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

[DangerousMinds]

I haven't watched since Joshgate 1.

[Churchhoney]

16 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

I haven't watched since Joshgate 1.

I've never watched. lol.    So I should probably shut up. ... On the other hand, I've read a lot!   ;  )

[Jynnan tonnix]

1 hour ago, Churchhoney said:

I've never watched. lol.    So I should probably shut up. ... On the other hand, I've read a lot!   ;  )

I've never really watched either. Except for a couple of clips here and there, and maybe two episodes I suffered through on YouTube...But I don't feel as though I'm missing much!

[Pinke]

On 16/03/2018 at 12:41 PM, Kokapetl said:

Spokesperson? I bet it was Jana’s special friend. 

I drunkenly called JimBob once. I think she answered the phone. I was nice, I would be nice to all of them.  

Wait what

[MargeGunderson]

On 3/16/2018 at 12:41 PM, Kokapetl said:

I drunkenly called JimBob once. I think she answered the phone. I was nice, I would be nice to all of them.  

 I have so many questions.

[Westiepeach]

49 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

 I have so many questions.

Same here. We must chat. I will bring more wine. 

Edited March 20, 2018 by Westiepeach

[RedheadZombie]

On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 12:19 PM, JoanArc said:

Yawn. Better be a boy. Martin Luther Seewald? Osteen Gothard Seewald?

Never Martin Luther.  People may think the child was named after someone truly admirable - MLK.

[JoanArc]

9 hours ago, RedheadZombie said:

Never Martin Luther.  People may think the child was named after someone truly admirable - MLK.

Yes, I picked it so Bin could earnestly explain how there is this whole OTHER Martin Luther, who no one's ever HEARD of. Fits in well with their anti-catholic beliefs, too.

[Sew Sumi]

John Calvin is still available. 

[Ohiopirate02]

Is Dietrich Bonhoeffer too liberal for Bin? 

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Is Dietrich Bonhoeffer too liberal for Bin? 

Absolutely.  By the late 1920s/early 1930s, Bonhoeffer was very into social justice, the plights of minorities, and ecumenicism. Some Catholic organizations consider him a "pro-Catholic protestant," if you will - https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/author-calls-dietrich-bonhoeffer-a-man-of-staggering-relevance-for-our-time.  I know many Catholic colleges and universities often teach about him in their social justice/ethics/theology classes (or at least did a decade or so ago).

Bonhoffer was definitely not anti-Catholic (or anti-any-other religion-besides-Ben's) enough for them to name a Seewald child after him.  I mean, people might think Ben, Jessa, & the Duggars are cool with "social justice warriors" (a pejorative in their circle), those not-Christian-enough-types-of-other-Christians, or minorities if they had a kid named Dietrich Bonhoeffer Seewald. 

Edited March 20, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[awaken]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

John Calvin is still available. 

Calvin is a super popular baby name for the young parents I work with. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seewalds use it. 

[kokapetl]

What about Wesley?

Edited March 21, 2018 by Kokapetl

[frenchtoast]

Shut up, Wesley. (Sorry, it's instinct.)

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

I'm hoping for Wilberforce Seewald, so that Spurgeon has someone to bond with over having such a strange first name.  If they continue to name their kids things like Henry, Calvin, William (Wilberforce's first name), Jonathan (as in Edwards), etc, poor Spurgie will be so left out as the only kid with the first name that should not be a first name.  Sigh...I don't want to wish an ugly first name on a kid, but....well....Jessa & Ben should have just named the kid Elliot Spurgeon Seewald.  Poor Spurgie, he's a victim of Ben's (& Jessa's) pretentiousness and youth (the long-term decision making parts of the brain doesn't form until 25, although I bet most people under 25 would know Spurgeon is a rough name to be saddled with forever). 

Perhaps they'd go with William or Billy after Billy Graham? Or maybe that's too modern for Ben? 

ETA: Oops, totally forgot Wilberforce is Henry's middle name. 

Edited March 21, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[Absolom]

You want them to call Henry by Wilberforce?  It's his middle name and they seem to have learned a bit from the reaction to Spurgeon.  That could, indeed, leave Spurgeon alone with the unfortunate first name.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

I totally forgot Wilberforce was Henry's middle name. Ugh.  Now to think of another old school preacher Ben admires with a last name with lots of consonants/gruff sounds....

Edited March 21, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[Sew Sumi]

There's Tozer. That would be a total headscratcher up there with Spurgeon. It's just a matter of time before they use it. 

[JoanArc]

Bakker Seewald? They admire gifting, too.

[Vaysh]

I'm probably a bit weird but I actually like the name Wilberforce; I think it's way nicer than Henry and better for nicknames. The name Spurgeon will never be anything but an abomination.

