Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This blog is managed by a group of administrators who are all in ongoing contact with each other. To share your questions or concerns with us privately, please send your email to: Maggie at shatzie1980@yahoo.com or sharla.smith@live.com
1. Do not be rude to other posters or call them names.
2. No online petitions.
3. Do not be rude about the children or call them names. Commenting on the behaviour that we have seen is acceptable, but no name calling.
4. Do not refer to calling CPS or use the term child abuse unless we something that actually is abusive.
5. Watch profanity.
6. Don't tell the moderators how to run the blog.
7. Be careful about boards on boards and please don't discuss or provide links to other Duggar boards.
8. No diagnosing mental/medical conditions.
9. No posting addresses.
10. Along with not being rude don't tell other people how to think, act, or behave - don't try to tell other people what to do or not do.
11. No using the kids' names or moderators' as your screen name.
12. Comments including "I'm sure you won't print this" will never be printed.
13. No unsolicited recaps. We are not recapping the Duggar shows.
14. The administrators are not able to verify the identity of people who comment here. Believe what you choose to believe.
15. Please use proper grammar, spelling, capitalizations and punctuations in your comments. No instant message type speaking.
16. Please refrain from beating the dead horses such as Josh's years ago expressed interest in law school. If the Duggars have moved on, so should we.
2. No online petitions.
3. Do not be rude about the children or call them names. Commenting on the behaviour that we have seen is acceptable, but no name calling.
4. Do not refer to calling CPS or use the term child abuse unless we something that actually is abusive.
5. Watch profanity.
6. Don't tell the moderators how to run the blog.
7. Be careful about boards on boards and please don't discuss or provide links to other Duggar boards.
8. No diagnosing mental/medical conditions.
9. No posting addresses.
10. Along with not being rude don't tell other people how to think, act, or behave - don't try to tell other people what to do or not do.
11. No using the kids' names or moderators' as your screen name.
12. Comments including "I'm sure you won't print this" will never be printed.
13. No unsolicited recaps. We are not recapping the Duggar shows.
14. The administrators are not able to verify the identity of people who comment here. Believe what you choose to believe.
15. Please use proper grammar, spelling, capitalizations and punctuations in your comments. No instant message type speaking.
16. Please refrain from beating the dead horses such as Josh's years ago expressed interest in law school. If the Duggars have moved on, so should we.
BLOG ARCHIVE
-
▼
2010
(86)
-
▼
May
(13)
- Free Discussion June 2010
- Free Discussion May 2010
- News?
- Question About Blogs
- Tues, May 25, Duggar Home Alone
- Today Show, Monday May 24 7 to 9 AM
- Tues, May 18, Duggars Go Wild
- Tues, May 11, Duggars at the Hospital
- Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms
- Superficial Appearance by Anonymous
- Sun, May 9, Josie Comes Home, 8 PM, Special
- What Do You Think The Future Holds?
- Tues, May 4, Duggar Heavy Metal
-
▼
May
(13)
415 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 415 Newer› Newest»I just watched the show- 14 kids and pregnant again on youtube. In part 5 there is an update on the family. Baby 16 is now on the way and Michelle is having an ultrasound. Her belly is clearly visible and not covered by a sheet.
All the other ultrasounds she has someone holding up a sheet or is holding it herself.
Washington D C in Sept. How many family members will attend? How many pregnant Duggar ladies will there be? My usual question is who pays for all this? Curiosity has made me do some looking up of Gothard, various other families. It is scary. Yes they can do as they please, but if I had been at the mini mart protest my opinion would have been heard and I don't need tears. I wonder what the neighbors think of all this? Time for Duggar parents to quit speaking, protesting and tv. Get back to raising and teaching all tyhese little blessings you have been given. TLC needs to go away.
Anonymous said...
"Even something as simple as shoe-shopping has to be followed up with a bragging Josiah in the interview chair afterwards......"OTHER families go to the MALL for new shoes, but OUR FAMILY goes to the THRIFT STORE!"
*********************************
I'm pretty sure in this case, the rest of us are GLAD to be the "Other People". Used shoes...ugh!
We saw Michelle's belly during an ultrasound on one of the early specials, before she decided that holding up a sheet made her seem more modest. Then Modest Mama delivered a bunch of kids on camera, including an emergency premie at 25 weeks (about the last thing I would do in that situation is have cameramen in when I was worried about the life of my child---I would have shooed those guys out in two secs flat).
Modest Mama just likes to pretend she is modest, while she talks about conception, due dates, cervical softening, BREAST milk, BREAST feeding, pumping, etc.
Hypocrite.
I'm sorry, but there's something I can't come to terms with. Overall, I'd consider myself a "fan," because I was originally drawn by their family values and their effort, while maybe misguided, to have a happy and healthy familly (I know this means different things to everybody).
The issue I can't understand is all of this "right to life" stuff. We knew JB ran as a "one-issue" candidate, and I see that they continue to endorse such politicians. The thing that runs through my mind everytime I hear this is... what if Josie had needed to be removed earlier, due to Michelle's pre-ecampsia endangering her (Michelle's) life?That was a really close call for their family, and it bothers me that they don't seem to take this into consideration. They need to realize that when they advocate for anti-abortion, they are lumping teens who abort new pregnancies because they are inconvenient (which I'm sure is the demographic that so offends the Duggars), with people like themselves who have to make last minute decisions for the health of the mother. If they were to suceed in their mission to ban abortion, Michelle wouldn't have had the option of removing Josie had it needed to be done a little earlier, and she would have died. I'm not at all trying to discuss the issue of abortion - I don't have an opinion one way or the other, because it's much more complex than it appears. What I'm getting at is that nothing the Duggars do, claim or stand for makes sense to me anymore. Honestly, after this whole ordeal with Josie, I am shocked that they still hold the position that they do. I honestly think it's because they don't think things through enough to realize that they easily could have been in that same situation and may very well be in that situation should she become pregnant again. It's just one example of an inconsistency or a time when they are so concerned about the way that other people live that I don't believe they fully take their own situation into consideration.
"Unlike a lot of other movie sets, you see a ton of volunteers here. You see a ton of people that are really dedicated to a cause versus just to make money. So it really is awesome to see that.”
_____
Unlike other movie sets, which provide work for hundreds of people, this production is using free labor, thus throwing wage earners out of jobs. Someone(s) are going to make a lot of money if this movie is successful, even more, if the help is free. So I am sure those people are laughing all the way to the bank. I can understand the people in these areas who are not use to the "thrill" of show biz, wanting to be in a movie. But volunteering is without virtue, for something that will be profitable to some. I live in Los Angeles and have been involved in the entertainment business for years. It is not "summer camp". to thousands of people who depend on the industry to earn a living. The Duggars may also be "volunteering", but as we have seen they are hawking their wares. Maybe Kirt Cammeron is paying their bills, in order to attract other bears to the honey and thus getting free labor. I think the Screen Actors Guild should be picketing. Also since the volunteers, are not under contract, there is a danger of unsafe conditions and exploiting of child labor.
http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/
It made me chuckle, as one of the organizations "values" is to "Defend Our Freedoms"
____
Did they encourage any of these freedom fighters to join the military to defend the country? Or is it just freedom from having beer in the neighborhood?
@Anon3:14: Love your post!
I also laugh at the arrogance of the name "Values Voters". One more way the Duggar mindset draws a comparison to non-right wing Christians, and, as always, with that unmistakable tone of moral superiority. The implication seems to be that only right wing christians have solid ethical 'values'. The rest of us are gypsies, tramps, and thieves, in sore need of 'encouragement' and 'values'.
If the Duggars and their type want to win over the world for christianity, the first thing they need to do is learn to appreciate and respect non-christian ideologies. Until then, their attitude serves simply to offend, certainly not to 'encourage'.
Re: MDuggar staging a crying scene over alcohol scenes.
A grown woman crying over alcohol sales? Seriously???
And she 'doesn't want alcohol in her town'? Or her state? Or her country? Or her universe? When did she become owner of 'her' locale?
Just a great example of wanting freedom to be who they are, yet wanting to stifle others' lifestyles.
Why can't the duggars be content with the freedom they have to live their lifestyle WITHOUT attempting to force their ideas on others?
We'd be back to Prohibition if the Duggars had their wish fulfilled. I hate to even think what other rights the Duggars would like to vote away for the rest of us.
These people scare me.
re: Michelle's protesting the mini-mart's beer license..."Nope, just against selling it where it is easily accessible by children."
@@@
Well then why did Michelle's very own CHILDREN sit in a barbeque restaurant near Dollywood, with a "Budweiser King of Beers" sign above their heads and the beer tap is mere feet from the table they were dining at ? Isn't that beer also accessible? What's the difference?
The answer is, there is no difference at all.
Except Michelle was too busy chowing down on free food at the barbeque restaurant, so she didn't have time to whip up any "tears" about beer being accessible to children.
"Re: MDuggar staging a crying scene over alcohol scenes.
A grown woman crying over alcohol sales? Seriously???"
@@@
I'm not that surprised, after all, she admits in their book that she cried about the laundry.
I commend Michelle Duggar for training her older children to be indentured servants so that she can "take time out of her day" to protest and show up at alcohol board hearings. I also commend the medical professionals at the NICU unit in Little Rock, Arkansas for taking care of a preemie that can fit inside the palm of a human hand, a preemie that was hanging on for dear life, while her mother left to protest, make speeches, and publicly cry. Had someone else done these same things, they would have been labeled a negligent parent, but we know that the same rules of life that apply to regular people do not apply to the Duggars.
Secondly, Mrs. Duggar does NOT represent the views of everyone in her town as people in her neck of the woods are up in arms about this decision to deny a beer license to EZ Mart.
Thirdly, as of 2010, the minimum age to purchase beer is 21 years old in each and every state in the United States of America. Thus, "children" will NOT have access to purchasing beer whether it is sold at this gas station or any other establishment in all 50 states. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alcohol_laws_of_the_United_States_by_state
The fact remains that there are establishments that are located closer to the Duggars than this particular gas station.
No one understands why this particular gas station was targeted and not other ones than are actually closer nearby.
WE beat this dead horse to death months ago on the blog Sharla posted for just this discussion.
http://duggarswithoutpity.blogspot.com/2009/12/if-you-really-have-to-hash-out-duggars.html we went to 209 comments on this point alone... the comment section is still open as well.
Michelle protested THIS Mini mart because it was (at that time finishing construction and applying for the license) The licensing board where the hearing was held was down the street from the hospital where Josie was located. 3.5 hours or more from their home in Tonitown... For all we know or don't know they have protested before about the selling of beer and the 'lighter' liquors in other places.
The timing and the fact that it was Michelle herself going was beyond stupid. The act of protesting itself though is not against any of the principles the Duggars themselves have stated.
The only reason we know about the Duggars was because they were active politically, and their picture was splashed on the cover of a NY magazine and went from there.
Unlike a lot of protesters they do not care if adults have the ease of access they simply wanted it to be harder for the children to see it and get a hold of it. In TN there are still a number of 'Dry' counties where the sale of alcohol itself is illegal. Going across the county line buying it and bringing it back is also illegal.
Michelle didn't violate any one's 'rights', had the owner not skipped the meeting he probably could have gotten the license. Michelle didn't 'prevent the owner from making money', the owners laziness did. Simply because it was a “sure thing”
People who were 'up in arms about it' had the same right as Michelle to be at the meeting to show cause as to why the store should have the ability to sell it. It was a public meeting. The "news story' was a blip on the towns radar screen and for all we know they HAVE their license by now.
http://www.4029tv.com/news/22001106/detail.html?taf=fts
They simply had to go the following month and appeal the decision.
We also have no idea if Michelle was crying at the meeting while testifying as it was hearsay in the story to begin with. "I was told that she was crying at the meeting" was a quote from an employee at the Mini Mart who was not even at the meeting. The story then went viral on blogs and various gossip columns, again simply because it was a DUGGAR doing the protesting, had you or I or anyone else protested the selling of beer it wouldn’t even have made the local news.
Please though if we are going to rehash this all over again 6 months later can we at least do it on the blog Sharla created for that purpose?
Sharla says: Does anyone have a shovel to please rebury the rotting corpse? I have a migraine so the stink is making me worse.
Thanks. :)
Translation: It's old history at this point; everything that could be said was said at the time; time to move on nothing to see here any more. Thank you!
I was wondering why CYN gets to dictate what topics are allowed on the Free Discussion thread ?
