Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!

[JoanArc]

Honestly, Jill looks much more relaxed. I don't support her beliefs or what they're doing there at all, but I'm happy for her.

[kokapetl]

I'm a hundred percent certain that Jim Bob is an extremely determined, master manipulator. And I think he probably decided pretty early on that he'd turn his manipulative powers on Derick, whom he probably saw as serving some of his purposes. ....

Plus, I think we're all pretty sure that Derick was emotionally/spiritually drifting a bit for some reason when he first got in touch with JB. And being in a confused or possibly somewhat depressed? state can really dim your perceptions, especially when it comes to people's behavior. I also expect that Derick had never been well acquainted with any serious manipulators before, so he didn't really have an eye out for this. .... And he just missed it. He didn't have the benefit of watching the whole play from outside but was inside, having the full force of Jim Bob's purposes turned right on him, and he went into it with an apparent hunger to get some of his needs met. Then, after he got together with Jill, he couldn't turn to her to confirm any suspicions or strengthen him, since she's full of Kool-aid up past the eyebrows.

He looks to me like just a regular, somewhat naive young guy who got caught up in the web of a much older nut that he just wasn't prepared by nature or experience to deal with. It's really pretty hard to take on your new in-laws in a knock-down, drag-out fight so early on, I'm betting. Especially when Jim Bob does a damned good job of keeping his nefarious nature shrouded and would probably have plausible deniability in the eyes of everybody else around. Derick's mom was sick and probably didn't have the sharpest eye at the time, either. I'm really glad he grabbed his family and left the country. It's probably not the ideal solution. But given the position he found himself in, I think it may have been the best he could manage at the time.

I wonder what it portends for the rest of Derick's lifetime relationship with the Duggars, I must say.

I don't know if JimBob is intelligent enough to be a master at manipulation. His control is mainly through isolation, not through persuasive arguments, and once his kids are married and they're no longer isolated, he has to use money. Two out of his three married children eventually couldn't be persuaded by a combination of JimBob's money and JimBob's arguments to stay.

I'm more disturbed by how little Derick knew about Jill, not JimBob, when he decided to marry her.

[becca3891]

Holy shit, I visit this thread every few weeks and every time I think Derrick can't get any uglier and then I come back to see more pictures of him looking even more hideous.  LOL.  What an absolute piece of shit.

For anyone new to the board, the majority of us do not feel this way. I agree with the other posters -- calling someone such a nasty  name because of the way they look is wrong. People's actions are what concern me. Derick is fundy, yes, but I get a much better vibe from him than I do from Ben. I know I likely disagree with all of his religious and political viewpoints, but I think he's a decent human being.

[CofCinci]

For anyone new to the board, the majority of us do not feel this way. I agree with the other posters -- calling someone such a nasty name because of the way they look is wrong. People's actions are what concern me. Derick is fundy, yes, but I get a much better vibe from him than I do from Ben. I know I likely disagree with all of his religious and political viewpoints, but I think he's a decent human being.

Is he a decent human being? He married a woman-child without any life experience. He sought a partner that wasn't an equal.

[becca3891]

Is he a decent human being? He married a woman-child without any life experience. He sought a partner that wasn't an equal.

Well, whether or not he's a decent human being is up for debate, of course. I'm comparing him to other men in their belief system, and I think Jill probably more or less lucked out. Believe me, I abhor the Duggars's beliefs regarding stay at home daughters, discouraging college, etc. But I'm not sure it's fair to say that Derick sought a partner that wasn't an equal, as if she were a minor or mentally challenged. As much as I think college would have been beneficial for Jill, I don't believe it's a requirement that both spouses have attended. Maybe Derick fell in love and saw her potential, planning to expose her to more of the world. 

 

It's a matter of opinion. I'm a liberal atheist, a fomer conservative Christian, and the thought of marrying a fundy like Derick fills me with dread. I'm just not sure I totally agree with your line of thinking. Jill is worlds better than Priscilla, anyway, when it comes to being a woman-child.

