Wissmann Family Concert

[kesb79]

So, for reasons I can't begin to explain, I am particularly fascinated by the Wissmann family. Recently I've found some videos of their musical performances on YouTube, and despite the fact that I am not religious at all, I rather enjoy most of it. Almost all of them are instrumentally talented, and many of them are good singers as well. I find their music soothing and nostalgic.

Yesterday, I discovered that someone had posted a nearly complete concert that they did about a week ago. As usual, I enjoyed the music, but this was the first time I'd heard any of them speak, and there were some jarring moments, mostly related to Ruth. Ruth is the oldest Wissman SAHD, and recently turned 30.

At 27:24 Ruth introduces their next song, which is about motherhood. The content and her rough delivery aside, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that she has a really over the top “keep sweet†fake cheery voice. She also has a slightly odd cadence to her speech (to my ear). To some degree, I think it is just a midwestern accent, but there’s something else there too I think.

Then things get kind-of creepy at 31:36 when they go through family introductions. All of the women/girls sound exactly the same, both in vocal tone (which could be just because they’re closely related) and in delivery style and tone. They all sound like stereotypical used car salesmen. The younger girls, particularly Susanna and Alaythia, sound like they’re just getting the hang of their “presentation†voices, but they’re on the fast track to Stepford.

The saddest part, I thought, was at 38:11 when Dad Wissmann gives the “testimony†of Rachel’s courtship and marriage, focusing heavily on Rachel’s advanced age at the time (she was 30). Ruth is standing right behind him as he speaks and you can actually watch her battling to keep her face sweet. She is now exactly the age that Rachel was when she married, and as far as I know has no prospects. Her dad’s comments seem pretty insensitive to me.

And around 1:20:20 Dad Wissmann tells us how to be hurtful to mourners at a secular funeral.

[cindyluvs24]

These fundy men sure do love to hear themselves speak, don't they?

[cindyluvs24]

These fundy men sure do love to hear themselves speak, don't they?

[salex]

So, for reasons I can't begin to explain, I am particularly fascinated by the Wissmann family. Recently I've found some videos of their musical performances on YouTube, and despite the fact that I am not religious at all, I rather enjoy most of it. Almost all of them are instrumentally talented, and many of them are good singers as well. I find their music soothing and nostalgic.

Yesterday, I discovered that someone had posted a nearly complete concert that they did about a week ago. As usual, I enjoyed the music, but this was the first time I'd heard any of them speak, and there were some jarring moments, mostly related to Ruth. Ruth is the oldest Wissman SAHD, and recently turned 30.

At 27:24 Ruth introduces their next song, which is about motherhood. The content and her rough delivery aside, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that she has a really over the top “keep sweet†fake cheery voice. She also has a slightly odd cadence to her speech (to my ear). To some degree, I think it is just a midwestern accent, but there’s something else there too I think.

Then things get kind-of creepy at 31:36 when they go through family introductions. All of the women/girls sound exactly the same, both in vocal tone (which could be just because they’re closely related) and in delivery style and tone. They all sound like stereotypical used car salesmen. The younger girls, particularly Susanna and Alaythia, sound like they’re just getting the hang of their “presentation†voices, but they’re on the fast track to Stepford.

The saddest part, I thought, was at 38:11 when Dad Wissmann gives the “testimony†of Rachel’s courtship and marriage, focusing heavily on Rachel’s advanced age at the time (she was 30). Ruth is standing right behind him as he speaks and you can actually watch her battling to keep her face sweet. She is now exactly the age that Rachel was when she married, and as far as I know has no prospects. Her dad’s comments seem pretty insensitive to me.

And around 1:20:20 Dad Wissmann tells us how to be hurtful to mourners at a secular funeral.

Wow, making a living singing with voices like what I heard at first is a miracle...though later songs seem better in general.

They have the patented "it is such a blessing" and "Precious" patter down. (shudder)

Mostly, I"m amused by

the fundy version of bluegrass performance with old jokes (for cash and applause) at the altar of a church in front of an Ark of the Covenant.

I'm one who was taught not to applaud in church, as the people singing are not performing, but praising god. But that was a long time ago....

[bean]

Thank you for posting this! The Wissmanns were my gateway fundie family and I also find them fascinating. I think it's because they look so normal, with the hunky older boys (OMG, Andrew Wissmann? Seriously defrauding) and pretty girls who even occasionally wear PANTS, and their blog content is not usually very preachy. But every once in a while there's a glimmer of crazy, like the homeschool conference skits and that weird 4th of July show they do. I had never listened to more than a few snippets of their music before, so seeing a whole concert and daddy Wissmann's preaching was pretty interesting. I do really feel for Ruth (and did for Rachel too), has to be so hard growing up believing you have one purpose in life and you have to keep waiting and waiting for it to happen.

