Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!

[BitterApple]

For those who haven't watched the video, it's laugh-out-loud viewing. They have absolutely no self-awareness as to how embarrassingly dorky they look. It's the kind of skit you put on as a ten year-old at summer camp.

[DangerousMinds]

The song in the background is by no means hip either, IMO.

[PityFree]

OMG that video is embarrassing. Childish, amateur, lazy, etc. I can't believe the people there didn't grab the guns from the guards and run Jerrick and company out of town.

 

I was raised Catholic (although I am currently a Recovering Catholic.) and one thing that always stuck with me was the saying "They will know we are Christians by our love." Meaning show it, don't say it. The skit that the Jerrick are putting on is showing not doing. Everything the Duggards do is "saying" not "showing" - that's a hollow, empty way to live and will convert no one. 

 

Oh one other thing stuck with me: "don't pray on street corners like the hypocrites...." The Duggars are the kings of praying on the street corners.

[kokapetl]

Thanks, did not know that. I guess it makes sense in the context of the video, which looks like a crucifixion scene in places.

The "pro" version doesn't have Jesus using a crucifixion pose like its a superpower.

[NEGirl]

I could not get through the video.  All I kept thinking was wtf !  I can not imagine having to sit and watch it. God help those people sitting watching - I would have got up and left.

[Fuzzysox]

The link didn't work for me.

Try this one:

 

http://www.crivoice.org/symbols/colorsmeaning.html

 

Purple

Purple can symbolize pain, suffering, and therefore mourning and penitence.  It is the liturgical color for the Season of Lent.  It is also the color of royalty, so traditionally has also been used for Advent and is still used in Catholic churches, although Blue Violet is also used. However, Blue is replacing purple for Advent in many Protestant churches.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Fuzzysox

[JenCarroll]

...words fail me.

[toodles]

This looks like some sort of Sharks and Jets gone terribly wrong.

[Joe Jitsu913]

That "performance art" was truly piss-poor terrible. Derick is the biggest fucking nerd I have ever seen. He's a grown-ass man with a wife and kid and he's participating in this summer camp drivel? Everyone who donated to this vacation... erm... I mean, mission deserves a refund.

[ChocolateAddict]

What did they think would happen? The audience throwing their arms up in the air and breaking out into a perfectly harmonized a cappella version of "Hallelujah"?  A standing ovation complete with tears of joy from the plebeians?  Being lifted up into the air by the grateful heathens?  

 

(Snarking about the self-righteous attitudes of the Dillards, not the audience)

[Happyfatchick]

Sorry, breaking away from the video for a moment, going back to the pic posted (the up-close one with Jill holding Iz at shoulder level).  I don't know why this never occurred to me before, but up close like that, I can totally see what they're trying to accomplish with Derick's teeth (the tops, anyway).  My youngest child had some seriously jacked up teeth, and had braces in middle school going into high for almost two years.  I never saw a close up of D before all this - because, who cares?  But I do remember him having over-long front teeth, and now they're shorter.  That's EXACTLY what my son had to have done.  (Well, in addition to the general untangling process).  I'd totally forgotten that.  I'd never even HEARD of that until my son's braces.  They used the braces to push his front teeth UP, to make them shorter so they would align with his other teeth.  And I have to say, it's only been a short time, but that process really does look better on Derick. 

 

And this is totally snarky and I should be ashamed.  I'll visit the PC soon and work on that.  But I'm going to admit that (even though I completely understand that there must be fully competent dentists and even orthodontists in El Salvador) every time I think of D going to have his braces adjusted, I get a hilarious mental image of the ortho outside cleaning his chicken coop, his wife hollering out that his patient is here.  He comes in to see Derick and wipes his hands on his pants...

 

It's still hard to believe finding an orthodontist in El Salvador is an easy process.  Seems like when most of the country is generally poverty stricken and can't afford to feed their families without a struggle, orthodontia wouldn't even be on the radar.  (Saying that because I'm still betting the orthodontist has chickens...)

[becca3891]

Jesus Christ Superstar it's not.

My favorite musical! I'd love to see their heads explode when they realized that in it, Jesus was a regular man who let fame go to his head and who never rose from the dead. Which reminds me, Derick and Jill saw Cinderella on Broadway on their honeymoon. Definitely not Boob and Mechelle approved and a step in the right direction!

 

For those who haven't watched the video, it's laugh-out-loud viewing. They have absolutely no self-awareness as to how embarrassingly dorky they look. It's the kind of skit you put on as a ten year-old at summer camp.

