Josiah and Lauren: He Has To Marry Somebody

[galaxychaser]

Where are her shoes? 

They look happyish .

[cmr2014]

7 hours ago, MunichNark said:

This is the first time she actually looks like she's alive. Still not buying that match, it's so stilted and forced.

Maybe they're at her house and she's more comfortable than she is at the TTH.

Women in the real world are under enormous pressure to marry -- the pressure in their world must be overwhelming. I don't think she's put much (any?) thought into this at all. 

Right now I would imagine that her emotions are extremely muddled: She's a teenager. Someone wants to marry her -- what a relief! Is this what love is supposed to feel like -- it's not really what I expected. Is this the fun part? Am I having fun now? And on and on.

In a few years, she'll be neck deep in diapers, and there will be no money unless they go to JB and beg, and she'll look at these pictures and realize that she knew the truth back then, and just wasn't ready to face it.

[Heathen]

Did anyone notice Josiah's black socks and black shoes? I guess the Duggars haven't outgrown that particular bit of gender-based construct (in the earliest specials, Mullet said the girls had white socks and the boys had black, which looked odd with the boys' khakis). 

[madpsych78]

19 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Weight-wise, Si doesn't look that bad. But he is phoning it in with his smile. And Lauren seems like she is trying too hard.

Edited June 17, 2018 by madpsych78

[Rabbittron]

Well she fits in with the Duggar family perfectly because she's barefoot in the photo. 

[Snow Fairy]

Do fundies get divorced? They marry so young. If it doesn't work, do they stay together no matter what?

[Westiepeach]

22 minutes ago, Snow Fairy said:

Do fundies get divorced? They marry so young. If it doesn't work, do they stay together no matter what?

Um, just look at Josh and Anna. ‘Nuff said. 

[Sew Sumi]

Anna's sister divorced. Yes, they'd left Gothardism, but they were still very conservative Christians. 

[Vaysh]

Is divorce still a huge taboo among fundies these days, outside of Gothardism? I ask because I read recently that Evangelical Christians is the group with the highest divorce rate in the US.

[Fuzzysox]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Anna's sister divorced. Yes, they'd left Gothardism, but they were still very conservative Christians. 

Annddddd her brother too.

[DragonFaerie]

I agree that Josiah looks like he's resigned.  It's almost like he's gritting his teeth in the photo.  And he definitely looks like he's starting man boobs.

That being said I thought it was telling with Smugger was sent away Anna and the kids stayed at the Duggars, trapped in the girls dorm with all the other girls.  Why didn't she go stay with her family?  I'm sure they would have been much more supportive than Mechelle.  And yes, Anna has a divorced sister and a divorced brother and a sister that had a baby out of wedlock.  

[Sew Sumi]

2 hours ago, Fuzzysox said:

Annddddd her brother too.

Right, but he left the fundie world years ago. I thought about mentioning him, but that would just muddy the waters more.

[DragonFaerie]

Hmmm, @crossfit Hannah's IG shows her in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  Interesting - She's the one that was having coffee with Lauren a couple of weeks ago.

[ginger90]

Part of a post (from elsewhere) regarding what was included in the California appearance:

 

 

[BitterApple]

12 hours ago, DragonFaerie said:

I agree that Josiah looks like he's resigned.  It's almost like he's gritting his teeth in the photo.  And he definitely looks like he's starting man boobs.

That being said I thought it was telling with Smugger was sent away Anna and the kids stayed at the Duggars, trapped in the girls dorm with all the other girls.  Why didn't she go stay with her family?  I'm sure they would have been much more supportive than Mechelle.  And yes, Anna has a divorced sister and a divorced brother and a sister that had a baby out of wedlock.  

It's kind of funny how the sisters who did the "wrong" thing are so much better off. Rebekah got divorced and now has a mega rich hubby to take care of her and her daughters. Suze got pregnant out of wedlock and is now happy and engaged to be married. Meanwhile Anna continued to drink the Kool-aid and is stuck with a lazy, cheating blob.

[Annb67]

6 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Part of a post (from elsewhere) regarding what was included in the California appearance:

 

 

Ewwwww......

[bigskygirl]

6 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Part of a post (from elsewhere) regarding what was included in the California appearance:

 

 

This is sick in so many ways!

[BitterApple]

Ewwwwww. And it's right before lunch for those of us on Pacific Time. My appetite is officially gone.

