Steve Maxwell thinks your family should be your hobby

[Phoebe]

I do it too. How strange to find people who are as weird as I am. :lol:

Me too! Real estate aficionados, unite! :cracking-up:

[Rebelwife]

Me too! Real estate aficionados, unite! :cracking-up:

The thing that gets me laughing at myself is that I get very into it and picky. I'm thinking "No, that would never work, look how little that kitchen is" or "the layout of those bedrooms is very strange, that would be very awkward for having guests" like somehow this matters when I'm looking at houses on a completely different continent. :embarrassed:

[Indigo]

I do it too. How strange to find people who are as weird as I am. :lol:

So do I! Relieved to know I'm not the only one.

[SPHASH]

Tomorrow I am getting up early to drive to a coin show three hours away. I will be spending lots of money on gas and coins, engaging in great conversation with other coin collectors who may be heathens, none of whom are family members. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on Steve!

[Trynn]

I've been to a coin show... My dad used to take me. I got my first bee sting at one. I was 4, and had no idea that the black and yellow fuzzy thing didn't want to be picked up.

I kinda ruined my dads party with that one, I think.

[Arete]

If Steve only practiced the same hobby as my BIL (making beer of questionable pedigree in his basement), he could have worked his way up to watching marathons on The Beast.

[socalrules]

Since Steve is against fun, I wonder what he would think of family certain family hobbies. I know families that are enjoy playing sports together or following a certain team. What about those that put together model planes together or garden or collect things like the coins someone mentioned earlier? Oh I forgot, that involved fun, sports and making an idol of the coins. I supposed the only true hobby a family can have is talking about and waiting for death.

[Toothfairy]

It's really sad how fundies think their family is a hobby. If that's the case then maybe you shouldn't have a family.

[Curious]

ok I'm just going to come out and ask. I've wondered this for a while, but never had the nerve to actually ask. What the heck does "making an idol out of x" actually mean.

I get it in the sense that the Bible uses it, but somehow I doubt that Teri was actually worshiping her daily bottle of Pepsi nor was their young son worshiping his musical instrument.

So, for all you Stevehova experts out there, what exactly does he mean by that? For people that take the Bible literally, they don't seem to do a very good job of it (or maybe I'm the stupid one, who knows).

[Ave Maria]

Wait, he said his family is his hobby? Or spending time with his family is his hobby? The second one doesn't seem all that bad, especially if it was a question such as "What do you do in your spare time?" The former, on the other hand, is odd to say the least.

[Arete]

ok I'm just going to come out and ask. I've wondered this for a while, but never had the nerve to actually ask. What the heck does "making an idol out of x" actually mean.

I get it in the sense that the Bible uses it, but somehow I doubt that Teri was actually worshiping her daily bottle of Pepsi nor was their young son worshiping his musical instrument.

So, for all you Stevehova experts out there, what exactly does he mean by that? For people that take the Bible literally, they don't seem to do a very good job of it (or maybe I'm the stupid one, who knows).

It means they are deriving pleasure from the activity (sewing, having a Pepsi) and spending time doing it when the activity or interest has nothing to do with Jesus. Nothing can be done merely because it gives the doer enjoyment, it "must serve The Lord". Jesse was enjoying playing a particular instrument (I think a guitar), even beyond what he needed to be adequate for the dog and pony show. This was making an idol of the instrument instead of merely using it to serve, so Steve forced him to quit and take up playing another instrument he liked less. That way his playing would only be used to enhance the sermon, and not bring him any personal pleasure. Personal pleasure is the equivalent of idolatry to Steve.

[salex]

Me too! Real estate aficionados, unite! :cracking-up:

What? I thought everyone had a shortcut to Realtor.com on every device.... :whistle:

[FloraKitty35]

Human beings are NOT hobbies. A hobby would be growing marijuana in the basement for example.

[Cassia]

It means they are deriving pleasure from the activity (sewing, having a Pepsi) and spending time doing it when the activity or interest has nothing to do with Jesus. Nothing can be done merely because it gives the doer enjoyment, it "must serve The Lord". Jesse was enjoying playing a particular instrument (I think a guitar), even beyond what he needed to be adequate for the dog and pony show. This was making an idol of the instrument instead of merely using it to serve, so Steve forced him to quit and take up playing another instrument he liked less. That way his playing would only be used to enhance the sermon, and not bring him any personal pleasure. Personal pleasure is the equivalent of idolatry to Steve.

Bang on - good explanation.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Human beings are NOT hobbies. A hobby would be growing marijuana in the basement for example.

That would be the best thing that could happen to the Maxwell kids. Life for them would be so much more tolerable if they were stoned.

[Mary C Doates]

Sorry Stevie but people are not hobbies. I will stick to Numismatics and slamming Sarah Palin on my blog as my preferred hobbies thank you very much.

The banner ad I'm getting for this thread suggests NY Cosmos (professional soccer team) tickets for Steve and family.

Steve, even a random bot thinks you need an actual hobby.

[Evilbad]

Their recipes would get a lot more creative, too.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Their recipes would get a lot more creative, too.

I might even enjoy one of THOSE burritos...

