Duggar interview on Christianity Today website

[snuggles911]

In case any of you are looking for your daily Dugger fix, the four oldest girls are featured in an interview on the Christianity Today website today: christianitytoday.com/women/2014/may/duggar-girls-talk-dating-big-families-and-reality-tv.html?start=2

 

Among other things, they respond to accusations that they are being forced to parent their younger siblings and that they're stuck in the house. Their parents are actually parenting and they are allowed to have jobs and do community service and even go to college, according to the interview.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Besides Jill doing midwifery, none of those girls will go to college or have a job. Jana is a chaperone; she has no interest in being a doula. Jinger and Jessa have done nothing. Jessa even said last night she anticipated Ben working and her staying home and making meals. Which is fine in and of itself, but clearly all of these kids have been thoroughly conditioned to live just one way.

[socalrules]

They always talk about being able to do so many things yet they, outside of Jill, don't do any of it. None are in college, have a job or volunteer for anything that doesn't include a TLC camera.

[Mela99]

I'd be more impressed if one of them actually did something instead of saying "oh, we're totally allowed to!!" How does it just work out that NONE of them want to go to school, be anything other than a fundie midwife, and have done absolutely noting outside of their parents' orders?

[16strong]

I wonder if having to constantly say "Yeah, we TOTALLY go to college, hold down jobs, and participate in a variety of activities" will make some of the girls really take a hard look at their lives as opposed to those of mainstream women.

I just can't imagine that having to defend stuff like that all the time with no real answer wouldn't put at least a small grain of doubt in at least one of those girls' minds.

[doggie]

I thought lying was a sin? I guess not if you are a dugger. but they may think they have choices but that they don't want to make them brainwashed much? plus as usual everything is scripted.

[alwayscaffeinated]

I wonder if having to constantly say "Yeah, we TOTALLY go to college, hold down jobs, and participate in a variety of activities" will make some of the girls really take a hard look at their lives as opposed to those of mainstream women.

I just can't imagine that having to defend stuff like that all the time with no real answer wouldn't put at least a small grain of doubt in at least one of those girls' minds.

We can only hope.

[Green Glass]

One of the (many) things that I have always found so terrible about the Duggars and others with SOTDR-type education is how difficult it would be for one of them who actually wanted to attend college, particularly for the younger ones. Not impossible, of course, but they'd be starting at such a disadvantage compared to all the people who had actual educations.

Imagine being Duggar Child #7 or 8. By the time you're old enough to begin school (5 or 6, I'm guessing), your mother has 6 or 7 older children as well as 2 or 3 younger ones to look after. She simply does not have the time to spend with you to teach you like you need - she has other children to educate, cooking, cleaning, pleasing her headship, pregnancy, childbirth and recovery. You get workbooks, and a little time with mom, and maybe some time with an older sibling, but your older siblings are also going to be busy taking care of their buddies, and they're only children themselves.

Then, more recently, you have TLC coming in to film, and you KNOW that is a huge distraction and disruption of their lives, including school work. Plus, they are often going about the country - how much schooling do you think can possibly be done in the Duggar bus?

I can't think that the Duggar children are learning good study skills or critical thinking skills, or getting a good grasp of the basics that you need for even the easiest college classes. I remember a long time ago, someone posted a link to the blog of someone who had an SOTDR education and went to community college. I think she started out in remedial classes, and even that was too much for her, and she ended up dropping out.

[Toothfairy]

All their answers are always the same. Why not do an episode of Duggars got to college and/or school?

[Toothfairy]

One of the (many) things that I have always found so terrible about the Duggars and others with SOTDR-type education is how difficult it would be for one of them who actually wanted to attend college, particularly for the younger ones. Not impossible, of course, but they'd be starting at such a disadvantage compared to all the people who had actual educations.

Imagine being Duggar Child #7 or 8. By the time you're old enough to begin school (5 or 6, I'm guessing), your mother has 6 or 7 older children as well as 2 or 3 younger ones to look after. She simply does not have the time to spend with you to teach you like you need - she has other children to educate, cooking, cleaning, pleasing her headship, pregnancy, childbirth and recovery. You get workbooks, and a little time with mom, and maybe some time with an older sibling, but your older siblings are also going to be busy taking care of their buddies, and they're only children themselves.

Then, more recently, you have TLC coming in to film, and you KNOW that is a huge distraction and disruption of their lives, including school work. Plus, they are often going about the country - how much schooling do you think can possibly be done in the Duggar bus?

I can't think that the Duggar children are learning good study skills or critical thinking skills, or getting a good grasp of the basics that you need for even the easiest college classes. I remember a long time ago, someone posted a link to the blog of someone who had an SOTDR education and went to community college. I think she started out in remedial classes, and even that was too much for her, and she ended up dropping out.