[graefin]

4 hours ago, BitterApple said:

It's kind of funny how the sisters who did the "wrong" thing are so much better off. Rebekah got divorced and now has a mega rich hubby to take care of her and her daughters. Suze got pregnant out of wedlock and is now happy and engaged to be married. Meanwhile Anna continued to drink the Kool-aid and is stuck with a lazy, cheating blob.

Who is Suze engaged to? It's not the same bf she had last (the guy who also had a kid), is it? The last pics David posted on Insta showed her with a decidedly different guy and were captioned "double date" but with no other explanation.

[BitterApple]

3 minutes ago, graefin said:

Who is Suze engaged to? It's not the same bf she had last (the guy who also had a kid), is it? The last pics David posted on Insta showed her with a decidedly different guy and were captioned "double date" but with no other explanation.

Oh wow, I thought it was the same guy. I guess she must've broken up with the one she was engaged to. 

[Sew Sumi]

Suze had a broken engagement with the guy who had a daughter of his own. I'd gave tilog into my old IG account to see what's going on with her now.

[xwordfanatik]

These fundies are obsessed with sex, and I know I'm not the first to say that.  

[Lukeysboat]

On 6/17/2018 at 12:53 PM, Heathen said:

Did anyone notice Josiah's black socks and black shoes? I guess the Duggars haven't outgrown that particular bit of gender-based construct (in the earliest specials, Mullet said the girls had white socks and the boys had black, which looked odd with the boys' khakis). 

Young men wearing black athletic socks with tennis shoes/sneakers is on trend.  

[Fuzzysox]

8 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Part of a post (from elsewhere) regarding what was included in the California appearance:

 

 

I hope that Mechelle can sleep at night after setting her son up with someone he doesn't love all because he wants to be NORMAL and have sex. What a sick cult. 

You can see it a mile away that Josiah isn't really happy  nor is Lauren. 

#FREEJOSIAH

[abbey]

how embarassing for Josiah to have his mother bring up his sexual urges as part of her talk at the conference.  Those urges are normal for all us us, especially if you are trying to be celibate.  If he truly confided in her I presume he expected some helpful advice, not to have his horniness  brought up to a bunch of strangers at a conference.  Michelle apparantly found his problem amusing and worthy of a few laughs rather than being compassionate and keeping their discussion private.  Shame on her.

[Heathen]

2 hours ago, Lukeysboat said:

Young men wearing black athletic socks with tennis shoes/sneakers is on trend.  

It looks odd to me. I'm used to seeing men, young and old, wearing various colors of athletic shoes with white socks. 

[cmr2014]

11 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Part of a post (from elsewhere) regarding what was included in the California appearance:

 

 

I will say that the Duggar parents don't have appropriate boundaries. The ovulation calendar on the refrigerator, the dry-humping on the mini-putt course, JB's discussion of his daughters' sex lives before their weddings, and this are all examples of their inability to establish and maintain normal, healthy boundaries.

I would also add that I don't buy this for a minute. Someone noted on the Jill thread that she asks Izzy leading questions like "Do you love this?" and "Is this your favorite?" I could see no-boundaries J'chelle asking "Are you having trouble controlling your urges?" and Josiah responding "yes" because that's the only allowed response to his parents' questions.

[Future Cat Lady]

I'm gonna be a mean bitch for a sec.

Maybe Michelle heard the rumors about Josiah?

So she wants the world to know that he's mad with desire for his fiancée?   

[madpsych78]

6 minutes ago, Future Cat Lady said:

I'm gonna be a mean bitch for a sec.

Maybe Michelle heard the rumors about Josiah?

So she wants the world to know that he's mad with desire for his fiancée?   

I wondered about that too. She didn't say anything like that about Joe, who no one ever suspected was anything but straight. Or maybe Josiah DID say those things to Michelle, as a means of trying to convince her about his desires for Lauren. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

Just now, madpsych78 said:

I wondered about that too. She didn't say anything like that about Joe, who no one ever suspected was anything but straight. Or maybe Josiah DID say those things to Michelle, as a means of trying to convince her about his desires for Lauren. 

It was the first thing that crossed my mind as well.

In this particular case, as much as it's completely squicky and inappropriate, I do hope there was a grain of truth here, though. Otherwise, poor kids!