You'd really think it was a Saturday Night Live sketch. How on earth was anyone supposed to have any idea at all what was going on? They probably thought it was perfect because of the language barrier, but that only works if you know how to put on a somewhat coherent skit. Most DVDs have Spanish subtitles and showing one would have accomplished their goal much more easily. Actually, though, I don't want their conversion attempts to work, so I should be happy at this failure.

[Churchhoney]

My favorite musical! I'd love to see their heads explode when they realized that in it, Jesus was a regular man who let fame go to his head and who never rose from the dead. Which reminds me, Derick and Jill saw Cinderella on Broadway on their honeymoon. Definitely not Boob and Mechelle approved and a step in the right direction!

 

 

In my dream world, the magical force that live theater can be would slowly penetrate Derick's and Jill's brains, inspiring them, revealing truths and leading them to write a new musical, Jim Bob Duggar Superstar. It'd be a rock musical, heavy on backbeats, about a regular man whose fame went to his head and who was finally revealed as someone who had never heard any messages from God at all.

 

I admit that Derick's current level of theatrical prowess makes this seem unlikely.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Defrauder]

I propose to purpose the video into an anti-drug message.  This is your brain on LSD, just say no.

[Fuzzysox]

I have a question how long can Izzy sleep in the pack and play before he outgrows it? I ask because I had twins so we never had one of those. Annnnndddd I doubt they will stay on their "mission" for long since Izzy can sleep in that thing forever.

[Liz Tudor]

IIRC, didn't the Duggars have kids sleeping in pack & plays until they were toddlers, because of lack of bed space? I seem to recall discussion concerning developing bodies not having proper mattresses.

[satrunrose]

 

Jesus Christ Superstar it's not.

 

I didn't realize it was a video at first, and from the still photo, and thanks to JCS, assumed purple sash guy was a roman/temple guard holding a pantomime weapon on the crew to the right. Whoops, sorry for the misunderstanding, pretend Jesus.

[BitterApple]

IIRC, didn't the Duggars have kids sleeping in pack & plays until they were toddlers, because of lack of bed space? I seem to recall discussion concerning developing bodies not having proper mattresses.

Yes, they did. If I'm not mistaken, both Jenny and Jordyn were sleeping in pack & plays well into their toddler years.

[Defrauder]

Lack of bed space for the children, all for JimBob's $250,000 Senate Campaign that God wanted him to run for.  

[questionfear]

I have a question how long can Izzy sleep in the pack and play before he outgrows it? I ask because I had twins so we never had one of those. Annnnndddd I doubt they will stay on their "mission" for long since Izzy can sleep in that thing forever.

Izzy will likely have the same issue my toddler has-my son is 2, and he's still too little for the freedom of a bed but he's too long/heavy to be comfortable in the pack n play. 

[Flowers]

Izzy will likely have the same issue my toddler has-my son is 2, and he's still too little for the freedom of a bed but he's too long/heavy to be comfortable in the pack n play.

Enter: the crib.

[questionfear]

Enter: the crib.

That's where my kiddo sleeps most of the time. We're just struggling with what to do when we travel (mostly we just cosleep, but he snores and kicks, so while he gets a GREAT nights sleep ("I sleep in mommy bed!"), we don't. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Yes, a truly horrible video!

I'm just amazed that the girls are wearing shorts and the boys and girls are touching each other.  Can someone explain?

[Temperance]

Yes, a truly horrible video!

I'm just amazed that the girls are wearing shorts and the boys and girls are touching each other.  Can someone explain?

Toto, I have a feeling they're not in Ar-Kansas any more. 

[SpottedCoachDog]

All I got from that first YouTube video is that Jesus is a tall, black man in John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever suit who tosses leaves in the air while you dance with him. Sin is bad. And wearing skinny jeans makes you sin. I'm pretty sure I was just defrauded. People really do that ish in the name of Jesus. Wow.

And yes, I am totally going to Hades.

[pinguina]

I don't understand their understanding of mission work. My niece and a cousin both have done missionary work (in Africa and South America) and they both told me that they are not there to preach but to tend to basic needs and help the people have a better life.  They have built homes, community centers, a meeting hall, establish a library, taught school, farmed, etc.  But in any talk with them they never said, "I spent three weeks preaching about how good God/Jesus is." They did exactly what a Christian does, live what they believe, show God's love through actions, try to be as Jesus would be.  I don't think either one of them did skits.

