Focus on the Family + Duggars

[SweetTexasCrude]

The latest episode of the Boundless podcast has an interview with Jim Bob and Michelle: http://www.boundlessline.org/2011/07/ww ... ss+Line%29

 

They mostly talk about how they met and their thoughts on dating, relationships, and marriage. Jim Bob said he prayed to be Michelle's spiritual leader the first time they met....squick. Apparently Michelle's public school guidance counselor told her to put God in charge of her love life.

 

JB says the most important thing about raising children is to "keep their hearts for God" by spending a lot of time with them Then Michelle uses 'purpose' as a verb. Jana suggested they cleanse their house of everything ungodly once a year just like Jews cleanse out the leaven for Passover. The older boys were allowed to go have little businesses as children so they would learn to take risks and work hard. Girls....not so much. College Plus also gets a shout out.

 

The interview wasn't that groundbreaking but it does show that FotF is not as mainstream as people think.

[xDreamerx]

Thanks. Definitely will be giving this a listen. It's always more interesting to see what conservatives say to conservatives. It gives you true insight into how they think and operate because they'll never tell the truth to the mainstream media such as the Today show or other outlets.

[dawn9476]

Jim Bob said he prayed to be Michelle's spiritual leader the first time they met...

:roll:

[maybeizfundie]

I was interested to hear that they gave each other and their children permission to address anger in their approach to parenting. And believe that it is very important to apologize to your children when you mess up, and we all do that.

With regards to fotf, eh. If anybody is surprised that they are far right politically and conservative Christian, well, I'm surprised. But they are not hyper patriarchal, nor QF by any stretch--not like Gothard or the Maxwell's or others usually mentioned here. They speak to a broad spectrum of evangelicalism and have had guests along that same broad spectrum.

[Guest Anonymous]

I was interested to hear that they gave each other and their children permission to address anger in their approach to parenting. And believe that it is very important to apologize to your children when you mess up, and we all do that.

With regards to fotf, eh. If anybody is surprised that they are far right politically and conservative Christian, well, I'm surprised. But they are not hyper patriarchal, nor QF by any stretch--not like Gothard or the Maxwell's or others usually mentioned here. They speak to a broad spectrum of evangelicalism and have had guests along that same broad spectrum.

Daddy Dobson is an unrepentant child beater and animal abuser. The philosophical distance between him and Michael Pearl is very small.

[xDreamerx]

Daddy Dobson is an unrepentant child beater and animal abuser. The philosophical distance between him and Michael Pearl is very small.

Agreed! I feel his attitudes towards LGBT people, and the "therapies" he recommends are not much better. They might not be physical beatings but in my mind they are just as wrong because of the effects they cause on people.

[jericho]

Dr. Dobson is no longer a part of the ministry of Focus on the Family. Also, they have distanced themselves heavily from the political issues they used to be involved in.

[xDreamerx]

Dr. Dobson is no longer a part of the ministry of Focus on the Family. Also, they have distanced themselves heavily from the political issues they used to be involved in.

Not at all true. They still council people to "pray" their children's "gay away" and they still are very anti choice. How is that "distancing from political issues"?! FotF has links to many political organizations and many ties to people in the Republican Party. What the Right has done is the exact opposite of distancing church from state.

[xDreamerx]

Just some of my thoughts upon listening that I had to share:

Annoying parts: Michelle saying, "Thankfully back then, they allowed Christian councilors on campus."

And Jim Bob saying "God took him away, praise God." referring to DQ's old boyfriend. Barf.

I listened to the talk at the beginning. The more I listen to Conservative Christians, the more they appear like grown children (not even children, I know kids who are more level headed). I mean, who obsesses over music, movies, dancing etc. the way they do?! It just makes them seem weak willed and impressionable to an extent I just don't understand. I watch movies with all kinds of material I wouldn't do. It doesn't leave any kind of impression on me. It's just a movie, or song lyric, or whatever. Can they not compartmentalize? I've been around people who do things I don't want to. Take smoking for example. I don't all of the sudden choose to smoke because friends I'm around were smoking. Why? Because I've thought about it for myself, seen the harmful effects, and decided I didn't want to. It's not that complicated and has NOTHING to do with God. It's common fucking cause and effect reasoning.

