Joseph Maxwell and Elizabeth share their heartwarming tale.

[Morton Fan]

And it's well-worth the read.

 

In sum: He had a 'number of phone conversations' with her father. And, what do you know ... she had no idea he had been pursuing her all along! But boy was she happy when she found out! Squee!

 

Bonus: there's a sterile, slightly blurry engagement photo ... complete with artistically shadowy edges!

[Arete]

So.......The LORD laid it on his heart in April, he springs it on her in May, they get engaged in June, and now are getting married in August. A no touch courtship because this eliminates the possibility of a "moral failure". She apparently has no voice in this story. Which is just as well, because we all know she also had no choice in this story. When I think of a girl, and she is a GIRL, being a houseslave in April to having a house of her own to slave over in August, I feel so SAD. This poor little chick is fresh out of the nest, has never so much as kissed her husband-to-be, and in 3 weeks will be having sex. She will forever be a part of the Maxwell family/death cult. Just so her asinine parents can gush about "launching an arrow" from their quiver. :angry-cussing:

[marmalade]

Two words: cold fish.

Weren't they going to be in Colorado around August 18th to not celebrate Teri's birthday? Will they force the Muncks to schlep their brood 2000 miles away to marry off their eldest daughter in front of...the members of the Maxwell cult (ie. the immediate Steve Maxwell family)?

[twin2]

There is another thread on here discussion whether or not these fundie courtships were arranged marriages. To me, this shows that they are, at least for the gal, the guy apparently gets some say.

During those days of family interactions and thereafter, the LORD began strongly putting Elizabeth on my heart as the one that He had for me. I prayed about it, and brought it to my dad and mom. After discussing it with them, more prayer, and fasting, we felt God’s leading and His peace.

There has been speculation on this board about the Maxwell's relationship with the food. From this I am beginning to suspect they use it as a form of control.

[Arete]

Must you depress me more twin2? :(

[twin2]

Must you depress me more twin2? :(

My apologies. Perhaps this will cheer you up:

http://screen.yahoo.com/puppy-tries-to- ... 00834.html

[Glass Cowcatcher]

There's some warmth in my chest, but I think that's just heartburn.

Just call it arranged marriage already.

[Arete]

My apologies. Perhaps this will cheer you up:

http://screen.yahoo.com/puppy-tries-to- ... 00834.html

OK, I feel better now. :D :lol: :lol:

[Arete]

There's some warmth in my chest, but I think that's just heartburn.

Just call it arranged marriage already.

I kind of feel that it would be insulting to people who have had arranged marriages. The older people in my family (grandparents generation) had a lot of arranged marriages. They never pretended the Lord had anything to do with it, or that they were in love with their spouse the day they married them. They got married because in their day it was the only way to have a family, and if they were lucky the shared struggle of having and raising one bonded them in love over time. A lot of times they weren't as lucky and wound up in a cold peace once the kids were married off. Respectful of the other, sure, but living seperate lives in the same house.

God, if either of my grandmothers were alive, they would be mortified this is going on in the United States in the 21st century.

[twin2]

Upon further review, when Joeseph said this:

During those days of family interactions and thereafter, the LORD began strongly putting Elizabeth on my heart as the one that He had for me.

I think what he meant was "Upon returning home after our trip my father began talking strongly about how Elizabeth would make me a good wife."

[slickcat79]

That timeline is RIDICULOUS :shock: He visits her to begin the courtship in May, then they get engaged a month later after not even being together half that time? WTF kind of courtship is that? Oh, and this:

There has been so much going on, and we apologize for not getting this posted sooner. Developing a relationship, remodeling a house, having a normal job, and planning a wedding has seemed to fill up every moment and more of each day!

Developing a relationship? Yeah, might be nice for you to do that before you get engaged, especially when you live in different states. Also, what normal job does Joseph have, again? Do we know?

[Glass Cowcatcher]

I kind of feel that it would be insulting to people who have had arranged marriages. The older people in my family (grandparents generation) had a lot of arranged marriages. They never pretended the Lord had anything to do with it, or that they were in love with their spouse the day they married them. They got married because in their day it was the only way to have a family, and if they were lucky the shared struggle of having and raising one bonded them in love over time. A lot of times they weren't as lucky and wound up in a cold peace once the kids were married off. Respectful of the other, sure, but living seperate lives in the same house.

God, if either of my grandmothers were alive, they would be mortified this is going on in the United States in the 21st century.

True, but the parents are, quite literally, brokering the marriage process, and within the fundy world, this is about the only way for the kids to get married. I dont' see how that isn't arranged marriage.

[Arete]

True, but the parents are, quite literally, brokering the marriage process, and within the fundy world, this is about the only way for the kids to get married. I dont' see how that isn't arranged marriage.

Your right, it is an arranged marriage. I guess I have a visceral disgust of the way they dress it up. Like I said, the people I knew who had arranged marriages had absolutely no illusions about what it was, and were not given any illusions about it. And they were THRILED to see the whole system going to dust in their lifetime.