Cyn doesn't. I did. It happens that she's right. That horse was long dead and buried. I could have rejected her comment and still said it's dead. She made some good points though.
Sharla
You do an excellent job and Cyn was right...the Liquor Store is old and worn out...Let's talk about something else....
Like why Josh is on this show all the time!!!
I would like JB debate someone (anyone) on a topic that he has stated great knowledge on...debt and why it seems so many Americans are in debt. I would like him to have fact and figures that back up his statements not just a general most people, etc.
I would like Josh to back up his claim about "most" movie sets. How many has he been to? How does he know what a typical movie set is like?
Good healthy debates are educational and hopefully both parties will learn from it.
"taking her time out of her busy day?"
what busy day? her kids do all the work!
I too find it funny how every episode constantly has to find ways to "burn the little ones' energy". Is that the Duggar's way of excusing the younger hordes bratty and out of control behavior?
When I was young we burned energy by riding bikes, playing baseball and swimming, but seeing as how the Duggars don't believe in nakedness above the thigh or organized sports they have to settle for useless field trips that the kids blatantly show no interest in.
On a different note I'm glad to see Jana going on that missionary trip, she's probably been dying to get out of that house and at least she won't be a 20 year old woman sharing a room with toddlers.
This story reminds of the Duggars.I know we have seen them buy used car seats,shoes,cribs and children's furniture.
20 Things you should never buy used.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/383/20-things-you-should-never-buy-used/
I don't agree with everything in the story.
Anon 3:14- you are right about the inconsistencies. Michelle did show her stomach skin when they did the ultrasound for the pregnancy with Johannah- no sheet or mention of modesty for that ultrasound!
I am so glad I have choices. Breast or bottle,birth control or not. Home birth or not. All the many things I feel so grateful to be able to choose. Freedom to believe I have been given these choices by a supreme power or whatever belief system I have. My daughters have choices also. There is no limit. My husbands grandma had 12 children. There were no choices. Modesty? In some cultures the sight of an unveiled face results in flogging. My how we women lead these men to doom. I only hope Duggar children will not feel guilty and eternally doomed if they choose another path.
"Anon 3:14- you are right about the inconsistencies. Michelle did show her stomach skin when they did the ultrasound for the pregnancy with Johannah- no sheet or mention of modesty for that ultrasound!"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Observations like this beg the question of how much of what we are shown as Duggar life are real vs. TLC's brand/hook for audiences.
Personally, I hold out the hope that their life as seen on TV is greatly exaggerated for the brand.
I hate to think that the Duggars actually live as portrayed on TV, especially when it comes to the education (lack thereof), using oldest daughters as free live in nannies, days post-op personal appearances to protest beer sales, Patriarchy and all its ramifications.... I could go on, but you get my drift.
Let us HOPE Jim Bob and his family are more of an at least somewhat scripted and directed cast than the unthinking people we see on TV.
Unfortunately, popping out a bambino every year and a half even now that M Duggar is in her FORTIES is obviously what they actually do.
"I am so glad I have choices. Breast or bottle,birth control or not. Home birth or not. All the many things I feel so grateful to be able to choose. I only hope Duggar children will not feel guilty and eternally doomed if they choose another path."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Amen & Alleuiah! My sentiments exactly.
JMO it's much kinder, wiser, and ethical to help children develop their critical thinking skills so that they are prepared as adults to make their own choices about their lives.
It seems the Duggar kids are given no such training, no such 'ENCOURAGEMENT'.
Someone said the Duggars will be in Wash., D.C. in September. Any details?
I work in D.C., so it would be thrilling to see the Duggars. Thanks.
I realize they were here about a year ago and visited the Capitol and ate at an Ethiopian restaurant which they didn't seem to enjoy.
There is hope for the Duggar Children!
I found an old Gothardite to the nth degree, friend's children's Facebook pages/pictures....and imagine my shock and then utter joy to see the 2 girls wearing jeans and shorts. Woo hoo, it took 'em until in their 30's, but oh what rebels they are:)
so maybe the Duggar girls can find some personal freedom someday...with out giving up on Christianity in general
I´ve encountered comments on this blog expressing concern over Grandma Duggar´s very active role in helping out. I don´t know her thoughts or opinions personally, but it´s possible that helping to raise the next generation has helped her to deal with the loss of her husband. I remember hearing that when one spouse dies, the surviving spouse has a statistically higher chance of dying within a year. Becoming integral to the daily life of Jim Bob and Michelle´s family may be helping her to avoid that statistic.
I remember hearing that when one spouse dies, the surviving spouse has a statistically higher chance of dying within a year. Becoming integral to the daily life of Jim Bob and Michelle´s family may be helping her to avoid that statistic.
--------------------------------
While I would agree that being surrounded by loving family and friends is one of the best ways to work through the loss of a spouse, I still think Grandma Duggar probably didn't want to go from a grandmother who has lovely yet short visits with her grandchildren, to living full-time there and being put to work every single day raising those same grandchildren.
I am hoping that the fact we've seen less of Grandma Duggar in the most recent episodes indicates she decided to step away from that situation and allow herself some well-deserved freedom in her later years to do as she pleases, travel, visit other family members and just enjoy life. It's not her job to care for and raise the grandchildren.
You can talk about the Duggar's mission trip, but speculating about how Christians or any denomination would react to a theoretical situation is off topic for this blog. Thanks.
Well, they are in TN again and most likely visiting the Bates, but Jana and JD (in asia) aren't with them so maybe there really isn't any courtship between the two families going on right now.
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100614/ENT/100614025
RE: Grandma Duggar: All due respect intended:
Sad to me that apparently in Duggarville the final stretch of womanhood, when your spouse passes away, is to glom onto your children and their children because you have had so little outside interests of your own.
The senior Mrs. Duggar isn't even of the Quiverful mindset as JB&MD are, right? So, it's sad to me if (and this is definitely an IF, since I do not know the Duggars)the sr. Mrs. D's life has not included a lifelong goal to grow, define and refining her own individual self along with being a wife and mom.
I fully understand finding comfort with family, especially one's children and grandchildren. But if that is one's sole outlet once the roles of wife and mom have come to a close, IMO this is sad.
This is one more reason I wish the Duggars encouraged their womenfolk to develop their individuality and maximize their potential and creativity all through life.
Life does not have to stop when it progresses beyond the mom and wife roles. I wish the Duggar women were encouraged to embrace this thought rather than be taught their only truly important life goal is finding a husband and birthing nonstop babies.
I was watching a reun the girls are packing when the boys are sitting around or acting goofy.
I wish they would let the girls go out and see the world for themsleves, not from the parents point of view.
Doesnt grandma live with them even when not in little rock?
I imagine that JB's mom immersing herself in family since her husb. passed is helping her to feel useful and productive,something that will definitely keep her spirits strong as she gets used to life without him.it is an adjustment.I can't really see as it is a bad thing.maybe she doesn't want to travel or go out without him or family around.we don't know that she doesn't,though,either.
Re: the TN trip: Father Jim Bob Duggar and 18 children were on the trip.
Well, that's interesting, because two children are still in Asia. Unless Josh and fam are along and JB is now counting Mackynzie and Anna as "his" kids, or the trip occurred before Jana and John-David left.
I wish they would let the girls go out and see the world for themselves, not from the parents point of view.
-------------------------------------
From my perspective it seems like their way of life puts undue burden on females-
They have to watch the way they dress so they don't defraud others
They have to watch the way others dress so their male relatives won't be defrauded
Once married they aren't allowed to tell their husbands no because they can't be defrauded
In the case of the Duggars they get the burden of raising younger siblings (or just call it the buddy system)
The Duggar females also get to learn how to run a house, fix meals for a large number of people, do laundry for those same people, clean house, teach their buddy, take music lessons (who's betting for a Duggar Christmas cd?)
It seems like life is easier for the Duggar males.
One last thing in my rant-
Re JB's mom. She may feel useful helping out but it seems like he will take advantage of anybody.
I'm a casual watcher, so I don't make mental notes of who's on a trip and who isn't, so I can't speak for the previous seasons when they traveled the country, but this last season, what I saw was a grandmother pitching in during a crisis. Yes, she held down the fort when Michelle was hospitalized and came along as they relocated, but once they were settled in, she left again. Has it ever been said the Grandma gave up her home and now alternates living with JB and Deanna? I know that JB said they had moved the parents in so they could help care for his dad, but I don't recall him saying that the arrangement was going to be permanent. J&A's house was a rental that the grandparents owned, not their primary residence.
I watched a rerun recently, I think it was an episode with the Bates, where the producer asked Josiah something about why the family doesn't dance, or why they only listen to certain types of music.
Predictably (because Josiah always summarizes false dichotomies so well), he explained that rock n' roll music, "it's just dancing around, there's nothing to it".
I wish, wish, wish there were a way to get these kids in front of a secular, objective educator to explain that not everything in life is so cut and dry. Example 1: Christian rock music (even heavy metal, speed metal and all kinds of aggressive music!); example 2: a fascinating history of 20th century rock n' roll music that reflects all kind of political and social change in North America. You can take courses like this in any North American university.
I know I should be familiar with faulty Duggar logic by now, but these little tidbits always make me angry... how could anyone have a normal conversation with someone once they've been indoctrinated at the age of... birth?
i was just flipping channels on the tv and came across when the duggars went to the exotic animal farm. amy and jessa? were in the dump truck playing with the bagels and bread and started throwing it to the other duggars in the other pick up truck. john david was there and i can't believe that JB,M think this is so educational over a COLLEGE education! it is nice to go and visit the zoo on a family trip, but it incredibly rips me apart that they are not encouraging their graduates of the dining room table to go to college! it is insulting to these young men and ladies that they have graduated from the DRT and they are now sitting in a dump truck on bagels and hamburger buns throwing them at their siblings/buddies/sister-kids. this is such a waste. remember the old saying? a mind is such a terrible thing to waste. I am 47 years old and i am bedridden and i graduated college in 2003 before i went into the nursing home, now i still take online classes and i missed the dean's list fall of last year by a half of a point, 2 A's, B and a C. this spring, i made 2 A's, 2 B's! the dean's list!
JB and M should be greatly ashamed of themselves.
about Gma Duggar, i remember JB standing near the front door and he was leaving taking about half of the older kids with him and he stood there and put his hand on his mother's shoulder and said, grandma is going to be in charge or something to that fact, and she looked up at him and took a half of a deep breath and she looked so tired and as if she was dreading running and chasing the younger ones around the house. is JB and M that cheap? they can't afford to have someone come in and help? it makes me so sick that jinger is the only person that her job is all of the laundry. has she graduated the School of the DRT? did jana graduate when she was 16? she is 20 and not in COLLEGE? this is so horrible for her and the other girls that they have a life of endless field trips and the only reason why they are there is to herd the little ones and the new ones that their mother births.
I think they are using Grandma, after all she has to earn her keep, and she is a female. Having Grandma active in the family is fine, doing it cause she lost her husband is non-sense. That non-sense of a woman dying soon after her husband dies is BS. My Mother was 48 when my Father died, she past on last year at 85, if her kidney did not have a growth on it, she probably would have lived to 100. My Mother loved my Father very much, it was the reason she lived as long as she did. Women in this family are the servants of the males. And only allowed to do things if Dad gets a relation from God to do something else. Ever notice how they always say it was/is Gods will or it says it in the Bible? I could get into a soapbox about this but I won't. JMO
Predictably (because Josiah always summarizes false dichotomies so well), he explained that rock n' roll music, "it's just dancing around, there's nothing to it".
888888888888888888888888888888
It's sad because there is some real poetry underlying most of the classic rock and roll. If you stop and listen to the words, there is real artistry in many of the lyrics.
The Duggars, like most people of fundamental religions, find the outside world full of sin. Well, they actually find everything and everyone either full of sin, or easily led into sin. It's a life that comes from fear or lack of trust in self and others.
I'm not sure there are any serious studies that back up the idea that when one spouse dies, the other is more likely to die shortly thereafter. I haven't seen that hold water in my own experience, as both my grandmothers long outlives my grandfathers. It would probably shock the Duggars to know that my maternal grandmother lived ALL ON HER OWN for a number of years after my grandfather passed away, far away from her nearest relatives. Even more amazing, she didn't lapse into sin and sloth.
One of the most depressing aspects of the Duggars brand of religion is how extremely limiting it is for the females. They are basically only valued for one thing: how many babies can you produce? That's their shining moment.
