How did J'chelle and Bob convert to Fundieland?

[Eliza]

Was there some sort or revival thing they went to? They looked so normal in the old pics of them? Wonder how Gothard found them.....

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

I would like to know too.

[Toothfairy]

Maybe because Michelle felt guilty after the miscarriage. Plus JB probably made her feel guilty about dating before him. I would say he was controlling not in abusive way, but he got what he was aiming for which was marrying michelle.

[Ivycoveredtower]

1. Michelle stole money from a purse as a teen. Then felt guilty.

2. she then watched some crazy movie that made her fear for her soul.

3. they met homeschoolers when Josh was a baby. I don't think they actually say they were ATI but I bet they were.

4. she had a Miscarriage after Josh and was told it was because of BC.

Somewhere in all that she was convinced that walking around in a bakini well mowing lawn caused some man to leave his wife. :roll:

[lilith]

They had a pastor who recommended the Jim Sammons Financial Seminar, the ATI financial advice thing. After that they did the Basic Seminar and got further into ATI as they started homeschooling.

JimBob was always fundie lite, as was Michelle after her teenage conversion, but it's the crappy advice the doctor gave her after the Caleb miscarriage that sent them more extreme and made them pray for god to make them love children as much as he does (so enough to let them starve, die of preventable diseases, give them cancer, leave them in abusive situations etc etc?). Then they felt their choices and philosophy to be validated when they had healthy twins then further validated with each birth and with JimBob's election as State Representative and the TV show and the constant praise they got for their beautiful well behaved kids.

[CorruptionInc.]

They had a pastor who recommended the Jim Sammons Financial Seminar, the ATI financial advice thing. After that they did the Basic Seminar and got further into ATI as they started homeschooling.

JimBob was always fundie lite, as was Michelle after her teenage conversion, but it's the crappy advice the doctor gave her after the Caleb miscarriage that sent them more extreme and made them pray for god to make them love children as much as he does (so enough to let them starve, die of preventable diseases, give them cancer, leave them in abusive situations etc etc?). Then they felt their choices and philosophy to be validated when they had healthy twins then further validated with each birth and with JimBob's election as State Representative and the TV show and the constant praise they got for their beautiful well behaved kids.

Those howlers are NOT that well behaved when we see them most of the time...

[Four is Enough]

Those howlers are NOT that well behaved when we see them most of the time...

I believe that marks the transition from M and JB's parenting to the girls' parenting methods. Yes, the older kids are much more obedient, respectful, and better behaved than the younger ones. I think the older kids refused to blanket train the babies and refused to force them into such repressive modes of behavior. and JB and M were too busy with themselves, the current new baby, and their sweet fellowship to notice.. so started all the "full of high spirits" remarks from M.

[Ivycoveredtower]

I believe that marks the transition from M and JB's parenting to the girls' parenting methods. Yes, the older kids are much more obedient, respectful, and better behaved than the younger ones. I think the older kids refused to blanket train the babies and refused to force them into such repressive modes of behavior. and JB and M were too busy with themselves, the current new baby, and their sweet fellowship to notice.. so started all the "full of high spirits" remarks from M.

You are right realistically I think the last child JB and M raised was Joe maybe Siah but by the time Joy came along it was all J'slaves all the time.

[roddma]

I often wonder what the movie was that 'converted' Michelle. Cults/ legalism catch people at vulnerable times when they seek answers. I feel a number of things can make a person fall for legalism and cults, but there seems to be a turning point. For Michelle it was the miscarriage.Michell likely needed counseling to help her deal with miscarriage. Just think if the miscarriage had never happened.

I also do not think the younger ones are as polished as their older isblings, either. From what I have seen in the first specials, the older ones walked in single file wearing th matching red shirts. I don't recall the skating in the house or climbing counters.

[CorruptionInc.]

I often wonder what the movie was that 'converted' Michelle. Cults/ legalism catch people at vulnerable times when they seek answers. I feel a number of things can make a person fall for legalism and cults, but there seems to be a turning point. For Michelle it was the miscarriage.Michell likely needed counseling to help her deal with miscarriage. Just think if the miscarriage had never happened.

I also do not think the younger ones are as polished as their older isblings, either. From what I have seen in the first specials, the older ones walked in single file wearing th matching red shirts. I don't recall the skating in the house or climbing counters.

I remember when one of the male howlers crawled onto the counter, opened the cupboard, a bunch of cups spilled out and he just left them there... the camera men probably didn't alert one of the older ones either for some "comedy" in the show.

[Toothfairy]

I think Bob lived a crappy life. He grew up poor and didn't have a good relationship with his parents. I believed he went to Christian school. Michelle was the youngest. She was carefree spoiled probably didn't get enough attention at home since her siblings and parents are wayyy older than her. JB provably convinced michelle to join ATI and blamed her and the pill for miscarriage. Sort of like brainwashing. When they first got married I believed they didn't have much money. JB probably made michelle feel guilty about giving away her emotional purity since he saved himself for her.

[lilith]

I think Bob lived a crappy life. He grew up poor and didn't have a good relationship with his parents. I believed he went to Christian school. Michelle was the youngest. She was carefree spoiled probably didn't get enough attention at home since her siblings and parents are wayyy older than her. JB provably convinced michelle to join ATI and blamed her and the pill for miscarriage. Sort of like brainwashing. When they first got married I believed they didn't have much money. JB probably made michelle feel guilty about giving away her emotional purity since he saved himself for her.

"Saved himself for her".......more like married the first pretty girl he could get to date him as quickly as possible so he could have sex with her while still maintaining the moral high ground. She was only 17......

[CorruptionInc.]

"Saved himself for her".......more like married the first pretty girl he could get to date him as quickly as possible so he could have sex with her while still maintaining the moral high ground. She was only 17......

Dim Bulb has a lot of ego... he probably wanted to show the other guys he could marry the hottie and control her by getting her to marry him. In one of their previous pics there is a Mustang, I wonder if that was his too?

[miffy]

Jim Bob comes from a very religious family.

However, I think they got caught up in ATI after the first miscarriage. For from reason they are deeply affected by them (not that it isn't sad for everybody). Most cults get you when you are down.

[shedemei]

I often wonder what the movie was that 'converted' Michelle.

I'd bet money that it was A Thief in the Night. We had a thread on it: viewtopic.php?t=13075 (you'll probably need to search YouTube for working videos as they keep disappearing).