Jump to content
IGNORED

Sarah Maxwell


Justme

Recommended Posts

I really have wondered if ATI/IBLP has a "marriage bureau" where fathers can find suitable spouses for their kids! Example:

20 year old single white male, (ALERT trained, 1 year at HG) second of 14 children, has Microsoft certs and own computer repair business, owns home, and have a years salary in savings, seeks wife of similar age. Must have no priors [courtships] should be totally uneducated, have no knowledge of the reproductive system but must aspire to use her uterus in the service of the Lord for as long as He allows. Small home business ok--examples card making, piano instruction, headcovering etsy shop. Should provide proof of virginity to P.O. Box....

or

17 year old white female, fully housetrained, answers to all normal commands and can easily learn others, cooks, cleans, excellent at child care, limits intake of food properly for appearances, seeks husband of at least 16 willing to have her. P.O. Box.....

Then the marriage guru would toss the cards in the air, match male to female and contact the happy fathers!

Unfortunately Steve parted ways with ATI many years ago (I know they attended a Basic seminar, not sure they ever took it any further). ATI kids socialise with each other at Big Sandy style conferences, and of course there is the Gothard worship - thou shalt have no other gods before Steve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 149
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I would really like to see Mary get married someday and I hope Steve passing away isn't the only way. She's pretty and seems really sweet but jesus be some life skills because this girls would have a very tough time adapting to the real world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately Steve parted ways with ATI many years ago (I know they attended a Basic seminar, not sure they ever took it any further). ATI kids socialise with each other at Big Sandy style conferences, and of course there is the Gothard worship - thou shalt have no other gods before Steve.

It's scary to think that there's some family out there that's more fundie than ATI :pink-shock:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's scary to think that there's some family out there that's more fundie than ATI :pink-shock:

I hate to break the news to you but there are many. Only the Deity I don't believe in knows how many extreme Fundies there are out there living off the grid. Some of them make Steve Maxwell, not just Gothardites, seem almost middle of the road. Recent examples discussed here include the Stanley and Garver families. Going back a bit: Papa Pilgrim, the Gabe Anasts (Michael Pearl's daughter and SIL), and the quite feral Lydia of Purple family (the Dale Sabins). RIP Colleen. You held that family together as lovingly and as well as you could.

And that is just off the top of my head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate to break the news to you but there are many. Only the Deity I don't believe in knows how many extreme Fundies there are out there living off the grid. Some of them make Steve Maxwell, not just Gothardites, seem almost middle of the road. Recent examples discussed here include the Stanley and Garver families. Going back a bit: Papa Pilgrim, the Gabe Anasts (Michael Pearl's daughter and SIL), and the quite feral Lydia of Purple family (the Dale Sabins). RIP Colleen. You held that family together as lovingly and as well as you could.

And that is just off the top of my head.

I would love to see a real "fly on the wall" type documentary [not reality show] on some of the off-grid families. Or one of the families who have tried [succeeded?] to convert to Amish. I used to read on such blog--they were trying to get the Amish to take them. Lost track of them years back. But some real hard-core folks: living in a house the build as they go or in cobbled together old mobile homes. Raising/growing all their food. That sort. The kind that, if they even homeschool at all, it's just with the Bible and maybe a few simple additions. That would be fascinating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love to see a real "fly on the wall" type documentary [not reality show] on some of the off-grid families. Or one of the families who have tried [succeeded?] to convert to Amish. I used to read on such blog--they were trying to get the Amish to take them. Lost track of them years back. But some real hard-core folks: living in a house the build as they go or in cobbled together old mobile homes. Raising/growing all their food. That sort. The kind that, if they even homeschool at all, it's just with the Bible and maybe a few simple additions. That would be fascinating.

I would use the word scary.

I'm all for freedom to live the way you want, and even the freedom to raise your kids the way you want, to a certain extent... but if you choose to have kids, that should come with certain responsibilities including making sure they are educated to live in this century.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone ever written a personal letter to Sarah that Steve pre-read before giving to her, and answered you himself? That would be federal mail tampering. I've been wondering a long time if Sarah received a letter telling her about the wonder of the big building that let you borrow books and films for free, colleges that didn't feature scary non-believers, and the joy of being able to think for herself.

Just wondering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would use the word scary.

I'm all for freedom to live the way you want, and even the freedom to raise your kids the way you want, to a certain extent... but if you choose to have kids, that should come with certain responsibilities including making sure they are educated to live in this century.

I would use the word terrifying.