[SpottedCoachDog]

There's a difference in missionary work. "Real" mission work, like what your family did, pinguina, is living by example and doing what you can to improve lives. Saving Souls for Jesus like Jill and Derrick is the Christian equivalent of cashing in tokens to get some sort of credit in Heaven. Yes, the Bible mentions "witnessing", but actions always speak louder than words. Or skits.

[sometimesy]

They are improving.

 

how do I make this a link? instead of the whole video?

Edited August 12, 2015 by sometimesy

[Wellfleet]

Can someone explain WTF they are doing in that video?

 

Good grief. If we were baffled and confused, can you imagine what the natives were thinking? I'd have given a lot to hear their "post-theater" comments about this little epic. Just when I think the Duggars can't possibly get any more feeble, they come through... SMH.

[SometimesBites]

For those who haven't watched the video, it's laugh-out-loud viewing. They have absolutely no self-awareness as to how embarrassingly dorky they look. It's the kind of skit you put on as a ten year-old at summer camp.

Spot on. That was worse than the most awkward middle-school melodrama ever concocted in the history of asinine. They actually seem to believe they're "ministering" to a bunch of children. After all, they speak a different language, so how intelligent can they be? The body language of the locals was loud and clear--"OMG, this is hilarious--try not to laugh out loud..." Good to see that Jill and Derrick are following in the footsteps of the many arrogant missionaries who've gone before them.

[Churchhoney]

I don't understand their understanding of mission work. My niece and a cousin both have done missionary work (in Africa and South America) and they both told me that they are not there to preach but to tend to basic needs and help the people have a better life.  They have built homes, community centers, a meeting hall, establish a library, taught school, farmed, etc.  But in any talk with them they never said, "I spent three weeks preaching about how good God/Jesus is." They did exactly what a Christian does, live what they believe, show God's love through actions, try to be as Jesus would be.  I don't think either one of them did skits.

 

In particular, if all they do is talk I can't understand what the groups do who come.

 

If you're a semi-permanent missionary, I can see how you might spend your time on talk conversion (I don't think it's a good idea, but I understand how it would work.). You'd get to know people, you'd become very proficient in their language and you'd talk with locals regularly, you'd become a part of the community so that you could interact with people and converse with them on a more intimate basis and on their own terms.

 

But when groups come in from the U.S. for a few weeks, none of that is possible. So if they don't do physical work, what the heck do they even do all day? They seem to travel in packs, so it's hard to see how they have conversations with locals. Plus, there can't be any particularly rigorous language requirements for very temporary visitors. So is a skit a week their primary "contribution"? When I've heard people talk about their mission-cations, it's always about all the things they did. Do you really come back from such a thing and have nothing more to say than, We performed a holy skit! In four different villages!  I don't see how that even accomplishes the apparent main goal of this stuff -- making U.S. Christians feel good about themselves. Unless they have an unbelievable amount of faith in those skits.

 

In a more rational world, even with this setup, I would expect Jill and Derick's new job, for example, to be helping the visitors learn about the locals and their issues and problems and so on to make them more conscious of the world when they went back to the U.S. or something. But the way this is working, J and D don't seem to know the locals either, so I don't see how they can even do that.

 

Major WTFery.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Churchhoney

[frenchtoast]

how do I make this a link? instead of the whole video?

There have been a few questions about how to do stuff. So, to help out, we put some linked instructions and a link to the general questions area of the site in the pinned Mod Announcement topic.

[sometimesy]

Wanted to quote Churchhoney above me, but it doesn't seem to be working. Anyone wonder why the Dillards aren't using their 'fame' to post what the locals need? How can one donate to the local people or, what can be done from 'overseas' to help them? It's just Dillards having fun, Dillards in a prayer circle, Dillards taking a much needed break to go to the beach. Jill just stands there with Israel. Nice donate button to help the Dillards though.

 

Shhh being sneaky. Someone from their camp might read this and we will get a post that benefits the people who need it. Shhhhh.

[Defrauder]

Not sure if this is accurate or not but I seem to remember a story about JimBob haggling with a street vendor in India when they were there awhile back.  Not sure if that's what happened I think it was aired on an episode that I didn't see but I remember someone commenting about it somewhere.  It would be like JimBob to go on a mission and try to haggle the price down from a local on the street - after all TLC$ and donations for the trip, he's the great JimBob. I'll try to find the story or epi somewhere.

[farmgal4]

Not sure if this is accurate or not but I seem to remember a story about JimBob haggling with a street vendor in India when they were there awhile back.  Not sure if that's what happened I think it was aired on an episode that I didn't see but I remember someone commenting about it somewhere.  It would be like JimBob to go on a mission and try to haggle the price down from a local on the street - after all TLC$ and donations for the trip, he's the great JimBob. I'll try to find the story or epi somewhere.

