Maxwell Book Launch 10am cst!!1!!!

[Jana814]

My children would not even talk to a stranger in a grocery store. Why? Because their parents and ebil public school taught them about stranger danger.

Good for your kids. I don't get the their new book. The kid example made no sence. I wonder what Fundie parents teach their young kids about strangers.

[Palimpsest]

If he came into my kitchen he would see the Dalek beer opener - you open the beer and it says "EXTERMINATE!"

I need one of those! :::runs away to google:::

[Miggy]

Miggy, have you received the book yet? Can't wait to read your account of it! :D

No book yet but mail is slow here. Not expecting it until Thursday or Friday.

[ThatSnark]

I found it interesting and very telling that all of the published excerpt conversations were between people with unequal standing. Grandmother to kindergartner, father to son, father to prospective son-in-law, husband to wife (pains me to type that, but in this situation, they are superior and inferior) -- major power differentials in all of them. I will be interested to hear if any of the "conversations" are between peers, such as siblings, schoolmates (ha!), or people who are in any way not looking to get something out of each other besides friendliness.

[Justme]

The market has changes so much since the Maxwell's started selling their stuff. The internet was "young" and didn't have the resources now available. Now, people don't need to spend $$$ on what they sell. You can get it for free by joining a message board or just researching. If a family bought a MOTH book 20 years ago, their now adult children don't need to buy it as "that" is how they were raised. MOTH helped 1st generation fundies schedule and "figure" stuff out. 2nd generation will just follow what their parents did. (Unless they leave fundism.)

Just look at how the number of comments has decreased over the years. The last big comment "getter" was to win a free book. They got 157 and I bet at least 50 were from Jingers. Their followers would have surely made a comment for a chance at a free book.

They used to do 2 big "tours" per year. They were busy on the road for a good 2 months for each. Now, they often have a full week + between conferences. They don't seem to be invited back to the same churches very often.

Let's look at the family itself. Their oldest son did court and marry at 24. He then went 4 years with no pregnancy. Why was he not "blessed"??? (fundie speak) Chris had a broken engagement, and then went several years before finding a wife at 31. Sarah is 31.5 and still unmarried with no guy in site. Joe got dumped a week before his wedding. If I were a fundie, I'd be asking myself why Stevie is not being "blessed" with more marriages and grandchildren. I would wonder if he was being "punished".

I hope these grown men-children can figure out how to earn a living as the family business seems to be drying up and the one ton ramp is closely following.

They should think about flipping houses. They have the skills. The market is rebounding. They could all (girls too) work together and not have to be around 'ebil public school educated folk...

[Mary C Doates]

No book yet but mail is slow here. Not expecting it until Thursday or Friday.

Good luck! I do hope those Yemeni terrorists who took over the Maxwell blog didn't divert your book to some unsuspecting family in Libya or someplace...

[FloraDoraDolly]

Check out page 11-12... OK, which Jinger wrote a "Dear Steve" letter asking him how to help their little Shiloh become more sociable with the kids in church? Or am I supposed to believe a real fundie would give their kid the same name as one of the Jolie-Pitt howlers?

Besides, isn't Steve supposed to tell Shiloh's parents NOT to encourage socialization with those awful children at church who are probably allowed to play baseball (or at least watch their brothers play baseball) and read "Little House in the Big Woods"?

[anjulibai]

Check out page 11-12... OK, which Jinger wrote a "Dear Steve" letter asking him how to help their little Shiloh become more sociable with the kids in church? Or am I supposed to believe a real fundie would give their kid the same name as one of the Jolie-Pitt howlers?

Besides, isn't Steve supposed to tell Shiloh's parents NOT to encourage socialization with those awful children at church who are probably allowed to play baseball (or at least watch their brothers play baseball) and read "Little House in the Big Woods"?

Eh, Shiloh is a biblical name. It comes from a passage in the Old Testament that is interpreted by some Christians as referring to Jesus. It was also the name of a Civil War Battle Field. I can totally see a fundie naming their child that.

