Joseph Maxwell is MARRIED!!!

[LurkerOverThePond]

I guess this explains their "crazy busy" summer, too. Gotta get that house ready for the next helpmeet.

I do hope their honeymoon doesn't include tagging along with the family circus in Uriah. However, I remember that Liz and Joseph had planned to go with the family to their autumn trip so I think the new Mrs. Maxwell is required to do the same. Maybe the rest of the family will leave Uriah for the newlyweds for their wedding night... :brain-bleach:

[Loveday]

1. Holy Shit!

2. It may have been Joseph's desire to keep this private after his last failed venture into marriage, but how did the Maxwells explain that to the bride?

3. At least this bride will introduce color into Joseph's beige house with the red bedding and kitchen equipment. I'm shocked.

4. Are the blog readers going to be told that the reason for radio silence was Persecution !!!!Eleventy!!!!!?

5. Is this poor young woman's honeymoon going to be spent on Uriah as a prop for the Courtship, Dourtship, Betrothal or Whatever presentation?

Color me cynical, but the timing of this "Surprise!" wedding announcement just as they kick off Energize Conference schedule strikes me as cold-bloodedly planned by Steve.

Oooh look! They are going to be in NH again just outside Nashua. September 19-20th Nashua/Merrimack, New Hampshire Energize! I doubt I could infiltrate again so soon but it's an easy ride from Boston, ME and CT for interested FJers there.

Ya know...I was about to post how totally gobsmacked I am by the news, but having read the bolded above, my stunned surprised has dissipated somewhat. :?

I do hope the couple is happy, and that Elissa is perfectly content to dust ceiling fans and wash kitchen cupboards weekly for the rest of her life.

[anjulibai]

So, Joe is now an adult and Sarah is still a child....

I think Mary will be an adult before Sarah ever is, sadly.

I was thinking about how John and Jesse might be feeling about this. Now it's just the two of them in their room. That must be weird.

I was also wondering what Jesse will do if and when John marries (maybe in another 2 or 3 years). Will Jesse be allowed to sleep by himself? How weird would that be after over 20 years of constant contact with your brothers?

[anjulibai]

Oh another thought: I don't think it will be very long before a baby announcement will be made. I just can't see Joseph waiting like Christopher did.

[salex]

I said earlier that it is odd they marry off their sons but not their daughters, but I think there are two things involved. One is marrying off the son expands the patriarch's namesakes. His daughters having children under some other man's name means nothing to him, but the more little mini-patriarchs running around, the better. The boys marrying and staying in the family compound where he can is one thing, but the girls leaving and risking their souls by being under other headship-- too scary and out of control, not to mention no longer having the labor to help around the house and the office.

And I keep reading all this ever more common "marry them off young so they don't have sex" and one of the theonomists who repeats constantly "It is not good for man to be alone" as why to marry off relatively young kids. I think Steve does worry about sexual sin/thoughts if the "kids" don't marry, but either doesn't believe or is repulsed by the idea of his daughters as sexual beings. It may be more important to him that they stay pure than that they have grandkids for him-- especially since he would likely have to let them leave the family compound.

[Odd1Out]

Do you think the Maxwells spent the night crying that Joseph is moving 'so far away'?

[johnhugh]

From the comments:

"Congratulations and celebrations

with jubilations

Cliff"

What, no Kylie anymore, John Hugh? :wink-kitty:

In view of his recent allegations, was not my best idea, but after a few glasses of grape juice, and how Stevie had hidden this, :wink-penguin:

[fundiefan]

Holy shit! I was off line most of yesterday and just saw this now in my reader. So much to say, once I digest it.

They clearly weren't very confident in the courtship process though to keep it so under wraps. Can't have another failure in public. That is so beyond hilarious, yet pathetic.

[Jana814]

Do you think the Maxwells spent the night crying that Joseph is moving 'so far away'?

Haha!

[twin2]

Well shit, what a crappy way to start a Sunday.