[twin2]

Developing a relationship? Yeah, might be nice for you to do that before you get engaged, especially when you live in different states. Also, what normal job does Joseph have, again? Do we know?

I think he works for the 1 Ton Ramp.

Yeah, most people consider it wise to develop the relationship before making the wedding registry

[ceg045]

Poor girl. Bets that she's pregnant before the end of the year?

[Glass Cowcatcher]

Your right, it is an arranged marriage. I guess I have a visceral disgust of the way they dress it up. Like I said, the people I knew who had arranged marriages had absolutely no illusions about what it was, and were not given any illusions about it. And they were THRILED to see the whole system going to dust in their lifetime.

Just another way the USA is backsliding.

[fundiefan]

Joseph prattled on with the party line. Elizabeth had no part in that sharing of their story. That was Joseph's tale through and through.

I suppose Elizabeth must know that they are actually Joseph - Just as they is euphemism for Steve with the rest of the family.

[Markie]

She apparently has no voice in this story.

Wow! Even the Duggars, Wallers and Wissmanns have the woman at least nominally tell their own stories. I fear for this girl. She's so young and comes from a very fertile family. She will have kid after kid and we will see her wide smile fade as she gets sucked into the Maxwell Death/Fear cult. I cannot imagine any parents wanting their little girls to marry into that cult.

[slickcat79]

Joseph prattled on with the party line. Elizabeth had no part in that sharing of their story. That was Joseph's tale through and through.

I suppose Elizabeth must know that they are actually Joseph - Just as they is euphemism for Steve with the rest of the family.

Good point. I just noticed that it was titled "The Story: By Joseph", but he signs is Joseph and Elizabeth. Maybe they'll give her a chance to share her side later? Or maybe they expect the Muncks to share her story if they want to?

[ElphabaGalinda]

Wow! Even the Duggars, Wallers and Wissmanns have the woman at least nominally tell their own stories. I fear for this girl. She's so young and comes from a very fertile family. She will have kid after kid and we will see her wide smile fade as she gets sucked into the Maxwell Death/Fear cult. I cannot imagine any parents wanting their little girls to marry into that cult.

They probably don't want to pretend she has anything to do with the story. The story is probably, Elizabeth's father decided she would marry Joseph Maxwell, she was told she would marry Joseph Maxwell. She knew she had no say in the matter so she agreed. The end. Takes away the illusion of it not being an arranged marriage.

I don't even want to think of how the whole "getting to know her husband" thing will go for her, it's too depressing. And the fact that there will probably be a new little Maxwell this time next year is depressing too.

[singsingsing]

Wow. Just wow. That is FAST, even by fundie standards. And I will never understand why these people think it's spiritually, emotionally, or physically desirable to go from zero to sexual intercourse in one evening. It's one thing to abstain from sex before marriage. If that's your choice and you're both happy with it and you know what to expect on the wedding night, more power to you. But you've got these couples who are basically still kids, they know hardly anything about sex or their own bodies, they've been threatened and terrified into repressing all of their natural urges and desires, they pile on one ridiculous arbitrary rule after another (it's not godly enough to simply refrain from kissing before marriage, now we must also refrain from touching at all), they never even have the experience of having an unsupervised conversation with their future spouse - and then suddenly they're alone in bed naked together, expected to have sex. WHAT?!

[Witsec7]

What a sad tale of power and control. I would suspect that these two have spent less than 40 hours together during the entire courtship, and if that much, it was all supervised chaperoned.

They'll play house like Josh and Anna did, but only under a much more strict regime, with little outside contact aside from some nursing home residents.

[Markie]

Will the Maxwell family "what some may call a vacation" be their honeymoon? On Uriah and sharing a room next to Steve and Teri?

[fundiefan]

Will the Maxwell family "what some may call a vacation" be their honeymoon? On Uriah and sharing a room next to Steve and Teri?

I thought that too. I also figure the August wedding allows them to parade the newlyweds on the self promotion fall circuit.

[luckystone]

Wow. Just wow. That is FAST, even by fundie standards. And I will never understand why these people think it's spiritually, emotionally, or physically desirable to go from zero to sexual intercourse in one evening. It's one thing to abstain from sex before marriage. If that's your choice and you're both happy with it and you know what to expect on the wedding night, more power to you. But you've got these couples who are basically still kids, they know hardly anything about sex or their own bodies, they've been threatened and terrified into repressing all of their natural urges and desires, they pile on one ridiculous arbitrary rule after another (it's not godly enough to simply refrain from kissing before marriage, now we must also refrain from touching at all), they never even have the experience of having an unsupervised conversation with their future spouse - and then suddenly they're alone in bed naked together, expected to have sex. WHAT?!

I wonder if they all have sex. It does seem to be expected for the wedding night, but maybe some don't.

Honestly, considering their limited interaction beforehand, it's a bit like a one night stand, except it continues forever. But that's soooo godly and pure :roll: