Maxwells, the Vainest of them all. Posed photos = IDOL!

[SisiL78]

OY, Another thread of the Maxwells doing something "special" and what is it? Taking photos of themselves in the park. Lots and lots of posed photos.

 

For all their talk about idols and avoiding them they seem to be the very model of what idols they have. I follow quite a few blogs and love to check up on friends on Facebook and while some people certainly do have their fair share of posed photos and portraits not one holds a candle to the Maxwell Family.

 

I think MckMama would come in second if her blog was still up.

 

 

Is there anyone out there vainer than the Maxwells? Do any other bloggers, fundy or otherwise, make portraiture as much of an idol as the Maxwell family?!

[Rosie]

Is there anyone out there vainer than the Maxwells?

The answer to this would be, why yes, Olivia at freshmodesty.blogspot.com is vainer than the Maxwells. Much, much more vain than any other blogger I have encountered.

Olivia of Fresh Modesty is anything *but* modest.

[holierthanyou]

That miss Raquel girl has to win any vanity competitions

[synchroswimr]

Candy Brauer is pretty vain, too

[nokidsmom]

That miss Raquel girl has to win any vanity competitions

Oh yes. I don't regularly go to her blog but anyone who titles her blog "god's daughter" has got to be pretty vain.

[formergothardite]

Miss Raquel really is the vainest of all.

Wait, I just looked at Olivia's blog. I think her and Miss Raquel are running a pretty close race here. There is no way to take and post that many pictures of yourself and not be vain.

[dpndetfarm]

I have a question/observation about the dynamics in the family. Looking at the photo of all the Maxwell women and children I would assume that the blond daughter-in-law fits the Maxwell family ideals much more closely than the brunette. The way they are standing says a lot to me. Everyone is close together and most are facing the same way except the brunette. The brunette is also keepimg space between her and the one next to her. Her smile is different as well.

I dont know them well enough to know names and marriage partners, but i am curious as to wether my observation is accurate.

I am sure the official Maxwell response would be that they love both DIL the same, but pictures speak 1000 words.

Any thoughts?

[Marian the Librarian]

I think many of the fundies we observe here are completely self-absorbed and narcissistic - my collective name for them is "the smug Christians." Certainly, the Maxwells would make my top 10 list, along with Doug Phillips, Scott Brown, the Botkins, the Bradricks, Kelly Crawford, Stacy McDonald...feel free to add! It's the supreme irony - they seem incapable of just living their lives and going quietly about their business. There's always a "Look at meeeeee!" element involved.

[Closed Womb]

Vain: "Having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth."

Sounds like ALL the high profile fundies, to me.

Based on appearance, which is what I usually associate with vanity, I would say that Olivia is the vainest. She is rarely doing anything in her pictures; although, that said, she does claim her blog as a "fashion" blog, so it would make sense that she has many pictures (the sheer number of each outfit seems ridiculous, though.)

If I give Olivia a pass, I'd say Miss Raquel is pretty vain. I cringe to think of those silly face photo montages. Grow. Up. My friends' 13 year old daughters do that.

The Maxwells seem to either do family pictures or "candid" shots (with the exact. same. smile) of their Godly work and/or high adventures. I'd say they are less vain, appearance wise, but definitely "showing [off their] excessively high opinion of [their] abilities and worth." They are better than us, in a skirt.

As far as idols, I am not sure they make photography itself their idol. I think they make appearance their idol. I sincerely doubt that Teri or Sarah would be photographed so often, if at all, if one of them had a medical problem that resulted in weight gain. I am fairly certain that Olivia would not photograph herself if she lost her looks or acquired an obvious disability. They are all about looking perfect for the outside world, so that they can be someone else's idol. In my mind, wanting to be idolized (imitated, whatever) by others is far worse than liking their own portraits. Each family that follows Maxwell's lead, each girl that dresses like Olivia, is another feather in the idolatry cap, and that is f-ed up.

[dairyfreelife]

I think many of the fundies we observe here are completely self-absorbed and narcissistic - my collective name for them is "the smug Christians." Certainly, the Maxwells would make my top 10 list, along with Doug Phillips, Scott Brown, the Botkins, the Bradricks, Kelly Crawford, Stacy McDonald...feel free to add! It's the supreme irony - they seem incapable of just living their lives and going quietly about their business. There's always a "Look at meeeeee!" element involved.

I'd like to add a few more names...

Lori Alexander, Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort, Kendal at Father Knows Best, June Fuentes, Lisa Cherry, Renee of I am the clay or moldingintoalady at blogspot, Morgan at Forgiven former feminist, woman at Simply helping him, Cheryl of Treasures in a shoebox, Kim Coghlan, Elizabeth at Warrior Wives, Bambi at Nursery of the Nation, Jacinda Vandenburg, Michael and Debi Pearl, Nancy Campbell, Jill of Jill's Home Remedies, Monica at God's Most Precious...

[Aisling]

Gosh, doesn't Olivia just think she's the cutest thing?