[GeeGolly]

Of all the girls I think Jill sought a life outside of the TTH. She was a midwifery apprentice. She had dreams of doing missions. She may be full out fundy and totally immature in love relationships, but I don't think that Derick was mature in that area either. I think they are a pretty good match.

 

I think Derick was very much impacted by his dad's death. They were already conservative Christians and I believe losing his dad pushed him further into his religion. I'm not sure he is running from his in-laws, he may very well enjoy the experience of a big family, an experience that is different from the way he was raised.

[CofCinci]

He sought a wife that wasn't an equal. They do not have an egalitarian marriage in any sense. I have no respect for a person who marries without wanting a true partnership. Furthermore, he goes to other countries and tells people their religious beliefs are wrong. I don't think he's a good person at all.

[Cherrio]

For anyone new to the board, the majority of us do not feel this way. I agree with the other posters -- calling someone such a nasty  name because of the way they look is wrong. People's actions are what concern me. Derick is fundy, yes, but I get a much better vibe from him than I do from Ben. I know I likely disagree with all of his religious and political viewpoints, but I think he's a decent human being.

I can easily call him the same nasty name , but not because of his looks.   The cat incident showed me who he is.

[Churchhoney]

I don't know if JimBob is intelligent enough to be a master at manipulation. His control is mainly through isolation, not through persuasive arguments, and once his kids are married and they're no longer isolated, he has to use money. Two out of his three married children eventually couldn't be persuaded by a combination of JimBob's money and JimBob's arguments to stay.

I'm more disturbed by how little Derick knew about Jill, not JimBob, when he decided to marry her.

 

I know it seems counterintuitive to say that somebody stupid is a master manipulator. But -- sorry that I harp on my own background, but unfortunately it's what draws me toward this Duggar monstrosity -- I was raised by an absolute master manipulator who was in every other way one of the stupidest-seeming, most ignorant people I've ever met. I'm not entirely sure how to account for that except to say that I think some people must simply use every brain cell they've got on people-manipulation to get their needs and wants met and simply don't have the brainpower or interest left over to use their brains for anything else. And, sure, there are smart people whose manipulations are cleverer and may not include a combo of deprivation and bribery, but these seemingly dumb people can get their way, too. I think what they all probably have in common is extreme neediness combined with a massive will to power, and through a lifetime they hone whatever their particular methods are for gaining those things. Well, that's what I see in Jim Bob, anyway, although I'm sure it's too much influenced by my experience of my own family.

 

When it comes to older kids leaving -- well, yeah, but some of that comes from spouses (as in this case). And it's way harder to control somebody you haven't been warping from birth! Beyond that, though, this large number of children seems to be hanging in there with him to really an extraordinary degree. To me, Jim Bob looks to be -- so far, at least -- incredibly successful in getting those kids to not only hang around the house, follow all of his ideas -- such as not even wanting a job or an education or a regular dating life, and actually even sort of thanking  him for being a great dad, and echoing his stupid mantras. Some of the magic comes from money - -but then again, he had the slyness to realize that money would accomplish his ends.

 

Anyway, that's my take on why you can be dumb but also a master manipulator. MMV, of course!

 

And I agree that it's really really alarming that Derick would marry somebody he knew so little of. I guess it's the Christian version of those people who meet somebody in a bar and spend the next night driving to Vegas to the Little Wedding Chapel? Don't know what causes people to do that, but it sounds darned risky to me!

[Churchhoney]

I can easily call him the same nasty name , but not because of his looks.   The cat incident showed me who he is.

 

Yeah, I feel really conflicted about the cat incident, too. In other ways, he seems to me to have quite a bit of decency in him (way misguided in a lot of ways, but decent). But the cat thing truly disgusted me. I wonder whether he's just far too much of a follower (well, I think that's clear, given that he probably sought to follow Jim Bob as well) and that day got caught up in following the crowd to do something that he wouldn't have initiated on his own. But who knows? Just like the fact that he may have been attracted to Jill because of the likelihood that she'd be submissive, it's troubling. In other ways, though, he strikes me as having some potential. But he does remain a puzzle.