If anything, it was an odd name for Brangelina to name one of their kids.

[Marian the Librarian]

If arrogance could be harnessed as a power source, Daddy Maxwell could light a city.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Best. Line. About. Steve. Ever.

[YPestis]

Good luck! I do hope those Yemeni terrorists who took over the Maxwell blog didn't divert your book to some unsuspecting family in Libya or someplace...

Oh God, don't people over there have enough problems without having to suffer through a Maxwell book too??! :? :lol:

[YPestis]

The market has changes so much since the Maxwell's started selling their stuff. The internet was "young" and didn't have the resources now available. Now, people don't need to spend $$$ on what they sell. You can get it for free by joining a message board or just researching. If a family bought a MOTH book 20 years ago, their now adult children don't need to buy it as "that" is how they were raised. MOTH helped 1st generation fundies schedule and "figure" stuff out. 2nd generation will just follow what their parents did. (Unless they leave fundism.)

Just look at how the number of comments has decreased over the years. The last big comment "getter" was to win a free book. They got 157 and I bet at least 50 were from Jingers. Their followers would have surely made a comment for a chance at a free book.

They used to do 2 big "tours" per year. They were busy on the road for a good 2 months for each. Now, they often have a full week + between conferences. They don't seem to be invited back to the same churches very often.

Let's look at the family itself. Their oldest son did court and marry at 24. He then went 4 years with no pregnancy. Why was he not "blessed"??? (fundie speak) Chris had a broken engagement, and then went several years before finding a wife at 31. Sarah is 31.5 and still unmarried with no guy in site. Joe got dumped a week before his wedding. If I were a fundie, I'd be asking myself why Stevie is not being "blessed" with more marriages and grandchildren. I would wonder if he was being "punished".

I hope these grown men-children can figure out how to earn a living as the family business seems to be drying up and the one ton ramp is closely following.

They should think about flipping houses. They have the skills. The market is rebounding. They could all (girls too) work together and not have to be around 'ebil public school educated folk...

I think the ITOnRamp thing was suppose to be the next big Maxwell business venture. However, I always thought it was a poor business decision, made by people who are ignorant of the changing industry. Their IT program is expensive for what they offer and yet also unaccredited. The pupils are deliberately kept from interacting (which, I guess, is the point of the program). Their main selling points are that students can avoid contamination with heathens in "worldly" schools, plus you get these so-called "mentor calls" (or mentor assistant for those lucky gals). It's hardly worth the money for the extra "perks" if you ask me.

The irony is that the Maxwells used to brag how their sons acquired all these computer skills outside of any structured program. Their Preparing Sons book discussed how parents should encourage boys to read through texts and manuals because it's cheaper and you can learn the same things. It's a riot that they are now trying to sell their own version of "school" to their followers.

I'm intrigued to see what the next phase is for the Maxwell business venture. What will they try to sell us next? I'm wondering, at some point (perhaps even now), their products will be considered overpriced for even their most ardent followers. What's more, their ideas have gotten increasingly cultish. I wonder if Steve will finally realize what he's doing wrong if business starts to dry up? Or will he just declare his "retirement" and have his family retreat even more from the world?

[Shoes Grace]

People talk about the weather as an intro to conversations because it's something in front of both parties and thus available for comment. I would absolutely start any conversation with the Maxwells about either the weather or the decor of the room, because I don't think we have much other common ground. From there we can see where it goes, but they don't take a paper, they don't watch any news, they don't follow any sports, and we don't have any acquaintances in common, so it's hard to know what else to open a conversation with. My other usual opening is the news, and that probably wouldn't work out.

You must live in a place with access to public transportation. I suspect there is one sure-fire, non-Jesus Maxwell topic of conversation: gas prices. Uriah probably takes diesel, but they should be able to talk about gas price fluctuation from the last decade all across the country! Gas conversations in my neck of the woods either lead to travel, or politics. At least the Maxwells have travelled, sort of, so you'd get the insider version of the Adventure of the Squeaking Bus Seat and hear Mary's advice to watch your head before you open a cupboard in person! From there, of course, it would all lead to Jesus, but if you're good, you can avoid that topic for at least twenty minutes.

