Maxwells on (what some might call) a VACATION!

[gustava]

And both God and Santa have long white beards.......Am I being defrauded???

[fundiefan]

That is so many kinds of fucked up, where does one even start?

Why does the entire family have to do every single thing as one? Couldn't Nathan and/or Melanie take her to feed the chipmunks while everyone else did their hike for the day? Why did every adult have to discuss it and then discuss it more, with the little girl in hearing range? Why does one have to pray for every. single. thing? What is wrong with asking?

Oh, wait. All answers are the same. They aren't praying to any god. They are praying to their god, daddy Steve, the idol and ruler of the entire Maxwell family, including his adult, married children and grandchildren. It's not up to any god to answer their prayers, it is up to Steve.

The levels of sick in that family reach new heights weekly. I wasn't sure that was possible but they prove me wrong all the damn time.

[VodouDoll]

I hate fundie speak. They didn't want to make Abby happy, they "greatly wanted to please her heart." I mean, come on.

[fundiefan]

I hate fundie speak. They didn't want to make Abby happy, they "greatly wanted to please her heart." I mean, come on.

What's worse is they didn't give a shit about that little girl's heart. They only cared what their god, Steve, wanted and they had to wait on him. Had Steve said no, they would have made that glorious and pleasing and right and cause for celebration.

[slh12280]

I don't know anything about this family, but this is messed up. Can someone explain what is wrong with a child making an innocent request of her father??? Sounds like they are not very close emotionally, just from this little excerpt.

[MamaJunebug]

I was a late-bloomer in the romance department, but this by Sarah saddened me:

Abby’s spirit was a lesson to her aunt on my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Think about it. Abby wanted something and instead of pushing and begging her daddy, she prayed, and waited. How often, with the Lord, am I wanting something and not patient enough to wait for His answer? Or, if it’s a “no†am I unhappy about it? Do we want anything less than God’s best for our lives?

I mean ... AFAWK, Sarah has yet to tenderly kiss a man, or even hold his hand. And she's on the shady side of 30.

What are Teri and Steve waiting for? Reversal Mary and Reversal Anna are well into their adolescence and self-sustaining. Oh... right... for Author and Booker Sarah to marry would be to duck under the authority of a man and his father, not Steve.

I tell you, that photo says it all. That's not Steve's dad so the old fella and Gigi are out of the picture whenever Steve feels like it God tells Steve to do so.

My real question is why these people bother me so much? Surely no mere mortal man thinks he can emulate Steve be blessed by God with a will equal to Steve's. I can't imagine that dads are imitating Steve.

Whoever posted the LOLMaxwell of Sarah's reflection, with the caption "Objects in the mirror may be sadder than they appear" said it all. For a while I figured she was happy in her wood-veneered cage. Reading between recent lines, maybe not.

Oh, who knows! I have to go on a Maxwell break. They sadden me (Sarah) and infuriate me (their over-the-top depiction of Christianity).

[clibbyjo]

Maybe Abby needs to pray for a husband for Sarah, because God is not answering Sarah's prayers.

[VodouDoll]

Seriously. Then maybe Steve would get off his butt and do something about it, since he greatly wishes to please Abby's heart and all.

[lilwriter85]

Maybe Abby needs to pray for a husband for Sarah, because God is not answering Sarah's prayers.

I agree Sarah needs more prayers.

[fundiefan]

Prayers won't help Sarah.

God is no match for her father.

[Marian the Librarian]

IMNSHO, Steve Maxwell is mentally ill. This family needs outside intervention, pronto.

[luckylibrarian]

I'm disgusted at the way that they are brainwashing that poor child. Another generation will grow up thinking that their father (in this case, Nathan) talks to God.

Up to this point, I thought that Nathan and Melanie were a little more liberal than the rest of the Maxwells, but no, the first thing that Melanie tells Abby to do when she wants something is to pray. Instead of giving Melanie the credit for acting like a mom and recognizing that her daughter wanted something, they turn it into another lesson about headship and male authority.

Disgusting...

ETA: Would CPS take notice if someone reported them? A few of the Maxwell children (and the grandchildren, of course) are under 18. I'm not sure what they could be reported for - educational neglect? Based on some of the things that Sarah writes, I think there is something darker going on in this family.

[Jessica]

Based on some of the things that Sarah writes, I think there is something darker going on in this family.

Examples? I'm not so great at reading between the lines.

[VodouDoll]

I don't think any of them are being beaten (like the Pearls) or emotionally incested (like the Botkins). All the dark Maxwell stuff is right there on the surface: Steve is the cult leader with a direct line to God, and they're all his worshipful followers.

[luckylibrarian]

Just from this post:

How often, with the Lord, am I wanting something and not patient enough to wait for His answer? Or, if it’s a “no†am I unhappy about it?

This tells me that Sarah isn't totally happy with her life.

Not to mention the things that Steve has said in those damn Corners about taking things away from the kids because they liked it too much - sports and musical instruments come to mind.

