The Duggars and Their World: Fashion, Food, Finance, Schoolin’ and Child Rearin'

[BitterApple]

I wonder if the LD references were just a cover-up for Michelle's piss poor schooling and lack of effort. I just remember that scene where James was being reprimanded for not being able to focus on schoolwork when there were kids running in and out of the room and all kinds of noise and banging around going on out in the hallway. Given the open, warehouse style set-up of the house, it seems damn near impossible to find a quiet place to have some privacy and study.

Edited September 18, 2015 by BitterApple

[Wellfleet]

. Two thoughts: No matter what kind of landfill toxins may be at play here, surely the dearth of parental intelligence genes is the biggest contributor to these kids be something less than Rhodes Scholar material.

For such a supposed successful real estate genius, purchasing a residential lot within a mile of the town landfill flies in the face of real estate's Rule Number One: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

 

He bought it because it filled his #1 requirement - it was CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP.

[3girlsforus]

I wonder how Michele would even know if they have learning issues. When was the last time she looked at anyone's school work? If they are doing any work it's one of the sisters or maybe Anna now who is supervising. I'd be surprised if Michele even knows what they are doing. 

[Tabbygirl521]

I wonder if the LD references were just a cover-up for Michelle's piss poor schooling and lack of effort. I just remember that scene where James was being reprimanded for not being able to focus on schoolwork when there were kids running in and out of the room and all kinds of noise and banging around going on out in the hallway. Given the open, warehouse style set-up of the house, it seems damn near impossible to find a quiet place to have some privacy and study.

Today I happened across a YouTube clip of Michelle giving a tour of the warehouse...er, TTH. It appears that the ONLY place you can get any privacy or peace and quiet is the Prayer Closet. Literally. Even the connecting walkway between the bedrooms upstairs is a catwalk with tailings you can see through, rather than a hall with walls. Thanks, Josh.

I watched the Bateses' show for the first time today, and noticed that their house looks pretty normal with actual rooms and such, and that they give full-frontal hugs. The horror.

[Micks Picks]

They are taught to shut down intellect and curiosity.  The parents have done an excellent job of that.

[Julia]

I watched the Bateses' show for the first time today, and noticed that their house looks pretty normal

Except for the cute rustic little wall shrine to the war criminal who founded the Klan.

[Tabbygirl521]

Except for the cute rustic little wall shrine to the war criminal who founded the Klan.

Whoa. Did NOT see THAT.

[Churchhoney]

I'm hoping this is the right topic for this (fundie fashion). I'm on another discussion board that is anti-mlm, and this one called LuLaRoe popped up. Warning: if you visit the link, do not adjust the settings of your computer, etc., as this stuff really IS that ugly: http://www.lularoe.com/collection-1/

I immediately knew something was up, I guess my Fundie Sense was tingling. Sure enough, it is "modestly wear" marketed mainly to conservative LDS ladies (absolutely no offense intended), but these clothes certainly meet the Duggars, et. al. dress codes.

 

 

I'm not actually convinced that these clothes do meet the Duggar model a la Gothard, though. Look at all those bright colors, color combinations and prints! All evil eye-traps. I'll bet thousands of LDS men are being defrauded by this hussy wear as we speak. Tragic! Of course, they're all going to hell anyway, so who cares?

Edited September 19, 2015 by Churchhoney

[kokapetl]

Bill GotHard went on Facebook the other day after a long silence. Drew a lot of flak.

If I believed in Hell, I would be delighted to think of him burning eternally there.

Another reason to leave Chicago and hide one and a half hours drive outside Dallas Edited September 19, 2015 by Kokapetl

[sometimesy]

Bill GotHard went on Facebook the other day after a long silence. Drew a lot of flak. 

 

If I believed in Hell, I would be delighted to think of him burning eternally there.

Wouldn't it be nice to see a documentary on this. A reputable documentary, not TLC. There are a lot of people who seem willing to talk about their experiences.

[kandinski]

I'm not actually convinced that these clothes do meet the Duggar model a la Gothard, though. Look at all those bright colors, color combinations and prints! All evil eye-traps. I'll bet thousands of LDS men are being defrauded by this hussy wear as we speak. Tragic! Of course, they're all going to hell anyway, so who cares?

The thing is all thoese clothes scream LOOK AT ME,having the opposite effect.

[Liz Tudor]

The thing is all thoese clothes scream LOOK AT ME,having the opposite effect.