[anjulibai]

I'm intrigued to see what the next phase is for the Maxwell business venture. What will they try to sell us next? I'm wondering, at some point (perhaps even now), their products will be considered overpriced for even their most ardent followers. What's more, their ideas have gotten increasingly cultish. I wonder if Steve will finally realize what he's doing wrong if business starts to dry up? Or will he just declare his "retirement" and have his family retreat even more from the world?

I feel like there are so many things they could be doing, but they seem stuck on 1) computer projects (whatever that is, Sarah doesn't like to describe) and 2) Maxwellian Homeschooling and Maxwellian Relationships. They could do house flips, they could landscaping, they could sew and sell clothing, they could even branch out into other topics for books. All sorts of things. But, no, computers and their cultish homeschooling and relationships are what they focus on.

[Shoes Grace]

I think Steve just wanted to write So Many Rules for Courting My 31 Year Old Stay at Home Daughter, and this is the best he could do. Remember, all courtship applications have to go through him first, and if every poor guy who has ever had an interest in Sarah (or even Anna, by this point), has had to initiate a conversation with Steve first, they've never made it to the written exam.

[Miggy]

Noooooo. It's my book. I don't want to have to go to Yenen to retrieve it.

[Patsy]

The examples given in those samples are not what I think of when the word "conversation" is used. The best conversations I have are discussions that take place over a period of time and explore concepts and conceptualisations of the world. You share your experiences, your views and how that all relates to the matrix of interrelations you see the world as being made up of as relates to one specific idea, incident or person, and your partner does the same. Sometimes you build up ideas between yourselves and end up having realisations, sometimes those realisations are unique because without one of your specific life experiences being shared, it never would have come about.

What examples does Steve give? Running a pitch to prospective FIL. Telling a doctor where your tummy hurts. Greeting your partner and filling them in on your day. I will be fascinated to hear, Miggy, whether there are any examples of or discussions of conversations deeper than small talk.

I guess the Maxwell kids can't discuss their view of the world because it's given to them and they know they're not even allowed to think about it. They might not know that they know that, but they do.

And on that note:

I found it interesting and very telling that all of the published excerpt conversations were between people with unequal standing. Grandmother to kindergartner, father to son, father to prospective son-in-law, husband to wife (pains me to type that, but in this situation, they are superior and inferior) -- major power differentials in all of them. I will be interested to hear if any of the "conversations" are between peers, such as siblings, schoolmates (ha!), or people who are in any way not looking to get something out of each other besides friendliness.

Really, really good point.

[Jana814]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Best. Line. About. Steve. Ever.

Soo true!! He thinks he hung the moon. He believes that if you do not follow him and what he says u are on a one way ticket to hell.

[kpmom]

I love this comment left on Steve's birthday post from Mrs. A;

Mrs. A on August 7, 2013 at 9:52 pm said:

Happy Birthday Mr. Maxwell!

Your faithfulness has been a great blessing to our family and we thank you for it. Love in Christ, The A Family :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

>>

Thank you

Sarah,

Your book arrived today! We were hoping for yesterday (my birthday) but the Lord knew we would not have even had a second to look at it :) . It came today! My husband reads your books aloud to us (we love his voices for all the characters :) ). So he read the first chapter after we enjoyed a delicious birthday dinner prepared by Hannah.

We are looking forward to the rest of the book :) .

The girls would like to know if you have started the next one? They all agree that this is the prettiest cover of all :) .

>>>>>>

Glad you all liked the cover. The next one is in the outline stage.

What i had to laugh at was the comment about the Lord fixing it so their Moody book arrived the day after Mrs. A's birthday as he knew they wouldn't have had time to look at it on her birthday. So the Lord has his hand in mail delivery too, apparently. :roll:

And I guess it never occurred to the Lord or the A family that they could just set the book aside for a day 'til they had more time to look at it. :roll: :roll: (double eye roll)

[TMS]

The arrogance abounds at Maxhell.