And both their parents have good educations :x

[chaotic life]

Love the bold faced party LIE about their involvement with Gothard. They were at the conference this year, and you can only attend those if you are actually quite involved with ATI and Gothard's organization. I wonder what goes through their minds that they have been prepped to flat out lie and they know they are lying at the insistence of their parents.

I don't need life lessons from four girls who have never had a chance to live life. I would prefer to hear their story in twenty years when they have actually stepped out into the world and had to find their own way.

[Rescinded and Mended]

Most revolting to me was what Jessa had to say during this part of the interview:

Jessa: I think regardless of where the Lord leads us in life, and wherever we find ourselves with work, family, or whatever, we want to keep that ministry perspective that our parents have given us. Life is not about us, it's not about what makes us happy necessarily, but it's about sharing the love of Jesus and making an impact with the time we have here on Earth.

And that right there is how JB and M have managed to justify the years of drudgery and abuse. It never matters if any of the Duggar children have any happiness of their own, so long as religion is being used to justify the fact that they're all slaves to their parents and are being kept from having any real education and life experiences. Just remember, kids, it's never about you, it's what you can do for others, including your parents!

I also love how Jana insists the she and her sisters don't raise the younger children, and that JB and M are the real parents. Sure Jana, that's why your younger siblings have said that if you have to be called in to settle a dispute, they know they're in real trouble. Not mom and dad, but you, an older sibling. :roll:

[DGayle]

Sure, they may be allowed to do those things because they're legal adults, but if you know your parents would strongly disapprove or even disown you, that's going to effectively remove that choice.

[Trynn]

Sure, they may be allowed to do those things because they're legal adults, but if you know your parents would strongly disapprove or even disown you, that's going to effectively remove that choice.

Hobson's choice

[doggie]

Sure, they may be allowed to do those things because they're legal adults, but if you know your parents would strongly disapprove or even disown you, that's going to effectively remove that choice.

or goto hell

[Mama Mia]

I just wish they would acknowledge that they are all actually professional full-time reality show celebrities.

They could even describe their skills and what they do.

" In a typical week the four of us and our parents will go over what the wardrobe requirements will be and if there will be any location shoots that will require costume changes. We'll then coordinate color schemes. We'll make sure that the juvenile actors are aware of what the product placements will be and rehearse how they are used. We'll then coach the other actors on the theme of the show and make sure they are reacting appropriately to whatever the director wants to feature. If we aren't shooting we will be promoting the show by giving interviews like these. If we are shooting we act as assistant directors as well as filming our own scenes after reviewing the script and doing a few walk-throughs.

[keistajupiter]

I just wish they would acknowledge that they are all actually professional full-time reality show celebrities.

They could even describe their skills and what they do.

" In a typical week the four of us and our parents will go over what the wardrobe requirements will be and if there will be any location shoots that will require costume changes. We'll then coordinate color schemes. We'll make sure that the juvenile actors are aware of what the product placements will be and rehearse how they are used. We'll then coach the other actors on the theme of the show and make sure they are reacting appropriately to whatever the director wants to feature. If we aren't shooting we will be promoting the show by giving interviews like these. If we are shooting we act as assistant directors as well as filming our own scenes after reviewing the script and doing a few walk-throughs.

I agree! I think it may have been mentioned before, but for example when Jessa is in charge of "packing" for their trips, she isn't just in charge of packing for a family holiday, she is basically in charge of costume design for 20 people being on TV for possibly months. (I'm not saying that's justifiable but when they are saying they do stuff it would be nice if they could be honest and say, yes, we are full time reality tv stars.) Of course this will never happen though!

[Handmaiden of Dog]

This is all so familiar that I had to check the dates of your posts to make sure this was a recent article. I swear this is the same interview with the same answers followed by the same FJ discussion.

This is one of the reasons why I hate reality shows: the "stars" get treated as if they are very important people yet there is no real journalism involved. If I was interviewing them and they started spouting the same tired old crap about how they all go to college and hold down jobs I would ask them to be specific. "What job do you do? Where are you employed? What are your hours? "Which college are you enrolled in? Which classes do you take? When do you expect to graduate?" If one of them was actually employed by someone other than TLC or attending a real bricks and morter school we would have heard about it by now.

I truly wish their many, many lies would catch up to them.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Sure, they may be allowed to do those things because they're legal adults, but if you know your parents would strongly disapprove or even disown you, that's going to effectively remove that choice.

Yeah, and I think that's why they believe they have choice. They have a choice, they could choose option A (and we will be so happy and praise you for being such a good person) or option B (but we wont love you anymore. And neither would all of your friends and family, and God wouldn't love you either, he would send you to Hell).

Its like asking "Jana, would you rather have a hug or be hit in the face?"

Totally a choice, but option B sounds so terrible you would have to be crazy to choose it.