[Cherrio]

Yeah, I feel really conflicted about the cat incident, too. In other ways, he seems to me to have quite a bit of decency in him (way misguided in a lot of ways, but decent). But the cat thing truly disgusted me. I wonder whether he's just far too much of a follower (well, I think that's clear, given that he probably sought to follow Jim Bob as well) and that day got caught up in following the crowd to do something that he wouldn't have initiated on his own. But who knows? Just like the fact that he may have been attracted to Jill because of the likelihood that she'd be submissive, it's troubling. In other ways, though, he strikes me as having some potential. But he does remain a puzzle.

 I think (for me) that history teaches me in reading this forum that every time "we" think one of the Duggars (including Derrick and the rest) has some potential or good in them, they have consistently proved us wrong.

     Derrick basically courted Jim Bob before he ever talked to Jill, who does that in the real world?  He obviously went along with having the most important decisions and events in his life filmed for a cheesy tv show.   Again, this isn't real life.     He was signed, sealed, delivered, I am yours.

      He participated in the wedding gift grifting and moved into a home owned by Jim Bob.       He had a job for a very short time, that he seemed to be absent from the majority of the time, then quit. Now they are again grifting for money for some mission where NOT one photo of him doing anything resembling work has been shown.

              I think if he has some decent in him, he would of opted for a real job with a normal woman and not on tv.     He knew exactly what he was getting into. And, say he didn't, he stayed when he could of ended the courtship.

[Barb23]

I'm more disturbed by how little Derick knew about Jill, not JimBob, when he decided to marry her.

Well I'm glad Jill knew all about Derick. Remember the pages of (I'm sure Boob approved) questions she asked him when they were skyping? Isn't that how you choose a mate?

[Churchhoney]

 I think (for me) that history teaches me in reading this forum that every time "we" think one of the Duggars (including Derrick and the rest) has some potential or good in them, they have consistently proved us wrong.

     Derrick basically courted Jim Bob before he ever talked to Jill, who does that in the real world?  He obviously went along with having the most important decisions and events in his life filmed for a cheesy tv show.   Again, this isn't real life.     He was signed, sealed, delivered, I am yours.

      He participated in the wedding gift grifting and moved into a home owned by Jim Bob.       He had a job for a very short time, that he seemed to be absent from the majority of the time, then quit. Now they are again grifting for money for some mission where NOT one photo of him doing anything resembling work has been shown.

              I think if he has some decent in him, he would of opted for a real job with a normal woman and not on tv.     He knew exactly what he was getting into. And, say he didn't, he stayed when he could of ended the courtship.

 

I'd say that's a fair assessment.

 

I'm so different from these people -- and so unhealthily mesmerized and horrified by them -- that I'm pretty sure I bend over backwards to give them the benefit of the doubt. (Except for Jim Bob. I think I'm finally through giving him the benefit of any doubts. I tried to for a long time, just because I felt there needed to be a counterbalance to the utter loathing I've felt for him since I first knew he existed and that's increased every time I've seen him, heard him or read about him. But I think I'm done with that now.)

 

With Derick, the facts that he did go to college and still talks of that experience positively, seems to be serious about his mission ideas (even though I don't agree at all with what they appear to be), may have been somewhat competent in Nepal (although who knows?), seems to be nice to his kid, and is still very young, especially since he comes from a conservative and somewhat sheltered background, add up to some doubt for me. Not enough to label him a strong and strongly principled sort, but enough to consider him salvageable with perhaps a bit of potential. Nevertheless, as you point out, all that stuff is tissue thin compared to the questionable stuff we know he's done. Too bad. But you're probably right.

Well I'm glad Jill knew all about Derick. Remember the pages of (I'm sure Boob approved) questions she asked him when they were skyping? Isn't that how you choose a mate?

 

 

Yep. Because words speak louder than actions. (maybe that's the Duggar family motto?)

[Cherrio]

I'd say that's a fair assessment.