All else is secondary and in support of that process. Thus, 12 year olds are supposedly now 'adults' and can take on full time adult household responsibilities. Yet they can't be trusted to go to the store alone, or anywhere else alone. Makes no sense, unless you are in Duggarland.
Widowed grandmothers -- hey! Now they can be put to work raising their grandkids. In Duggar world, that's supposed to make them ever so joyful. Errr, ever think that maybe they are glad to have raised their own but are happily done with child rearing? Apparently not in Duggar world.
In the Duggars religion, women should be satisified doing only household chores and having and raising children. That's it.
You can't help but root for Grandma Duggar and hope she gets the heck outta Duggarville pronto. Don't let JimBob put the responsibility of child-rearing on you Grandma. You raised your children. Now enjoy yourself!
If I were Grandma Duggar, I'd probably just do what I could to make sure that one each child's birthday, I got them a card and present, acknowledged their special day and quietly tuck a little money aside in a separate account for them for when they turn 18. A "get out of jail" free card, if you will :)
I think they are using Grandma, after all she has to earn her keep, and she is a female.
-----
Yup, I think in JB world, females are put on this earth to serve father, husband and sons. Grandma probably owns real estate plus, and if nothing else, receive Social Security. She should be enjoying her years and determining her own course. If she wants to help out, then she should. If she wants to sit at home, read a book or plant a flower or watch (horrors) reality TV, she should be able to. JB should not determine what she does. I hope she moved out of that horrible crowded little room at the Duggars and is somewhere a bit more peaceful.
@Anonymous 2:13: LOVE your post! I whole heartedly agree with your comments.
Love the concept of getting the Duggar women a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card! Brought me a laugh - thanks.
Go, Granny, Go. Make a run for it while you still can!
I watched the episode about how they are frugal and one thing the girls said while perming each others hair was we grow our hair long because our dad likes long hair. That bothered me. They should have a choice about how to wear there hair. I also feel really sorry for them because they are not going to be allowed to go out in the real world and if they do it will be like coming in from another planet.
re: About how women have it hard in Duggar world, absolutely it is very hard to be a Duggar female, but it doesn't seem all that fun to be male either. They can't really choose careers any more than their female counterparts can. Towing? Owning a car lot? Nothing there to stimulate the mind or grow in. What about if some of the males don't want to marry? It seems like they are doomed, just as the females, to early marriages, tons of kids they may not want to parent, and those dead end jobs with nowhere to grow.
I cannot even imagine never going anywhere alone. I live alone (well except for my 3 furry kids) and go run my errands and conduct my life on my own all the time.
I've been on my own for many years and cannot really even imagine what it would be like to be in a family like the Duggars. It just blows my mind that they can't even go to the store alone. Is that something that one of them actually said or is it being presumed? It is hard to believe that the parents have such iron-clad control over those kids that at the ages of 18 and beyond they are not permitted an outing on their own. How would those poor kids even function if they chose to break free and go to college? They are apparently used to going everywhere in groups!
It truly boggles the mind. But then again those older girls are so busy raising Michelle's and JB's kids and doing housework that they probably don't have lots of free time. Then there's the show....oh my goodness... how very sad.
Does anyone know what the role of the "elderly", disabled or infirm is in Duggarland? Since ATI has only been around for one generation, what are the plans for these folks according to Gothard?
I don't consider Grandma elderly, by the way.
I watched the episode about how they are frugal and one thing the girls said while perming each others hair was we grow our hair long because our dad likes long hair.
------
I can see being "Daddy's little girls" when they are young, but about age 12 or 13, a girl generally wants to make up her own mind about her hair style. Do you suppose that JB still likes Michelle's hair? Do you suppose Michelle likes dealing with all that hair every day, especially during hot and humid Arkansas summers?
Great article from "Christianity Today" on the Gosselin portion of this blog.
It is written by an evangelical, who points out that some have a difficult time seeing beyond a person who calls himself "Christian" and/or promotes Pro Choice ideology.
The author does a great job explaining that one or both of these two issues, being 'Christian' and being "Pro Life", are only PART of a greater, more complex pile of moral concepts that need to be pondered, sorted through, and then evaluated.
Applause for a great article. I wish it was required reading by the Duggars and their staunch supporters.
re: The Duggar women wearing long hair 'because DADDY likes long hair'.
Wonder if JB would alter HIS 1950 Christian Boy Camp 'do just because the Duggar WOMEN preferred it?
I think not.
Also, didn't the Duggar 'do (long, permed locks) go out of style more than a decade ago????? How sad to be a young woman and be required/mandated that you remain in your PARENTS' heyday era of hair and clothing styles.
interview on the set with jb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1nIbAHXnd4&feature=related
Jim Bob is kinda creepy with the older girls. I don't like that whole pledged purity to daddy thing, or the long hair because daddy likes it, or a lot of the other creepyish things those girls do to please their father.
There isn't a prayer of a one of them breaking free though. They can barely go to the bathroom alone.
WHAT IF
Ms. Duggar didn't like hairspray. Would Mr. Duggar stop using it?
The girls pledge purity to DADDY?
Ick.
Do the boys pledge purity to Mama?
Who ARE these people and from what planet do they come?
re: daughters pledging purity to their fathers:
Paging Sigmund Freud! Emergency! Repeat: Paging Dr. Freud!!!
About the purity thing-
True Love Waits is a (ummmm) program, class, thing, Bible study- that talks about sex and reasons to stay pure until you marry.
At the end of the study there is usually a ceremony where the parents give the kids a wedding band. It is suppose to remind the kids that "true love waits" and the kids take a pledge, commitment (whatever) to stay pure until they marry.
The purity thing doesn't bother me as much as the Duggars whole infatuation with all things sexual.
My husband and I were talking about this the other day. He is a man and it is to be expected for him to notice women but not all women are sexual objects for him to ogle, but he has self control. For the Duggars it seems ALL women are sexual objects that are to be ogled unless THEY cover it up. What is the teaching the men?
They seem to take any responsibility off males for any lurid thoughts. (If she was wearing a short skirt she wanted me to look up it)
Oh and while I'm ranting- why does JB seem to want to be in control of everything? Why does he care what the girls hair looks like? (My husband like my hair long but it's short right now and he still loves me lol)
...we grow our hair long because our dad likes long hair...
I have 3 daughters... I like short hair, and all three girls (7-12) like their hair short because MOM likes it short... Recently Dad was talking and said he thinks long hair looks better on girls than short hair... now 2 of the girls want to grow their hair out... JUST because Dad said he liked longer hair... The oldest girl though that has the thickest hair has decided that she's rather please the mommy and keep it short... Children and grown adults will do things simply because they know it will please the adults in their lives. There is nothing creepy about that (IMO), it's human nature.
BTW their hair style and perms are quite common among their friends and peers. At least they aren't putting them up in those ugly (sorry but they are) bunish shapes that other Christian sects do that also think Long hair is a woman's glory.
I realize the Duggars are the ones on TV, but honestly they are far from the weirdest sect out there; in the dress, in their beliefs, and in their walking out of their faith... they are just the ones more people know about.
It just blows my mind that they can't even go to the store alone. Is that something that one of them actually said or is it being presumed?
**********************************
The Bates' are the ones that go out 2 by 2. The Duggars have never said it, some commentators have assumed this is the same for the Duggars.
Great article from "Christianity Today" on the Gosselin portion of this blog.
Christianity Today has been considered a very liberal publication by fundies for at least ten or more years. I doubt the Duggars would ever even have that magazine on their radar.
The hair thing really is creepy. What does JB get out of the girls' long out-dated hairstyles? It seems to border on some incestuous desire or something. I hope not.
I think Grandma Duggar should hop in her car with Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger and head out of town- FAST! Stop at the hair salon, then the mall for some normal clothes and drop them at the nearest college and let them get on with their lives. Then Grandma can head to Florida or someplace and do as she pleases.
I always feel so bad for the older girls when they are shown on the ever-so-worthless field trips. And at the end of the trip, JB always says "What do we say, kids?" And all of them, like robots, chant "Thank You!" in unison. How humiliating must that kind of behavior be for those girls- treated like children!
Can't one of Michelle's sisters or family members go rescue those four? I really want to see them free and see how JB and M figure out how to raise their own children.
I find it odd that the Duggars find sexual connotations in normal things...like dancing. I know some can be suggestive, but kids dancing around to music is cute. What normal person thinks it's flailing body parts around inappropriately. It's good clean fun. They don't even trust their boys to look a another girl. I laughed out loud when they met Dolly Parton and her breasts were bursting out of her shirt. Wonder what they thought about that? I'm surprised they didn't "nike" her!
Grandma D is an adult and I bet she does as she pleases.That is not to say JB doesn't try and get her to help out.I agree he's cheap,he prob. won't pay for outside help,and he seems to think women are all about kids and housework.But I still think Gma can fend for herself and would tell her son what he could do if she was tired of helping out.
Re: Grandma Duggar's role in the Duggar household
I believe in families helping each other out. I also believe very firmly in the idea that parents care for their children when they are young, and when the children are grown they care for their parents as they age. I watched my parents care for their parents and grandparents and it was an amazing thing to see. For one thing, it kept my grandma and great-grandma from residing in the nursing home permenantly. My great-grandma was widowed in her sixties and lived to be in her nineties, thus she was "alone" for 30 years. She died when I was in elementary school, but I remember how my dad went to her house every morning to make sure she was up, dressed, had eaten a safe, healthy breakfast (she had a tendency to let perishables like milk sit out on the table for hours or even days at a time), etc. Then in the evening, my grandpa would go do the same thing. My mom did all of her laundry for years. She was cared for but still living in her own home, where she wanted to be. Seeing that (and how my dad cared for my grandma before she passed) has totally shaped my thinking.
Now, I don't have a problem with young, healthy grandparents helping out with grandkids to a point. For example, my mom, who is healthy, active, recently retired and in her late 50s babysits my niece one day a week. She also occassionally watches her for a few hours on the weekend if my sister and brother-in-law have somewhere not so kid-friendly to go. She does this for free to help out my sister and BIL and so she can spend time with her granddaughter. Based on what I can see, there is a huge difference between what my mom does and what grandma Duggar does. Babysitting one child 8 hours a week is totally different from living with, cooking for, and cleaning up after a whole house full of kids. Maybe she has offered to do it, but that doesn't mean JB and Michelle should have taken her up on it. Grandma Duggar is at the point in her life where JB and Michelle should be caring for her, not asking her to care for there children. And if they were caring for Grandma, they would set a great example for their children and teach them about caring for their elders, the way my parents did for me. It makes me sad that they don't seem to put caring for Grandma high on their priority list.
-Emily
I have 3 daughters... I like short hair, and all three girls (7-12) like their hair short because MOM likes it short... Recently Dad was talking and said he thinks long hair looks better on girls than short hair..
-----
Like I said before, girls are usually compliant about their hair styles until they are about 13 or so. Then they start to express their individuality or it least they do, if they are developing normally.
My girls considered our opinions. However, older girl had all her beautiful thick curls cut into a bob, when she was 7 and has worn it that way ever since. I would have like those curls around longer. Younger girl has kept her hair at shoulder length since highschool. Both are perfect cuts for the girls. They knew their styles early.
Can you imagine any one playing highschool and college sports with Duggar hair?
@Former Fundie: I actually didn't know there was a 'liberal' branch of Fundamentalism. I thought the words "liberal" and "Fundamentalist" (especially evangelical Fundamentalists) were antonyms.
I guess 'liberal', like so many things, is relative.
Hard for me to consider the Duggars 'liberal' by any measure.
"To the Duggar-like mindset, not a penny of tax $ should go to places that even consider the possibility of abortion but it's great to spend taxes on purity ring promotion.
You can bet this would've been on the Duggar political agenda, had JB been more successful in his political 'career'."
Don't count on it. Many homeschool-only families like the Duggars are also anti-public school, and against their tax money going to pay for public school (heck, many private school parents whine about taxes for public school).
But in an early episode, JB pointed out that 1) he believed in the availability of public education AND 2) was happy to have his tax dollars support it.
Believe me, neither of these have been popular positions in ANY of the fundie homeschooling families I've known. The fundie Duggar audience wouldn't have blinked an eye if JB had brought up vouchers, or a homeschool tax credit, or whined about having to pay "twice", but he didn't. He took the exact OPPOSITE position. I was actually pretty impressed.