Hey, this is my very first post after like 3 years of lurking! :cracking-up:

[sleepygirl1]

Thank you for posting this! The Wissmanns were my gateway fundie family and I also find them fascinating. I think it's because they look so normal, with the hunky older boys (OMG, Andrew Wissmann? Seriously defrauding) and pretty girls who even occasionally wear PANTS, and their blog content is not usually very preachy. But every once in a while there's a glimmer of crazy, like the homeschool conference skits and that weird 4th of July show they do. I had never listened to more than a few snippets of their music before, so seeing a whole concert and daddy Wissmann's preaching was pretty interesting. I do really feel for Ruth (and did for Rachel too), has to be so hard growing up believing you have one purpose in life and you have to keep waiting and waiting for it to happen.

Hey, this is my very first post after like 3 years of lurking! :cracking-up:

Welcome to the family!

[kesb79]

Wow, making a living singing with voices like what I heard at first is a miracle...though later songs seem better in general.

I agree that first song is pretty awful. They're not all equally talented, and at times it seems like they don't recognize their limitations. Matthias and Susanna are both really nasal singers and it's awful to listen to!

[memmy]

now we know how old allan is! he was 39 when they married

(i had never been able to catch it before)

[HomegirlRuby]

Why do fundie women speak in that horrendously fake happy voice? It's cartoon-like and almost sing-songy. I have noticed with with many fundie women/girls and even in fundie relatives who used to speak "normally" before they were "saved." Very odd.

[docmom]

Why do fundie women speak in that horrendously fake happy voice? It's cartoon-like and almost sing-songy. I have noticed with with many fundie women/girls and even in fundie relatives who used to speak "normally" before they were "saved." Very odd.

Reason number 432 not to become fundie

[salex]

Why do fundie women speak in that horrendously fake happy voice? It's cartoon-like and almost sing-songy. I have noticed with with many fundie women/girls and even in fundie relatives who used to speak "normally" before they were "saved." Very odd.

In the roughly 20 seconds of the duggars that my husband has seen, michelle was talking in her baby voice and my husband said "turn it off, I can't stand women who talk like that."

[darkplumaged]

Why do fundie women speak in that horrendously fake happy voice? It's cartoon-like and almost sing-songy. I have noticed with with many fundie women/girls and even in fundie relatives who used to speak "normally" before they were "saved." Very odd.

How weird that people change their tone after going fundie.

Ruth's voice sounds just like Michelle's--super creepy and offputting.

[johnhugh]

Strange family, their concerts seem to be a cross between the Maxwell band and the Bates. Why do they all like this genre of music?

The men seem pretty hot, Andy and Matthie...

Everytime I check them out, they seem to have a few days spare in their tour schedule to dash home and harvest their farm, which needs the help of a whole army of slave labour, sorry fellowshipping to complete it. Bates house remodelling???

Plus, they are even going on a cruise ship next year!!1! - wissmannfamily.com/Cruise.html but surely it will serve grape juice?

[erunerune]

Strange family, their concerts seem to be a cross between the Maxwell band and the Bates. Why do they all like this genre of music?

The men seem pretty hot, Andy and Matthie...

Everytime I check them out, they seem to have a few days spare in their tour schedule to dash home and harvest their farm, which needs the help of a whole army of slave labour, sorry fellowshipping to complete it. Bates house remodelling???

Plus, they are even going on a cruise ship next year!!1! - wissmannfamily.com/Cruise.html but surely it will serve grape juice?

I really appreciate that pic, johnhugh, mainly due to my love of, uh, paddle-boarding.

[ladyamylynn]

Strange family, their concerts seem to be a cross between the Maxwell band and the Bates. Why do they all like this genre of music?

The men seem pretty hot, Andy and Matthie...

Everytime I check them out, they seem to have a few days spare in their tour schedule to dash home and harvest their farm, which needs the help of a whole army of slave labour, sorry fellowshipping to complete it. Bates house remodelling???

Plus, they are even going on a cruise ship next year!!1! - wissmannfamily.com/Cruise.html but surely it will serve grape juice?

He kind of suffers from tiny head syndrome in this picture...