 

I'm so different from these people -- and so unhealthily mesmerized and horrified by them -- that I'm pretty sure I bend over backwards to give them the benefit of the doubt. (Except for Jim Bob. I think I'm finally through giving him the benefit of any doubts. I tried to for a long time, just because I felt there needed to be a counterbalance to the utter loathing I've felt for him since I first knew he existed and that's increased every time I've seen him, heard him or read about him. But I think I'm done with that now.)

 

With Derick, the facts that he did go to college and still talks of that experience positively, seems to be serious about his mission ideas (even though I don't agree at all with what they appear to be), may have been somewhat competent in Nepal (although who knows?), seems to be nice to his kid, and is still very young, especially since he comes from a conservative and somewhat sheltered background, add up to some doubt for me. Not enough to label him a strong and strongly principled sort, but enough to consider him salvageable with perhaps a bit of potential. Nevertheless, as you point out, all that stuff is tissue thin compared to the questionable stuff we know he's done. Too bad. But you're probably right.

 

 

Yep. Because words speak louder than actions. (maybe that's the Duggar family motto?)

I think most "normal" people want to and give the benefit of doubt because most of us do not think in dishonest, grifter and creepy ways.

         For instance when I give, I give without expecting anything in return.  I give just to give.  The Duggars and people like them do not ever give without an agenda or expecting something in return. Or they don't give at all, they just take.

         I  came from a place where I ever thought The Duggars were anything but creepy people, so I guess I never expected anything but crap from then.

                      I think what they did do is exceed my original expectations by many miles.   They are truly bad bad people.

        And dumber than dog shit.      Jill???????      She doesn't even know to support her baby's head?

[Churchhoney]

         I  came from a place where I ever thought The Duggars were anything but creepy people, so I guess I never expected anything but crap from then.

                      I think what they did do is exceed my original expectations by many miles.  

 

Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying.... .

 

I've had a slightly different response. My extreme differences from them have actually made me try to be somewhat more tolerant of them than I otherwise would be. I figure that I'm so biased against them -- and have had such a visceral loathing for Jim Bob, especially -- that I must be misjudging them at least a little bit on the negative side. As you say, though, they do just keep surpassing our negative expectations!

[SongbirdHollow]

I love the caption in the Daily Mail article under the ocean pic:

"Baby Israel castaches a wave"

It's like that mustache is an entity that cannot be ignored.

[Fuzzysox]

I think Derick stuck around because Jill didn't think he was weird. They both seem to have the same goals: ministry. It's just sad that Derick feels that quitting a job with benefits like it was no big thing.

[Jellybeans]

I think Derrick knows exactly what he is doing. He has done this before in Nepal.

I believe in following your dreams, even if they are not in line with mine. I think the change has been good for Jill and it exposes her to a different world. She seems quite happy. They are far braver than me.

[Clemgo3165]

Honestly, Jill and Derick seem like a pretty much perfect match to me. They're both a little dorky, they're both committed to their faith, and they both feel a calling toward the missionary field. They said at the outset that this was what they wanted to do. I'm like Jellybeans in this instance - it may not be my dream, but more power to them for living theirs.

[NikSac]

I can easily call him the same nasty name , but not because of his looks.   The cat incident showed me who he is.

 

Totally agree here. I can find other reasons to call him that, but I would never call someone that because of their looks. Behavior on the other hand...

[anony mouse]

My pediatrician told me in no uncertain terms to NOT position my baby on his "feet" at 4 months old...it simply is not good for their leg bones, which are still too tender to even suggest they "stand" on them. These two don't have much common sense; I would think that Jill, having handled so many infant siblings would know what is right.

Pretty much every parent I've ever known has done this, my own included. All legs are fine.

[becca3891]

He sought a wife that wasn't an equal. They do not have an egalitarian marriage in any sense. I have no respect for a person who marries without wanting a true partnership. Furthermore, he goes to other countries and tells people their religious beliefs are wrong. I don't think he's a good person at all.