I forget exactly where, but it was mentioned either here or on Yuku that based on some things in the Corners, it seemed likely that the Maxwells used corporal punishment when the kids were younger. It is not something that contradicts their beliefs. Even if it's not legally considered abuse, the isolation is abusive.

Like the Botkins, Sarah's life qualifies as emotional incest.

[theologygeek]

Did Steve Maxwell and his wife ever say how they met? If so, did they court? These parents who force courting on their children didn't all meet their spouses in the same manner. Sarah and other stay at home daughters are old enough to realize that there are many elderly couples who are still married, many of whom are devout Christians, and they didn't meet each other via the same route as Sarah's father is forcing her to do. The Maxwells have mental problems, but Sarah is old enough to realize that her parents are wrong.

[formergothardite]

I think Jesus himself could come courting Sarah and Daddy Maxwell would find something wrong with him. He still has a good bit of control over his two married sons, but when he marries off his daughters, he will lose his power over them. An idea he probably can't stand. None of those girls are going to get married unless they run away.

[VodouDoll]

Steve and Teri met in college chemistry class.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Here I was stumbling over this sentence: "This picture was actually taken on a phone of Abby and me." and you all are on to chipmunks and God. I've got to rev up today or I'll be totally lost.

What a bunch of wack-a-doodle-dos! If my kid wanted to see the chipmunks again, we'd go unless they were whining and throwing a tantrum over it! Grow a spine Melanie before it's too late!

As my Dad used to say "God would have time to deal with world peace (or whatever you want in that blank) if people would leave him alone and find their own damned car keys). The chipmunk thing beautifully illustrates this.

I wish the Maxwells and all the other "instant obedience" types could look over the McDonald's strip search case in which an obedient young woman allowed herself to be undressed and sexually abused, raped, because the person was an authority figure. Never occurred to her to scream for help. No one should be raised to be THAT obedient.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Did Steve Maxwell and his wife ever say how they met? If so, did they court? These parents who force courting on their children didn't all meet their spouses in the same manner. Sarah and other stay at home daughters are old enough to realize that there are many elderly couples who are still married, many of whom are devout Christians, and they didn't meet each other via the same route as Sarah's father is forcing her to do. The Maxwells have mental problems, but Sarah is old enough to realize that her parents are wrong.

Nope - no courting. Steve was not raised anything remotely like the current way he is raising his kids. They are yet another first generation radical new culture family, all the "traditional" language and emphasis on obeying the parents completely notwithstanding.

Or to put it another way, if it's so important to be under the authority of your parents and follow in their footsteps, where exactly do Steve and DaddyBot and the rest of that ilk get off living so radically different from their own parents? They REBELLED, for heaven's sake!

I know there's some people on this board who have met the Maxwells via interaction with Anna. I'm VERY curious to know if anyone has met the Maxwells' cousins (the ones whose father held an Easter egg hunt and similar evil actions) or found any writings by them, and if so, how do THEY view the Maxwells?

Does Teri have siblings? (I thought Easter Egg Hunt Dad was Steve's brother...) If so, that means the grandparents in that family photo have other kids. How do THEY feel about ol' Steve-O? They live down the block now, right? Have they consumed the Kool-Aid entirely? Or do they drink it on occasion when Steve's around but drink Pepsi when he's not?

[VodouDoll]

Teri has a sister, I think. They live far away. The Maxwells mention staying with Aunt So-and-so sometimes on their trips. I think the aunt wears pants.

[Letgo]

Not to mention the things that Steve has said in those damn Corners about taking things away from the kids because they liked it too much - sports and musical instruments come to mind.

This made me wonder...could the apparent lack of suitors be due to the fact that Sarah wants to be married so badly? That could make courtship and marriage for her idols in Steve's eyes, and therefore not allowed.

[MamaJunebug]

IMNSHO, Steve Maxwell is mentally ill. This family needs outside intervention, pronto.

You may be right.

Sigh.

So much for my "break" from the Maxweirds...

[fundiefan]

This made me wonder...could the apparent lack of suitors be due to the fact that Sarah wants to be married so badly? That could make courtship and marriage for her idols in Steve's eyes, and therefore not allowed.

I don't know. By now, I think most of them know not to show too much enthusiasm for something. Even in this post about Abby, Sarah said Abby was 'secretly' hopeful they'd go back to feed the chipmunks. At 2-3 years old, she already knows to be secretive about her desires. Then again, if it was a secret, how did anyone know it's what she wanted to do? Secrets are not shared by their very nature. But, anyway. Sarah confessed to 'secretly' loving their pulverized bean burritos. Everything they personally like or want is done 'secretly'. It would be interesting to do a word search on their blog and see how much of their personal interests are expressed as being secret.

[bbfreethinker]

I'm surprised Steve didn't decide that chipmunks are an idol and forbid them.

Dear Abby,

Enjoy these moments of joy while you can because they will be few and far between if your family continues on its current course.