This rant is not aimed at you, nomaxian. I just need to let off steam.

I have to admit that I'm fresh off reading a book about Papa Pilgrim. The Tom Kizzia one. Available at your local library. It is a well documented description of disaster.

What blows my mind on this one is not Robert Allen Hale's background. His "accidental" shooting of his first wife. His decent from educated "upper middle class" to druggie Manson friend hippie. His later descent into Extreme as Extreme Fundie can be -- evil abusive unspeakable purveyor of horror.

What blows my mind is that, even before Alaska, when Robert Allen Hale was living almost "on the grid" on Jack Nicholson's estate many people saw what he was doing to his family - Those People Did Not Intervene!

Because they were all for freedom. By their own testimony. Starving, bruised and beaten up children were OK. Bruised and beaten up wife was OK. Feral, starving, thieving (because they were desperate for food) bruised and injured kids were OK. 'Cos FREEDOM.

Well, perhaps they couldn't see the incest. I'll give them that.

Papa Pilgrim in Alaska was a tragedy in errors too. In how many ways can we ignore child abuse to get our anti-government NIMBY agenda met?

I'm also going to say that some people in Alaska did apparently report what they saw to authorities, but Papa Pilgrim's "charm" got him off the hook many times. This stuff is so hard.

But honestly, citing FREEDOM when it comes to enabling vicious child abuse makes me barf.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's scary to think that there's some family out there that's more fundie than ATI :pink-shock:

I know. I thought it can't get worse than ATI, then I met the Maxwells.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would use the word terrifying.

This rant is not aimed at you, nomaxian. I just need to let off steam.

I have to admit that I'm fresh off reading a book about Papa Pilgrim. The Tom Kizzia one. Available at your local library. It is a well documented description of disaster.

What blows my mind on this one is not Robert Allen Hale's background. His "accidental" shooting of his first wife. His decent from educated "upper middle class" to druggie Manson friend hippie. His later descent into Extreme as Extreme Fundie can be -- evil abusive unspeakable purveyor of horror.

What blows my mind is that, even before Alaska, when Robert Allen Hale was living almost "on the grid" on Jack Nicholson's estate many people saw what he was doing to his family - Those People Did Not Intervene!

Because they were all for freedom. By their own testimony. Starving, bruised and beaten up children were OK. Bruised and beaten up wife was OK. Feral, starving, thieving (because they were desperate for food) bruised and injured kids were OK. 'Cos FREEDOM.

Well, perhaps they couldn't see the incest. I'll give them that.

Papa Pilgrim in Alaska was a tragedy in errors too. In how many ways can we ignore child abuse to get our anti-government NIMBY agenda met?

I'm also going to say that some people in Alaska did apparently report what they saw to authorities, but Papa Pilgrim's "charm" got him off the hook many times. This stuff is so hard.

But honestly, citing FREEDOM when it comes to enabling vicious child abuse makes me barf.

Sorry if you thought I was offended at *you*.

And I would totally watch a show like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This family seem to go to the zoo very often.

They are at Omaha's Henry Doorley Zoo in that photo. It's a mega huge zoo, and one of the best in the world. My family used to have an annual pass and we would go several times a year - so I definitely recognize the cat house in the background :-) They also run a large animal safari park about 30 minutes away.

Everytime I go home I go and visit the zoo...I remember one time my grandma and I watched gorillas dry hump in the Gorilla Valley, and we gleefully laughed as parents pulled their children away LOL. I'm assuming they would flee as well.

I do hope I see Maxwells next time I am there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are at Omaha's Henry Doorley Zoo in that photo. It's a mega huge zoo, and one of the best in the world. My family used to have an annual pass and we would go several times a year - so I definitely recognize the cat house in the background :-) They also run a large animal safari park about 30 minutes away.

Everytime I go home I go and visit the zoo...I remember one time my grandma and I watched gorillas dry hump in the Gorilla Valley, and we gleefully laughed as parents pulled their children away LOL. I'm assuming they would flee as well.

I do hope I see Maxwells next time I am there!

I think one of Steve's sisters lives in Omaha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think one of Steve's sisters lives in Omaha.

I know for sure his mother was in a home there when she passed. One if his sisters living there seems to ring a bell too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are at Omaha's Henry Doorley Zoo in that photo. It's a mega huge zoo, and one of the best in the world. My family used to have an annual pass and we would go several times a year - so I definitely recognize the cat house in the background :-) They also run a large animal safari park about 30 minutes away.