[Witsec7]

It's a blog about nothing ala the old Seinfeld episode. These folks literally blog about the mundane activities that are part and parcel of a 'normal' family's every day life. Since they have no real world experience Steve is on a mission to show folks how exceptional these common place activities are. Little does Steve know, that many of us whores of Babylon do DYI projects involving power tools or clean our kitchen cabinets without jubilation. The reality is there is no emotional depth to their existence. I do so pity the grandchildren.

[Aisling]

Off topic a bit, but the Maxwells have a crib up? For some reason I wouldn't have expected it. Isn't it a bit too close to idolatry?

[kpmom]

Off topic a bit, but the Maxwells have a crib up? For some reason I wouldn't have expected it. Isn't it a bit too close to idolatry?

Yes, it's very, ahem, Catholic of them, isn't it?

[Aisling]

Yes, it's very, ahem, Catholic of them, isn't it?

Exactly...next they'll be walking around with massive big crucifixes dangling.

Do you think if Steve reads this he'll realise what a big papist he's being and take it down?

[itsnikki05]

The photos are too bright! Those babies poor faces are all blown out/white as a ghost! :(

I post a lot and I mean a LOT of pictures of my daughter on facebook. Really, I'm trying to improve on photography skills, she's a great lil model (sometimes!) and I just post the ones that don't look too crappy. Haha. I don't know if it's vanity or not. I hate pictures of myself, I'm so fat and dumpy so... maybe not. ROFL! ETA: On second look they're NOT blown out but still... something about the pictures bother me. ROFL!

[BornFree]

I'm sure that all the picture taking is both initiated and edited by Steve. He has an unusually strong need to be admired and to this end sees all the family as an extension of himself . No wonder the photos are endless! The availability of the internet. over the past couple of decades has played right into his narcissistic character.

[MamaJunebug]

Hope this isn't a repeat - I'm in drive-by-posting mode:

Bethany looks like she's ready to quit this mishigas in this photo:

titus2.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DSC_9153-425x283.jpg

God Steve God (I'm so confused) Heaven knows I've been way bored of their interchangeable, stiff grins (no offense, NR Anna and Melanie) for some time now. Free Bethany! And Clarice or whatever the 3rd one is. And Abby, before it's too late. Run, Melanie and Nathan....

[Jessica]

You HAVE to be vain to take 5 pictures of yourself and your siblings on a routine grocery trip.

Speaking of Olivia, what's with the way she poses? Her whole body will be "natural" but then her arms are always straight down and don't fit with the rest of the picture. It's weird.

[Mompom]

I don't know, I sort of like Fresh Modesty. Some of the outfits aren't very cute, but I love that someone out there is wearing skirts and still sewing and trying out a hat or two. Then again I like Doris Day and pinup swimsuits and love the long wool skirts and sweaters you sometimes find in Boden catalog, so I recognize that I am a bit old fashioned.

[Minerva]

It's not idolatry when you're trying to marry off your kids. :whistle:

[Petronella7]

I have a question/observation about the dynamics in the family. Looking at the photo of all the Maxwell women and children I would assume that the blond daughter-in-law fits the Maxwell family ideals much more closely than the brunette. The way they are standing says a lot to me. Everyone is close together and most are facing the same way except the brunette. The brunette is also keepimg space between her and the one next to her. Her smile is different as well.

I dont know them well enough to know names and marriage partners, but i am curious as to wether my observation is accurate.

I am sure the official Maxwell response would be that they love both DIL the same, but pictures speak 1000 words.

Any thoughts?

Good call, you have nailed it! From what I've read of the blog, Melanie (the brunette) is not quite one of them, whereas Anna (the blonde) is as fundie as they come. Melanie's sins include not dressing as fundy as everyone else, cutting her hair, and having only girl babies. Anna had a BOY right off the bat so we know God loves her more.

[mirele]

It's a blog about nothing ala the old Seinfeld episode. These folks literally blog about the mundane activities that are part and parcel of a 'normal' family's every day life. Since they have no real world experience Steve is on a mission to show folks how exceptional these common place activities are. Little does Steve know, that many of us whores of Babylon do DYI projects involving power tools or clean our kitchen cabinets without jubilation. The reality is there is no emotional depth to their existence. I do so pity the grandchildren.

Hey Steve! "YADDA YADDA YADDA."

That's how dull you are.

[divadivine]

Dear Steve-o,

We all know you read here. I wanted to let you know that the "BELIEVE" sign you have has nothing to do with Jesus. It's about believing in Santa. Clearly, you're either you're lying to us about keeping Jesus the Reason for the Season or you're just a douche who doesn't realize that a sign painted Green and Red with the word Believe is all about the jolly, fat man in the red suit. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Peace and Blessings,

Diva

[YPestis]

I can't tell based on the posed pictures which daughter in law is favored but I always felt Melanie was a bit out of step with the Maxwells. She's also more stylished dressed, in more modern clothing, and never in frumpers. Plus, she came from a far fundie family, having met Nathan in church (back when the Maxwells went to church). NR-Anna was also the frumper-wearer. Even her wedding dress was baggy and very frumperish. Her family appears far more fundie than Melanie's, which probably makes her integration into the Maxwell household easier. I'm sure the family tries to smile and get along, but I'm glad Melanie doesn't live in the same house as the Maxwells. It would be a daily grind to live in such a home when you grew up in a far more sociable environment.