wife tattling to the Boob? I think Bin should take a look at the Dullards, and move far away where there is NO room for a truck full of Duggs. Go to school in Manhattan and live in a 250 sq ft apartment. But get away, because I would be surprised if Jessa doesn't use Boob to threaten her little beta fish. 

You've got to admit that if your "job" is scrubbing Boob's nasty bathrooms, theres nowhere else to go but up. He's got a bitchy shrew of a wife who thinks she's some sort of Princess, a domineering father in law who keeps his balls in a matchbox, parents who don't seem to care about his predicament.  I wouldn't be surprised if Boob pays him as little as possible and that he owes him back pay.  He's saddled with a kid he can't afford on top of that.  Yeah, I'd be pretty melancholy under those circumstances as well.

[duggarshow]

On 5/31/2016 at 3:12 PM, Aja said:

They've never specifically said "we're not Quiverful.", at least not to my knowledge. However, they do hawk Gothard and Pearl literature on their website and are all about the lingo and the homeschooling conferences and ALERT and Journey to the Heart and courting and modesty and "breed til you bleed" and basically every code of conduct the Quiverful philosophy dictates, so it would be really, really, really weird for them to outright deny it. They toned it down because even THEY know that shit is too weird and backward and disturbing to be readily accepted by a mainstream audience. Why, they're not a weird cult, just a good Christian family with Victorian-era values and a steadfast belief that ignorance is power. That's what America loves!

 

Actually, they've stated that several times. It's also in their book.

[Aja]

4 minutes ago, duggarfan said:

Actually, they've stated that several times. It's also in their book.

I don't doubt you're right. But again, saying "we're not Quiverful" is less than credible if you tailor every single facet of your lifestyle (including the main facet--birthing) to the doctrine, and you hawk a bunch of literature on your website that supports the doctrine. It would be like if I maintained a blog about Jesus and sold Bibles on my website and said "I really don't know why this makes anybody think I'm Christian." The Duggars can't afford to be too closely affiliated with anything that extreme, it would affect their mainstream appeal and jeopardize their TV show. 

Edited June 6, 2016 by Aja

[Arwen Evenstar]

"We're not Quiverfull"... Methinks they doth protest too much.

[Sew Sumi]

3 hours ago, duggarfan said:

Actually, they've stated that several times. It's also in their book.

Then explain why the masthead of their old website featured a picture of the brood with Psalm 127.3-5 prominently displayed. That's some pretty damning evidence to the contrary. If I knew how to use the Wayback Machine, I'd post it here as visible proof. The Duggars are masters at saying one thing, but doing the exact opposite. 

[GeeGolly]

Isn't Ben's preachy thing akin to the ...

Hey God, why only one set of footprints? And God replies, Dude those were mine, I carried you.

With an added... 

Okay great thanks, I'll go help someone else.

Edited June 7, 2016 by GeeGolly

[JoanArc]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Then explain why the masthead of their old website featured a picture of the brood with Psalm 127.3-5 prominently displayed. That's some pretty damning evidence to the contrary. If I knew how to use the Wayback Machine, I'd post it here as visible proof. The Duggars are masters at saying one thing, but doing the exact opposite. 

Heres quiverful right on the front page.

[Sew Sumi]

I <3 the Wayback Machine. Duggars' pants are on fire, as usual. They speak out of both sides of their mouths and hope no one notices. Smuggar learned obfuscation and hypocrisy from a couple of masters. 

The iteration of the blog I was thinking of was even more recent than that one, but it had the quiverfull verse plastered on the top of the bloody page! 

Found it! This is from 2005 (after they had been on TLC), but quiverfull.com is still listed in the lower left hand corner. Also check the favorite links....all the Gothard cult stuff plus Vision Forum are all there. LMAO

https://web.archive.org/web/20060425092650/http://www.duggarfamily.com/default.php

Edited June 7, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[cmr2014]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Then explain why the masthead of their old website featured a picture of the brood with Psalm 127.3-5 prominently displayed. That's some pretty damning evidence to the contrary. If I knew how to use the Wayback Machine, I'd post it here as visible proof. The Duggars are masters at saying one thing, but doing the exact opposite. 

I'm moving my reply to 19 Things I Hate About . . .

[Arwen Evenstar]

The only thing Boob's quiver is full of is bullshit.

[Micks Picks]

In the site from the swayback machine that Arwen provided above, if you click on their "favorite sites"" tab you find all the Gothard stuff plus they are hawking a vacuum.   How wonderful to suck up the bullshit.

[Arwen Evenstar]

12 hours ago, Micks Picks said:

In the site from the swayback machine that Arwen provided above, if you click on their "favorite sites"" tab you find all the Gothard stuff plus they are hawking a vacuum.   How wonderful to suck up the bullshit.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand the vacuum is good for sucking up all the things they swept under the rug, hoping no one would notice.