Also, why do some feel they need to evangelize? Can't people just be Christians in whatever way they like and leave others alone? It's a little insulting.

/end of rant.

[lilwriter85]

Just some of my thoughts upon listening that I had to share:

Annoying parts: Michelle saying, "Thankfully back then, they allowed Christian councilors on campus."

And Jim Bob saying "God took him away, praise God." referring to DQ's old boyfriend. Barf.

I listened to the talk at the beginning. The more I listen to Conservative Christians, the more they appear like grown children (not even children, I know kids who are more level headed). I mean, who obsesses over music, movies, dancing etc. the way they do?! It just makes them seem weak willed and impressionable to an extent I just don't understand. I watch movies with all kinds of material I wouldn't do. It doesn't leave any kind of impression on me. It's just a movie, or song lyric, or whatever. Can they not compartmentalize? I've been around people who do things I don't want to. Take smoking for example. I don't all of the sudden choose to smoke because friends I'm around were smoking. Why? Because I've thought about it for myself, seen the harmful effects, and decided I didn't want to. It's not that complicated and has NOTHING to do with God. It's common fucking cause and effect reasoning.

Also, why do some feel they need to evangelize? Can't people just be Christians in whatever way they like and leave others alone? It's a little insulting.

/end of rant.

I agree with you on that. They do seem weak willed and they seem to have little faith that their children can be logical or reason well when it comes to entertainment. I can't stand when some Christians bash people for liking certain things.

I sort of find find Boob and Michelle to be hyprocrites in a way. They have said numerous times in interviews about how they don't have cable and Mullet made the comment once that she thought paying for cable would be like "paying for garbage to be delivered to your house." I thought she was a moron to make that comment especially since part of the reason her show exists is because of cable subscribers.

[Guest Anonymous]

I agree with you on that. They do seem weak willed and they seem to have little faith that their children can be logical or reason well when it comes to entertainment. I can't stand when some Christians bash people for liking certain things.

I sort of find find Boob and Michelle to be hyprocrites in a way. They have said numerous times in interviews about how they don't have cable and Mullet made the comment once that she thought paying for cable would be like "paying for garbage to be delivered to your house." I thought she was a moron to make that comment especially since part of the reason her show exists is because of cable subscribers.

Garbage is just dandy with Michelle as long as it's HER garbage being delivered to YOUR house.

[darkplumaged]

:roll:

Yes, and particularly eye-roll-worthy because they were about 15 (Michelle) and 17 (Jim Bob) when they met. Yes, all 17-year-old boys pray that they can become a cute girl's spiritual leader...

[muffynbear]

I hate when Michelle refers to her ex-boyfriend as her "Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationship". She is mentally still a 15 year old girl.

[mausi]

I hate when Michelle refers to her ex-boyfriend as her "Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationship". She is mentally still a 15 year old girl.

I wonder why this boyfriend hasn't come forward in some gossipy magazine to spill his side of the oh-so-harmful-"Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationship." It'd be a quick buck. And funny for us. :violin:

[Jessica]

They probably went to the drive-in and held hands while drinking their milkshakes. OH, teh baggage!!!

[lilwriter85]

Yes, and particularly eye-roll-worthy because they were about 15 (Michelle) and 17 (Jim Bob) when they met. Yes, all 17-year-old boys pray that they can become a cute girl's spiritual leader...

I also rolled my eyes at that too. I have Boob make similar comments in other interviews and on the family website about when he first became involved with Michelle. I remember on the website he talked about how his Christian youth group made their members make a pledge or promise to only date other Christians and then he said that he was glad that Michelle became a Christian because he was able to keep his promise in the youth group.

[jericho]

I watch movies with all kinds of material I wouldn't do. It doesn't leave any kind of impression on me. It's just a movie, or song lyric, or whatever. Can they not compartmentalize? I've been around people who do things I don't want to. Take smoking for example. I don't all of the sudden choose to smoke because friends I'm around were smoking. Why? Because I've thought about it for myself, seen the harmful effects, and decided I didn't want to. It's not that complicated and has NOTHING to do with God. It's common fucking cause and effect reasoning.

If this were completely true then commercial advertising wouldn't exist.