Anonymous @ 10:48. AMEN!! I, too, think they are happy the way they are!! I stay home with my kids and I wouldn't have it any other way! We may not have as much as the next person but my family is happy. To each his own. The next person might love their job and that is perfectly okay too! I wouldn't want to try and change them; I would be happy they are happy.
The problem with the purity Pledge is it really means to be ignorant. it's not good to teach not to do a thing without teaching about that thing. the purity pledge when broken (happens quite a bit) leads to unprotected sex. so if any of the dugger girls escape they will not be prepared for the real world and the sex that everyone else deals with.
I have relatives who were pretty much fundie light and they did not teach their kids about reality. one child the oldest became a junkie and the girl who was the middle child got knocked up. no clue about real life so not prepared for it.
How do we know that the children are not encouraged to furthur their education and choose not to? Has their been an episode where JB or M has said we don't want the children going to college or do we assume that since none of them have?
Maybe she has offered to do it, but that doesn't mean JB and Michelle should have taken her up on it. Grandma Duggar is at the point in her life where JB and Michelle should be caring for her, not asking her to care for there children. And if they were caring for Grandma, they would set a great example for their children and teach them about caring for their elders, the way my parents did for me. It makes me sad that they don't seem to put caring for Grandma high on their priority list.
-Emily
888888888888888888888888
What an excellent point Emily! Yes indeed, at this point in the eldest Mrs. Duggar's life, she should be allowed to enjoy "retirement." Instead, she's brought back into the "workforce" at what appears to be near full time, at least anytime she is in residence at the JimBob Duggar household.
I'm not sure why JimBob and Michele gain such praise from some - they seem on the selfish side to me. Especially Michelle - she could hardly bear to share the limelight with her DIL when Anna was pregnant.
In a slight way, I feel a little sorry for Michelle. Her whole identity is wrapped around being pregnant, giving birth, and the first six months of motherhood. She can't have children forever, and it must be sinking in at last. Once she hits menopause (hopefully she doesn't die in childbirth before that happens), I think she'll have quite a difficult time dealing with the fact that her birthing and nursing days are over. To her, that's what being a "mommy" is all about - just the baby part.
I predict that we will NOT see her resuming a more active role in raising the youngest children, but will instead probably travel more, give more talks, and continue to leave the raising and caring for the younger children to the oldest girls, who will not "feel called by God" to get married for some years to come.
jonandkatewho? said
Maybe she should have taken some time out of her "busy day" hanging at the hospital with Josie to go home and help her older daughters with the housework and cooking and the rearing of her other kids.
* * * * * *
Although JimBob and Michelle both say publicly that JB is the head of the household and makes the decisions -- really, Michelle runs him and that house exactly as she wants. She's an iron fist in a velvet glove if ever I saw one.
She does exactly as she wishes, or else she manipulates JB into making it so.
I don't have a problem with strong women, even those like Michelle who clothe it in a babyish voice and mannerism. But I do have a problem with the fact that part of Michelle's plan to have life her way, is that it requires that her oldest daughters have no real lives of their own. For shame Michelle, for shame.
Grandma Duggar is quite able-bodied and doesn't need someone to care for her yet.She probably wants to be active(her choice),plus,she is getting PAID to be on the show.who else gets paid to spend time with their gkids? we don't know that she does all that much work,either.I suspect much of the filming is just that..for filming purposes only.
The point is that no one is holding a gun to her head and making her do anything.
from some other site
Carbyville on Twitter:
So yeah, Josh Duggar's wife is pregnant again. Following in his parent's footsteps, I see
re: Anon
"Especially Michelle - she could hardly bear to share the limelight with her DIL when Anna was pregnant."
I must admit, I was very annoyed at the way that Michelle kept butting into Anna's "moment of glory", so to speak.
Let's go to the gyne together! Why, yes, that's *exactly* what a newlywed wants, to go to the gyne with her MIL and have both of you chitchat about your child and your new niece/nephew.
I mean, really. Michelle does seem to want to be the One and Only focus of the show when it comes to pregnancy.
I'm surprised that Anna's not pregnant again. I would think that Josh would want to follow in his dad's footsteps and start his own large family by keeping Anna as pregnant as possible. My thoughts are that they've tactfully agreed to NOT rush to multiple like rabbits until they can maintain a certain degree of living that'll keep the three of them in comfort.
And after that first experience I can see Anna not wanting to do the entire Duggar media blitz again, not to mention having Michelle want to ride her coattails, yet again.
Anna might be pregnant but we don't know it. They waited three months the last time to tell. Also, if she's nursing, she's probably a bit less fertile than she would be otherwise. I didn't get the impression that Josh wanted twenty kids like his parents. He's made comments about not feeling that need. But I'm sure if she's not pregnant yet, she will be sooner rather than later.
So Anna's pregnant again. Just in time for competitive Michelle to announce #20! Can't have too much focus on the pregnant DIL! Michelle needs the spotlight too!
Watch for announcements soon! Maybe they will do a DOUBLE announcement on the Today Show! Wouldn't that be keen? And maybe Josh and Jim Bob can share the dates of conception too, since inquiring minds seem to want to know!
Judy said:
I did go to college, have a degree, and I do wish I'd been encouraged to seek out further education and other work as well. Because I have been out of the job market so long, I am quite limited if I do decide to go back at any point in the future. With the Duggar girls, they appear bright, and I hate to see them not get the education
88888888888888888888888
That's exactly my concern about the Duggar children, and any others who are being raised simply as future breeders. I guess I've personally known too many women who were raised with the thought that they didn't "need" an education, because they were "only" going to get married and have kids. Many did get married young, but things happen, such as divorce, death of a spouse, or spouse losing his job.
That left these women with the need to get out there and earn some money, but with very little job skills or education. I met two of those such women when I was waitressing my way through college. One left an abusive relationship, the other one had her husband leave her for a younger woman. They had to work their tails off and struggle mightily. But at least they had the social skills and gumption to cope, and I was proud of both of them.
I consider that those that follow Gothard, like the Duggars, are like the ancient Chinese who bound women's feet because it was supposed to be more feminine. They literally crippled women; whereas Gothardites severely limit their freedom in less obvious ways.
My parents were "traditional" in that my mom was in charge of the household and my dad earned the money. But they are both practical people and had a lot of daughters. They encouraged our education, expected us to obtain either a college degree or skilled trade, and learn how to be self-supporting. They didn't believe we were only good for having babies, thank goodness!
That left these women with the need to get out there and earn some money, but with very little job skills or education.
-----
And these are the very people who are homeschooling the future generations in their families. As we have seen with Michelle and JB, they don't put a great emphases on real education. I think that is because they haven't experienced it themselves. If you don't know about the wonderful things there are to learn, there is no way to pass on the enthusiasm for learning.
On occasions, the various children or their mother, have mentioned career goals. As yet, we have not seen anyone of the them, begin the process to fulfill those goals. In fact, their belief system seems to be counterproductive i.e., you can't go to nursing school, if you are a 24/7 baby-sitter at home. You can be a professional harpist, if you can't work weekends, nights or anyplace where there is dancing or alcohal is consumed.
I *so* hope that Anna isn't pregnant again. Not that I wouldn't wish for any woman to have children, but it seems like an unhealthy competition that Michelle's got going with her DIL.
If Josh and Anna want another child, wonderful. But I'm not sure I'm up to seeing Michelle and JB fight for the spotlight with either another Michelle pregnancy or, worse, butting into moments that should be Josh/Anna, not Josh/JB/Michelle/Anna.
I'd seriously fear for Michelle's mental health if she's NOT pregnant and Anna is. I'm not sure if Michelle can handle not being pregnant and not the center of attention at this point.
@Celestie 1:27pm: I just have to give a rousing standing ovation for your excellent comment!
Such a shame when women fail to support one another as a gender. When those who want to be 'cared for,' protected, and supported by a husband refer to the other group with disdain in their tone as 'bra burners' and assume they, as SAHMs are somehow more nurturing, less materialistic, and in general holier than women who choose to work.
Equally sad is when career-minded women speak poorly of SAHMs and assume they are, by definition, a bad combination of dimwitted, needy, and dependent.
Celestie is right: it's all about having CHOICE. All women deserve choice. All women deserve respect for the choices they make.
Can't we all just get along? We are, after all, in this together.
The Duggars have shown the children that they care for a parent. That's what moving JB's parents into their home was for. JB said many times that his family was very poor so when his dad got sick it is quite possible that they were supporting them financially as well as letting them move in. Now Grandma Duggar is helping when she can in a major crisi that JB and M have. IMO, its exactly the way a close-nit family should behave. JB and M helped in a crisis and now Grandma is doing the same thing.
I have a one million dollar life insurace policy on my husband so if anything happens to him I will be well taken care of for a couple of years to allow me to go to school and get the education I need to support my kids. I just have no desire to take time away from my kids right now to spend the money and get an education that I have no desire to use. Again, there are strong opinions both ways and I in no way judge people that choose to get the education. And IMO they shouldn't judge those who choose those who don't. The Duggars have very strong family connections. They sleep in the same bedroom for goodness sake. I can completely understand why they aren't going off to college.
not to worry about Duggars girls as there are plenty of Bates boys to marry
Why don't the Duggar girls have any other choices? Maybe they just have to "struggle mightily" to get past the expectations of their parents in order to live their own lives.
I doubt the Duggars pay any taxes. with all those dependents. I am sure all the money goes into a pool or he has set up a corportion .. there is no way he pays taxes with all those kids. plus he does not work at any job. JB hit the jackpot when he met Michele keep her pregnant and barefoot. watch him do a job sometimes. the younger Bates child does more work thwn he does watch the ice episode. he could or would not get ice from trees The Bates came and had it done in less than a day. JimBob just stood and watched and talked stuoid blank look on his face
The point of school isn't necessarily to get a job. The point of schooling, all schooling, from Elementary to Ph D, is to teach people how to think for themselves. When I support post-secondary education, it's because I support people who make rational, thoughtful, EDUCATED decisions on the issues that are important to them.
The Duggar children going to school is not necessarily an antithesis to their belief system. The gift of inquiry and critical thought is what drives smart independent decision making and innovation.
Thinking for one second that "women burning bras" have ruined the lives of modern women by giving us MORE choices.... boggles my mind.
Yeah, I think Anna should NOT try to get pregnant again, EVER, because by Gosh and by Golly it's bound to upset babytalking Michelle. Yep, that's the ticket. Let's all put our lives on hold until (and unless?) Michelle Duggar truly is completely no longer fertile at ALL. Because she is going to get her widdle feewings hurt when she is not the queen center of ALL attention.!
I have always felt sorry for Anna Duggar. What a set-up to have plighted your trough to. I mean I KNOW she "knew what she was getting in to", but Jeesh. Bad enough having to be married to a big boorish blob like Josh Duggar, but dealing with passive/aggressive Michelle ? Oh my goodness. It would have been better choice, IMO, for Anna to have agreed to a marriage only if she could have moved her new family unit to FL to be near HER FAMILY.
Plus, their baby would have gotten TONS more grandparental attention. From what I read here, Grandma and Grandpa Anna'sParents really dote on the little girl! She will NEVER get that in AR, and especially not from her attention-hogging "Grandmother" Michelle Duggar.
Harsh words? Yes. But Michelle and JimBob Duggar make me sick .
But I'm not sure I'm up to seeing Michelle and JB fight for the spotlight with either another Michelle pregnancy or, worse, butting into moments that should be Josh/Anna, not Josh/JB/Michelle/Anna.
----------------------------------
This reminds me of J&A's wedding when JB was the one that said "you can now kiss your wife" I don't remember but I would bet there was a ten minute speech about purity and sex.
Was Anna's father able to a part other than the "her mother and I" when asked who gives this woman.
My mom is like this- everything has to be about her. I got a small tattoo and people were commenting about it and she pops up and says that she's going to get a Tinkerbell tat? (BTW she's 67 5 ft and weighs 300 pounds NOONE wants to see that tat lol) My older sister is becoming like her. When something is going on in my life I usually don't tell them because it's hard to be one upped and not have the spotlight on me for even a minute or so. (Yep they tried to do that on my wedding day but my step mom kept putting the focus on me!) Sorry this is long, I guess I had to get it off my chest.
