Dissapointed in the Bates Family

[Bazinga]

Maybe I stand alone in my feelings, but I would be lying if I didn't say I was disappointment in the Bates family for picking up a reality show again. Sure I'm interested in watching it, just because I'm nosy and want to know what is going on in their family, however, I only feel like now we won't get to see the good stuff from the family.

 

If you have noticed Kelly's blog posts have died down significantly, along with her candid responses to comments. This is not random, I'm sure much has to do with the show and the contracts they have signed.

 

Just like the Duggars, we will see money and fame change them through the seasons (if they get multiple seasons). While I know they spew the same garbage the Duggars do, I actually found them refreshing. Unlike the Duggars, they have stayed consistent in their values (as they haven't had to sell out for the all mighty dollar yet). Sure some things have evolved naturally with time (i.e. no frumpers, less strict rules on courtship), but everything still seemed the same as it always has....fun loving, crazy fundie. And don't we all like getting the inside scoop on what really goes on in a family like this?

 

Now are we going to see fake and expensive field trips, trips to the dentist, and children doing unsupervised homeschooling on the computer (sprinkled in with hypocrisy, water-downed events to not upset the viewers, and staged antics)? I liked seeing their real family life, not life skewed for the television viewer.

 

Anyways, rant over. Just had to get that out there.

[memabelle]

Maybe they need the money. In a family that large without a steady, substantial income, I imagine you always need the money. They may be more likeable on the surface than the Duggars, but I don't think they're all that different.

[formergothardite]

They spew the same garbage that the Duggars do, they just have learned to sugar coat it so that they look less dangerous. I think that Gil and Kelly are way worse than Jim Bob and Michelle in a lot of ways. I would hardly think that the blog is the truth about the reality of a fundie family where the mom continually pops out children and the father refuses to get a real job and instead relies on a child to buy groceries. What we are seeing in that blog are only the parts that they want us to see. I imagine that Cynthia Jeub's blog is closer to the reality of what the fundie life is like than Kelly's blog.

[fundiefan]

It is exactly what they've been gunning to do. It's no surprise, other than the fact that a network of any variety would be interested. The Bates themselves have been pushing themselves in front of everyone and anyone with exactly this goal in mind.

[GeoBQn]

My cable company doesn't even carry Up TV on any cable package, and it seems to be the same for a lot of people here. With a limited potential audience, I doubt they are going to be rolling in money from this.

[RosyDaisy]

DirecTV customers can find UP on channel 338.

[nokidsmom]

I am not at all surprised that they have another show. Agree that they need the money, they probably lost income when they married off three of their kids (I never thought it was just Lawson helping out BTW). Just as the Duggars got used to to extra money and perks from their show, I think its safe to say the same thing applies to the Bates family between their short-lived show and appearances on "Whatever Number of Kids At the Time and Counting".

They spew the same garbage that the Duggars do, they just have learned to sugar coat it so that they look less dangerous. I think that Gil and Kelly are way worse than Jim Bob and Michelle in a lot of ways. I would hardly think that the blog is the truth about the reality of a fundie family where the mom continually pops out children and the father refuses to get a real job and instead relies on a child to buy groceries. What we are seeing in that blog are only the parts that they want us to see. I imagine that Cynthia Jeub's blog is closer to the reality of what the fundie life is like than Kelly's blog.

Kelly knows how to present her family to their fans and the public to make their family seem more um, palatable and less extreme. Which indicates to me that she knows on some level that how she and Gil have raised their kids is wrong but that's another story. I, for one, never thought that all was great and wonderful in the family any more than I think the same for the Duggars. I think both manage to hide a lot of the negative things that go on in theor families and don't forget that part of that hiding is emotionally blanket training their many kids to also help in presenting a nice, wholesome, Christian family facade.

[Sundaymorning]

While the Bates might look a bit better than the Duggars, and while I also believe that Kelly is a bit a better mother than J'Chelle, we mustn't forget that the Bates are still fanatic fundies with very harmful ideologies they want to impose on everybody else. Hence the need to promote their family and their lifestyle on tv. While I do believe that a huge part of the motivation is indeed money, there is also the propaganda factor.

Gil is on the board of directors at the ATI, which says a lot about the family.

Some people might like the Bates cause they seem a bit more pleasant than the Duggars. But you always find someone who is even worse than someone else. J'Chelle and Boob might be a bit better and less harmful than ZsuZsu and PP for example. But that doesn't make J'Chelle and Boobs ideologies any less dangerous.

