Breaking MAXWELL news/Liz cancelled the wedding to Joe

[kunoichi66]

I think that at first Elizabeth and her parents were thrilled with marrying into fundie royalty but after working with Steve about the house and the wedding came to realize how controlling he was and that caused them to break the engagement.

We can only hope. It would have broken my heart to see her smile fade under their influence.

[mirele]

When was this wedding scheduled for? Next weekend? Or later?

[Kira]

I've heard of broken courtships but not engagements in the fundie world. Wow, a week before the wedding!

[lilwriter85]

In a way, I'm not shocked about this. Things were going way too fast and Elizabeth had never visited Kansas.

[thoughtful]

I, too, am happy that this person I don't even know dodged that bullet. The idea of anyone marrying into the Maxwell clan is that depressing.

It may be too much to wish for, but I truly hope that her parents have found out enough that they will shake off their trance, stop idolizing the Maxwells, and go back to a less-fundie way of life.

[Guest Anonymous]

Can someone merge these two threads? It's tiring trying to follow both.

[mirele]

Here's hoping it was Steve's culty, overcontrolling nature that chased Elizabeth and her family away.

May it happen more often!

Steve, LET YOUR FAMILY GO.

[Kira]

When was this wedding scheduled for? Next weekend? Or later?

The wedding was scheduled for August 18th.

[mirele]

The wedding was scheduled for August 18th.

Six days.

Elizabeth or family, if you're reading this, you dodged a bullet. You can be religious and not be like the Maxwells. Steve Maxwell is running a cult.

ETA: After observing a certain space-alien cult for 18 years now, I know the signs of a cult. It's not the purity of your doctrine, Steve, that makes you a cult leader. It's your controlling nature over the lives of your family. Elizabeth did right to refuse to marry into your crazy. She figured out she wasn't marrying one Maxwell, she was marrying the entire clan. And you, Steve, would have been right in bed with her and her husband.

Yes, you, Steve Maxwell, you stink. LET YOUR FAMILY GO!

[Witsec7]

I wonder if Steve will scrub the blog?

[Justme]

The courtship/engagement posts have been removed from their blog. The Murks's engagement post remains (as of now).

The Maxwell's never identified her other than by her first name. They never revealed the location of her home. They only "talked" about what a "good helpmeet" she would make for Joe. Before todays anouncement, their words always indicated she was more of a "prop" for the Maxwell "machine"..... At least Anna felt more like a "person" during their courtship/engagement posts....

[mirele]

I wonder if Steve will scrub the blog?

Oh probably, that's what all good cult leaders do when things don't go their way.

[slickcat79]

Wow...that's 2 strikes against courtship in the last 6 months alone. As suspected, "courtship" does nothing to protect the people involved from disappointment, hurt feelings and heartache :|

[TMS]

I feel sad for Joseph, but happy for Elizabeth.

And as someone already said, this is just further proof that courtship doesn't work.

[Witsec7]

We can say that Elizabeth decided Saturday morning that she didn’t have peace about marrying Joseph.

I'm good with her choice, hopefully her family and she discussed the repressive cult like atmosphere of the Maxwell clan. I wonder if the children convey this info to their parents and then the parents actually break it to the other family?

OOoooh I can't wait until Jodi weighs in about yet another failed fundy courtship, she will be touting her version of arranged marriage with abandon.

[Sister Mozz]

Happy to hear this news!

[Guest Anonymous]

Shit!

Ironically, I read this news just as the Olympics closing ceremony songs switched abruptly between "Always look on the bright side of life" and "Survival" :?

I feel sad for both of them. I see them both as victims of crazy fundie families. I wish them both happier times ahead.

[Guest Anonymous]

We can say that Elizabeth decided Saturday morning that she didn’t have peace about marrying Joseph.

Sounds to me like Liz was fucking terrified, and rightly so. It took some ovaries to call the thing off.

[Marian the Librarian]

Six days.

Elizabeth or family, if you're reading this, you dodged a bullet. You can be religious and not be like the Maxwells. Steve Maxwell is running a cult.

ETA: After observing a certain space-alien cult for 18 years now, I know the signs of a cult. It's not the purity of your doctrine, Steve, that makes you a cult leader. It's your controlling nature over the lives of your family. Elizabeth did right to refuse to marry into your crazy. She figured out she wasn't marrying one Maxwell, she was marrying the entire clan. And you, Steve, would have been right in bed with her and her husband.

Yes, you, Steve Maxwell, you stink. LET YOUR FAMILY GO!

Amen and amen! Adult children with hyper-controlling parents have no chance of moving on to happy, successful lives and marriages of their own.

[bouncyball]

Well holy shit. Lucky escape for Elizabeth!

[sparkles]

I'm shocked but then not. The marriage carriage was traveling at such a breakneck pace that a crash-and-burn seemed almost inevitable, especially when the reins were being handed over to two completely ill-equipped drivers.

There's hope for Elizabeth and maybe all of them. Too bad the breakup has to be so public though. It's gotta hurt, even when its the right thing.

I guess god got his signals crossed when he laid this plan on Steve's heart.

And I'm guessing that, once finished, Joseph's house will remain empty while it's owner continues to live under daddy's wing until the next prospect... er, victim comes along.

[ilovetchotchkes]

I'm so glad that she was able to call it off!

LIke someone else was saying about being happy w/ their friend breaking up with a jerk- THAT!

[Witsec7]

Sounds to me like Liz was fucking terrified, and rightly so. It took some ovaries to call the thing off.

Eleventy!!

I found it hard to believe a that EM would have had a happy life with Joe. She's a bit more worldly than the Maxwells. I think it came down to an email or text where EM said "and we'll place the celebration tree here". Upon reading this Steve would have immediately consulted with Joe advising him on the ebils of fun. Consequently Joe would have taken EM to task and she said, " Fuck that shit."

[GeoBQn]

Man, to be a fly on the wall during THAT conversation . . .

[slickcat79]

I'm not at all surprised that Elizabeth got cold feet. Even ignoring the depressing, cultish atmosphere of the Maxwell compound, they have been pushing through this engagement at lightspeed. For a girl that young, who has never been away from her family, to think about marrying a guy she's known less than six months and move halfway across the country? Terrifying. It's possible it had nothing to do with the Maxwells in particular, she just got caught up in wedding planning and then realized what she'd actually agreed to. We've said all along that she seemed way too young for marriage.