[Temperance]

I also thought maybe she had heard the rumors, but it's not that different from the way Michelle talks JB. It's also the way JB talks about himself. 

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, Future Cat Lady said:

I'm gonna be a mean bitch for a sec.

Maybe Michelle heard the rumors about Josiah?

So she wants the world to know that he's mad with desire for his fiancée?   

I wondered about that too. She seems to be going above and beyond to yell "Look everyone! My son is straight! He's about to have sex with a girl!".  FWIW, I don't necessarily think Josiah is gay, but there is absolutely nothing in his body language in any of these pictures to suggest he's hot and heavy for Lauren. I just think he simply figured out his only path to leading a semi-adult life was through marriage and said "why not?" when Boob shoved Lauren his way. 

[ginger90]

I kind of prefer the not looking hot and heavy, to what became known as Josh and Anna’s hand sex.

[Marigold]

Josiah looks less happy lately. 

At first, he actually looked excited to be with Lauren.  Now he looks a little bored.  I don't think he dislikes her but there is no spark and fun with those two.  Their engagement pictures looked kind of lifeless and dull too.  Things are going downhill so soon? 

[Nysha]

I don't think Josiah has looked happy since he came back from Alert. Hopefully getting married and out of his parents' house will give him the chance to heal from whatever they put him through.

[humbleopinion]

Perhaps Siah bailing from this wedding?

How about Lauren doing a Runaway Bride?.......

I'd watch that.....

[floridamom]

It's not nice of Michelle to violate her son's confidence. If this was said by Josiah, his mother should have the sense in her head to 'keep it to herself'...it's private. Jim Bob and Michelle DO actually still behave like they are still 19 and 17 years old. I have stated this before about them. They don't prove me wrong.

[graefin]

5 hours ago, floridamom said:

It's not nice of Michelle to violate her son's confidence. If this was said by Josiah, his mother should have the sense in her head to 'keep it to herself'...it's private. Jim Bob and Michelle DO actually still behave like they are still 19 and 17 years old. I have stated this before about them. They don't prove me wrong.

I think it's long been established that these two parents have no common sense, decency, or boundaries when it comes to their public behavior. Remember JB dry humping Michelle on the golf course in front of his daughter while asking Michelle if she was "turned on," all while being filmed?

It's like "modesty" is just a concept that means keep yourself physically covered up at all times, but once you're married all bets are off (as long as your clothes are still on in public), and if something gets you attention, feel free to share it regardless of whether it's appropriate. That said, I'm totally on board with the idea that that tidbit about Josiah was shared purposely to prove to the audience was a manly man he is. Michelle may be a vacuous robot, but I think these people are more calculating that we sometimes think. 

12 hours ago, Marigold said:

Josiah looks less happy lately. 

At first, he actually looked excited to be with Lauren.  Now he looks a little bored.  I don't think he dislikes her but there is no spark and fun with those two.  Their engagement pictures looked kind of lifeless and dull too.  Things are going downhill so soon? 

Gee, I wonder why that would be? <Cough> arraingedmarriage <Cough>

Edited June 19, 2018 by graefin

[Buggin]

Man. I feel for the kid. He just wants to get laid, like most guys his age. I will never understand how strapping him with someone he doesn’t love forever is healthier than letting the guy just go have sex.

[Marigold]

Josiah also looked happy with Marjorie and then POOF! 

Josiah might have issues going on.  The rumors are a possibility.   Maybe he just REALLY wants to move out, go to college and live a little.  Lauren seems like a nice girl.  GIRL.   "nice girl".   Maybe he wants a woman and not a carbon copy of his sisters? 

Some of the Duggar kids don't seem to want to break free and are content with Duggarville.  Josiah might really be miserable wants OUT.  The closer he gets to this wedding, the closer it gets to his fate being sealed.  Josiah might not be a happy guy right about now.  Lauren is so damn young that she has no ability to really see that her boyfriend does not want this Duggar lifestyle. 

I'm hoping that Josiah can find his way even with Lauren as his wife.  

Edited June 19, 2018 by Marigold

[irisheyes]

Once Josiah gets married, he becomes the headship. If he wants to go to college, then he can go.  Sure, he’d probably have to start at a community college, but once he’s married, there’s tons of aid and loans available to him. He and Lauren can get a little apartment, Lauren can get a job working retail, and Josiah can go to school.  He has options cause he’s a Duggar male. Certainly more than his sisters ever will. 