I feel so bad for her. I"m guessing she and her family didn't really look into the Maxwells to deep. They just see the shinny blog with all the happy faces, the god is good conferences. They don't realize she has sold her soul to the Devil. I can only hope Joe goes the way of Nathan, and she still can have a good bit of interaction with her family so she and her children will not have to go all the way down the rabbit hole. No doubt they are fundie, but doubtful they are fun-die like the Maxwells. If there is a god, I hope he doesn't allow Steve and his clan of sheltered death worshipers to crush whatever spirit she has.

I also feel for Sarah. I don't care what "I'm sooooooooooooo happy for my brother and new sister" blog post she puts up in the next few days. She gets to watch her much younger brother start his own life (or as much of an own life as Steve will allow) while she continues to realize her life will never change. She will always be the eldest child, stuck at home doing the same thing day after day, year after year with no hope in sight.

[twin2]

Do you think the Maxwells spent the night crying that Joseph is moving 'so far away'?

No doubt.

Also no doubt Sarah cried herself to sleep......

[nokidsmom]

I said earlier that it is odd they marry off their sons but not their daughters, but I think there are two things involved. One is marrying off the son expands the patriarch's namesakes. His daughters having children under some other man's name means nothing to him, but the more little mini-patriarchs running around, the better. The boys marrying and staying in the family compound where he can is one thing, but the girls leaving and risking their souls by being under other headship-- too scary and out of control, not to mention no longer having the labor to help around the house and the office.

And I keep reading all this ever more common "marry them off young so they don't have sex" and one of the theonomists who repeats constantly "It is not good for man to be alone" as why to marry off relatively young kids. I think Steve does worry about sexual sin/thoughts if the "kids" don't marry, but either doesn't believe or is repulsed by the idea of his daughters as sexual beings. It may be more important to him that they stay pure than that they have grandkids for him-- especially since he would likely have to let them leave the family compound.

Re: the bolded, I think this is the crux of the matter with regard to the Maxwell daughters. Steve has to allow them to become under the headship of someone he has not raised, this is not an issue with the sons. Even if he could find a son in law who would be just as extreme as him, there would always be the lingering doubt because the son in law would have been raised by "not a Maxwell" parents. Steveovah wants 100% assurance that his daughters' future headships will be just like him and it's not possible.

I also agree that hangups about the daughters' purity is at play as well.

[sparkles]

Interesting, to say the least. I think it's pretty obvious that the image the Maxwells portray to the public is very carefully constructed, but their recent silence on a number of events speaks volumes, I think. I'm not sure what to make of how they completely ignored the recent deaths, especially of Grandpa who was a fixture on the blog, but Joseph's stealth marriage pretty much shows how weak the foundation of their beliefs and lifestyle is. Disinformation and manipulation at its best. Good job, Steve!

Oh well, at least the newlyweds will be exempt from the dog-and-pony show since they're no longer part of the "immediate" family.

[Mela99]

I wonder if he will let her redecorate his house since he built it for Elizabeth and their choices?

She's cute, though. And they look happy.

[16strong]

Holy hell, I missed this! So that makes 3 boys married, and no girls. Tsk, tsk, Steve.

[Luisainlondon1]

How old is Joseph?

[Palimpsest]

The Titus 2 blog has always been carefully constructed, and even more carefully monitored, to portray Stevehovah's brand in the best possible light. Anything that can't be preached about isn't put on the blog at all. And anything that turns out not to fit the brand is scrubbed faster than you can say Pepsi.

This goes from merely editing the content of posts (Dourtship!) to totally wiping all evidence of Joseph's engagement to Elizabeth Munck. Within a day of the called-off wedding she was gone from the blog as though she had never existed. IIRC, so was Sarah Smith although I can't remember who called off her wedding to Christopher.

I'm sure Joseph was disappointed but he didn't know Elizabeth well enough to be truly broken-hearted, IMO. I'm positive that Steve was utterly shattered at the damage done to his brand when Liz bolted.

I think it is fine to keep some things private on a blog. More than fine, I wish a lot more people, not just fundies, would be more discreet.