We can call that the "Jessa Line." ;-)

[Julia]

Whoa. Did NOT see THAT.

 

from the Sweet Fellowship thread:

Valid reasons to hate the Bates: 

[Tabbygirl521]

(Shudder)

You know, I remember this post now. I guess I had spaced off that it was the Bateses. At the time, I had never actually seen them or their show so it didn't stick, I guess.

And they seemed so nice on the ep I watched. The mom isn't a baby-voiced automaton, the dad didn't sound like a narcissist, etc. Family interactions seemed pretty normal. They did still spout the line about banning pretty much everything so their kids wouldn't be distracted from God, though. This always bums me out, since the entire world is of God, right? But not to them.

Anyway, I thought I liked them better than the Duggars :(

[Wok Chop]

from the Sweet Fellowship thread:

I love the "God Bless America" thingie proudly displayed underneath the portraits of two Confederates.

[Sew Sumi]

Gotta love fundie cognitive dissonance.

[Liz Tudor]

I'm not defending the Bateses for having Nathan Bedford Forrest on their wall, but this may be why. He is most known to others for his nefarious involvement with the birth of the Klan, but he is particularly revered in Tennessee for his Civil War strategies that apparently saved a lot of towns. I lived in a town in north MS with many antebellum homes, and I frequently gave tours (many of these homes are still in the families who built them). I was learning a tour in one such house, and about dropped my teeth when I went into a room prominently featuring a 4-ft portrait of Forrest. I audibly gasped, and the homeowner said he was the reason the town wasn't burned by the Union; he made it a hospital town for the wounded on both sides, so she felt he deserved a place of honor in her home. And in her opinion, that took precedent over that "other little thing" he's attached to. Southern manners at their best. Many visitors had the same reaction that I did, some didn't have a clue who he was. You can't throw a rock in TN or MS without hitting a town, county, school, etc, named "Forrest."

Portraits of Civil War generals on the wall--It's probably a regional thing. I am a (displaced) Virginian, raised where the Revolutionary and Civil Wars raged. I grew up with Lee & Stonewall (the other portrait at the Bateses) on the walls of my house. They, along with Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and many other prominent Virginians, are very highly thought of, despite what side they fought on. They are considered men of honor because of their overall character. But what we know of Forrest? The overriding response there is his Klan connection. I know there are plenty of opinions on this (and have no desire or intent to spark a divisive debate), but I'm just offering a possible explanation for the Bateses choice of wall art.

Edited due to spelling issues

Edited September 19, 2015 by Liz Tudor

[Julia]

I'm not defending the Bateses for having Nathan Bedford Forrest on their wall, but this may be why. He is most known to others for his nefarious involvement with the birth of the Klan, but he is particularly revered in Tennessee for his Civil War strategies that apparently saved a lot of towns. I lived in a town in north MS with many antebellum homes, and I frequently gave tours (many of these homes are still in the families who built them). I was learning a tour in one such house, and about dropped my teeth when I went into a room prominently featuring a 4-ft portrait of Forrest. I audibly gasped, and the homeowner said he was the reason the town wasn't burned by the Union; he made it a hospital town for the wounded on both sides, so she felt he deserved a place of honor in her home. And in her opinion, that took precedent over that "other little thing" he's attached to. Southern manners at their best. Many visitors had the same reaction that I did, some didn't have a clue who he was. You can't throw a rock in TN or MS without hitting a town, county, school, etc, named "Forrest."

 

Well, but then there was that other thing where he accepted the surrender of union troops and then lynched them.

 

I know it was a complicated time and although the basic issues aren't as grey as they're sometimes made out to be, they're not completely black and white either. But I'm pretty comfortable with judging the course of the man's life even if he incidentally helped some folks out along the way, and he was no hero.

[Barb23]

I was trolling thru the Duggar Family site & finally watched the birthday greetings videos to MEchelle that Boob & the older kids made. Oh my! I know they were never great speakers but they have hit rock bottom. I'm still trying to figure out what John Doofus said. He just rambled on & on. Jana & Joy's was short & sweet. I know it's hard trying to find something positive for them to say about MEchelle, but these were too much. I think it was Jessa who commented that she loved how MEchelle left everything up to God. (Or something like that.) Of course, the girls spewed the line they wanted to be like MEchelle. Like most of you, I could come up with a decent birthday greeting for a loved one even if it was a spur of the moment thing. And these are the older kids who we think got a better education cuz MEchelle was more into teaching back then. I think they all need to take a speech or public speaking class (among others) that was required by my school district way back in the day.