I think you have to have grown up fundy to understand the trying to convert missionaries thing. I hate it too, but I also understand it. To them, it's no different from grabbing someone's arm before they fall to their death off of a cliff. That's truly what they believe they're doing. Just imagine that they really do think anyone who hasn't prayed the sinner's prayer is damned to an eternity of misery. It sounds crazy, but it's what millions believe, including the majority of my family. What the world views as condescending meddling is really them trying to do the ultimate kindness to others.

 

When you say it's not an egalitarian marriage, are you referring to the fundy belief on wifely submission, or Jill's sheltered upbringing? I of course disagree with the wifely submission doctrine, but in many cases, when the man isn't naturally controlling, they're mostly just paying lip service to it. 

[Julia]

I'm sort of struck by what exceptionally pretty worlds people who are not me must live in. After a brief long-ago period of being moderately attractive I've settled down to a contented middle age of being plain as a mud fence. It hasn't kept me from having a good job, good friends, and a (far more presentable) husband and daughter who don't, that I know of, mind at all being seen with me in public.

 

Derrick may be a bit nerdische, but I don't see all the ugly people are seeing, and I wouldn't really think less of him if I did. Not on those grounds, anyway.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Julia

[kokapetl]

I'm sort of struck by what exceptionally pretty worlds people who are not me must live in. After a brief long-ago period of being moderately attractive I've settled down to a contented middle age of being plain as a mud fence. It hasn't kept me from having a good job, good friends, and a (far more presentable) husband and daughter who don't, that I know of, mind at all being seen with me in public.

Derrick may be a bit nerdische, but I don't see all the ugly people are seeing, and I wouldn't really think less of him if I did. Not on those grounds, anyway.

I don't think he's ugly, his face is asymmetrical. Shannen Doherty has asymmetrical eyes, and she was/is beautiful. I think Derick is hotter than butterface Ben.

Jill however... she can't compare to Jessalina Jolie, Jenna Fischer doppelgänger Jana, or raccoon eyed Jinger.

[BitterApple]

I think it's hard to reconcile pre-surgery Derick with post-surgery Derick because when you have extensive corrective work done you're supposed to look better, not worse. The healing phase can be awkward, but the bottom half of his face is now totally out of alignment. As long as he's happy that's all that matters, but I think he should have left well enough alone.

[JoanArc]

I think it's hard to reconcile pre-surgery Derick with post-surgery Derick because when you have extensive corrective work done you're supposed to look better, not worse. The healing phase can be awkward, but the bottom half of his face is now totally out of alignment. As long as he's happy that's all that matters, but I think he should have left well enough alone.

Braces will correct his jaw alignment, but not overnight.

[Churchhoney]

Braces will correct his jaw alignment, but not overnight.

 

Well, that's good news for Derick, anyway.

[JoanArc]

Well, that's good news for Derick, anyway.

I only mentioned it because I got braces for an alignment issue, and my face did change a bit (for the better!).

[Churchhoney]

I only mentioned it because I got braces for an alignment issue, and my face did change a bit (for the better!).

 

Experience speaks!

[MichaelaRae]

For the record, I don't approve of skinny-shaming any more than I do of fat-shaming. When I made the comment about wanting to feed him a sandwich, it's not so much because he's skinny but because he looks skinny and grey and tired. Malnourished. I mean seriously, his skin tone is GREY at times. He looks happier in the eyes than I've seen him since he stepped into the nihilistic void that is Duggarville, but nonetheless he just looks malnourished to me. Probably a lot of that is due to the jaw surgery and the stress/anxiety that comes with having a young infant, finding out your BIL is a child molester who molested your wife, moving to a new country to do mission work. And no matter how I feel about his views, his religion, his whatever...I just want to feed that tired, grey young man a sandwich and tell him to go take a nap. 

 

Interestingly, Jill looks more relaxed and happy than I've seen her since she was in Nepal - and healthier too - good complexion, bright eyes, etc. Maybe she's eating better. Or she's just happy to be farther away from Duggarville. Again, I can't stand most of what she appears to stand for, but given her upbringing, that she actually seems to relish being around cultures that are different from what she grew up with - with the parents she has and the attitudes they have - may be an actual Jesus miracle.