I home-schooled over a period of 15 years and my kids went to (are going to) public school for middle school and high school. We were never isolated like the Maxwells, though - we were very active in community sports (karate, soccer, baseball, swim team, etc.), the kids all took music lessons outside the home, plus we were involved in home-school co-op groups. My kids had tons of friends - some home-schooled, some public-schooled. What I noticed is that there were kids in BOTH groups who had good conversation skills and kids who were awkward. It really had nothing to do with home-schooling or public schooling, but everything to do with the personality they were born with, the personalities of their parents, and upbringing.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Haven't you guys read the samples of their books? This one or any Moody book? I imagine this is what some might call a conversation in the Maxwell home: titus2.com/media/products/samples/conversation-sample.pdf

16 glorious pages of Maxwellian conversation rules complete with examples. Though if anybody can read through 19 & 20, props. The Maxwells do not understand watermarks or transparency.

UGH! Good night, nurse! :pink-shock:

Oh my. The courtship script is especially memorable in that sample!!!

I have to say, conversation is a pet peeve of mine. My kid once paid about $9 for a sandwich at Subway because "she like, you know, didn't like feel like confident enough to well sort of order like from the like menu" Socialization is well and good, but if you can only get words out that are intelligible to your own age group you're not very employable!

[gardenvarietycitizen]

You must live in a place with access to public transportation.

Yep - I take transit... though I do pass three gas stations on my daily walk to work and so tend to take note of gas prices, so I could use it.

But you remind me! I actually DO have a perfect honest conversation topic with the Maxwells - Uriah. I found their site via Uriah, I was looking around bus modifications and found the blog entries where they first got him, and followed the rehabbing process. It was around the time we were modifying our SUV for camping, and so of interest.

I honestly would like to take a trip in a bus like that. Granted, we'd have beer in our fridge (as we do in the SUV!) and be travelling purely for the enjoyment, with a heavy focus on industry/trains and museums rather than churches...

[gardenvarietycitizen]

The arrogance abounds at Maxhell.

I home-schooled over a period of 15 years and my kids went to (are going to) public school for middle school and high school. We were never isolated like the Maxwells, though - we were very active in community sports (karate, soccer, baseball, swim team, etc.), the kids all took music lessons outside the home, plus we were involved in home-school co-op groups. My kids had tons of friends - some home-schooled, some public-schooled. What I noticed is that there were kids in BOTH groups who had good conversation skills and kids who were awkward. It really had nothing to do with home-schooling or public schooling, but everything to do with the personality they were born with, the personalities of their parents, and upbringing.

Heh. I'll bet your kids never felt the need to white out the lyrics to "Row Row Row Your Boat"... :whistle:

[nelliebelle1197]

Heh. I'll bet your kids never felt the need to white out the lyrics to "Row Row Row Your Boat"... :whistle:

Is that in a Corner? I have never been able to locate that reference!

[kpmom]

Is that in a Corner? I have never been able to locate that reference!

Look here, nelliebelle, familiesforjesus.com/

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Is that in a Corner? I have never been able to locate that reference!

I found it googling around this www.familiesforjesus.com/music/index.php

We strive to use Christian materials as many of the secular works have worthless (at best) catchy tunes and lyrics that can run about in the mind. If we can’t find any quality Christian materials, we consider secular if it is more of a method book. Usually the method books don’t have many songs with words in them, and if they do, we can white-out the words, remove the pages or staple them together.

We choose to white out some song titles, but there are no words to the songs themselves. There was also an immodest picture of his daughter, which we used a marker to cover up.

Not "Row Row Row Your Boat" specifically, but that's generally the sort of thing in extreme beginning music books.

Aside from all this, I'm shocked - "we-communicate.com" has actually updated their webpage for the first time in goodness knows how long. Seems they've removed links to most of their dead websites... those cannot have been helping any of their businesses. If there's one thing worse than not being on the web in 2013, it's having an easily found but DEAD WEB PAGE.