There was also a blurb about Anna & what home schooling curriculum she uses. It sounds like she's really into it & trying to cater the lessons to what is best for each child. No mention was made of the Duggar's home foolin curriculum. Depending on where Anna & the M's are living, hopefully the younger Duggars can sit in on a lesson or two. Except Mack may be way ahead of all of them.

[GeeGolly]

Shit, I can come up with a birthday greeting for Michelle and I don't even like her... Sorry, nope.

[kokapetl]

Well Josh and Anna definitely sold their house in late August, they paid approx $55,000 and they sold it at approx $65,000.

JimChelle also purchased their neighbor's house (with the pool) less than two weeks ago for about $345,000.

[Lemur]

Well, but then there was that other thing where he accepted the surrender of union troops and then lynched them.

 

I know it was a complicated time and although the basic issues aren't as grey as they're sometimes made out to be, they're not completely black and white either. But I'm pretty comfortable with judging the course of the man's life even if he incidentally helped some folks out along the way, and he was no hero.

 

Minor correction:  Accepted the surrender of US Colored Troops and then ordered his soldiers to massacre them, hence the name Fort Pillow Massacre.  

 

I could write a screed on Forrest, who he was and what he represents in modern times, but I'd rather not.  It's a complicated and visceral thing, heavily complicated by allegory, mythology, and reality.  But yes, let's just say things aren't as grey as Shelby Foote and Ken Burns would like them to be with Forrest.  The man was a helluva horseman otherwise a terrible human being.  That, and at least when people eulogize him, they don't just flat-out whitewash his history like they do with Lee and Jackson.  

[Churchhoney]

Well Josh and Anna definitely sold their house in late August, they paid approx $55,000 and they sold it at approx $65,000.

JimChelle also purchased their neighbor's house (with the pool) less than two weeks ago for about $345,000.

 

So does that mean that, since the kids have learned through Josh of the inevitable evil that comes from moving away from Jim Bob, JB and M are now excitedly building the inescapable Duggar compound of their dreams? To keep the whole gang trapped in perpetuity? .... And Jim Bob's finally going to get to be Warren Jeffs Lite?

[Lemur]

So does that mean that, since the kids have learned through Josh of the inevitable evil that comes from moving away from Jim Bob, JB and M are now excitedly building the inescapable Duggar compound of their dreams? To keep the whole gang trapped in perpetuity? .... And Jim Bob's finally going to get to be Warren Jeffs Lite?

 

Warren Jeffs sans plural marriage to underage girls who may or may not be related to you by plural marriage?

Edited October 2, 2015 by Lemur

[Julia]

Minor correction:  Accepted the surrender of US Colored Troops and then ordered his soldiers to massacre them, hence the name Fort Pillow Massacre.  

 

I think of group unlawful killings as lynchings, esp under the circumstances. I think we're in basic agreement about the rest, though. 

[Lemur]

I think of group unlawful killings as lynchings, esp under the circumstances. I think we're in basic agreement about the rest, though. 

 

Yes, let's not split hairs.  I would associate lynchings more with mob "justice" as opposed to a military command but the end results are sadly the same.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Lemur

[Churchhoney]

Warren Jeffs sans plural marriage to underage girls who may or may not be related to you by plural marriage?

 

Yeah. That's the "Lite" part.    It would be just Warren Jeffs the egomaniac who is utterly determined to control as many other people as possible in every possible way, like puppets, from here to eternity, whatever the cost.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Churchhoney

[JenCarroll]

Well Josh and Anna definitely sold their house in late August, they paid approx $55,000 and they sold it at approx $65,000.

JimChelle also purchased their neighbor's house (with the pool) less than two weeks ago for about $345,000.

So maybe the new house is Anna's bribe? Or even, both Josh and Anna's. "Just come back and give lip service to our views, and you can live in this nice house with a pool and enough room for your actual family, and you can go back to pretending you're some kind of consultant. Come on, son, where could a lazy, under-educated, entitled little shit like you expect to get a better offer? Come on, Anna, you'll have everything you need and you don't even have to share a room with the little shit..."

[kokapetl]

Where did you find that information? Property records?

Yep. Actdatascout.com for Washington County (JimChelle), arcountydata.com for Benton County (Smuggars). Doing a search for properties owned by people named Duggar works for properties they currently own. ALB Investments now own the Smuggar fixer-upper.