Actually, that doesn't compare well, because option B wouldn't be so bad, they just make it sound bad. Sure, any J kid who did break free would lose their family and friends, but I don't think anyone would let them end up poor, homeless and on drugs, and prostituting themselves out for food money, like their parents tell them would happen. They have plenty of supporters in the real would who would help them out, and they will then make more friends who love them unconditionally instead of just if they believe what they do. Sure, everything will come crashing down around them and they will have to make a lot of tough decisions, but they can rebuild things as they slowly work out what they want and which of their beliefs are harmful or lies and should be discarded, or are true and good, and okay to keep. They may have to learn things that they haven't been taught yet because they've been so sheltered, but theyre still young and theres plenty of time for them to learn. People have broke free of it when they were way older and have made things work.

[Mela99]

I assume they don't think of it as lying as long as they're doing it for Jesus.

[doggie]

I assume they don't think of it as lying as long as they're doing it for Jesus.

yes that's so common it's scary.

[Georgiana]

I assume they don't think of it as lying as long as they're doing it for Jesus.

They might not even think of it as lying. They might be so brainwashed, that they actually believe this is true.

Premises: A. God calls all women to be keepers at home

B. I am a woman

C. Satan will try to deceive us.

D. I am called to go to college and work.

E. We should want to follow God's calling. We should not want to follow Satan's calling.

Assume the person has accepted all of the above as true.

Because A and B are true, then God must call me to be a keeper at home. Therefore, my call to go to college and work must not be from God. If it is not from God, then it is a deception from Satan.

Because E, I do not want to go to college and work. I want to stay at home.

Conclusion: my call to go to college and work is a trick from Satan. I should obey God's call and become a stay at home wife. This is what I want and the true desire of my heart. It is totally my will and not from my parents.

[lascuba]

Does anyone know how much time is actually spent filming for the show? I know one episode includes scenes from several days of shooting, but with so few episodes per season, and so many scenes obviously scripted, I don't get the impression that they're actually in front of the cameras all that much. If I had to guess I'd say the time adds up to maybe 6-8 weeks per year, tops, not including the various interviews. I wish we had access to TLC's shooting schedule.

I'm getting a huge kick out of all the blatant STFU internet moments lately. The show has been full of them this season and that CT interview has my brows hiding in my hairline. They're clearly paying a lot more attention to social media lately and what they're reading about themselves is freaking them out enough to do some desperate damage control. I'm now revising my earlier opinion about the courtships and think that maybe they ARE a PR move, at least in part. I used to think, no way, the courtships and engagements happening now are just because that's how it worked out and have nothing to do with all the speculation online, but now I'm seriously wondering, especially after reading that Jim Bob set up Ben and Jessa similarly to how he set up Jill and Derrick.

Not that I think the girls are being coerced, just that JB and Michelle very deliberately decided to start approving of these guys now when somehow no one made the cut for any of their daughters before.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I don't think they see it as a lie because they really do see it as a black and white situation. They COULD do all the things they are asked about, OR they could do all the things that will guarantee their soul is safe.

As for the child rearing, you have to understand that our view of parenting and their view is different. In their culture, girls are expected to help with child care and do jobs in the house (boys may do this if no girls are available). The parents, in their culture, are there to make rules, suggest (force) decisions, and interpret the bible/determine the family's faith. The girls are accountable to their parents both for their thoughts and actions and those of their siblings. Therefore, they do not see themselves as being the parental figures of their siblings, merely sisters.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Does anyone know how much time is actually spent filming for the show? I know one episode includes scenes from several days of shooting, but with so few episodes per season, and so many scenes obviously scripted, I don't get the impression that they're actually in front of the cameras all that much. If I had to guess I'd say the time adds up to maybe 6-8 weeks per year, tops, not including the various interviews. I wish we had access to TLC's shooting schedule.

I'm getting a huge kick out of all the blatant STFU internet moments lately. The show has been full of them this season and that CT interview has my brows hiding in my hairline. They're clearly paying a lot more attention to social media lately and what they're reading about themselves is freaking them out enough to do some desperate damage control. I'm now revising my earlier opinion about the courtships and think that maybe they ARE a PR move, at least in part. I used to think, no way, the courtships and engagements happening now are just because that's how it worked out and have nothing to do with all the speculation online, but now I'm seriously wondering, especially after reading that Jim Bob set up Ben and Jessa similarly to how he set up Jill and Derrick.

Not that I think the girls are being coerced, just that JB and Michelle very deliberately decided to start approving of these guys now when somehow no one made the cut for any of their daughters before.

Honestly, I believe JB when he says he's been trying to set the girls up with courtships for years. I am with the camp that thinks that seeing their peers court/marry is what inspired the girls to finally say yes to the prospect.