Also, why do some feel they need to evangelize? Can't people just be Christians in whatever way they like and leave others alone? It's a little insulting.

The Great Commission.

[Guest Anonymous]

If this were completely true then commercial advertising wouldn't exist.

The Great Commission.

Ooooh, a fundie apologist. There's always a couple of them scurrying about.

Jericho, you made me curious about FoTF and their supposed changes so I spent some time poking around their website. Daddy Dobson may have moved on, but it looks like the exact same content that they were marketing back in the mid to late 90's when my mother was a devoted follower. Well, she still is one, but I'm hell and gone away from it now.

The very first article I clicked on involved a story (real or hypothetical, I couldn't tell) wherein a man's child said that they would have rather dealt with their father's death than his homosexuality. Because that isn't an extreme viewpoint and has no bearing on political issues ... wait.

[jericho]

Ooooh, a fundie apologist. There's always a couple of them scurrying about.

I'm a Christian, but I'm far from a fundie. But like many on here, they do interest me.

[O Latin]

I think Jim Bob and Michelle really wish they had always been fundie and that they had a "courtship story" to share and they don't like to admit they were just normal dating teenagers. They believe that God picks your spouse, so that's why they go on about Jim Bob praying to be Michelle's spiritual head (which, maybe he really did do, maybe the youth group encouraged it or something) and God getting rid of Michelle's boyfriend. They're trying to project who they are now onto who they were when they first met.

[jericho]

Jericho, you made me curious about FoTF and their supposed changes so I spent some time poking around their website. Daddy Dobson may have moved on, but it looks like the exact same content that they were marketing back in the mid to late 90's when my mother was a devoted follower. Well, she still is one, but I'm hell and gone away from it now.

The very first article I clicked on involved a story (real or hypothetical, I couldn't tell) wherein a man's child said that they would have rather dealt with their father's death than his homosexuality. Because that isn't an extreme viewpoint and has no bearing on political issues ... wait.

What I meant by less political is that under Dobson FOTF was more of a political activist organization (more and more as the years went on). So much so that it was a big part of why the organization forced him out. Now they still might talk about political issues (but even that has been reduced), but there is very few activist campaigns going on. (i.e call your senators, protest Washington).

Before Dobson left, the FOTF radio show was pre-empted at least once a week for an "issues update" where some sort of emergency political action needed to take place.

[nutella addict]

Yeah, I wouldn't call jericho a fundie apologist just for knowing about the Great Commission. I heard *all* about it too from conservative (not fundie, although maybe one or two fundie-light) Christian friends, and I'm also a far-from-fundie Christian. My argument with them was that actions are a stronger witness than words, and I'd rather try to live life like Christ, with all the love and caring and whatnot, than run around preaching the Gospel to everyone. And yeah, Jesus preached, but he also loved people, accepted people, healed people, and gave people attention who were ignored by the rest of society. It can come up in conversation naturally anyway, if anyone's interested in discussing religion with you, and that's when it's an appropriate time to share beliefs.

[darkplumaged]

I think Jim Bob and Michelle really wish they had always been fundie and that they had a "courtship story" to share and they don't like to admit they were just normal dating teenagers. They believe that God picks your spouse, so that's why they go on about Jim Bob praying to be Michelle's spiritual head (which, maybe he really did do, maybe the youth group encouraged it or something) and God getting rid of Michelle's boyfriend. They're trying to project who they are now onto who they were when they first met.

Good points. Did courtship even exist among the 1980s version of fundies? It seems like an invention of the last 15 years or so.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yeah, I wouldn't call jericho a fundie apologist just for knowing about the Great Commission.

I didn't. It was all of their posts in this thread, but particularly their downplaying the awfulness of FotF that tipped me towards that conclusion.

Pro tip: You don't have to be a fundie to be a fundie apologist. (Although it probably helps!) Perhaps jericho isn't one, time will tell. I don't for one second think that I'm infallible, which is why I'm not a fundie. :P

[doggie]

Yes, and particularly eye-roll-worthy because they were about 15 (Michelle) and 17 (Jim Bob) when they met. Yes, all 17-year-old boys pray that they can become a cute girl's spiritual leader...

ya the spirit in her undies. he is such a horndog.