So maybe the new house is Anna's bribe? Or even, both Josh and Anna's. "Just come back and give lip service to our views, and you can live in this nice house with a pool and enough room for your actual family, and you can go back to pretending you're some kind of consultant. Come on, son, where could a lazy, under-educated, entitled little shit like you expect to get a better offer? Come on, Anna, you'll have everything you need and you don't even have to share a room with the little shit..."

That's what I assumed. Stay with Josh and you'll have a house almost as nice as the house than you had in Maryland, but it's also J'slave adjacent, you'll have a pool, and there's a garage where Josh can live. Edited October 2, 2015 by Kokapetl

[CofCinci]

If you check out the aerial views of Anna's bribe, you can see how close the whole Duggae family is to the landfill across the street. Yikes.

House is very lovely. Josh will enjoy his prison time there.

Jessa will be pissed that another sibling gets a mansion while she and Ben are left with the Mold House.

[JenCarroll]

Doesn't $345,000 seem like an awfully high price for the area? Especially given the neighborhood landfill.

[kokapetl]

Doesn't $345,000 seem like an awfully high price for the area? Especially given the neighborhood landfill.

JimBob's a true cheapskate, the previous owners paid tens of thousands of dollars more for it years earlier. Plus it looks fancy dancy. Nicer than the Jill McMansion. Edited October 2, 2015 by Kokapetl

[CofCinci]

Doesn't $345,000 seem like an awfully high price for the area? Especially given the neighborhood landfill.

Gorgeous home. In my parts that is a million dollar home -- but I don't want flipper babies so I've decided not to live adjacent to a landfill. Edited October 2, 2015 by CofCinci

[kokapetl]

Gorgeous home. In my parts that is a million dollar home -- but I don't want flipper babies so I've decided not to live adjacent to a landfill.

You could have X-Men babies.

[Purpose to defraud]

I'm watching 19Kids "Wedding Bells", and Jill is wearing The Mustard Cardigan! This is way before Jill even married! They are at Erin Bates wedding. Wow! How many years can one Cardigan last! She wears this so often, Jill must really love the mustard color. I do not think it flatters her skin tone.

I once found an ugly orange cardigan in a thrift store for a couple of bucks. Ugly, but cashmere, softest, ugliest thing I ever wore.

Always torn when I wore it! (I was torn, not the sweater. ) I wore it around the house, doing outdoor work, etc, and hoped no one would ever see me.

[Purpose to defraud]

I just think Jim Bob has managed to pull off the neat trick of appointing himself as the first patriarch in his line. If he can arrange for all his progeny to follow in his footsteps, no-one will be better educated, no-one will be more successful, and no-one will be closer to God. And he shall reign forever and ever.

In light of that, education becomes a really bad idea on just about every level. Which is monstrous, but not out of character.

Perhaps in the 3K version of the Bible, Jim Bob will have his own chapter. 

Just think of all the begets.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Purpose to defraud

[JoanArc]

Maybe this is Jinger's dowry house?

[Churchhoney]

Article about a book on the origins and purposes of Duggar-type homeschooling and so on, and how it departs from older Protestant ideas about schooling and so on:

 

https://homeschoolersanonymous.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/building-gods-kingdom-a-book-review/

 

'What I would argue is the consistent and reoccurring theme of Building God’s Kingdom is that both liberals and conservatives have misinterpreted and thus misunderstood the overwhelming influence CR has had on 21st century American Christian conservatism. “Both the alarmists and their critics misunderstand the influence of the Reconstructionists,” she writes. “Their influence is subtle, implicit, and hidden.”[vii] This is often intentionally so, Ingersoll argues: “Reconstructionists often argue in favor of bringing about these changes in ways that won’t be recognized by the rest of us for what they are. They call it ‘being wise as serpents.’”[viii]

'Reconstructionists have been wildly successful in their efforts. “Little slivers of Rushdoony’s work seem to be everywhere,”[ix] Ingersoll says. She highlights how CR ideas, which run counter to so much of the ideological foundations of other conservative and fundamentalist Christians, have infiltrated those conservative and fundamentalist cultures so thoroughly that the foundations of the CR ideas have replaced those other subcultures’ foundations, even when the ideas themselves are either rejected or unknown. That infiltration is deliberate and intentional by means of the CR pioneering of the Christian schooling and Christian homeschooling movements: “Reconstructionist ideas made their way into evangelical and fundamentalist churches through study guides and Christian school (and later homeschool) curriculum, giving rise to an integrated worldview and a distinct subculture.”[x]

