Jill, Derick, and Israel Part 12

[OnceUponATime]

well that blog read just like most missionary newsletters I've seen in the last 20 years.

[Gobsmacked]

Derrick is begining to sound a little bit "John Shrader-ish"

[missegeno]

Interesting, my initial thought about the "rough times" was that it was Zika related. I can imagine Derick is having trouble identifying the path that God wants him to take (and I would love for him to give it true consideration). I have been worried that they would try to get pregnant to demonstrate their faith in God keeping them safe, like how Gil loves to brag about not having a steady income for his family.

 

They are getting very John Shrader-ish. Sitting in their little tourist community writing about "places lacking educational opportunity, places where life is held in the lowest regard and places where the present spiritual forces of evil have been at work for far too long." Funny, because I would use that phrase to describe the TTH more than CA. Come to think of it, the TTH is a better example than CA of what D&J purport to save CA from.

 

Places lacking educational opportunity - My family members who were educated in rural El Salvador are better at critical thinking than any of the Duggars seem to be. Plus they have read the classics, understand science, and have assimilated into US public schools and accredited universities in some cases. Their parents encouraged learning and inquiry. Meanwhile in Tonitown, inquiry is discouraged and teenagers read Before You Meet Prince Charming.

Places where life is held in the lowest regard - Really? Latin American families share the love of pumping out babies for Jesus as well as the disdain for BC. In my experience, Latin America is full of families who value their family members and religion above all else. For all the latinos who I have had the pleasure of knowing, valuing life means valuing people throughout their entire lives, not just until they are weaned (cough cough, TTH, cough). The claim that life is held in the lowest regard just strikes me so much like Shrader with his jungle boots trying to take photos at an angle that won't show how civilized the area is.

Places where the present spiritual forces of evil have been at work for far too long - Ok, corruption in CA has been around longer than Gothard or the TTH, but there is no way that you can convince me that "the forces of evil" haven't been thriving for far too long in the Duggar household (unless, of course, your argument is purely semantic, that "evil" is not actually a thing).

[lascuba]

Honestly, I think the "rough times" still refer to the fallout of scandals and Jill not being the Duggar sweetheart everyone likes anymore. The way people now talk about her and her family has probably hit Jill the hardest, emotionally. All her life Jill was told she was loved just because of her natural disposition and her willingness to do things that she already happened to like doing. Well, that hasn't worked for the general public, and it's precisely her beliefs and actions that people find most offensive about her. And Derrick now find himself in a position where he has to justify his actions instead of just accepting prai$e as his due for being a good Christian soldier and marrying a beloved fundie. His blog posts have explicitly addressed criticism he's received in a way that has been pretty rare for the Duggars: "We're not here to convert Catholics;" and now the latest post where he addresses the importance of material aid, when before he had completely dismissed things like the need for food in favor of "spiritual" needs. Dude is seriously pissed off.

[nastyhobbitses]

48 minutes ago, missegeno said:

Interesting, my initial thought about the "rough times" was that it was Zika related. I can imagine Derick is having trouble identifying the path that God wants him to take (and I would love for him to give it true consideration). I have been worried that they would try to get pregnant to demonstrate their faith in God keeping them safe, like how Gil loves to brag about not having a steady income for his family.

 

They are getting very John Shrader-ish. Sitting in their little tourist community writing about "places lacking educational opportunity, places where life is held in the lowest regard and places where the present spiritual forces of evil have been at work for far too long." Funny, because I would use that phrase to describe the TTH more than CA. Come to think of it, the TTH is a better example than CA of what D&J purport to save CA from.

 

Places lacking educational opportunity - My family members who were educated in rural El Salvador are better at critical thinking than any of the Duggars seem to be. Plus they have read the classics, understand science, and have assimilated into US public schools and accredited universities in some cases. Their parents encouraged learning and inquiry. Meanwhile in Tonitown, inquiry is discouraged and teenagers read Before You Meet Prince Charming.

Places where life is held in the lowest regard - Really? Latin American families share the love of pumping out babies for Jesus as well as the disdain for BC. In my experience, Latin America is full of families who value their family members and religion above all else. For all the latinos who I have had the pleasure of knowing, valuing life means valuing people throughout their entire lives, not just until they are weaned (cough cough, TTH, cough). The claim that life is held in the lowest regard just strikes me so much like Shrader with his jungle boots trying to take photos at an angle that won't show how civilized the area is.