[Bazinga]

Good points from all of you. I actually didn't know Gil was on the board of directors for IBLP.

[Justme]

Kelly can't even make the time to inform her fans that the baby is here. I'll bet a lot of them don't twitter or instragram and have no idea. He was born a couple of weeks ago. A short post would show she cares about her fans....

[nelliebelle1197]

Good points from all of you. I actually didn't know Gil was on the board of directors for IBLP.

Yes, and he married his two daughters to sons of men actively involved in the board and in the propagation of ATI/IBLP. Chad's dad is on the board and Alyssa's husband's father was called Taliban Dan by Alan Grayson in 2010:

downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2014/05/daniel-webster-now-florida-congressman.html

downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/search?q=gothARD

Michael's boyfriend is deep in the Gothard Koolaid and is attending the Gothard "college".

It is totally out of left field to think Gil 'n' Kelly are better than ANY of these others. Just look who they sold their daughters to.

[Toothfairy]

The Bates are dirt poor and barely skipping by. I'm sure that's why they agreed to the show. Funny how Gil is on the directors board but they don't pay him

[GeoBQn]

IBLP is an 501©(3) organization. Non-profit organizations don't pay their boards.

[nokidsmom]

Yes, and he married his two daughters to sons of men actively involved in the board and in the propagation of ATI/IBLP. Chad's dad is on the board and Alyssa's husband's father was called Taliban Dan by Alan Grayson in 2010:

downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2014/05/daniel-webster-now-florida-congressman.html

downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/search?q=gothARD

Michael's boyfriend is deep in the Gothard Koolaid and is attending the Gothard "college".

It is totally out of left field to think Gil 'n' Kelly are better than ANY of these others. Just look who they sold their daughters to.

While both Alyssa and Erin seem to really love their new husbands and Michael looks happy her boyfriend, I did note that all of them are guys whose families have very strong ties into ATI. Not just mere participants in the organization or simply attending the related churches but seriously involved in it. I highly doubt that all other things being equal, that none of them would make the cut if for it weren't for their families' status or level of involvement. There's probably a lot of guys who had interest in the girls but maybe weren't considered up to snuff as far as courting a daughter of an ATI big shot. Gil and Kelly are solidifying their ATI ties through these marriages. Which is probably why Kelly was not (reportedly) too keen on Whitney because she was not from an ATI big shot family.

[Palimpsest]

I'm of the opinion that the Bateses are probably even worse than the Duggars. They just seem more likable because we've seen less of them. Kelly in particular appears pleasanter and less insane than Michelle. She also seems to be more involved with raising her children, has a less annoying voice, has a better dress sense, and responds to comments on the family blog with "Love, Kelly." :ew:

As others have pointed out, they are just as steeped in Gothard poison as the Duggars, if not more so because of Gil's position on the board of IBLP. As to them being dirt poor, well that was a choice. Gil used to work for Nabisco. He doesn't absolutely have to scrape up a living with the tree service - or whatever his little family business is these days - or sell his children's privacy on TV to support the family.

I suspect that this is another propaganda move by the Gothardite faithful. It's a way to polish up the IBLP image after the Fall of Bill. The Bateses certainly wouldn't be filming again without approval from the top.

In the good news department, this new show may expose more cracks in the Bates family's squeaky clean façade. They got plenty of flack over some things in the TLC show and portions were later edited out for the reruns. Specifically, I remember that the incredibly emaciated horses and picture of Nathan Bedford Forrest were edited out, but there may have been more things.

[sunshine]

May be we are to blame for getting them a reality show. We flood their blog when they have updates and ask a lot of questions. In addition to eagerly waiting for Kelly to post Zach's wedding online that has not been posted, more or less drew attention from executives and say..'hey, there is money to be made here.' I mean there is a genuine fan base. Shoot. I was hoping to at least see Zach's wedding on youtube.

...and don't get me on the issue that we are free research for tabloid magazines.

[singsingsing]

Money and fame? I get what you're saying, but the Bateses have been around for years. They've been on TLC, both as guest stars on 19 Kids and Counting, and with their own show. They've been running their blog and are active on social media. They have thousands of fans. They now run their own church. The network they're filming for now is one that most people don't even get. This may increase their exposure a little, but not much. None of this is new.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Being disappointed in a fundie is like being disappointed that your cat cant read. It was never going to happen so don't get your hopes up. Even if your cat is super bright by cat standards.

[FreeHannie!]

I think the Bates just seem more likeable since we see less of them.