We've proven over and over again the Duggars DO pay taxes. If nothing else at least property taxes which pay for schools, and other things. Since Income taxes are not public we can only prove for a fact they pay property taxes. http://duggarswithoutpity.blogspot.com/2009/12/fact-or-fiction.html
The Duggars (Jim Bob especially) also spent the first 10 years of their marriage working their tails off so that later they wouldn't have to. They made investments, and bought property that they resell later, they sold insurance and for all we know still get residual incomes from those policies. They get monthly income on the cell phone tower and rental income from the various properties all of which you have to pay taxes on. Last but not least the income from the show and book sales. All combined incomes have got to be over 250k a year possibly much higher that puts them at least in the 33% tax bracket http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm . This means before any deductions they pay 82,500. 82,500 - 54,000 (15 eligible kids) equals 28,500 (not counting any other deductions they might be able to come up with) The Duggars still pay more in taxes each year than I make a year.
While we’re at it lets look at the little "tax deductions" How much sense does it make to spend 5-15,000.00 a year raising a child to claim at most a 3,600 deduction at the end of the year.
I got the 5 - 15,000 (depending on the age of the child) from the fact they have to clothe the child, feed the child, diaper, pay for the home schooling materials (they are NOT cheap even if you don't like the curriculum) utilities, toys, medical, dental and other things.
Current stats say it takes almost 200K to raise a child from birth to adult. http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109765/cost-of-raising-a-child-ticks-up?mod=family-kids_parents I brought that to less than a 4th for the Duggars since they buy 90% used items and have multiple children, and don’t have some of the expenses listed in the article from the WSJ. 3rd grade math tells us that spending 5,000 to save 3,600 leaves you in the hole 1,400, or more, a year per child.
My numbers are rough and dirty but they prove the point non the less, I have no idea if they pay higher taxes because they are self employed, they may make MORE money than the figures I listed (though I doubt they make less) and if they do it kicks them into a still higher tax bracket than the ones I used. TLC income alone puts them in the higher income brackets which even 25 kids wouldn't get them out of paying some taxes. And unless they can show that 3 of the oldest ones are attending some sort of higher education they are no longer on their parents taxes as dependents.
It's been well established that many people disagree with the lack of educational opportunity presented to the Duggar girls, but I feel even more sorry for the Duggar boys. The girls at least are only ever expected to be wives and mothers, although one would think the Duggars would feel the need to give them a complete education if only so they can educate their own children well. The boys, however, are expected to be the sole providers of very large families, yet thus far we have seen none of them prepare for higher education. Running a used car lot or a towing business is fine if that's what one wants to do, but they could still have their own businesses and make a lot more money if they were skilled in a trade or profession. Unskilled labor doesn't pay enough to raise a family on, and yet Jim Bob and Michelle seem to expect their boys to do just that. Sometimes I have to wonder if they realize that life has changed in the past thirty years and that those low skill but decent wage jobs they may remember have been shipped overseas or are now paying minimum wage with no benefits. It's a difficult world out there for people without skills or education, especially in this economy.
Regarding a prior commenter who stated that perhaps JimBob & Michelle were supporting Grandma and Grandpa "financially" as well as letting them move in when Grandpa got sick:
This is the link to the Duggar Family blog on Discovery.com:
http://blogs.discovery.com/duggars/2009/02/prayers-for-grand-pa-jim-duggar.html
JimBob says that Grandpa Duggar loved to buy and sell cars and real estate and loved making "big deals".
I highly doubt that Grandpa Duggar was hurting for money when he got ill and moved in with JimBob/Michelle. Sounds to me like JimBob's parents were quite well off in their later years of life.
UnderGradRN has articulately captured it, and I am applauding.
IMO no one's 'faith' needs inclusion of abdication of the right to think, question, evaluate, adopt or discard according to one's unique and individual soul/essence.
IMO 'faith' without ENCOURAGEMENT to utilize these abilities and freedoms is more brain washing than an inspiration to be 'of faith'.
I went to the IRS website and looked up dependent child. Yes, the Duggars are starting to lose dependents as they must be < 19, unless they are a full time student.
This will start small, but only get bigger soon. It will be interesting to see how many Duggar children remain in the household in a few years. I think they might be able to not notice the hit for just Jana and JD(who probabl pays his own way), but when Jill, Jessa, Jinger also lose tax exempt status... it will be difficult to justify taking care of the girls who don't bring in their own income, and who don't get taken off their taxes. Especially since they won't be on TLC forever.
I think it's too late for the older girls to think about college - they don't have the necessary educational background to get into a college, much less function in that environment if they did get into one.
You have to have a certain amount of knowledge of math, the sciences, etc., to qualify for college acceptance. Sad to say, I suspect at the most they've been given the equivalent of an 8th grade education around the kitchen table, and probably not that far advanced in some areas.
True, they could play educational catch up with remedial work - but I just can't see it happening.
It's sad, that they've been turned into servants before even being given the opportunity to know what slavery really means . . . they experience it, but probably haven't studied it on even a high school level.
With Michelle as a teacher, they probably haven't learned much of anything - she just doesn't have the intelligence needed to teach anyone much of anything, beyond how to get pregnant or make laundry soap.
Concerning the taxes. It is feasible to think that JB may not pay income tax with all of the deductions. If that is the case he is in the same group of 47% of the American population who does not may federal income taxes.
However, we do know he pays property taxes, over $13,000 a year and he does not use the public school system.
We know he does not use food stamps or welfare, unlike many of the 47% that do not pay income taxes do.
If you have adults living in your home, and you provide a certain percentage of their support, like half or more, I think you can claim them as dependents on your tax forms. Dependents don't have to be children.
If its true that JimBob only pays $13,000 in property taxes -- Wow!!! that's cheap. I have a 1/2 acre lot a pay around $5,0000 with just an average size house. The grounds where their house sits on is quite large and the house is quite large. Good thing they live in a cheap area or their expenses would be a lot more.
In the Duggar book, Jim Bob specifically states that their parents had very little money and sometimes didn't even know where the next dollar would come from. I doubt they all of a sudden became financially stable selling used cars. If that's the case Josh should be rolling in the money too. Jim Bob talked about some of the "big" deals his dad made on buying cars. And he was referring to "big" in a not so good way. He bought a car once with their last couple hundred dollars and it burned to the ground. He wasn't very good with money.
I live in Arkansas and my husband nor I have college educations and we make good money. I have my own bookeeping business (from home so I can stay home with my kids) and my husband is in sales. He is the top seller in his company because he works his tail off and he is honest and dependable to his customers.
Actually, re claiming a child as a dependent - here are the guidelines:
Age — the person must be
* under age 19 at the end of the year, or
* under age 24 and a be a full-time student for at least five months out of the year, or
* any age and totally and permanently disabled.
So even if your 20-year old child is living with you and you are financially supporting that adult child, you could only claim him/her as a dependent if he/she was a full time student five months out of the year. Thus, it appears that the Duggars could not continue to claim any child who was age 19 or older by the end of any particular tax year.
I don't think that Michelle was/is trying to compete, pregnancy wise, with Anna. I think her quest (and I do believe it's a quest) to become pregnant is very calculating and she's been doing it for years -- play by the cycle and within a few months, she gets pregnant. I don't think she thought Oh no! Anna is pregnant! I must get pregnant! It doesn't seem to work that way, I don't think. Her "race" is with herself, not with other people. My guess is that she felt more bonded to Anna knowing they would be be having babies within six months of each other, hence, the bizarre visit to the gynecologist's to discss Father's Day conception dates. (Tomorrow is Father's Day, people, do we want to go for another FD conception?)
Am I supposed to be impressed or grateful that the Duggars do not use the public school system?
Am I supposed to be grateful that he 'supports' public schools and pays $13K in property taxes yet expects the other 53% of Americans to pay income taxes while he does not?
Is this the Duggar way to 'encourage'?
I remain completely unimpressed.
And more than a little bit honked.
Stating facts about the Duggars taxes was not meant to impress you. The Duggars life goes on without impressing anyone. They live their life as they see fit just like anyone else.
I do not believe he pays his fair share of taxes to impress anyone. The facts were given only because the topic is brought up so much as there are some who seem to make it their business to discuss it.
JB's parents sent him and his sister both to a private Christian school(something he fails to mention in the book),so they must not have been all that poor.He mentions the one time they had nothing to eat and his mom made them some rice that was used for decoration because that's all they had to feed them.But I bet those times were few and far between,otherwise,they wouldn't have kept paying tuition for 2 kids for private school.
Re: This reminds me of J&A's wedding when JB was the one that said "you can now kiss your wife" I don't remember but I would bet there was a ten minute speech about purity and sex.
----------------------------------------
ICK! I didn't know he said that.that's weird,like he needs daddys permission.and that's the minister's job.must have been for the show.sheesh.
I wonder how JB is going to handle it a few short years from now when he has several undereducated,non-skilled,non-employable adults on his hands,and TLC is not interested in them anymore.I don't think those girls are going to be happy marrying say,a Bates boy who earns a meager living from a tree-cutting service like their father does.Nor living in a small house like they do,with a bunch of kids.Let's face it,they've lived quite nicely in that large house,even though they do a lot of the work.I doubt they'd be happy with less.Hopefully,they have money set aside that a new hubby will let them use for buying a nice home.
I have to wonder what JB is thinking..there aren't many guys out there who can support a nice house and a large family,and his girls are not going to want to settle for less,when they've had it so well,IMO.
He could,at the least,let them start a business they could run,like a day care,or catering,or getting a cosmetology license so they can do hair.(and for more than one episode,I might add).I bet they would be good at any of those jobs,IF he will let them progress into the real world.
I get the feeling Anna's parents never would have taken the limelight away from her and Josh,had her mom gotten pregnant while Anna was pregnant.I agree,it's a shame they don't live closer to them.They seem to offer much more ENCOURAGEMENT to Anna and Josh and the new baby than JB and M do.
I think it's too late for the older girls to think about college...
It's NEVER too late, and they aren't even into their 20's yet, but they would have to find the gumption to stand up against their parents and all of their "training." Remember, in the ATI world, YOU always come last.
A very few people raised in controlling environment like theirs are able to do this, but most simply follow the "company line." Whether it's because they really want to, or they are afraid not to, or they just don't have the creativity to imagine themselves doing anything else, or they can't begin to think how they would manage on their own, I can't say. Look at the women who stay in abusive relationships, or people who get up and go to jobs they hate every day, or people who live in places they don't like.
I'm sure if one of those kids decided to go to college, s/he would be fully capable of taking the remedial courses needed to qualify for college-level work, and succeeding at the college level. Plenty of people do this ever year, and many are much older than the Duggar kids.
You can ALWAYS change your life, but the old psychology line is true - YOU HAVE TO WANT THE CHANGE MORE THAN YOU FEAR THE CHANGE.
Anyone who lives in your home can be claimed as a dependent on your tax forms.They must qualify though, and can't have a gross income of more than $2,800 per year.They must receive more than one-half of his/her total support from you. So, the older Duggar children can be claimed as dependents, just not child dependents. Also Grandma Duggar could be claimed if she meets this criteria, and doesn't even have to live with them full time.Look up the tax forms!!
Grandpa Duggar was not good with money in the EARLY YEARS.
In LATER YEARS, he did quite well, thus the statement from JimBob on the blog.
Grandpa Duggar's financial position changed for the better as the year's passed.
He made a lot of money on real estate, not selling used cars!
Will the TLC Film Crew be filming at the Duggars' today in order to capture JimBob & Michelle conceiving blessing #20?
After all, today is Father's Day and we all know from the statement in the gyno's office last year, that JimBob "gets some" on Father's Day.
Happy Father's Day to JimBob Duggar, a man who admitted on film that he cannot remember the birthdates of each of his children.
From the official obituary of J.L. "Grandpa" Duggar:
"Among many of his real estate transactions, he sold sites for the Springdale Holiday Inn/Convention Center, McDonalds on 412, Heritage Funeral Home and the new Tamales Restaurant coming soon on 48th street."
The commissions on those sales alone would be quite a nice check. I doubt Grandma & Grandpa Duggar moved in with JimBob at the end of Grandpa's life because of a lack of funds.
"I have to wonder what JB is thinking..."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The Patriarch THINKS??????!!
"Stating facts about the Duggars taxes was not meant to impress you. The Duggars life goes on without impressing anyone. They live their life as they see fit just like anyone else.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Point missed.
Also, "The Duggars life goes on without impressing anyone."
Now THERE is a correct statement. Count me in as completely UNIMPRESSED with any- and every-thing about the Duggars and their lifestyle.
Jim Bob names the school in the book, and I don't know many public schools named "Shiloh Christian High School". The early years of JimBob's life were rough, and they cover that in the book, by the time they were in High School JimBob's parents were doing better, and for all we know they could have gotten a discount on the schooling.