[Libby96]

They should definitely use the name Martin Luther (the original, 1500's Martin Luther) since his childbirth philosophy is right up their alley.  Luther quote: "Even though they grow weary and wear themselves out with childbearing, it does not matter; let them go on bearing children till they die, that is what they are there for."

This seems to fall right in line with the attitude they are espousing with their lack of quality prenatal care and reckless home births.

[JoanArc]

42 minutes ago, Libby96 said:

They should definitely use the name Martin Luther (the original, 1500's Martin Luther) since his childbirth philosophy is right up their alley.  Luther quote: "Even though they grow weary and wear themselves out with childbearing, it does not matter; let them go on bearing children till they die, that is what they are there for."

This seems to fall right in line with the attitude they are espousing with their lack of quality prenatal care and reckless home births.

Excellent! They can also get the bible back in the schools: "I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.".

[Lunera]

Ben is replacing Dullard as the douchey preacher, while he's on vacation. 

[Temperance]

4 hours ago, Libby96 said:

They should definitely use the name Martin Luther (the original, 1500's Martin Luther) since his childbirth philosophy is right up their alley.  Luther quote: "Even though they grow weary and wear themselves out with childbearing, it does not matter; let them go on bearing children till they die, that is what they are there for."

This seems to fall right in line with the attitude they are espousing with their lack of quality prenatal care and reckless home births.

And the Quiverfull movement. There's a possible complications from having so many kids, especially so many so close together. 

[DangerousMinds]

Since when do these fools care what Jesus himself had to say? And I have no clue what point Bin was trying to make.

[Sew Sumi]

It's obvious that this was an essay topic or a question on Ben's midterm exams. 

[SMama]

Bin has no clue what point he was trying to make.

[DragonFaerie]

Sounds like Bin has forgotten that it wasn't Jesus writing the words down, it was written down by other folks, LATER.

[Sew Sumi]

3 hours ago, SMama said:

Bin has no clue what point he was trying to make.

However, you could tell that he's parrotting Professor Speak and trying to lord it (pun totally intended) over his less educated "victim." Way to convert, Ben! 

Edited March 23, 2018 by Sew Sumi

[cmr2014]

I actually have some respect for Ben. Despite the complete lack of encouragement that he is receiving about his education, he keeps pressing onward. Finding the motivation to keep going with on-line courses with no interaction with faculty or other students, no encouragement from his wife or in-laws, etc. would be tough for anyone. I don't think he's the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's trying.

I wonder if there's any buyers remorse on the part of the Seewalds (I think there's more than a little on the part of Ben). It seems like they seldom (if ever) see their son, or grandchildren, Ben is still cleaning toilets for JB for whatever bit of spare change he's willing to give them, and Ben's education has devolved into a few on-line classes at Moody Bible College.

[BradandJanet]

Somebody send them a video of Mr. Wilberforce Humphries of Are You Being Served. That will take the name of of running. (And I do miss John Inman!)

[Sew Sumi]

I've taken online courses. You can communicate with your professors. Yes, it has to be a wall o text since you only get one shot every couple of weeks or so, but it can be done. It also may be tht Ben's papers are being graded by on-campus grad students, but the prof will respond to emails. But Ben? He's on the hunt! Something obviously got to him this term before spring break. 

[Absolom]

14 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

Somebody send them a video of Mr. Wilberforce Humphries of Are You Being Served. That will take the name of of running. (And I do miss John Inman!)

They've already used Wilberforce.  :)

[madpsych78]

4 hours ago, SMama said:

Bin has no clue what point he was trying to make.

And I think that's the difference between him, Jeremy, and Derick. Ben is iterating what he knows or has been taught, but I don't really feel like his heart is in it. It's more like "this is what we have to do because Jesus." 

Jeremy at least kind of tries to put ideas in his own words, even though I don't think he reads as many books as he claims to read. He also seems to be more into it. Same with Derick, although I don't think he articulates his ideas as well as Jeremy.

[MichaelaRae]

"Horizontal aspect of love"? Oh, honey, do you think you can only do it horizontally? Poor, married-young-so-he-could-have-Bible-sanctioned-sex, uneducated lamb.

[Zuleikha]

I'm not Christian, but what I understand Ben to be implying is that the central teaching is for humans to love G-d (a hierarchical love) with an important but secondary aspect being for humans to love each other (horizontal because it's among equals). 

I don't think his initial tweet is that bad either. It has that persecution mania that seems to flavor so much of their belief system, but at least its emphasis is on feeling love for others.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Zuleikha

[Bridget]

1 hour ago, madpsych78 said:

And I think that's the difference between him, Jeremy, and Derick. Ben is iterating what he knows or has been taught, but I don't really feel like his heart is in it. It's more like "this is what we have to do because Jesus." 