Places where the present spiritual forces of evil have been at work for far too long - Ok, corruption in CA has been around longer than Gothard or the TTH, but there is no way that you can convince me that "the forces of evil" haven't been thriving for far too long in the Duggar household (unless, of course, your argument is purely semantic, that "evil" is not actually a thing).

John Shrader-ish hits the nail on the head. They don't actually care about the people they're "serving", they don't want to integrate into the local culture, they don't want to acknowledge that most of Central America is, though pretty rural, quite developed. they just want to play at being White Saviors in Darkest Central America with the Savage Heathens who practice a different form of Christianity from them. And it's easier for them to further their White Savior jerk-off sessions and justify their shitty behavior towards locals by dehumanizing locals and their culture. It's OK if we harass these people, emotionally manipulate them, post about their private lives on the internet without their consent/knowledge, mock their food, and put only the bare minimum of effort into learning their language, because they're EVIL! They're BAD because they're not like us!

Now, as someone who worked in a rural area abroad, I had my moments of being frustrated by cultural differences, joking about less-than-stellar food safety, and getting tongue-tied over how hard the language was, but I really tried to keep things in perspective: yeah, this is tough for me, but if these people can deal with it all their lives, I can deal with it and get used to it. There are things that I like more about my culture and way of doing things, but that doesn't mean that the way they do things is bad. Jill and Derick just dismiss it all as bad and act like their way of doing things is better.

 

[RosyDaisy]

Izzy looks exactly like Jill. Same eyes, same nose, same dorky-cute smile. (I say dorky lovingly, because Jill is a kind of a dork, but I used to/still love her for it). And call up the NBA because that kid is a giant.

Also, the bit about Derick essentially preying on a quiet, shy boy with a sick mother by attaching the strings of "come to MY church which is so much better than YOUR church" to much-needed material help was sickening. No, you give him that stuff because he and his family need it, and then if they ask you about your religion, THEN it's OK to invite them to your church. People shouldn't have to sit through a sermon by some hack who barely speaks their language and then say whatever canned phrases about Jeebus the fundie hippie guy who dragged them there wants them to say, just to get some toilet paper and cans of beans.

AMEN! You don't harass people to come to your church as a condition to receive aid. That's not evangelicalism, it's spiritual blackmail. As an Evangelical, I find that horrible and definitely not Christ-like.

[socalrules]

I think if the only way you can get desperate people to come to your church is give them something, you need to rethink your message. 

[jcanglin991]

The people there have probably seen the SOS "missionaries" so many times they basically ignore them.  Notice the mention of the new sports complex. I know it's nice for kids to have a place to play and it provides a way to approach them, but it smacks of bribery. Make sure these kids have food to eat, a safe place to live, and clean water and sanitation first. He's backpedaling in regard to meeting physical as well as spiritual needs because we all know that he had very little concern for them before. The fact that Mike Schadt's? son is there now tells me someone realized Jill and Derrick weren't quite ready to be on their own. I know SOS mostly seems to be a voluntourism enterprise rather that true missionaries, but the Dillard's aren't making them look very good. I don't think the two of them really understood how very hard it is to be a true missionary and expected the cameras to be following them and making them look good. Getting their hands dirty and actually listening to and filling the needs of other people  isn't much fun.

[nst]

1 hour ago, lascuba said:

Honestly, I think the "rough times" still refer to the fallout of scandals and Jill not being the Duggar sweetheart everyone likes anymore. The way people now talk about her and her family has probably hit Jill the hardest, emotionally. All her life Jill was told she was loved just because of her natural disposition and her willingness to do things that she already happened to like doing. Well, that hasn't worked for the general public, and it's precisely her beliefs and actions that people find most offensive about her. And Derrick now find himself in a position where he has to justify his actions instead of just accepting prai$e as his due for being a good Christian soldier and marrying a beloved fundie. His blog posts have explicitly addressed criticism he's received in a way that has been pretty rare for the Duggars: "We're not here to convert Catholics;" and now the latest post where he addresses the importance of material aid, when before he had completely dismissed things like the need for food in favor of "spiritual" needs. Dude is seriously pissed off.

and you can feel the aggression coming through 

wonder what it's like there in person with him 

 

[HereticHick]

When Derick was freelance missionarying/backpacking in Nepal, there was no scrutiny, no questioning on social media & tabloids, etc. He probably thought that become a missionary in Central America would be the same experience--or maybe even better because he's have a family with him, so he'd never be lonely. Perhaps he didn't fully realize that he is a D-list celebrity now & every move is being watched.