As for taxes, the amount you can deduct goes down as the amount you make goes up. The Duggars from TLC alone make too much money to not be paying income taxes =
On 2009 returns, exemptions are whittled down if you make more than $125,100 and are a married person filing a separate return; earn more than $166,800 as a single filer; make more than $208,500 as a head of household; or are married filing jointly or a qualified widow or widower with income of more than $250,200.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf (page 1)
John David, and G'ma Duggar do not qualify http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf (p 16-17) they make too much money (Gma SS, John David towing) we have no idea how much money the girl with the Harp lessons is making so she may or may not qualify)
Again even if they claimed 25 or more 'dependents', the Duggars are still paying more in income taxes than I make in a year.
I would like to thank the poster that brought this up though... now I know I can claim the girl that lives with us as a dependent since she has no income and meets all the other requirements.
Happy Father's Day to JimBob Duggar, a man who admitted on film that he cannot remember the birthdates of each of his children.
**************************
I have 5 kids and I have to stop and think myself some days. And I gave birth to them, still have to think was it 2003 or 2002... then again dates are my second worst thing to try and remember, names are my worst and I can be looking right at my child and call the child by the sibling's name cause I'm not thinking... It cracks my kids up.
While most of you are not impressed with the Duggars I did read on a blog last night a young teen who is very impressed with them. She stated on her blog that reading their book was about equal to her life as reading the Bible.
I do not think the Duggars are out there to impress others. They see their show as sharing their lifestyle which they believe for them is the right thing to do. While there are many critical people there are yet many who do admire them and have even changed their lives as a result of following this family.
JimBob could take some lessons from Gil Bates, who has no trouble remembering the birth dates of all the Bates children.
(Reference: the episode where Gil Bates recounts the story of how he won $100 from a man in a restaurant who challenged him to state the birth dates of all of his children).
I also believe that many people have changed their life as a result of watching the Duggars.
I believe that it's underestimated how many men have had vasectomies, or how many women have had a tubal ligation, or started using the birth control pill, after watching the circus that is the Duggars' life.
I do not think the Duggars are out there to impress others.
Really? It seems like all they do is try to impress others. And I'm pretty sure that when they say they are there for "encouraging" it is Duggar speak for impress. . . They may not SAY they are trying to do it, or it may not SEEM as blatant as, say Kate Gosselin, but come on. . .don't you have to be just a little bit full of yourself and want to show off for others when you agree to allow a film crew to follow you and your family around pretty constantly for years on end? (The money helps, too, of course!)
SuzanneDeAZ said...
While most of you are not impressed with the Duggars I did read on a blog last night a young teen who is very impressed with them. She stated on her blog that reading their book was about equal to her life as reading the Bible.
___________________________________
WHAT?!?!
Aren't they suppose to "encourage" others to follow Christ? All Christians know that any glory given to them personally should be directed to Christ.
So are people following the Duggars now?
Anonymous said...
From the official obituary of J.L. "Grandpa" Duggar:
"Among many of his real estate transactions, he sold sites for the Springdale Holiday Inn/Convention Center, McDonalds on 412, Heritage Funeral Home and the new Tamales Restaurant coming soon on 48th street."
-----------------------------
Why would anyone put that in an obit? Why not just say that he bought and sold real estate? Obits like this always make me think that people think they are more important than they really are. Is that what he wants to be remembered for?
This is in no way a disrespect to Grandpa Duggar (just whoever wrote his obit)
Not surprising at all that the middle school/high school set are the ones most likely to find the Duggars 'inspiring'.
The simplistic Duggar mindset is about on that grade level.
"Maybe they are happy the way they are. Maybe they know exactly what is “out there” and they have decided it is not for them. Those girls, at least many of them, are old enough to say they want out if that is what they truly want. But when I watch them I don’t see it."
I've always thought this too. I don't believe the Duggar girls are trapped or forced into anything. Maybe it's because of my own independent streak, but I know I was darn skippy going to to do whatever I wanted with my life regardless of what my parents thought or wanted from me, whether they supported me in it, "trained" me for it, or anything else. While the girls are sheltered more than your average girl, they do not live in a bubble, especially with this TV show thing they've had going. They certainly know how the other side lives.
I think there's a tendency to judge others by what we want for ourselves, and since most of us wouldn't want the Duggar girls' lives, we assume they don't want them either and we feel sorry for them. I don't. They look happy to me and I think they've got all the opportunities they want or need.
"Volunteering to be an extra in any movie is not showing "dedication to a cause". I am guessing most people do it so that they can be on camera - and perhaps that shows "vanity". "
We were part of a Christian film that was made last year that we volunteered our efforts for. The making of the movie was dependent almost entirely on volunteers, and the number of people who were needed to actually be on camera was small compared to the numbers that were needed to do the "unglory" work - the writing, directing, the props, the equipment, the editing, wardrobe and makeup, the donation of the use of homes and businesses for the filming sets, cars, clothes, the feeding of the cast and crew (we helped with this and it was a huge job regularly feeding this amount of people, on our own dime as well). It was a gigantic and exhausting effort and the only ones that got any "vanity" rewards from it are the relatively few that are part of the cast and on camera.
So I'm assuming when Josh was referring to volunteers, he wasn't talking about just the actors and extras involved who are on camera. It's very possible that he wasn't being as boorish as he came across with that statement.
If they Duggars weren't trying to impress anyone they wouldn't have a show. There are a lot of ways to encourage people without selling out your family and wouldn't meant so much more to actually be involved with the people you are "encouraging"
It is very sad that someone would compare the Duggar's book to the Bible. I don't think God would be happy to have His Word equal to the Duggars book.
I'm not sure why any film maker needs to ask for volunteers to be extras. Our state offers deep discounts and tax breaks to film makers, etc. They've filmed in our city and hire extras for scenes... who are PAID to be there... somwhere around $75 a day. I'm sure Christian filmmakers are not making the film for free, so they should not expect volunteers. Plus, I think it would probably be against union rules... screen actors guild and all that.
I just related to you what I read on a blog from a teen girl who really is influenced much by the Duggars. There are some out there that use them as a model. I have seen it on various forums.
From A User On Facebook
Christina Jones Kirkpatrick My family went to Tulsa to visit family, then headed to Eureka Springs. While looking at the map, I realized we had to go through the town of Tontitown. My husband, kids and I drove by their home. It was only a mile or so off the highway. I guess maybe Josie is home. JimBob was outside on the phone and a couple of kids... were riding scooters outside. My husband (quite a social guy) wanted to stop and say hello, but I wouldn't let him. We also drove right by Josh's Car Lot. I thought it was all pretty amazing! Thanks for letting my share!
I am hoping that the siblings went home and Michelle stayed behind with Jill or someone to help her, to make sure Josie is out of the woods and will not have to be admited again.
I think Josie being away from the sibs is good becuase they share germs(like with Jordyn). I hope the little girl grows up and has no major disorders/disabiltys etc..
Re: "Volunteering to be an extra in any movie is not showing "dedication to a cause". I am guessing most people do it so that they can be on camera - and perhaps that shows "vanity". "
-------------------------------------
and for the Duggars,it's about business,too..keeping your family 'out there' in the public eye,esp. when there is a summer break.they *need viewers to tune in come the new season,and keeping themselves and their name alive in the media is a sure sound way to do it,even if it's by volunteering.
it's the same reason JB was seen carrying a stack of their books..they weren't just to sell or make money off of..perhaps he was even giving them away.it was about keeping their name and family in the public eye.
"This reminds me of J&A's wedding when JB was the one that said "you can now kiss your wife" I don't remember but I would bet there was a ten minute speech about purity and sex."
---------------------------------
According to a relative who posted on this forum, that speech was totally set up and scripted by TLC.
So if it was "all about JB," it was because TLC designed it that way.
On the other hand, at the time, after reading the account I really thought the Duggars would call it quits, since TLC was obviously and obstructively scripting so much of their "reality," including their own son's wedding. Guess it didn't bother them as much as I thought (hoped) it would.
"JB's parents sent him and his sister both to a private Christian school(something he fails to mention in the book),so they must not have been all that poor.He mentions the one time they had nothing to eat and his mom made them some rice that was used for decoration because that's all they had to feed them.But I bet those times were few and far between,otherwise,they wouldn't have kept paying tuition for 2 kids for private school."
I thought he DID mention that in the book... anyone have it handy so they can look it up?
And the history of private school tuition is interesting... at one point, parents could deduct it from their taxes because it was considered a church "donation." When the government closed that loophole, there was a dramatic exodus of kids from private Christian schools in to homeschooling. Some say that's how fundamentalist religious homeschooling got its start.
In addition, many private Christian schools whose sole purpose is getting kids out of public school (not necessarily giving them a better education) can keep tuition quite cheap. In our area, Christian schools cost 1/3 to 1/4 what the secular schools do.
BTW, I'm not at all implying that education at all Christian schools is sub-par compared to public schools... just that SOME aren't as concerned with academic quality as with other aspects.
Re:According to a relative who posted on this forum, that speech was totally set up and scripted by TLC.
So if it was "all about JB," it was because TLC designed it that way.
On the other hand, at the time, after reading the account I really thought the Duggars would call it quits, since TLC was obviously and obstructively scripting so much of their "reality," including their own son's wedding. Guess it didn't bother them as much as I thought (hoped) it would.
-----------------------------------
that's one reason why I think this is all about $$$,and not so much (or not at all) about sharing their faith.
If I were a young person,i would be ticked that tlc interfered in my wedding in such a manner.I do hope the D kids and spouses will have the internal wits about them to speak up and put their foot down in the future.imo they prob. felt pressured to do it,and ot they felt the need to sell out for the money.
IliketheDuggars said:
According to a relative who posted on this forum, that speech was totally set up and scripted by TLC.
So if it was "all about JB," it was because TLC designed it that way.
---------------------------
You made a very good point, which is that the Duggars appear to be okay with TLC interfering and scripting important parts of their lives. I read that everyone who attended the wedding had to sign a release form. One person objected and almost didn't attend, but apparently was talked into signing the release eventually. I think it's a real shame that a sacred event, like the union of two people in holy matrimony, was taken over and basically run by TLC, and that the Duggars went along with it.
This to me is a perfect example of why I find the Duggars supposed faith not worthy of my respect. If you truly are believers, then you do not allow a network to script your behavior, especially during special sacred moments in your life or your children's lives. If you are willing to allow such interference, then you shouldn't call yourself the head of your household. Clearly, TLC is the head of the Duggar household, and can override JimBob's decisions should they so desire.
This does not match up with their philosphy of JOY: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. TLCYJO would be more accurate. TLC first and foremost, as they are providing us with the money and fame we desire; Yourself (i.e., what JB and Michelle want) a very close second; Jesus gets third billing, and all others come in a distant last.
I know this is off topic and should go without saying, but I hope no one on this blog will take any deductions based solely on the information provided here :)
What I certainly hope is that the adult children earn too much for JimBob to continue to deduct them.
I do not work in contract law, but I do believe that once a person becomes of legal adult age (18), then his or her parent could no longer sign a contract for them on their behalf, unless perhaps if they were their agent (? - even so, it seems like the adult child would still need to sign the contract itself).
Therefore, any adult children who are featured on the show should be receiving payment directly from TLC, whether JimBob steps in and "keeps" it for them or not. Thus, since the income would be deemed accrued by that adult, I don't see how JimBob could continue to deduct them on his tax return. Certainly they would earn over $3,850 per year from TLC (or whatever the new amount is).
If those adult children aren't getting paid directly, I call hanky-panky on the part of their parents and TLC.
Regarding people blogging that the Duggars are the "models for their lives" and that one girl follows the Duggars as much as she does the Bible....
Isn't that how cults get started?
Apparently, Michelle's dad died last Friday, and a blogger saw the family at a church in Ohio. There were photos and an entry (which has since been deleted, but someone saved the pics and such on TWOP).
Where was Josie? On the bus with all the germs? Is she still in LR, back in the hospital or what? I just hope she wasn't dragged along on this latest bus trip. That poor little girl hasn't got a chance if she is continually exposed to all of the family germs (and those of church members, and whomever else they keep letting near her).
Yes, Michelle's father died last Friday.
http://www.legacy.com/Hamilton/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=143638406
He had 31 grandchildren, 19 of them were Michelle & JimBob's. I was under the impression he had some type of dementia. I've often wondered what he though of Michelle's prolific contribution to populating the world.