However, when you write books about how to guard your children's hearts and boast about successful courtships to wipe a failed engagement completely from the blog is fundamentally dishonest.

The Muncks handled the called-off wedding with limited truthful information and much dignity.

Steve did not. He misrepresented and continues to misrepresent the truth about his courtship model.

[Alachantal]

How old is Joseph?

25?

Since he "graduated" in 2007 and Sarah did a happy birthday post for him on April 24 2013 I'll guess 25... (blog.titus2.com/2013/04/24/happy-24th-birthday-joseph/)

[mystikchick17]

Nashua, NH, you say? That's within driving distance of where I work...in an evil public school. Outside the authority of my Headship.

However, despite being a newlywed, I don't think I own the requisite fundiefrump gear to pass, nor do I think I could ever, ever convince the Headship to come along with. I'd never hear the end of it from him. He already thinks my interest in fundies of all stripes is bizarre...

[Palimpsest]

Interesting, to say the least. I think it's pretty obvious that the image the Maxwells portray to the public is very carefully constructed, but their recent silence on a number of events speaks volumes, I think. I'm not sure what to make of how they completely ignored the recent deaths, especially of Grandpa who was a fixture on the blog, but Joseph's stealth marriage pretty much shows how weak the foundation of their beliefs and lifestyle is. Disinformation and manipulation at its best. Good job, Steve!

Oh well, at least the newlyweds will be exempt from the dog-and-pony show since they're no longer part of the "immediate" family.

I really hope the bolded is true but, IIRC, Joseph and Liz were scheduled to be featured speakers on the dog and pony show shortly after the wedding that didn't happen.

I hope Joseph and Elissa have a nice private honeymoon somewhere and that they like the new experience of sex more than the Maxwell family liked lobster. :twisted:

One of my favorite posts to illustrate how limited the Maxwell's lives are is the lobster one. To prove to the "kids" that lobster was an evil extravagance Steve made sure they only got a taste after the lobster was fully cooked, chilled, then microwaved to reheat. No wonder they didn't like the rubber that resulted!

blog.titus2.com/2008/10/03/a-delicacy-from-down-under/

[Jana814]

I can't wait to hear more about this girl. I also hope that she & Joseph wait a while before they have kids.

[DrPusey]

How convenient that Steve has oodles of time to approve the comments this morning wishing the happy couple the best. :roll: Gotta show the punters that the world unilaterally approves of marrying into Maxhell.

[mystikchick17]

How convenient that Steve has oodles of time to approve the comments this morning wishing the happy couple the best. :roll: Gotta show the punters that the world unilaterally approves of marrying into Maxhell.

Tsk tsk, Steve. Isn't Sunday meant to be a day of REST and for THE LORD? Does THE LORD really believe you should be comment moderating this morning? :naughty:

ETA: Her engagement ring is much larger and trendy than I would expect from a Maxwell man. For some reason I was under the impression that the only permitted engagement rings were simple solitaries, but Elissa's got some decent bling going. You keep surprising me, Maxwells.

[nelliebelle1197]

I really hope the bolded is true but, IIRC, Joseph and Liz were scheduled to be featured speakers on the dog and pony show shortly after the wedding that didn't happen.

I hope Joseph and Elissa have a nice private honeymoon somewhere and that they like the new experience of sex more than the Maxwell family liked lobster. :twisted:

One of my favorite posts to illustrate how limited the Maxwell's lives are is the lobster one. To prove to the "kids" that lobster was an evil extravagance Steve made sure they only got a taste after the lobster was fully cooked, chilled, then microwaved to reheat. No wonder they didn't like the rubber that resulted!

blog.titus2.com/2008/10/03/a-delicacy-from-down-under/

Did you notice that post has a comment from Jaynee Lockwood!?

[VenusDaisy]

My goodness! Do we know anything about her or her family? For Elissa's sake, I really do hope she grew up in a no f*n allowed ultra-fundy family. I wish her the best as she adjusts to life in Maxhell.