Jeremy at least kind of tries to put ideas in his own words, even though I don't think he reads as many books as he claims to read. He also seems to be more into it. Same with Derick, although I don't think he articulates his ideas as well as Jeremy.

How hysterical would it be if all of his precious books were simply empty books, with the pages carved out, and designed to hold contraband? Please let this happen!

[Sew Sumi]

17 minutes ago, Zuleikha said:

I'm not Christian, but what I understand Ben to be implying is that the central teaching is for humans to love G-d (a hierarchical love) with an important but secondary aspect being for humans to love each other (horizontal because it's among equals). 

I don't think his initial tweet is that bad either. It has that persecution mania that seems to flavor so much of their belief system, but at least it's emphasis is on feeling love for others.

Nice unpacking of the bilateral tactics. I doubt Ben, Jessa, or any of them would  grasp this without higher education. They gravitate towards one another for a reason. Derelict has problems with the horizontal aspects. Ben? We'll see once he launches his "ministry."

[Annb67]

13 hours ago, Lunera said:

Ben is replacing Dullard as the douchey preacher, while he's on vacation. 

Well in the bible they so love to use as a weapon Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. He said "Love your neighbor as thyself". So f*** you Ben.

[EVS]

9 hours ago, Bridget said:

How hysterical would it be if all of his precious books were simply empty books, with the pages carved out, and designed to hold contraband? Please let this happen!

And please let the contraband be condoms. 

[Normades]

13 hours ago, BradandJanet said:

Somebody send them a video of Mr. Wilberforce Humphries of Are You Being Served. That will take the name of of running. (And I do miss John Inman!)

I'm freeee!!!  Sorry, just had to do it!!  I love John Inman and miss him, too!!  You are obviously a person of impeccable taste!!

[OpieTaylor]

14 hours ago, cmr2014 said:

I actually have some respect for Ben. Despite the complete lack of encouragement that he is receiving about his education, he keeps pressing onward. Finding the motivation to keep going with on-line courses with no interaction with faculty or other students, no encouragement from his wife or in-laws, etc. would be tough for anyone. I don't think he's the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's trying.

I wonder if there's any buyers remorse on the part of the Seewalds (I think there's more than a little on the part of Ben). It seems like they seldom (if ever) see their son, or grandchildren, Ben is still cleaning toilets for JB for whatever bit of spare change he's willing to give them, and Ben's education has devolved into a few on-line classes at Moody Bible College.

I've concluded that Bin's parents have asked to be left out of photos, videos, social media and the TV show. Hopefully they are still involved with their grandkids and Bin.

Bin's sister Jessica Seewald posts a selfie every few days on Instagram - it's usually a close-up face-shot of herself. Apparently she really likes her own face. I've noticed that Jessica Seewald often "Likes" Amy Duggar King's posts, but none of the Duggars ever seem to "Like" Amy's or Jessica's stuff. 

[Lunera]

Don't know why Michael Seewald was so adamant about Ben getting married so young to the first girl he met. They were definitely starstruck with the Duggars and it rubbed the Seewalds the wrong way that Boob was not impressed with Bin, so he wrote that whole essay about marrying young.

Danielle and Jessica are both older than the age Bin was (19) when he married and their parents don't seem to be pushing them into marriage. Danielle is currently attending cosmetology school, Jessica works as a dispatcher and dating a new guy who's a cop. They must regret many things and wish their first born son had become accomplished before being saddled with a wife, 2 kids, and unemployment, at the age of 22.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Lunera

[bigskygirl]

4 minutes ago, Lunera said:

Don't know why Michael Seewald was so adamant about Ben getting married so young to the first girl he met. They were definitely starstruck with the Duggars and it rubbed the Seewalds the wrong way that Boob was not impressed with Bin, so he wrote that whole essay about marrying young.

Danielle and Jessica are both older than the age Bin was (19) when he married and their parents don't seem to be pushing them into marriage. Danielle is currently attending cosmetology school, Jessica works as a dispatcher and dating a new guy who's a cop. They must regret many things and wish their first born son had become accomplished before being saddled with a wife, 2 kids, and unemployment, at the age of 22.

Opposite of the Duggars. The son is married at a young age with no skills, two young kids, and no job while the daughters are out in the real world with a real job or attending a school in order to have a career, and one is dating a guy with a real tough and dangerous job. Ironic is it not.

[Normades]

12 minutes ago, Lunera said:

Don't know why Michael Seewald was so adamant about Ben getting married so young to the first girl he met.