I think the first time we saw the "Modesty Suits" was the epi where they went to Ohio for a reunion for Michelle's family. It may have even been for her Dad's birthday. In that epi, Michelle said her dad was failing because he had dementia.
http://vimeo.com/12631236
Very hilarious! A Duggar parody
I know this is off topic and should go without saying, but I hope no one on this blog will take any deductions based solely on the information provided here :)
****************
I was the one that said that, and it was because some one else mentioned it, I then went to the IRS and while doing the research for my post, figured out I could claim the girl that lives with me but is not related to me in any way as a dependent since we are her sole support.
It was simply the idea that got me started, I got the information from the IRS LOL.
"According to a relative who posted on this forum, that speech was totally set up and scripted by TLC.
So if it was "all about JB," it was because TLC designed it that way."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
So much for the theory that the Duggars 'walk the walk' THEIR way, no matter what others think.
The Duggars are a TLC-manufactured BRAND. They go along with scripts and agendas that present them as TLC believes viewers want to see (and believe).
Say it with me: The Duggars are a BRAND.
Let's hope viewers are spared Grampa Duggar-like footage with Michelle's dad.
I don't think ANYONE wants to see another at-death's-door, but Hey! Happy B'day, Grampa Duggar!!! Or body-in-the-coffin footage with close ups of JB's tears.
ONCE of those two scenes was one time too many.
Spare us, TLC, from doing a replay with the death of M. Duggars dad.
indeed,please,no more funeral episodes!! I hope M's family keeps tlc out of it.no more excuses for another such episode,enough is enough.
Thank you, Anonymous, for posting the link to the Duggar parody at vimeo.com.
I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.
The parody was spot-on for the character of Josiah ("I'll be sad when Cousin Jamie goes to hell"), and the Johannah character was spot-on with the nose-picking.
Don't miss the part with the Josh & Anna look-alikes using a pillow to hand-hold. I wonder where they got the actress to portray Michelle, the mannerisms (and the hair) were perfect. She has that little-girl giggle down pat !
RIP Mr. Ruark.
To whomever mentioned both JB and Deanna Duggar attended Shiloh Christian, they're partially correct. Deanna's facebook identifies her as a 1980 graduate of Springdale High.
Also, the Duggars are totally in this for the fame; do any of us carry postcards of our gargantuan, medium, small families (with or without their menagerie of animals) and pass them out at will to anyone with whom you might speak on the street or a restaurant, etc? How about copies of your latest book? No? Didn't think so...
As someone else mentioned, The Duggars are a BRAND. Period.
I'm curious is JD and Jana were able to fly into Ohio to attend the funeral, which is tomorrow.
How about copies of your latest book?
First time authors do.
"Way of the Master" Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron does (Kirk from Family ties) They hand out free copies of quite a few of their books when they are doing appearances, and when they are doing street preaching with cameras rolling to cover the street preaching. It's not a rare occurrence to hand out books that show a persons walk through faith.
The Duggar book which I'm quite sure some of you have not read chronicles their life woven around their faith; as a witnessing tool it's not the best thing I've ever read, but it's not the worst either.
Politicians especially small local and state politicians hand out pictures of themselves, with vote for me things stamped on them. Other famous people ask you to pay for their autographs, and pictures of themselves. The Duggars simply had it printed on postcards with their signatures on the back and give them out for free.(lol I've even seen them for sale on eBay)
After being asked over and over again for pictures, and or what not all else they have learned to simply carry pictures with them, and postcards are the cheapest way to do it.
Having Duggar withdrawals. Is it August yet?
I read the Duggars' book. Were they ministering to that marketing class at University of Arkansas? That appeared to be a one-shot deal and it had nothing to do with religion, it was about how they MARKET their BRAND.
Cheapskate JB isn't going to give away ANYTHING unless he knows there is going to be a return on his investment. The book might have been required reading for the class, but proselytizing, even through their book if it wasn't required class reading, is a no-no if it's not a religion class, especially at a state university.
There are plenty of other big families who have done just fine without seeking the spotlight. Some will argue that it found them when JB was a state representative, but after the first article, all they had to say was one word: NO. JB & Michelle (given the patriarchy structure of QF and ATI, more likely the former) decided they wanted some extra cash, likely to finance the tinker toy house that was taking forever to build because they were paying as they went. TLC sure solved that problem, and paid the Bates family with their addition. That said, I don't think Gil Bates walks around with postcards of his mega-family in his jacket pocket, but they definitely HAVE been changed by their recent reintroduction to the Duggars (recall it had been 7 years since they'd last seen each other when the Bateses made their first visit, that of the Prairie clown dresses. Notice those quickly became a thing of the past; they are slowly falling into the same traps as the Duggars, and they're not Godly.
An example of Michelle's kind and loving nature: " Leah Helms I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle and her family in Little Rock Arkansas Childrens Hospital. We were there waiting for a heart transpant and became good friends. I think this family is awsome. I came back to little rock for the memorial service they did for my little Pierce and stayed and spent time with them a...nd attened church service with them. I could not think of a better family to spend that hard weekend with."
Holy Tamole!!!
That Duggar parody is the funniest thing I have ever seen!!!
Classic!
I hope Josh and Anna watch that on their fancy Apple laptops at the car lot... and then have more hand sex.
LOL
The Bible and the Duggar book being equal scares me. It has been written here that a young woman bases her life on the Duggars. When a person or persons are put on a pedestal, and this belief/life-style is adapted and followed "religiously", the follower(s) IMO are heading for the ditch. It is my opinion that the Duggars are not equal to God, and neither am I, nor anyone else. Hopefully this young woman will come in contact with someone who will show her that the Duggars are just a regular "normal" huge family with conservative and legalistic beliefs. JMHO
Loved the parody, my husband had to ask what I was laughing so hard about.
I would expect politicians to have pictures of themselves handing out to people during an election,but I wouldn't expect a family to carry around postcard pictures of their family to hand out to just anyone. I have seen them on episodes walk up to complete strangers and hand out their pictures. They did that in San Francisco to a man sitting on the sidewalk that had never heard of them. Who does that? What makes them think people that don't even know them would want their picture?
If they run into a "fan" and they ask for a picture then fine but really passing out their pictures to stranges is not normal, but as the Duggars will proudly proclaim they are not your normal average family.
I just don't understand how they justify all these children. What happens when she has a baby with mental disorders or something really severe? That child will need more attention and more time, that would leave the older siblings doing that much more. It's not fair. I haven't really heard much about Josie as far as what being born so early will do to her mental capabilities.
I don't know anything about Ray,but IMO Kirk is true to his walk of faith and he isn't a brand,nor does he brand his family out for others,making lots of money off of it like the Duggars do.JMO.
I would expect politicians to have pictures of themselves handing out to people during an election,but I wouldn't expect a family to carry around postcard pictures of their family to hand out to just anyone.
-------
You do, if your family is a commodity and you want "to move the goods."
I saw the San Francisco episode where Jim Bob handed out his picture to the guy sitting on the sidewalk. I have seen him do that before, and I don't get it. Why would people want a picture of a huge family? What makes JB think anyone cares so much about his procreation abilities?
It's pretty narcissistic, actually, to think strangers care so much about you to want your photo. Weird and pathological.
What makes them think people that don't even know them would want their picture?
8888888888888888888
I think it's the same impulse that leads JB to believe that he should autograph a bible. There is definitely more than a trace of narcissism going on there - the belief that even strangers who have never heard of you will somehow be blessed or made better by receiving a picture of you and your family; or that it is ever appropriate to autograph a bible for someone.
If I believed in divine intervention, I might want to warn JB to stay out of any lighting storms.
@Celestie: "I would expect politicians to have pictures of themselves handing out to people during an election,but I wouldn't expect a family to carry around postcard pictures of their family to hand out to just anyone.
-------
You do, if your family is a commodity and you want "to move the goods."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Bingo! We have a winner!
Duggar fans might mistake this obvious show of JBD's incredible ego and greed for being 'savvy' about promoting his newest 'business' venture (which, sadly, is now his family) or, worse yet, 'just proud of his family like a good dad'.
JBD has found an easy gig that is far more lucrative than selling used cars or driving a tow truck.
The whole 'ENCOURAGEMENT' for gawd is simply the sugar to make swallowing the pill a little bit easier.
No pills for me, thanks.
I don't understand why all of a sudden the Duggars, known for "home-churching" are being seen out and about at churches in Little Rock and Ohio.
Since the Duggars "home-church", why wouldn't they continue to home-church no matter where they are living or traveling to? Why aren't they home-churching on the bus or in their temporary living room in Little Rock when they are there?
Could it be because home-churching wouldn't give them the same brand exposure to the public, or perhaps they need to continue to drum up sympathy for the Josie situation? Hmmm.
"I don't understand why all of a sudden the Duggars, known for "home-churching" are being seen out and about at churches in Little Rock and Ohio."
My understanding is that "home-churching" occurs with other families. In general a family wouldn't want to "home-church" by themselves for very long, because they are missing fellowship with other Christians, an essential component of the worship service.
Since the Duggars don't have the home-church buddies with them in Little Rock, it would make sense that they would look to established churches for their need to fellowship.
Plus, IMO, I think they are starting to leave some of that behind. If the show has accomplished one good thing, it may have exposed JB and M to the wider world again, now that they are older and wiser... and maybe they are seeing it's not all quite as bad as they had been made to believe.
This show has definitely exposed JimBob & Michelle to the world......as frauds, that is.
Quote from Michelle Duggar's phone interview, January 2009, with lilsugar.com:
" I know from my own experience, when I had five under five, those were the most challenging days.....(snipped).... I had little guys fighting and fussing over toys and it was constant and I'd be trying to figure out who did what and all I did was referee and I thought this is not the way it's supposed to be. Surely, this is going to drive me nuts and I just remember Matthew 18 came to mind. So I got down on the floor on their level and explained it to them. They learned to work it out (snipped) It is amazing that there is peace in our home. We've taught our children to respect each other and their belongings. "
Really, Michelle, you need to watch your own show sometime. Your children have RECENTLY been shown stomping on each other's back, dragging each other by the arm around the tile floor, throwing a little one into a wagon, fighting over a toy resulting in one hitting the other with said toy.......
I just don't see the "peace" and "respect" you state you have.
I understand that the home church that the Duggars have back in their home town is no longer a home church as they meet outside of their home. Their home church was never just their family, it consisted of other families as well. The Duggars no doubt want to worship with other believers and being they can not bring all of their "other" worshippers from their church at home, they desire to be with others so they are attending other churches.
I do not understand that every move or decision this family makes someone wants to twist their motives into something cynical. I see it no more than just desiring to worship and fellowshipping with other believers. Their home church never consisted of only themselves.
Just a technicality... Is it still a home church if they meet in a 'house' they have recently bought closer to the rest of the families?
Cyn, apparently it is. JB defined the house they were fixing up on a recent episode as the new "home church," bought because it was in a more centralized location for their core group.
Also, Christian "fellowship" occurs any time TWO or more Christians are in the spirit together. For instance, J&A define their (very late) morning Blble time as "fellowship." My church had a "Fellowship Room" for people to get together after service and have a light lunch, write letters on behalf on Amnesty International, etc. So, in sum, "fellowship" is not just a conglomeration of like-minded people, but could be as simple Jinger Duggar talking to Erin Bates about the sin of vanity.
I don't understand why some people think that when you put your family on reality television, (and say it's all in the name of "encouragement" to others in the name of religion), then the viewing audience is just supposed to go along and worship/imitate/agree with every move the family makes.
Can't stand the heat, Duggar fans, then get the Duggars out of both their "pretty" and "industrial" kitchens.
Who is the minister of the HomeChurch of the Duggars ?
Anyone who thinks the Duggar book is equal to the Bible is off his or her meds! I don't even think the Duggars would want that type of thinking. As another poster said, God would not be happy with that. That person is confused.
In other news, my cousin works at Arkansas Children's Hospital and she said the Duggars were always super nice and friendly. I didn't ask her if it seemed sincere although I wanted to. I think part of it is that they are on TV and they know people are watching them, but for some reason I think that is just who they are - really good people at heart. There are some things I don't agree with (like no dancing at all and the fact that they can wear lots of makeup but not pants), but overall this family gets a big thumbs up in my book. No one is perfect - not even the Duggars. ~ Jasmine
No one is saying you have to agree with everything the Duggars do but it is obvious that many viewers nit pick everything they do. We all make choices all day long and just because I may not make the same choices you do does not mean my choice is better or worse than yours.