'Most of Ingersoll’s book is dedicated to the task of tracing Reconstructionist ideas and how they fed into those movements. The depth and breadth of that influence surprised even me, who grew up in the Christian homeschooling movement. Ingersoll shows how Rushdoony and his many influential followers shaped the very contours of the Christian schooling and Christian homeschooling movements;'

[BitterApple]

My guess is that the fancy new house is Anna's bribe to make her stay put in Arkansas as well as stay married to Joshie. The specials are the first step for the family returning to the air. I'm wondering if Boob is pushing for some kind of redemption edit where Josh can come back to the show. That can only happen if he has his googly-eyed, loving wife by his side.

[Wellfleet]

So maybe the new house is Anna's bribe? Or even, both Josh and Anna's. "Just come back and give lip service to our views, and you can live in this nice house with a pool and enough room for your actual family, and you can go back to pretending you're some kind of consultant. Come on, son, where could a lazy, under-educated, entitled little shit like you expect to get a better offer? Come on, Anna, you'll have everything you need and you don't even have to share a room with the little shit..."

 

Good question - I wonder. Though IMO, Josh has always been paying lip service to their views. Long before now.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Wellfleet

[cmr2014]

My guess is that the fancy new house is Anna's bribe to make her stay put in Arkansas as well as stay married to Joshie. The specials are the first step for the family returning to the air. I'm wondering if Boob is pushing for some kind of redemption edit where Josh can come back to the show. That can only happen if he has his googly-eyed, loving wife by his side.

 

I hadn't thought about this, but this could really be the nail in the coffin for the 19KC show. If TLC would ever, EVER, resurruect the show, I would think that NO JOSH would be an absolute requirement. If he's living right next door, he would definitely be present even if he wasn't on-screen. The kids would probably talk about him in TH's, his kids would be over at the house all of the time, Anna would be there, etc. The spectre of Josh would hang all over the TTH.

[Almost 3000]

Michelle needs a homeschool teacher. Perhaps Anna has a new job. She's probably the most qualified person in the family to take on the task. Might be a way that she and the M kids could appear on the specials in the TTH with the J kids to indirectly give the Smuggars a bit of the TLC pie without showing Josh.

[Fuzzysox]

Does anyone have info on what's going on with Jill's old house? Is it for sale or Boob is holding on to it? What happened the contents of Jill's house?

 

Can the new house be posted? I'd love to see a picture if that is ok with the mods!

[GeeGolly]

Does anyone have info on what's going on with Jill's old house? Is it for sale or Boob is holding on to it? What happened the contents of Jill's house?

 

Can the new house be posted? I'd love to see a picture if that is ok with the mods!

I would love to see pictures as well.

[Ilovemylabs]

I found the Duggars on Google Earth but didn't see a house 'next door' with a pool.

[Absolom]

"Next door" is a little misleading.  It's on a street that runs "perpendicular" to the Duggar house.  :) 

[CofCinci]

I found the Duggars on Google Earth but didn't see a house 'next door' with a pool.

Facing the Duggar house, Josh's new prison is about 1/4 mile directly to the left and north of an active area of the dump.

[BitterApple]

God, it must stink in their area. I can't imagine living next to a landfill, especially during the hot, humid summer months to say nothing about the toxins. No wonder half the Duggar offspring have that slack-jawed Deliverance look.

[TaxNerd]

Michelle needs a homeschool teacher. Perhaps Anna has a new job. She's probably the most qualified person in the family to take on the task. Might be a way that she and the M kids could appear on the specials in the TTH with the J kids to indirectly give the Smuggars a bit of the TLC pie without showing Josh.

The youngest Dugger boy is 11. I have a feeling when he is 16 and "graduates", the homeschooling really will collapse.

[Churchhoney]

The youngest Dugger boy is 11. I have a feeling when he is 16 and "graduates", the homeschooling really will collapse.

 

I expect you're right. ... Of course, that'll be sort of like the last air going out of a balloon that was officially deflated yesterday. And was never fully inflated in the first place.

 

Hope some of these kids have a strong self-educating gene in there somewhere. Because, given their public statements and behavior, I can't imagine Jim Bob, Michelle or Jessa ever encouraging them to tackle any skill-building or learning with enthusiasm and dedication. It's all "I learned it perfectly by watching some other guy for 45 minutes" with them.

Edited October 4, 2015 by Churchhoney