[SPHASH]

Just got back from the coin show. My haul included a 2014 Silver Eagle, 2013 P and D Rushmore Quarters, 2014 P and D Shenandoah and Smokey Mountain Quarters, 2013 and 2014 P and D Kennedy halves, 2014 P and D Sacagawea Harding and Coolidge dollars, 2014 P and D Dimes, Nickels, and Pennies, 2013 P and D Wilson Dollars, three wooden nickels, an elognated cent commemorating the 100th anniversary of South Dakota statehood, and a variety of Whitman Bookshelf Albums. So suck it Steve.

[ShesCrafty]

The banner ad I'm getting for this thread suggests NY Cosmos (professional soccer team) tickets for Steve and family.

Steve, even a random bot thinks you need an actual hobby.

I'm getting ads for tickets to Zumanity, "the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil". Something to think about Stevie. You might learn something. :wink-kitty:

[roddma]

I made a similar thread a few weeks ago. It is also like Fundie men claiming to be babysitting their kids. Taking care of kids is women's work you know. I agree with other posters they seem to think it makes them better than the rest of us heathens.

[Curious]

It means they are deriving pleasure from the activity (sewing, having a Pepsi) and spending time doing it when the activity or interest has nothing to do with Jesus. Nothing can be done merely because it gives the doer enjoyment, it "must serve The Lord". Jesse was enjoying playing a particular instrument (I think a guitar), even beyond what he needed to be adequate for the dog and pony show. This was making an idol of the instrument instead of merely using it to serve, so Steve forced him to quit and take up playing another instrument he liked less. That way his playing would only be used to enhance the sermon, and not bring him any personal pleasure. Personal pleasure is the equivalent of idolatry to Steve.

Thank you, AreteJo. That makes sense. Does this have biblical backing? I am not a bible expert, but I don't recall anywhere that says Thou shalt never have fun (or something similar).

[uber frau]

]In the words of the Catechism I was spoon-fed as a child:

Q. What does the LORD require in the first commandment?

A. That for the sake of my very salvation

I avoid and flee all idolatry, witchcraft, superstition, and prayer to saints or to other creatures.

Further, that I rightly come to know the only true God, trust in him alone, submit to him with all humility and patience, expect all good from him only, and love, fear, and honour him with all my heart.

In short, that I forsake all creatures rather than do the least thing against his will.

Q. And what is idolatry?

A. Having or inventing something in which to put our trust instead of, or in addition to, the only true God who has revealed himself to us in his word.

Steve would never use this Catechism, since it's a Calvinist document and he thinks of himself as Free Will Baptist. But I suspect that he's a idea like this (which is very conservative, but is still within the realms of orthodox Christianity), focused especially on the bit that's bolded, and then taken it an extra eleventy steps.

In his mind he really does think of anything that might possibly take the focus off God an idol. So if Teri craves Pepsi while she should be concentrating on Bible Time, it's clearly an idol. If one of the reversals finds himself really enjoying the technical challenges of the banjolele, rather than only enjoying the praising God bit, it's an idol. Obviously said reversal needs to swap to a triangle, or another not-so-technical instrument. If Steve finds himself enjoying the turtle cheesecake Sarah made for his birthday more than the special Family Bible time, he's at risk of commiting the sin of gluttony. The cheese cake has become an idol and it needs to go. (Although, because he's not a complete bastard-his family is his hobby after all- he will allow the children a special, celebratory animal cracker. Obviously his family is his idol if he's allowing his convictions to take second chair to his children's wants.)

[smittykins]

Since Steve is against fun, I wonder what he would think of family certain family hobbies. I know families that are enjoy playing sports together or following a certain team. What about those that put together model planes together or garden or collect things like the coins someone mentioned earlier? Oh I forgot, that involved fun, sports and making an idol of the coins. I supposed the only true hobby a family can have is talking about and waiting for death.

(Bolding mine.)

I've heard other fundie groups condemn that because a)you're putting sports ahead of God and b)you're wasting time that could be better spent praying, reading/studying the Bible, and witnessing to others.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

If you read "Keeping Our Children's Hearts" there's an ongoing theme in there about how bad wasting time is. The idea is, you should have goals for your kids, and everything your kids (and presumably you) do should be in service of those goals. There are secular people who think this way too, but for the Maxwells their "goal" is serving Jesus, so surely they find all sorts of biblical justification (as they do for everything else they do, ever).

This ties into their other idea that your brain has a certain amount of space, and so you don't want to waste any of it with secular stuff. So even if some secular meme is not harmful (as "Row Row Row Your Boat" is not harmful) you don't want to waste space on it when you could have a religious idea in your head instead. And yep, thinking about that Pepsi during Bible Time would be a distraction. Appreciating food would be a distraction. You need the bare necessities met and then it's all about praising Jesus. If you must appreciate something, you appreciate it because Jesus made it/granted it.

Obviously the Maxwells have a what some might call a hobby of hiking. They go hiking in Colorado when they go on what some might call a vacation. But check out the posts on it, it's always about appreciating God's creation. Convenient, that, because it turns their hobby (hiking) into worshipping Jesus, so hey, yeah, check off one point towards to the GOOOOOAAAAAL...

For Steve-O, running the family and leading Bible Time is one of his main goals. He's written books about it ("Feed My Sheep"). So for him, yeah, he wants to say look, the time that you heathen people spend on trivial pursuits and half-baked fun times I'm spending in pursuit of my goal, my work serving Jesus.