It is not just the nit picking but trying to state a person's motive why he made choices is absurd. Do you really KNOW WHY they make their choices? Also if the Duggars end up changing in any way they are immediately labeled hyprocate when all of the time most of us change our choices as we grow or circumstances change around us.
It is the height of arrogance (IMO) for someone to give their family pictures (albeit postcards - and that makes it even WORSE) to complete strangers. Who the heck cares?
I myself "collect" strays; have done so for years. But I just can't imagine me going up to somebody on the street and giving them a postcard with a picture of my current menagerie on it. It's like - wow, look at what a great person I am for taking in all of these stray animals! Aren't you impressed?
Nope.
And I haven't seen it, but if Jim Bob really is signing (read - AUTOGRAPHING) Bibles? Then shame on him and Lord have mercy.
The duggars house reminds me of a home based daycare
the girls are the workers-change, diaper, clean, teach, food prep, etc
jim bob and michelle are the owners.
micellle is with the newest kid
jim bob and his sons help matain the place.
I dont think Jill etc. should be teaching her siblings. Now, if they all went to public school and she helped out with homework or subjects her parents werent good in. I would view that as fine.
I would love to see "tlc free" tutors, nannies etc. I already saw many almost tragic 911-calling accidents.
I find some of the terms the Duggars use to be a little odd. Why must they always say they're "fellowshipping" with friends/other families instead of just saying they are "visiting" or something of that nature? Is this something that religious people commonly use to mean "visiting with friends?" It seems it makes more sense in certain circumstances such as church functions but isn't "visiting" more to the point when for instance the Bates come to stay? Also I notice Michelle uses the term "walk through" to explain managing in a crisis or dealing with hardships. Is this also a sort of religious term that is common? I am curious and I don't mean any offense to those who use these terms.
I've heard them use the word "fellowshipping" when the kids are hanging out together; but then I guess Duggar kids are not permitted to just "hang out".
On another topic; I do not see an issue with where the Duggars choose to go to church. They ARE religious and of course are going to attend some kind of services with others so what difference does it really make where they go? As long as they are not taking part in satanic rituals I really don't think we need to worry; on the other hand I suppose people are just curious about that too. It just goes to show that when you open yourself up to speculation by being on tv people will question any- and every- thing.
The things that really trouble me about this family are the parents having more kids than they can care for and the older girls doing all the child rearing and the housework. Beyond that I'm just curious.
Yes, "fellowshipping" and "walk through" are both terms used often in Christian circles, along with many other phrases.
They declare to have a home based church, because it keeps them from having to pay taxes.
It's all about the money honey.
The folks posting on this site are a great group!I love reading all the comments.
The teen blogger previously mentioned in another post....I hope she has parents who are going to step in and do an intervention.
The teen stated she follows the Duggars book as closely as the Bible? Really?
So, this teen is going to follow the Duggars example and:
Like Michelle, get married at age 17.
Like Michelle and JimBob, live at a used car lot.
Have to work multiple low-paying jobs in order to make ends meet (grocery clerk, etc).
Have 5 children under the age of 5.
Cry about the laundry.
Is that the life this teen really wants to have?
Wow, I hope her parents have a serious talk with her about college or trade school. Life is hard enough with following the early path that the Duggars took.
I'm not to sure what to think about the episode involving JB's dad. When they brought him out of his room in the wheelchair. His shoe fell off and you could see his skull was misshappen. I felt so sorry and embarrassed for this man. Question: Did TLC want this to happen or do you think JB did this on his own. That episode has really stayed with me. Absolutely no dignity or respect shown for a beloved family member. There are so many things about this family that I have respect them for, not all, but some. But this was totally uncalled for. I guess the truth about this parading of a dying father, may change how I feel about this family. If it was TLC's call, is there no way that JB could have refused this? It seems that this would have crossed the line with pretty much anyone.
They declare to have a home based church, because it keeps them from having to pay taxes.
It's all about the money honey.
The folks posting on this site are a great group!I love reading all the comments.
***********************************
For about the 50th time the Duggars PAY PROPERTY TAXES, they have NEVER gotten a a tax break for having the church in their home!!!!
http://duggarswithoutpity.blogspot.com/2009/12/fact-or-fiction.html
"they definitely HAVE been changed by their recent reintroduction to the Duggars (recall it had been 7 years since they'd last seen each other when the Bateses made their first visit, that of the Prairie clown dresses. Notice those quickly became a thing of the past; they are slowly falling into the same traps as the Duggars, and they're not Godly. "
It's "ungodly" to wear clothes other than prairie dresses?
For the 50TH TIME, the Duggars get a tax deduction for each baby they keep having !
More babies = More tax deductions.
Re grandpa's last days
If it was TLC's call, is there no way that JB could have refused this? It seems that this would have crossed the line with pretty much anyone.
Remember JB is the executive producer (in more ways than one). He could have said NO. He said YES, to televising his father last days in a most undignified manner. He should be ashamed and beg Grampa's (and Grandma's) forgiveness. This and Anna's birth scenes will go down in Duggar history as the two most egregious examples of exploiting defenseless people. Both Grandpa and Anna were helpless victims. Grandpa because he was very ill and Anna because she was in labor and letting Josh call the shots. JB and Josh should have been protecting them in their patriarchal family, not exploiting them for the mighty dollar. Or is this the way spreadi the word?
I bet Gpa Duggar could have cared less about that banana cake they were making for his birthday,too!
Josh and his arrogant father are the reason none of my kids would ever have my blessing to marry into that family! And that is aside from the fact they promote female submissiveness,endless popping out of babies (no matter the risks) and no real education.They proved they're willing to sell their private family moments out for cash.I guess to them,it beats getting an education.
The schedule has been published for the baby conference in SanAntonio where Michelle & JimBob are featured speakers and Michelle receives the "Mother of the Year Award."
Looks like, according to the speakers schedule, that JB&M will only be there one day, July 9th, and Michelle gets her award in the evening. I hope Josie stays home with a nurse, although I know that's against ATI "rules" regarding having "non-believers" in your home.
Had to laugh, one of the conference topics is "What the Bible Says about Birth Control" and another one is "Surviving 50 Years of The Pill".
I wonder if JimBob & Michelle realize that commercials for birth control regularly air during episodes of their show. Makes me laugh every time.
I removed some of the tax discussion. The whole thing about their property taxes is another dead horse. Also please remember that being snippy to other commenters is grounds to either have a comment be rejected or removed.
It is not just the nit picking but trying to state a person's motive why he made choices is absurd. Do you really KNOW WHY they make their choices? Also if the Duggars end up changing in any way they are immediately labeled hyprocate when all of the time most of us change our choices as we grow or circumstances change around us
----------------------------------
Well said! What impresses me is how The Duggars respond to the negativity! They don't!! When asked about their critics, they just say that they learn a lot from their critics. They do not lash back out at them. They have to know the critics are out there because even if the don't read anything on the internet, you know they get some snippet of it in person with all the places they travel.
For example, when they moved in the house in LR the boards were going crazy about the abortion beliefs of the person that they were renting from and I read several times things like "how is JB gonna explain that one?". First episode of the house he stated the history of the house and then made a joke about the lady rolling over in her grave if she knew someone that didn't use BC was staying there. They just have a way of making the netativity no big deal.
I like the Duggars, they fascinate me. I respect their right to have as many kids as they want even as they work hard to make sure that as a lesbian I don't enjoy those same freedoms. However, it kind of cracks me up how people defend the Duggars. Given their extraordinarily stringent belief system I am willing to bet that if asked, the Duggars would say that almost everyone on this list is doomed to hell (myself included, of course!)
@@@By Erica McClain, Staff Writer
Hillsdale Daily News
Posted Jun 24, 2010 @ 11:11 AM
Camden, Mich. — Nineteen familiar faces will be appearing in Camden on July 4-7 for the village’s first “How to Be Successful” conference.
The Duggar family, known for their show “19 Kids and Counting” on TLC, will be singing and speaking about how to have a successful family life.@@@@
---------------
I wonder who is included in the "19 faces" appearing at the conference. Josie? I hope not. She doesn't need to be dragged around the country on the smelly bus of ill-behaved children.
I hardly view them as a successful family.The kids are rowdy and undereducated,the girls are not taught to be strong,and they get no college education,amongst many other things.
Successful families manage to combine God and the outside world with a decent education and end up with well-behaved,well-rounded children.Please tlc..show us one of those.
@Anonymous 11:25: Pack up the youngest show pony and hit the road. Poor Josie - her life as 'reality' fodder began at conception (since her parents chose to share that little detail with the viewing public). The show must go on....
http://vimeo.com/12631236
Duggar Parody found on Vimeo.
did they have make a comment about why they do chruch at home? if so, can you link me!
I've been following the discussion for some time about the "home church". So many have commented about the Duggars doing this to have a reduction in taxes. As an adult who was raised in a fundie church, I'd like to make a major point for why I think they have church in their home....TITHES. Yes, that pesky little 10% that must go to your church. So let's think about this everyone. We have cheap JB, who wants to save a buck wherever he can. What better way than to call yourself preacher, your home a church, and save yourself 10 percent of your income. The arguement of JB avoiding paying as much in taxes, because he claims his home as a church, is really looking at this from the wrong angle. The man is shifty. He will try to avoid paying "full price" any time he can. I'd bet my first born that he's holding church in his home so that he doesn't have to pay tithes to any other church. Then, they go on a few mission trips, and justify the cost as being their tithes for going to spread the word. OHHH, he's good at shifting anything to benefit him.
So eight or nine of the kids had the chicken pox while they were at some other Baptist church in IL (why they were there, on the way home from Ohio, is beyond me).
Let's hope there was no chickenpoxy child near Josie. That could absolutely kill her.
I doubt those kids have had vaccinations for a lot of illnesses, and any of those illnesses would be the end of Josie. I wonder if Jim Bob and Michelle have thought of any of this.
And apparently they are still planning to go to that Vision Forum event next weekend. Will Josie go? Will the kids be well by then?
Does anyone ever homeschool anymore? Not a wonder those kids speak in "has seen" and double negatives.
But more than the lack of homeschooling, I am quite worried that Josie will be unable to live in that House of Germs.
Can not one choose to have a home church without someone trying to find something cynical such as saying they do it to get tax exemption and now they do it to save the tithes?
Why make such statements when you have to proof? I never heard anyone having a home church to save on tithes. You can not cheat God. Most likely they give way beyond their ten percent. Just because they are frugle does not mean they are not generous. I know many people are frugle when it comes to buying possessions as they rather save the difference and by doing so they are free to give more than ten percent.
Things we know the Duggars have done in the name of charity or helping others:
Take items to orphanages
Donate their time and labor to orphanages
Help clean up after hurricane season and rebuilding those homes
Buy food and supplies for the poor
Donate vehicles to stranded missionaries
Donate time and energy to children with no fathers
Bring their children's friends with them on retreats
Donate their time and energy to various causes
Pay for the Bates house build (at least the materials and or get some materials donated)
They spent a month working on the house build for the Bates, John David staid even longer. The card Mrs Bates opened said it was from the Duggars, and if TLC had any money donated to that cause it would have been listed in the credits as it was with the Duggars house.
They host family and friends and even strangers in their homes.
This list was just off the top of my head I'm sure if I took the time to do research I could find a longer list. Some how I personally doubt people that are this giving are taking tithes given to the church and spending it on themselves in anyway, or using their tithes in any other way than helping God's family.
(those that want links to the things I listed will have to wait till I get back home from swimming today with our church)
I'd like to see some proof that JimBob Duggar gives 10% of his income to some charity other than his own Kid Farm.
http://www.lincolndailynews.com/Features/spirit_062510.shtml
I'm not surprised that 8 of the children came down with ChickenPox.
I don't recall ever seeing any of those younger children cover their cough. They cough openly into the air and it drives me crazy. Why haven't they been taught to cough into the bend of their arm? My child learned that at age 3.
The one most guilty of coughing into the air is Johannah....besides her nose-picking in every episode, she is the worst offender. Sheez...teach those kids some hygiene please. I wonder who else they infected along the way in their travels.
Anonymous at 9:52pm assumes Duggars do home church to save on tithing. I doubt it. Most home churchers I know give MORE than 10%. There is more accountability in a small home church than there is in a larger congregation.
Post a Comment