 

And perhaps there wasn't a miscarriage in recent days---perhaps they recently found out JillyO is pregnant and he's freaked out about Zika.

[nst]

3 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

When Derick was freelance missionarying/backpacking in Nepal, there was no scrutiny, no questioning on social media & tabloids, etc. He probably thought that become a missionary in Central America would be the same experience--or maybe even better because he's have a family with him, so he'd never be lonely. Perhaps he didn't fully realize that he is a D-list celebrity now & every move is being watched.

 

And perhaps there wasn't a miscarriage in recent days---perhaps they recently found out JillyO is pregnant and he's freaked out about Zika.

I totally thought the same idea not about the kids stuff but the above stuff you mention.  I even thought  the idea when he was one of his Duggar Daughter Dates - with James -when he prattled on about going abroad with Jill and was like totally - these two have no clue.  And the clues that they drop and the things that have happened he clearly is now having issues with. 

[Screamapillar]

In the group picture on that blog post with Jill, Derick, JB, and Michelle, Israel is wearing his best "over it" face. I feel ya, kid!

This particular passage bumped Derick up about eleventy notches on the insufferable scale for me:

Quote

It is our aim not to separate the very apparent physical need of humanitarian aid from the spiritual need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. These two needs are neither mutually exclusive nor conditional. And, I would submit that one is not providing the fullest scope of humanitarian aid if they neglect to share that which will give people life beyond this present world. The cruelest thing I can imagine would be for anyone who has specific life-saving knowledge to then neglect to share that information with the one who would die without it.

 

[nst]

24 minutes ago, Screamapillar said:

In the group picture on that blog post with Jill, Derick, JB, and Michelle, Israel is wearing his best "over it" face. I feel ya, kid!

This particular passage bumped Derick up about eleventy notches on the insufferable scale for me:

 

its more of his us against the world crap - or when he posted a flag of Israel when iddy was born 

he is trying to be something he isn't and won't ever be 

relevant and receptive and compassionate 

[nastyhobbitses]

Quote

It is our aim not to separate the very apparent physical need of humanitarian aid from the spiritual need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. These two needs are neither mutually exclusive nor conditional. And, I would submit that one is not providing the fullest scope of humanitarian aid if they neglect to share that which will give people life beyond this present world. The cruelest thing I can imagine would be for anyone who has specific life-saving knowledge to then neglect to share that information with the one who would die without it.

Did you hear that, Medecins Sans Frontieres, International Rescue Committee, UNHCR, American Jewish World Service, Red Cross, Red Crescent, Unicef, and Amnesty International? You're being so cruel by giving those people unimportant things like medicine, food, legal protection/aid/advocacy, shelter, and education, and neglecting to dangle all of those things in front of them while telling them that they have to go to church!

Also, people will DIE without hearing The Adventures of Jesus (The Gothard Approved Edition) Part 45: Pimp Them Diligently Unto Reality Television? Fuck you, Derick.

[jcanglin991]

Having a problem with the quote function but I agree with Screamapillar and nastyhobbitses. Derrick has become insufferable. He thinks he knows it all and just has to impart his wisdom. There is no acknowledgement that other people might have different long-held beliefs. They must believe the way he does. All the other organizations that give aid because it is needed without religious indoctrination are the ones I admire and support. Also, who is he to say believing in his version of God is life-saving. I doubt that God actually told him that. If you don't know about God you won't be worried about things like eternal  salvation. But you will worry about starving if you have no food and you will worry if you don't have a safe place to live. And speaking as a Christian, I don't think knowing about God will save your life. It helped me when relatives died, but it did not keep them  alive. I believe we will die when we are supposed to, although we should of course fight disease as much as we can.

[halcionne]

2 hours ago, jcanglin991 said:

The people there have probably seen the SOS "missionaries" so many times they basically ignore them.  Notice the mention of the new sports complex. I know it's nice for kids to have a place to play and it provides a way to approach them, but it smacks of bribery. Make sure these kids have food to eat, a safe place to live, and clean water and sanitation first. He's backpedaling in regard to meeting physical as well as spiritual needs because we all know that he had very little concern for them before. The fact that Mike Schadt's? son is there now tells me someone realized Jill and Derrick weren't quite ready to be on their own. I know SOS mostly seems to be a voluntourism enterprise rather that true missionaries, but the Dillard's aren't making them look very good. I don't think the two of them really understood how very hard it is to be a true missionary and expected the cameras to be following them and making them look good. Getting their hands dirty and actually listening to and filling the needs of other people  isn't much fun.