You're right, I remember him haggling with someone. Maybe a barber?

[Readalot]

You're right, I remember him haggling with someone. Maybe a barber?

yes, in Nepal.

[BitterApple]

Shhh being sneaky. Someone from their camp might read this and we will get a post that benefits the people who need it. Shhhhh.

Cueing inventory list on Jill's Instagram in 3,2,1.....

[CofCinci]

Haggling is the only respect they give to their host cultures.

[Julia]

Haggling in a place where the pennies you save are a significant part of that person's income while you're on a subsidized trip you're being paid to take 'to spread the word of God' shows respect for no-one, JMO. Certainly not God.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Julia

[Liz Tudor]

Not doubting or defending the Duggars trying to always get a better deal for themselves, but in some countries/cultures, haggling is the way you do business. The merchant expects you to balk at the first offered price. It's kind of fun, once you get into it, and it shows you know about the product. I think they respect you more for haggling vs. accepting the stated price.

[Ilovemylabs]

My favorite musical! I'd love to see their heads explode when they realized that in it, Jesus was a regular man who let fame go to his head and who never rose from the dead. Which reminds me, Derick and Jill saw Cinderella on Broadway on their honeymoon. Definitely not Boob and Mechelle approved and a step in the right direction!

 

You'd really think it was a Saturday Night Live sketch. How on earth was anyone supposed to have any idea at all what was going on? They probably thought it was perfect because of the language barrier, but that only works if you know how to put on a somewhat coherent skit. Most DVDs have Spanish subtitles and showing one would have accomplished their goal much more easily. Actually, though, I don't want their conversion attempts to work, so I should be happy at this failure.

Not my interpretation of that wonderful show.

[Julia]

I think a street peddlar in Nepal might prefer to be able to feed their children a little extra, and I'd be willing to give up what notional amount of their 'respect' comes from my haggling the money for that away from them.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Julia

[Quilt Fairy]

They seem to travel in packs,

Don't forget they probably have an armed guard with them at all times.

[JoanArc]

Don't forget they probably have an armed guard with them at all times.

There are pics of the Duggars on various trips to SA with armed guards. The SOS page has pics of the guards. All have m16's, uniforms, etc. Not that I blame them, if I lived there I'd be packin' too. I wonder if Jill looks around and says, yup, this is like a totally awesome safe and godly place for my infant child!

[kalamac]

She probably thinks if those heathens can raise their kids there, and she is one of God's special chosen people, of course it's a safe place, because God wouldn't let anything happen to them.

[pinguina]

Churchhoney said:

"So if they don't do any work, what the heck do they even do all day?...When I've heard people talk about their mission-cation it's all about all the things they did."

Exactly!!!  My niece did missionary work for 5 years! Sometimes it was in a different country and sometimes in a poorer area here in the United States.  She always tells me about what she and her group DID!  On how working with, helping, and learning about a different group of people has made her appreciate her country and her faith. She talks about the plans they left in place for the work to continue. Having "conversions" or "faith talk" talk is secondary (sometimes even fourth or fifth), the people are important. What she can contribute is important.  My cousin who does short missions (about 4 - 6) weeks does the same. He talks about how his group begins an irrigation system to a certain point and the next group that arrives continues that work (or whatever the project is). It's about doing.

So when I see the pictures of Jill and Derrick at the beach or standing around, I don't understand why they aren't doing actual work.  Why is a skit (that looked pretty silly to me) more important than helping the people there have better homes or build a school or do lessons to teach reading or any number of things??

Is this really what they believe mission work is? Or are they defining it this way so that it can meet their work ethic?

Is this what they really think mission work is all about?

[SometimesBites]

Sorry, breaking away from the video for a moment, going back to the pic posted (the up-close one with Jill holding Iz at shoulder level).  I don't know why this never occurred to me before, but up close like that, I can totally see what they're trying to accomplish with Derick's teeth (the tops, anyway).  My youngest child had some seriously jacked up teeth, and had braces in middle school going into high for almost two years.  I never saw a close up of D before all this - because, who cares?  But I do remember him having over-long front teeth, and now they're shorter.  That's EXACTLY what my son had to have done.  (Well, in addition to the general untangling process).  I'd totally forgotten that.  I'd never even HEARD of that until my son's braces.  They used the braces to push his front teeth UP, to make them shorter so they would align with his other teeth.  And I have to say, it's only been a short time, but that process really does look better on Derick. 