[xReems]

Wissmann family are a bunch of nut jobs. Besides the Duggars, they were my second gateway to fundie world. First glance at them and they seem like a fairly normal mainstream Christian family..until they start preaching. Dad Wissmann scares the daylights out of me. He seems like a laid back guy but he definitely condons those who not follow his beliefs. His "Hell" speech towards the end of the concern was a big "WHAT THE FUCK?!" I could definitely see him telling people at a funeral how their loved one is burning in Hell for not accepting Christ.

Kori (the one who is married to Andrew) seems she comes from a fundie-lite family but I'm sure she tows the same beliefs as the Wissmanns. Just don't let the pants and shorts fool you because they're just a bunch of wackadoodles like any other fundie families we see.

[teachergirl]

Although no children for Kori and Andrew yet....is it possible he has broken away a bit?? Yeah, I never have a favorite fundie. They are all dangerous to me.

[socalrules]

Anyone have any ideas why fundie families always seem to think they have to sing as a group everywhere? It seems like they all think they are the Von Trapp family.

[johnhugh]

Anyone have any ideas why fundie families always seem to think they have to sing as a group everywhere? It seems like they all think they are the Von Trapp family.

Egotistical reasons and any extra cash that the obligatory CD brings in. Stevie, apart from Rebecca K, who else has bought your Trust and obyeeeee album???

[BullyJBG]

Guess what I just saw!!? Ruth is going to Mongolia! She gets to go away on a missions trip without the rest of the family! She got to do "extra, unexpected jobs" over the summer to help fund it. Well, it's one step towards what any single 30-year-old woman SHOULD be anyway. We'll see where it leads. Will she get to stay there? Will she meet someone there? It'd be a test for the family for sure.

Now, back to listen to that video.

[sleepygirl1]

Guess what I just saw!!? Ruth is going to Mongolia! She gets to go away on a missions trip without the rest of the family! She got to do "extra, unexpected jobs" over the summer to help fund it. Well, it's one step towards what any single 30-year-old woman SHOULD be anyway. We'll see where it leads. Will she get to stay there? Will she meet someone there? It'd be a test for the family for sure.

Now, back to listen to that video.

Maybe she'll meet a member of the Waller family there!

[halcionne]

Guess what I just saw!!? Ruth is going to Mongolia! She gets to go away on a missions trip without the rest of the family! She got to do "extra, unexpected jobs" over the summer to help fund it. Well, it's one step towards what any single 30-year-old woman SHOULD be anyway. We'll see where it leads. Will she get to stay there? Will she meet someone there? It'd be a test for the family for sure.

Now, back to listen to that video.

Hey hey! Are the Wallers still in Mongolia? And Derrick in particular? I don't follow anyone's blog, although I did look at the Waller archives when Davilla arrived on the scene. Derrick's 31 and single, iirc... :dance:

[BullyJBG]

Yes, Derrick Waller is one possibility.......

Ruth telling the story of Hannah in the Bible......maybe she's got the smile on to remind herself that at least she doesn't have to live the life Hannah did before she got pregnant with Samuel. She was a sister-wife; her husband Elkanah married Penninah too, who had children, and she rubbed that in her face every chance she got. It IS a sweet story; how Eli the priest thought she was drunk when she was praying so earnestly, but once she explained, he said "go and may the Lord give you what you asked". And later she shared how, specifically He did! And gave him up to live at the temple; weird, but she did. And Eli saw her devotion to God, and to her son in bringing him a little coat every time they came there. And then said "may the Lord give you more children to take the place of the one you gave up". And that happened.

Ruth didn't go into those details, though, but being a single woman in today's society doesn't seem too bad in comparison. Even if she DOES still live at home. I don't have a problem with that in and of itself, but single folks then should AT LEAST be working and have a life outside the family. And be treated like adults, unlike Valancy Stirling's mom who would still rebuke her for not eating her crusts! Of course we don't know how it's like around their dining room table; if the older ones are continually reprimanded for little things in order to "set a good example for the younger ones".

And she's smiling so natural-looking when the dad talks about Rachel and Alan. We'll never know if that was a genuine smile of being happy for her sister, or a desperate smile of "please God, let a godly man notice me". Time will tell.

[DefraudedByPlaid]

Egotistical reasons and any extra cash that the obligatory CD brings in. Stevie, apart from Rebecca K, who else has bought your Trust and obyeeeee album???

(I've tried to find a recording of the famous Trust and Obey online. Has everything online been scrubbed?)

[terranova]

Rachel was 30 when she got married, and she Alan must be considered something of a catch, so Ruth can yet hope.

I think Mongolia will be an amazing opportunity.