But I do think at the very least, Kelly seems a more engaged and loving mother than Michelle even from what we have seen, and I'll give her credit for that. Like when she was comforting Erin when she was scared during that huge Tornado. I can't picture Michelle comforting one of the J'Slaves in that same situation. She'd be too busy gushing to the camera about something while the poor J'Slave is trying to 'keep sweet' while being terrified.

It also annoys me they made Erin turn down the scholarship to an accredited school, but at least Kelly and Gil let her go to Clown college, unlike Boob and Mullet who haven't let any children go to a real school.

And that's about the only nice thing I can say about them as parents because they are still neck deep ATI fundies.

[treemom]

I just posted something similar in the In which Kelly bates pisses me off thread. This shouldn't surprise us and while they are more like able and *seem* more reasonable and like they encourage their children more I think that makes them more dangerous.

Maybe Kelly is a better mother when compared to J'chelle. But she is just as bad in supporting the patriarchy, working to make abortion illegal (and misrepresenting the truth while doing so) and enjoying having the choice to live as she does with denying the opportunities she was given that allowed it to be a choice, not a brainwashing.

The love for the bates here I get, I superficially like them more. But when I spend more than a few seconds thinking about it I just can't.

[naatashamaru]

I think the Bates just seem more likeable since we see less of them.

But I do think at the very least, Kelly seems a more engaged and loving mother than Michelle even from what we have seen, and I'll give her credit for that. Like when she was comforting Erin when she was scared during that huge Tornado. I can't picture Michelle comforting one of the J'Slaves in that same situation. She'd be too busy gushing to the camera about something while the poor J'Slave is trying to 'keep sweet' while being terrified.

It also annoys me they made Erin turn down the scholarship to an accredited school, but at least Kelly and Gil let her go to Clown college, unlike Boob and Mullet who haven't let any children go to a real school.

And that's about the only nice thing I can say about them as parents because they are still neck deep ATI fundies.

hold on what are u talking about?? Erin got a scholarship to an accredited school???? what happened??? :pink-shock:

[patsymae]

hold on what are u talking about?? Erin got a scholarship to an accredited school???? what happened??? :pink-shock:

If I remember it correctly, which I may not, Erin was offered a music scholarship to the University of Tennessee. On camera she said it would be too weird to go away to someplace where she might have to sit next to someone who, like, might have green hair (who knows what went on behind the scenes). So instead she went to The Crown College of the Bible:

Since our beginning, we have maintained annual authorization with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

For several years we have been praying and planning with intense desire to further the work of God worldwide. We applied for accreditation with TRACS, the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. We believe that obtaining accreditation from TRACS will further help us accomplish our purpose as a Bible school by opening new doors of opportunity for our graduates as they serve the Lord. Accreditation will also help the college continue to establish training centers in other countries where the Lord’s work needs to be done.

We are pleased to announce that on November 6, 2012, the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) awarded Crown College of the Bible candidate status as a Category III institution (offering associate, bachelor, and master level degrees). Candidate status is the first official recognition in the process of achieving full accreditation."

So the best this has to offer is not any regional accreditation recognized as an institution of higher learning, but that (OK, as of 2012, but I think if that had changed it would have been on their website), but they are on their way to being accredited by a dumbass organization that means jack to anyone not in it.

So yes, if what the Bateses said about Erin's supposed offer of a free ride to U of Tennessee, she sacrificed a lot --which she may not ever know about much less care about-- for the cause.

[kburke93]

New member here, although I've been reading for awhile now. I follow all the Bates and married couple blogs like a weirdo, including the tumblr site "Bateses". Kelly posted a pic of Brandon and Michael FRONT HUGGING not too long ago...and it was taken down..wonder why :roll: I'm kind of excited for the new show, I find them much more refreshing than the Duggars. Time can only tell, we only got a glimpse of their lives with their old show.

[JenniferJuniper]

"Refreshing" isn't a word I would ever associate with patriarchy.

Never heard of the channel they are going to be on. I'm guessing it's some religious channel I'll never manage to stumble across. My cable company switched up the channels a few weeks ago and I still can't find CBS.

[Coco]

---

"Refreshing" isn't a word I would ever associate with patriarchy.

Never heard of the channel they are going to be on. I'm guessing it's some religious channel I'll never manage to stumble across. My cable company switched up the channels a few weeks ago and I still can't find CBS.

The only time i've seen the UP channel was during a hotel stay. They were showing a Jeff Foxworthy Bible quiz show.

uptv.com/news/2013/test-your-bible-knowledge