 

And this is totally snarky and I should be ashamed.  I'll visit the PC soon and work on that.  But I'm going to admit that (even though I completely understand that there must be fully competent dentists and even orthodontists in El Salvador) every time I think of D going to have his braces adjusted, I get a hilarious mental image of the ortho outside cleaning his chicken coop, his wife hollering out that his patient is here.  He comes in to see Derick and wipes his hands on his pants...

 

It's still hard to believe finding an orthodontist in El Salvador is an easy process.  Seems like when most of the country is generally poverty stricken and can't afford to feed their families without a struggle, orthodontia wouldn't even be on the radar.  (Saying that because I'm still betting the orthodontist has chickens...)

I actually have several friends and one family member who travel from the U.S. to various Central American countries to have major dental work done. The doctors are outstanding, and (sadly) the cost of travel, hotel, AND dental work ends up costing less than it would to have the work done here.

In my dream world, the magical force that live theater can be would slowly penetrate Derick's and Jill's brains, inspiring them, revealing truths and leading them to write a new musical, Jim Bob Duggar Superstar. It'd be a rock musical, heavy on backbeats, about a regular man whose fame went to his head and who was finally revealed as someone who had never heard any messages from God at all.

 

I admit that Derick's current level of theatrical prowess makes this seem unlikely.

Someone needs to write a musical ala "The Book of Mormon," called "My Quiver is Too Full!"

[becca3891]

Not my interpretation of that wonderful show.

I probably oversimplified it, but I've always interpreted it that Jesus started out just preaching, then when people wanted to elevate him to god-like status, he rolled with it and convinced himself it was really true. His selfish, self important lines in Everything's Alright are hardly god-like, although they're lifted quite closely from the bible. Well, it just goes to show how two people can get different things out of the same show. I actually have the entire thing memorized! I do think he was supposed to be viewed as a good at heart, but confused person. 

 

Sorry, mods, to get so off topic, but maybe I can save it by adding that I can only imagine how confusing the whole evangelism by missionaries scenario must be, even if it's presented in a more coherent way than Derick's skit. Most fundies I have known agree that in their belief system, god will not damn to hell those who have never had the chance to hear the gospel. So, logic then dictates, if they get a free pass because they've never been exposed to it, wouldn't you automatically be damning all those poor people who hear the message but don't believe?

[Aja]

I haven't been on this thread for a few days. I really, really, REALLY hope Jill and/or Derick see this thread and read it sometime. It was very interesting to me how everyone, even the most disgusted and snarky among us (raises hand), was fully prepared to give Derick and Jill the benefit of the doubt about almost everything. Jill looks happy, Izzy looks happy, their hearts are in the right place, at least they're breaking out and getting away from the compound, they're so much better than Jessa and Bin. For me personally, Catgate told me everything I need to know about where their hearts are, but even I allowed myself to feel hopeful about change and growth for Jill and her family. Then that painful video happened and the tone changed instantly. There hasn't been any growth. We were giving them the benefit of the doubt when it wasn't deserved. I hope they read this and it stands out to them as much as it did to me how freaking easy it would be for them to garner public support if they'd just STOP with the xenophobic, egocentric, politicized, sick-assed cult crap and start acting like Christians. 

[Skittl1321]

Not doubting or defending the Duggars trying to always get a better deal for themselves, but in some countries/cultures, haggling is the way you do business. The merchant expects you to balk at the first offered price. It's kind of fun, once you get into it, and it shows you know about the product. I think they respect you more for haggling vs. accepting the stated price.

 

Unless something really is more expensive than I am willing to accept, I just cannot haggle when the money is essentially trivial for me. I still remember getting a $20 hour long massage on the beach of Zihuatenejo. I just paid the $20...most people seemed to based on what came next. But one women had haggled down to $10. Okay, fine- but then paid with a $20 and asked for change.  The ladies had to ask each of us getting a massage (they had tents set up for 12 at a time with curtains separating it) if anyone had change- they had no tens available to give her. OMG! That massage was one of the best I've ever had, although perhaps a little sandy, it would have cost $150 on the cruise ship and $70 or so in the states- and you can't pay $20?

 

Not haggling always makes me think of "Life of Brian" where the vendor won't accept that he is just going to take the offered price. (Another great "Jesus" movie, btw, if you haven't seen it.)  I was surprised Derrick haggled with a barber.  Are ANY prices set? Or do you haggle ANYTHING?  I can understand a food stall or a vendor, but a service like that seems odd.