They might have been worried that their young, horny son might go too far with a girl and embarrass the family.  My grandparents did a similar thing with my mother.  Her older sister was somewhat promiscuous, since they were very religious they married her off at a young age.  After that they decided to allow my mother get married at an extremely young age.  My mother was 15 and my father was 22 (it was 1954)!!  Later when my mother asked them why they allowed such a stupid thing to happen, they told her they were worried she would "get in trouble!" (that's code for an unmarried girl getting pregnant for you youngsters!)  It was a terrible thing to do and it didn't work out well at all.

Sadly, some very religious families worry more about their "good name" than what is truly right for their children.  I also think in Ben's case, there was definitely the element of being star-struck by the Duggars.  I hope it works out in the long run for both Ben and Jessa.  

[bigskygirl]

16 minutes ago, Normades said:

They might have been worried that their young, horny son might go too far with a girl and embarrass the family.  My grandparents did a similar thing with my mother.  Her older sister was somewhat promiscuous, since they were very religious they married her off at a young age.  After that they decided to allow my mother get married at an extremely young age.  My mother was 15 and my father was 22 (it was 1954)!!  Later when my mother asked them why they allowed such a stupid thing to happen, they told her they were worried she would "get in trouble!" (that's code for an unmarried girl getting pregnant for you youngsters!)  It was a terrible thing to do and it didn't work out well at all.

Sadly, some very religious families worry more about their "good name" than what is truly right for their children.  I also think in Ben's case, there was definitely the element of being star-struck by the Duggars.  I hope it works out in the long run for both Ben and Jessa.  

Just like JB and Michelle thinking marrying off Josh would cure him of his problems. It backfired on him and brought five innocent children who pay the price for their father and grandparent's stupidity. My grandparents thought if my dad got married and had a family he would stop drinking. Wrong!!! My mom's parents had to get married because she got pregnant. They were not happy about it at all and took it out on their oldest son because it was his fault they had to get married. They ended up with six more kids and a very unhappy marriage leading to abuse, and the children being taken away from them.

[Farmfam]

9 hours ago, Annb67 said:

Well in the bible they so love to use as a weapon Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. He said "Love your neighbor as thyself". So f*** you Ben.

I'm curious of where in the Bible love is to be used as a weapon. 

[Annb67]

2 minutes ago, Farmfam said:

I'm curious of where in the Bible love is to be used as a weapon. 

Well these fine christians use the bible as a weapon. 

[Churchhoney]

On 3/22/2018 at 6:08 PM, DangerousMinds said:

Since when do these fools care what Jesus himself had to say? And I have no clue what point Bin was trying to make.

I think he was trying to say that the Gospels put loving Jesus/God as the first commandment and loving other people as the second. There are obviously different schools of thought about that -- given the many different things said in the bible and the many ambiguities. But of course, like all Duggars and adjacents, Bin doesn't admit to ambiguities in his favored texts. Furthermore,, what an idiot to use that "horizontal love' phrase without any explanation, as if everybody understands it.

Just like all the rest of them, he thinks that his bubble world is the only world.

Of course, he's just a childish dumbass. And probably not such a bad person. 

But he'd be well advised to stop trying to argue theology online. He's not good at it. ....

Imagine the sermons he'd preach if he got a shot at it. Yeesh. After listening to one, you'd feel as if you'd been fed heavy drugs. 

EMMMMMMMMMMMLTA: When I hear the various adjacents spouting off things that imply showing charitable love for other people is a lesser priority for the correct Jesus, I think of the beautiful Shaker hymn by Mother Ann Lee: "If ye cannot love others in daily communion, how can ye love God, Whom ye have not seen?"

Edited March 24, 2018 by Churchhoney
because I didn't want to put this in a whole new comment but I wanted to say it

[bigskygirl]

28 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

I think he was trying to say that the Gospels put loving Jesus/God as the first commandment and loving other people as the second. There are obviously different schools of thought about that -- given the many different things said in the bible and the many ambiguities. But of course, like all Duggars and adjacents, Bin doesn't admit to ambiguities in his favored texts. Furthermore,, what an idiot to use that "horizontal love' phrase without any explanation, as if everybody understands it.

Just like all the rest of them, he thinks that his bubble world is the only world.

Of course, he's just a childish dumbass. And probably not such a bad person. 

But he'd be well advised to stop trying to argue theology online. He's not good at it. ....

Imagine the sermons he'd preach if he got a shot at it. Yeesh. After listening to one, you'd feel as if you'd been fed heavy drugs. 

The only way I would listen to Benny Boy, Jeremy or Derelict talk or in their case ramble on and on is taking heavy drugs before the sermon.