[libgirl2]

14 hours ago, Marigold said:

Josiah looks less happy lately. 

At first, he actually looked excited to be with Lauren.  Now he looks a little bored.  I don't think he dislikes her but there is no spark and fun with those two.  Their engagement pictures looked kind of lifeless and dull too.  Things are going downhill so soon? 

I think he looked happier with Marjorie. For his sake, I hope he is happy. Poor guy. 

[madpsych78]

29 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

Once Josiah gets married, he becomes the headship. If he wants to go to college, then he can go.  Sure, he’d probably have to start at a community college, but once he’s married, there’s tons of aid and loans available to him. He and Lauren can get a little apartment, Lauren can get a job working retail, and Josiah can go to school.  He has options cause he’s a Duggar male. Certainly more than his sisters ever will. 

True, true, and if Lauren followed Josiah even if he "broke free," then her parents would likely forgive her because she was following her headship. (Case in point: Josh McDonald (Anna's former BIL) left Gothard and Rebekah was not disowned by the Kellers for that. Granted, they eventually got divorced...)

Or, Lauren and Josiah could become Josh and Anna 2.0. We know so little about Lauren's personality that it is difficult to tell which way the wind will below for her.

[BetyBee]

Lauren is the one I feel sorry for, especially if the rumors about Josiah are true.  Well, I also feel sorry for him, but she probably has no idea what she is getting into.  A world of hurt for both of them.  

[Churchhoney]

18 hours ago, Heathen said:

It looks odd to me. I'm used to seeing men, young and old, wearing various colors of athletic shoes with white socks. 

"But if you’re going for more of an athleisure look ― something like mesh shorts and Jordans ― Dan Trepanier, tailor, designer and founder of Articles of Style, told HuffPost the athletic ankle sock is your best bet. “Keep them clean, crisp, and similar in color to the sneakers (white with white, black with black),” he said."

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/should-men-wear-shorts-and-socks_us_577d6970e4b0344d514dc6b5

Hilariously, the Duggars seem to seesaw madly between antediluvian faux Amish and "right on trend." It's weird.

[Marigold]

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

I think he looked happier with Marjorie. For his sake, I hope he is happy. Poor guy. 

I agree. 

Marjorie was kinda perky and seemed fun.  We haven't seen Lauren much but she seems to be very passive. 

[Churchhoney]

15 hours ago, Marigold said:

Josiah looks less happy lately. 

At first, he actually looked excited to be with Lauren.  Now he looks a little bored.  I don't think he dislikes her but there is no spark and fun with those two.  Their engagement pictures looked kind of lifeless and dull too.  Things are going downhill so soon? 

Well, he's got Marjorie to compare this to, which I expect may be unfortunate, kind of. I think he and Marjorie were pretty well suited, at least in some ways that mattered to both of them, and that they really did like each other. Lauren is just on a completely other planet from that, I expect. So it's possible that he actually experienced a relationship in which the two people really kind of "got" each other and that DID have significant spark and fun. And now he's got something where that may not really be possible, and that's a letdown. A sad thing for both of them. 

Edited June 19, 2018 by Churchhoney

[Marigold]

again, we know so little about Lauren but Josiah seems like a fun guy.  I wouldn't match them up. 

Who knows?  Maybe Lauren is a hoot???? 

[Churchhoney]

Just now, Marigold said:

again, we know so little about Lauren but Josiah seems like a fun guy.  I wouldn't match them up. 

Who knows?  Maybe Lauren is a hoot???? 

I hope she is. Because then maybe they could work their way to enjoying each other some. .... 

[graefin]

7 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Well, he's got Marjorie to compare this to, which I expect may be unfortunate, kind of. I think he and Marjorie were pretty well suited, at least in some ways that mattered to both of them, and that they really did like each other. Lauren is just on a completely other planet from that, I expect. So it's possible that he actually experienced a relationship in which the two people really kind of "got" each other and that DID have significant spark and fun. And now he's got something where that may not really be possible, and that's a letdown. A sad thing for both of them. 

I think Marjorie's apparent joie de vivre was a good match for the Josiah of old. Maybe Lauren is a good match for post-three-stint-Alert Josiah, who presumably got some of that individuality and spunkiness culted out of him? And perhaps he's not let down so much as resigned.