Steve Maxwell speaks out against fun

[Dru]

Sorry if this has been posted before. Kevin Swanson phone interview with Steve Maxwell from 2012.

 

generationswithvision.com/broadcast/preparing-sons-to-provide-for-their-households/

 

Nothing groundbreaking here but it was interesting to actually hear Steve-o speak. Steve gives an overview of the family business, touches on his love of flying (and why it's bad), and the beauty of having his family praying and crying on New Years Eve.

[gustava]

I can't bear to listen, so thanks for the summary.

[AnywhereButHere]

I can't listen while at work, but I have a sneaking suspicion that his love of flying is bad strictly because he loves it, and that somehow detracts from his love of God. If that's the case, it's just sad. This family is so scary and depressing all at the same time.

[HoneyBunny]

The interviewer lost me when he said we had 50-60% of kids being born without fathers.

??

Is this some sort of devilish scientific-y test tube sort of thing?

[Dru]

I can't listen while at work, but I have a sneaking suspicion that his love of flying is bad strictly because he loves it, and that somehow detracts from his love of God. If that's the case, it's just sad. This family is so scary and depressing all at the same time.

Surprisingly he said it was because it took time away from his family and that went against God's purpose for his life at this time. It would be interesting to see him take up flying again in his elder years while poor Teri still can't get a Pepsi and Sarah can't read a book.

Speaking of Sarah, I was annoyed how he glossed over her place in the family business while borderline bragging about how well all of the boys were doing. She seems to be moving those poorly written Moody books but the poor girl can't get an attagirl for it.

The interviewer lost me when he said we had 50-60% of kids being born without fathers.

??

Is this some sort of devilish scientific-y test tube sort of thing?

I assumed he was referring to the high divorce rate and fathers not sticking around.

[rward]

The interviewer lost me when he said we had 50-60% of kids being born without fathers.

??

Is this some sort of devilish scientific-y test tube sort of thing?

I think he's referring to children born to unmarried parents and/or children of divorced parents, but a lot of those children do have actively involved fathers, some of them even live with the mother and child- gasp!

[YPestis]

I'm listening to it right now. It's the usual fundie dribble about training and God and how his kids can make such and such amount of money. And more God and training. Oh, and fun is bad!

[WonderingInWA]

Wow, this is a good find. I'm listening to it right now. Nice that he basically blows Sarah's value off. Asshat.

[AnywhereButHere]

Surprisingly he said it was because it took time away from his family and that went against God's purpose for his life at this time. It would be interesting to see him take up flying again in his elder years while poor Teri still can't get a Pepsi and Sarah can't read a book.

Dang - I stand corrected. :) And while I suppose it's marginally fair that he forbids himself pleasures at the same time he's forbidding his family theirs, he's still an overcontrolling ass.

Steve is lucky he's not married to me. Someone trying to forbid me my soda will wind up in traction. Never mind the Klondike Bar, it's what I'll do for a Diet Dr. Pepper that's worrisome. :P

[Jana814]

Just listen to some of the interview! I think I might hate Steve Maxwell more then I already do!!

[nokidsmom]

Steve is lucky he's not married to me. Someone trying to forbid me my soda will wind up in traction. Never mind the Klondike Bar, it's what I'll do for a Diet Dr. Pepper that's worrisome. :P

:lol: Never stand inbetween someone and their diet Dr. Pepper (yep, my fav soda!)

[Odd1Out]

Steve's voice isn't as creepy as I always imagined. I always thought it would be more like James Dobson's which makes my skin crawl. Sounds like Joe makes good money but Steve still controls the amount.

[SoSoNosy]

I had previously told my daughter about the Maxwells and their outlook on life. Today I showed her the Munck blog, and she cheered for Elizabeth's good sense.

[Odd1Out]

They don't complain when he takes away the one movie a year and demands extra prayer time because he has their "hearts". More like he owns their souls. And then he tries to catch himself, but says he has them weeping and crying. Then tries to act like its just they're prayer, but I would've weeping and crying to endure an evening in that home.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Id cry if I was a Maxwell as well. I am genuinely suprised Sarah hasnt gone insane and stabbed Steve with a sharpened cross or something.