[Defrauder]

On 6/5/2016 at 11:24 PM, louannems said:

June 1, 2016

Someone is weeping today without a shoulder to cry on. Maybe God wants that shoulder to be mine. Someone is hurting today without anyone to comfort them. Maybe I can comfort them in Jesus’ name. Someone is lonely today and needs a friend to walk with. Maybe God means me to be that friend. Someone has their heart burdened today but no one will hear them. Maybe I can be a listening ear in Jesus’ name. Someone is weak today and needs a friend to come and help carry them through. Maybe God would have me help them.

 

But what if I myself am weeping, in pain, lonely, burdened, and weak. How can I bless anyone when I myself am in desperate need of help?

 

Then I realized that the One who wipes away our tears also shares our grief. The One who comforts us also experiences our pain in the most intimate way. The One who is a companion in our loneliness knows what it is to be despised, rejected, and utterly forsaken. The One who listens to us knows what it feels like to be misunderstood.

 

The One who bears our burdens on His very own back will also strengthen me to strengthen others. This one is Jesus.

  

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:3-5

0 Comments

OK Ben, I think you're really trying to put your heart in the right place, but do you practice what you preach?  Suppose the someone who needs a shoulder to cry on is hurt because they are marginalized for being an atheist or being gay or being Catholic or something such as that - would you be that shoulder to cry on or would you judge them, try to change them, tell them they were doomed to hell for all of eternity?  Your kind words - do they apply to people who are not like you?  Or would you smite them, despise them, esteem them not?  Judge them, try to 'correct' them or their 'errors'?  

[Defrauder]

23 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

"We're not Quiverfull"... Methinks they doth protest too much.

They're Quiverfull alright and a Quiverfull of shit on top of it.  They always try to distance themselves from what they truly believe if they think it will turn off potential viewers.  Then they say they're doing the show for God or whatever, but if they think what they truly believe is bad for the show they pretend to not believe it - whether it's Gothard, or the Pearl blanket training and training your child up method or women not being active outside of the house, they are total bullshitters.  It always cracked me up when they put their children's aspirations on their website for all the world to see - like one of the girls wanting to be a doctor some day when she grew up, - or so many things that they would never actually be allowed to do - they would parade it on their website like they were really 'normal' when they weren't.   They are so fake and pretend for the sake of the show.

[Arwen Evenstar]

They're really wanting everyone to think they're just like everyone else? They're doing everything they can to show the world what Speshul Snowflakes they are!

[Churchhoney]

23 hours ago, JoanArc said:

Heres quiverful right on the front page.

Heh.

[louannems]

One thing about Jessa, she keeps Spurgeon so clean he shines like a plastic doll!  He's adorable and happy.

 

[DangerousMinds]

She keeps him clean for the camera, at least. I am probably going to hell but that kid kind of creeps me out.

[BitterApple]

5 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

She keeps him clean for the camera, at least. I am probably going to hell but that kid kind of creeps me out.

You and me both. I think it's because he's a blend of Boob and Josh. It freaks me out and that's why I just can't get gushy over him.

[Sew Sumi]

Saw that yesterday, but I was on the bus and not up to copying/pasting. Can't believe the rugrat is already 7 months, and neither Jessa nor Sierra has any "news" for us. 

Edited June 8, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[Arwen Evenstar]

You can bet we'll be on womb watch if it boosts ratings. 

He's a cute baby, but why such a horrible name?

[riverblue22]

Jessa doesn't have much to do but play with her baby doll.  She has an air conditioned, modern home, J slaves to babysit, and a husband to help out.  I would guess that most of us kept our babies just as clean and well cared for, even though we worked outside the home and didn't have the cash she has from being a television "star."   He is really cute, until you start seeing Jim-Bob in him.

[Defrauder]

9 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

They're really wanting everyone to think they're just like everyone else? They're doing everything they can to show the world what Speshul Snowflakes they are!

This is true until it appears something might interfere with ratings - then it's covered up.  Whether it's Gothard, Quiverfull, Pearl method of training children - they keep it hush hush or try to deny involvement.  They're special up until the point the ratings might go down.  

[Catlyn]

On 6/6/2016 at 2:19 PM, Boofish said:

But with that said - the only genuine relationship in this family seems to be between Jill and Jessa. I did feel Jessa was honestly happy to see Jill and her emotions were real. Actually the only one who seems to pull any real emotion from any of the Dugbots is Jill. 

Probably because they are the only ones they can talk honestly about marriage together. They can't discuss disappointments, compare pregnancies and deliveries with their mother. She'd  talk about her own pregnancies and try and top whatever delivery drama with her own (plus I'm sure she'd play the two babies in heaven card for extra points). Disappointed in marriage? Smile and be happy!  I'm sure Jill and Jessa do talk about what they expected and how expectations changed: Gothard be damned about expectations before marriage. I'm sure they have bonded by shared experiences.

[Absolom]

I hope they're talking about bad birthing experiences and how they don't want to risk going through that again or worse and maybe quiverful is a load of horse manure.

[Arwen Evenstar]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

I hope they're talking about bad birthing experiences and how they don't want to risk going through that again or worse and maybe quiverful is a load of horse manure.