He's younger than the Dillards, so I hope that's not why he joined them!

[jcanglin991]

I was more alluding to the fact that he has absorbed things from his father about SOS and might possibly have absorbed enough to keep them from  looking like total idiots. I knew a lot about my parents' jobs just from living with them. I did not go to the hospital with Mama but she talked about her job a lot, sometimes too much. We went to Daddy's office when Mama worked evenings and I helped with his paperwork. Mike's son has appeared in videos with him and presumably knows something, at least I hope so. These two don't seem to do too well when they are not being directed by someone else.

[RosyDaisy]

The Dillards are perverting Scripture. No...just...no.

[socalrules]

I think being a missionary isn't what Derrick thought it would be. He probably thought he would open people's eyes to his version of the Christianity through his words alone and they would almost worship the greatness that is Derrick. I don't think he expected to do anything that would actually cause him to break a sweat. I doubt he wanted to help fix a roof or fence or anything that might show God's love through actions rather than words.

The Dillards may have also realized that they have gone to s primarily Catholic country whose citizens are very familiar with the Gospel and don't need/want their guidance. It's possible that SOS is expecting more out of the Dillards than knock on a few doors then continue with your vacation. 

[DuggarWatch]

2 hours ago, jcanglin991 said:

 The fact that Mike Schadt's? son is there now tells me someone realized Jill and Derrick weren't quite ready to be on their own.

Levi Schadt speaks Spanish, which is more than Jill and Derrick can do. That's why Levi is there.

[Dandruff]

I read the blog post.  Yeah, something's bothering him, but he's not saying what.  Give people a hint and they'll probably pray for you - it's supposed to help, right?

They're staying in a Hospitality House, now have Schadt's son around, and are seeking out children who they can invite to their church (one had to ask his mother first).  If the Dillards are so worried about safety issues, both from violence in the area and scorpions, tarantulas, and cougars, shouldn't they be making sure that children are accompanied?

Am disgusted about them having a 15 year old, with a bedridden mother, come to the church to get items needed for his family. 

My sense is that they've found themselves in a situation that they're insufficiently prepared for, have been hoping that their version of God will fill in the gaps and help draw people in, and the people - by and large - don't give a crap.  They have a version that's already working for them.

16 minutes ago, DuggarWatch said:

Levi Schadt speaks Spanish, which is more than Jill and Derrick can do. That's why Levi is there.

Good point.  Probably helpful to know the difference between people saying welcome vs. go away and don't ever come back.

[Bad Wolf]

I have a picture in my mind of Derick sitting down to write the blog, trying to please the leg humpers and the snarkers. It comes across as very stilted. Then he adds the mystery of the hard time they went through. Doesn't come across well at all.

[QuiverDance]

23 hours ago, FundiesInParis said:

I think it's definitely cultural, I'm in the American south and most people I know view leaving your kid with a sitter as being a neglectful/uncommitted/inattentive parent.

Which is completely stupid, imo.    

Not at all a part of my experience.  I have lived nowhere else but the south, and this isn't true for me, either as a child or as a parent.  

I don't leave my kids with people I don't know/trust, though.  Like... I wouldn't leave them at a drop-in childcare place, though there are tons of those around, so people do it.  

[Imagine20]

Maybe the tough times are regarding the lawsuit? Maybe it's because Jill is pregnant and they told JB&M on camera and want to plant seeds of drama so people will watch?

[OnceUponATime]

36 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

Am disgusted about them having a 15 year old, with a bedridden mother, come to the church to get items needed for his family. 

I'm going to stay seated in my "eternally optimistic" chair and throw this possible scenario out there.

The church may have some (or a lot of) supplies for people in need that they can't or don't always lug around with them. Instead of telling people "hey we'll bring you a tube of toothpaste next week" they may instead take the option of inviting people to choose what they want by going "hey, at our church we have a whole heap of supplies that could help you out. Why don't you come with us and pick out up what you need".

I personally don't find the second option that offensive and I think it could fit in with the story Derick wrote. I do think it would be better for them to go back within the next few days with stuff, but that may not have been possible due to prior commitments or the supplies being needed earlier. No one really knows except for they that were present.