Edited August 8, 2015 by MichaelaRae

[kokapetl]

For the record, I don't approve of skinny-shaming any more than I do of fat-shaming. When I made the comment about wanting to feed him a sandwich, it's not so much because he's skinny but because he looks skinny and grey and tired. Malnourished. I mean seriously, his skin tone is GREY at times. He looks happier in the eyes than I've seen him since he stepped into the nihilistic void that is Duggarville, but nonetheless he just looks malnourished to me. Probably a lot of that is due to the jaw surgery and the stress/anxiety that comes with having a young infant, finding out your BIL is a child molester who molested your wife, moving to a new country to do mission work. And no matter how I feel about his views, his religion, his whatever...I just want to feed that tired, grey young man a sandwich and tell him to go take a nap.

Interestingly, Jill looks more relaxed and happy than I've seen her since she was in Nepal - and healthier too - good complexion, bright eyes, etc. Maybe she's eating better. Or she's just happy to be farther away from Duggarville. Again, I can't stand most of what she appears to stand for, but given her upbringing, that she actually seems to relish being around cultures that are different from what she grew up with - with the parents she has and the attitudes they have - may be an actual Jesus miracle.

Jill seems like she can happily live without mod cons.

[CofCinci]

Jill seems like she can happily live without mod cons.

They did for most of their childhood. Jill was already an adult when her father started to make money. Compared to Jesssa who is trying to squeeze herself into Victoria Secret Pink and spends her day lounging by the Duggar pool, Jill is low maintenance. She has worn the same pair of Chacos for two years now. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole gift registry think was hoisted onto Jill by her family members or her husband. It if weren't for the arrogance and cruelty of mission work, I'd think Jill was a pretty awesome person.

[Julia]

It's funny. I guess because where I live is so expensive, I think of a family living off their investments who own their own home and have a SAHM by choice as affluent. And it wasn't all that many years before they got the show that Jim Bob had $250k in liquid assets to throw away... 

[Cherrio]

It's funny. I guess because where I live is so expensive, I think of a family living off their investments who own their own home and have a SAHM by choice as affluent. And it wasn't all that many years before they got the show that Jim Bob had $250k in liquid assets to throw away... 

I don't think it was Jim Bob's money. Probably his parents.   I bet he never made that amount in his whole life before the show started.

[Churchhoney]

I don't think it was Jim Bob's money. Probably his parents.   I bet he never made that amount in his whole life before the show started.

 

Oh, good thought. I have always puzzled about whether he'd have had the self-discipline to save up that chunk of cash given the circumstances they were living in at the time, especially since the idea to run for the Senate at that time really couldn't have come up too terribly far in advance. 

[NEGirl]

The mission work(which I do not agree with) seems to agree with both Derick and Jill. They seems to be very happy from the pictures they have posted. I hope they stay for a prolonged period of time. The longer Jill gets to see what the real world looks like the better it will be for their little family. Yes, Derick looks thin, but his eyes sparkle as do Jill's.  Little Izzy seems to be doing fine too.

[JoanArc]

 

The mission work(which I do not agree with) seems to agree with both Derick and Jill.

Being free of the circus must be a huge relief, whether they admit it or not.

[kokapetl]

Freshly swiped from Jill's Instagram, the closest look at Derick's new teeth yet :

And missionaries in action!

Edited August 9, 2015 by Kokapetl

[BitterApple]

Oh. Hell. No.

Wtf were they doing? I couldn't tell if it was some impromptu interpetive dance or whether they were trying to keep the chubby girl away from the buffet. Derick flailing his Inspector Gadget arms around was just painfully hilarious.

I also loved the faces on the locals who were probably shackled to the wall and forced to watch this "performance." They're probably speaking to each other in Spanish saying "what the hell is this? It said free food and cake on the invitation..."

[Cherrio]

WTF ?

 

The Duggars/Dillards never fail to be useless, ignorant fools who have no business being useless-naries.     

 

Reopen Alcatraz and put them all there, life no parole.