Maybe they're realizing they've both been bound to dolts...one a missioncationing hippie and the other a toilet scrubber.

[Missy Vixen]

2 hours ago, Absolom said:

I hope they're talking about bad birthing experiences and how they don't want to risk going through that again or worse and maybe quiverful is a load of horse manure.

They can't talk about that stuff. Jilly Muffin would tattle to their parents in a New York minute, and Jessa Blessa doesn't want anyone to know that she has no intention of having more baybees if she can avoid it.

[Arwen Evenstar]

7 minutes ago, Missy Vixen said:

They can't talk about that stuff. Jilly Muffin would tattle to their parents in a New York minute, and Jessa Blessa doesn't want anyone to know that she has no intention of having more baybees if she can avoid it.

Jilly Muffin is likely still the Duggar mole.

[Happyfatchick]

I am shocked and amazed at the pics jessa posts.  I agree that you only post the best, but it looks like the real deal to me.  She is lucky to have had a smiling, happy baby.  Sometimes babies are just "serious".  (You know the ones - they just don't giggle, and seem to be taking in the world - I think what's his name who is Jill's baby probably is far more serious than Spurge).  I remember being surprised at myself, how my baby consumed me.  He was always squeaky clean, giggling and dressed for pictures every day.  He was my entire world.  That's what Spurge reminds me of, my first child.  It really does help when they're gigglers.  Jess looks different to me since having him.  I doubt she's trying all that hard to keep from having another;  I know I thought mine was so fun I couldn't WAIT to do it again.   Good first babies trick you into thinking you're good at motherhood.  

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, I do wonder what Jessa would be like if she had a serious baby who never smiles like Allie Jane Webster (Alyssa Bates' baby). Would they be posting so many pictures? Would Jessa's RBF still be present? 

Child #2 will tell us a LOT about her. She's bound to have a difficult baby at some point in time, especially given that they want a bloody football team. The odds for 11 "good" babies just are not in their favor. 

[Adeejay]

Say what you want about Jessa, but she seems to be a good mother.  Spurge appears to be happy and in good health.  Wish I could say the same about poor Izzy.

[Happyfatchick]

Sew, you are absolutely correct.  I don't have a CLUE how the Duggs got by with not having one autistic child, or with any discernible disabilities at all, given their lifestyle.  And the chances Jessa will give birth a second time to a baby with that sunny disposition...not so much.  How many times have you heard the phrase "yeah, if our 2nd child had been our first, we wouldn't have had the second one"?  Happens all the time.  I was lucky, #2 came out sunny as well.  Number 3 was the part where karma caught up with me.

[leighdear]

19 hours ago, louannems said:

One thing about Jessa, she keeps Spurgeon so clean he shines like a plastic doll!  He's adorable and happy.

 

So if those are Jessa's hands, where are her wedding rings?  And I know he's just a baby, but those hands look HUGE to me in comparison.  

[Sew Sumi]

I think it's been noted on here before that Jessa has the infamous Seinfeld Man Hands. 

[NewDigs]

For a quick second there he looked like Chucky.

 

1 hour ago, Happyfatchick said:

Sew, you are absolutely correct.  I don't have a CLUE how the Duggs got by with not having one autistic child, or with any discernible disabilities at all, given their lifestyle.  And the chances Jessa will give birth a second time to a baby with that sunny disposition...not so much.  How many times have you heard the phrase "yeah, if our 2nd child had been our first, we wouldn't have had the second one"?  Happens all the time.  I was lucky, #2 came out sunny as well.  Number 3 was the part where karma caught up with me.

OT, but I think there are at least questions about Josie. It's like they hide behind the  multitude. 

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Yeah, I do wonder what Jessa would be like if she had a serious baby who never smiles like Allie Jane Webster (Alyssa Bates' baby). Would they be posting so many pictures? Would Jessa's RBF still be present? 

Child #2 will tell us a LOT about her. She's bound to have a difficult baby at some point in time, especially given that they want a bloody football team. The odds for 11 "good" babies just are not in their favor. 

I know I'm happy that Jessa had a happy baby. She doesn't strike me as a patient person.

And I might just give some odds on (if there's) baby #2.

[Sew Sumi]

I forgot to add, regarding the lack of ring. I knew that setting would prove problematic when she had to actually start doing stuff like housework and baby care. She's also pretty much abandoned her carefully coiffed locks in favor of a high ponytail. Will a Duggar female ever have the guts to cut off their hair ala Alyssa Bates Webster, ADMITTING it was easier to take care of with a baby to deal with? 

Answer: As of now, the answer is NEVER. Look at their mother...then again, Mechelle only actually mothered maybe the first six kids before she had the laundry room breakdown when #7 (Joe) was an infant. 

[louannems]

 I had to look at Spurgeon 's 7 month photos on Seewaldfamilyblog .  There is a picture of him in a plaid shirt, sitting up, on a blanket.  Off against the wall is a leather brief case/satchel.  It has to be Ben's and I imagine he is attending college, and those are his textbooks. Or perhaps it's just Ben's preaching materials!