[thoughtful]

I can't force myself to listen to it right now - maybe later.

I just stopped by to ask how many FJers read the title of this thread and instantly thought "and, in other news, water is wet!"

:lol:

[Jana814]

I still don't understand why he would take all fun away from his kids!! I only heard a small amount of the interview! He did talk about after being on sports teams the older boys wanted to spend more time w/ friends then @ home. Was when that said this was made him change everything about their life.

[SamuraiKatz]

He refers to results with the older kids as "bearing bad fruit" until they pulled them out of organized sports etc. Geesh!

[Dru]

Steve's voice isn't as creepy as I always imagined. I always thought it would be more like James Dobson's which makes my skin crawl. Sounds like Joe makes good money but Steve still controls the amount.

I thought the same thing.

I can't force myself to listen to it right now - maybe later.

I just stopped by to ask how many FJers read the title of this thread and instantly thought "and, in other news, water is wet!"

:lol:

Yeah, I tried out a few different snarky titles but wasn't able to come up with anything I like.

[thoughtful]

Yeah, I tried out a few different snarky titles but wasn't able to come up with anything I like.

I love the title - concise and informative. It's Steve that is unoriginal and predictable -- not you!

[socalrules]

I have always thought that controlling his family is fun to Steve. I am sure enjoys the fact that he can control even his married adult children.

I don't really understand not being allowed to have fun. How can you ever be happy then? If they enjoy spending time together as a family or with like-minded individuals, isn't that a type of fun? If the women had a good time making cookings or something, isn't that just another form of fun? Or is fun when you do something you enjoy without your family? Maybe Steve equates individuality with fun and, of course, that is not acceptable.

[Odd1Out]

And watching tv wouldn't allow them to talk to each other about what is going on in their lives. Their lives where they are together 24/7. Because I guess their conversations go something like: "hey remember earlier today when we were still all together doing the same thing?"

[ThisOlGirl]

Steve Maxwell controls his family so completely (even his married kids as someone pointed out), I sometimes wonder even if he dropped dead tomorrow, if anything would change in that family. It's scary how brainwashed his kids & wife are. I'm not a huge Maxwell follower--have there ever been signs of a Maxwell spawn going at least fundie lite?

[WonderingInWA]

Steve Maxwell controls his family so completely (even his married kids as someone pointed out), I sometimes wonder even if he dropped dead tomorrow, if anything would change in that family. It's scary how brainwashed his kids & wife are. I'm not a huge Maxwell follower--have there ever been signs of a Maxwell spawn going at least fundie lite?

If there were ever signs, there is NO WAY he would ever let that leak out. They probably have a whipping chamber somewhere in the basement where the "children" have been adequately disciplined over the years so they are in fear of leaving the compound. It's no wonder Poor Sarah isn't married. She's afraid.

[FloraDoraDolly]

Steve Maxwell controls his family so completely (even his married kids as someone pointed out), I sometimes wonder even if he dropped dead tomorrow, if anything would change in that family. It's scary how brainwashed his kids & wife are. I'm not a huge Maxwell follower--have there ever been signs of a Maxwell spawn going at least fundie lite?

We don't see much of what happens at Nathan's or Christopher's homes. All we know is that some members of Melanie's family aren't total fundies-- one sister is a model-- and that Nathan allows Melanie and the girls to spend time with these relatives. We've also seen glimpses of Nathan's girls with toys that Steve probably wouldn't have allowed.

As for what will happen when Steve is gone, from what I've seen of autocratic dysfunctional families, the remaining members go all different kinds of crazy when the dictator is no longer at the helm. This is a family where nobody can even order a pizza without the headship's say so. Psychologically, think in terms of Eastern Europe after the collapse of the Soviet Union, or any one of the current Arab Spring countries.