[Churchhoney]

Oh. Hell. No.

Wtf were they doing? I couldn't tell if it was some impromptu interpetive dance or whether they were trying to keep the chubby girl away from the buffet. Derick flailing his Inspector Gadget arms around was just painfully hilarious.

I also loved the faces on the locals who were probably shackled to the wall and forced to watch this "performance." They're probably speaking to each other in Spanish saying "what the hell is this? It said free food and cake on the invitation..."

 

On the plus side, this "drama" (???) answers some of the questions we were asking about prayer in the Religion topic the other day.

 

Apparently.

 

(Also answers my question about how well these missionaries communicate with locals. The guy and his mother that they reconverted probably assented just to keep from seeing a repeat performance.)

Edited August 9, 2015 by Churchhoney

[BitterApple]

On the plus side, this "drama" (???) answers some of the questions we were asking about prayer in the Religion topic the other day.

Apparently.

(Also answers my question about how well these missionaries communicate with locals. The guy and his mother that they reconverted probably assented just to keep from seeing a repeat performance.)

Hey if they really want to rack up the numbers they should fly Amy down there and force the locals to listen to her off-key warbling until their ears bleed or they cave in and convert. I'd put Amy's singing slightly higher than waterboarding on the torture scale.

[Churchhoney]

Hey if they really want to rack up the numbers they should fly Amy down there and force the locals to listen to her off-key warbling until their ears bleed or they cave in and convert. I'd put Amy's singing slightly higher than waterboarding on the torture scale.

 

Oh, you are hard core. I suppose next you'll suggest that the truly recalcitrant be shown some Duggar Studio videos.

 

I think that at some point you just have to respect people's decision to remain Catholic.

 

The Duggars/Dillards never fail to be useless, ignorant fools who have no business being useless-naries.     

 

 

And this is the college-educated one.

[Churchhoney]

The worst thing about this is that it really and blatantly infantilizes these folks. And from the postures of the locals standing around at the walls, I'd say that's exactly what they're thinking. Ugly Americans being mega-disrespectful, seems to me. And yet if they showed up in your area when it was suffering problems, you'd probably put up with it because their presence offered at least a few things that you needed. Just bad. And the "missionaries" are clueless about it.

[Julia]

I don't understand. Is there some cultural context for this, or do these kids really think what the people they're supposed to be ministering to are hurting for is amateur church nerd street theater? 

Edited August 9, 2015 by Julia

[Churchhoney]

I don't understand. Is there some cultural context for this, or do these kids really think what the people they're supposed to be ministering to are hurting for is amateur church nerd street theater? 

 

It's baffling all right. My best guess would be that it's a combo of reasons. They think everybody is hurting for church-nerd street theater -- I can see them putting on the exact same "show" at events in the States and thinking they're doing a good deed and fostering conversions -- and they can't actually communicate well at all with Spanish speakers, so they're relying on pantomime.

 

It's so insulting to the intelligence of the people they're "ministering" to. And that wouldn't be such a problem if they were doing it in Arkansas. There it would just be idiocy.  But to go into a place in which people already know that they're probably looked on as lesser and "perform" this two-bit crap as if it's somehow meaningful. Appalling.

 

I still want to be happy that Jill and Derick look more relaxed and happy in their photos. But Derick just dropped another big notch in my estimation. A big notch.

[Wok Chop]

Can someone explain WTF they are doing in that video?

[Churchhoney]

Can someone explain WTF they are doing in that video?

 

Well, according to the title (per Jill), "Everything."

[sometimesy]

k, so the girl is trying to get to the good guy. The bad guys are trying to stop her. She begins to pray and the bad guys can't get her. People give their hard earned cash to these people for this shit? These people are already Christian. wtf? The locals look like stepparents at the last day of summer camp performance.

 

I have yet to see anything that doesn't look like vacation or play time.

Edited August 9, 2015 by sometimesy

[BradandJanet]

I think it means if someone is trying to hurt you, you should look for a guy in a purple sash to help you. Now I understand Christianity.