Everytime I go home I go and visit the zoo...I remember one time my grandma and I watched gorillas dry hump in the Gorilla Valley, and we gleefully laughed as parents pulled their children away LOL. I'm assuming they would flee as well.

I do hope I see Maxwells next time I am there!

Fair enough, pulling an 8 year old away, but a 33 year old?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate to break the news to you but there are many. Only the Deity I don't believe in knows how many extreme Fundies there are out there living off the grid. Some of them make Steve Maxwell, not just Gothardites, seem almost middle of the road. Recent examples discussed here include the Stanley and Garver families. Going back a bit: Papa Pilgrim, the Gabe Anasts (Michael Pearl's daughter and SIL), and the quite feral Lydia of Purple family (the Dale Sabins). RIP Colleen. You held that family together as lovingly and as well as you could.

And that is just off the top of my head.

Wow...do you have links for any of these?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just looked at the comments from the "Resurrection Sunday" post (I'm a little behind) and I'm shocked they let the E word (Easter) be mentioned by a commenter!! :pink-shock:

They must have too busy changing names and taking out chunks of other comments to notice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow...do you have links for any of these?

The Stanley and Gaver discussions are on the first couple of pages: the Fundie Family has children removed and the Shootout at Walmart threads.

Go to the Individuals and Families Archives and look for Pearl/Anast and Papa Pilgrim/Hale/Buckingham threads. There are a lot of them:

viewforum.php?f=166

The Lydia of Purple discussions were mostly back on yuku, although we have mentioned them here. Yuku is a bugger to search but googling "yuku Free Jinger Lydia of Purple Sabin" may bring stuff up.

Sorry, that's all I have time for right now.

If you get completely lost down the rabbit hole let us know and I'll send out the rescue ferrets. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are at Omaha's Henry Doorley Zoo in that photo. It's a mega huge zoo, and one of the best in the world. My family used to have an annual pass and we would go several times a year - so I definitely recognize the cat house in the background :-)

I'm easily amused on Monday mornings, enough so that I am giggling at the thought of the Maxwells visiting a cat house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm stuck in bed trying to recover from pneumonia, so I decided to read Maxwell archives. I started in 2007. The December posts brought back horrible memories of the terrible ice storm we had that year. Power out for over a week in our area and lots of storm damage...yuck.

What I also noticed was a photo of Sarah, grinning at the camera in what appears to be a genuinely happy moment. She looks so relaxed compared to recent blog photos. Sarah and I are very close in age, so I get that we are going to begin aging a bit. Gray hairs, smile lines, sure. But she looks just exhausted in recent photos. That December 2007 photo really demonstrates the contrast. :cry:

Of all the family members with whom I had contact at the November conference, I wish I had been able to have more time to speak with Sarah. She was much more standoffish than the rest of the Maxwell women. she was also quite busy with handling the product table and taking photos, but she seemed to avoid a lot of conference attendees when compared to Anna and Mary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Wow. Just watched that video of Sarah describing the moody books.. And I kind of want to cry because holy shit that girl is so screwed. The sentences she was saying didn t even seem to have anything to do with each other.

I think the sentences would have been semi-coherent when she wrote them, but she pauses in the wrong places and just doesn't come across naturally; no surprise considering she has hardly any experience talking to anyone outside her family. Honestly, if I didn't know who she was I would have thought the video was a parody.

What really struck me about the video is that she talks about how she doesn't write about negative stuff, but about siblings who love each other (and acts like it's a novel concept in kidlit) and children who do good deeds. No one ever told the poor woman that conflict is at the heart of what makes stories interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or that lots of kids books I read have siblings who are best friends.

Aye. Many children's books with siblings who don't always get along are beneficial, too, because they help kids learn things like conflict resolution and respect for differences. Then again, these aren't really acknowledged concepts in Maxhell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the sentences would have been semi-coherent when she wrote them, but she pauses in the wrong places and just doesn't come across naturally; no surprise considering she has hardly any experience talking to anyone outside her family. Honestly, if I didn't know who she was I would have thought the video was a parody.

What really struck me about the video is that she talks about how she doesn't write about negative stuff, but about siblings who love each other (and acts like it's a novel concept in kidlit) and children who do good deeds. No one ever told the poor woman that conflict is at the heart of what makes stories interesting.

There is nothing wrong with Sarah's delivery. The Maxwells are GREAT conversationalists. The whole rest of the world just doesn't know how to listen and respond appropriately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I want to believe that one day she'll fly the coop and see what the world is really like, but the poor thing also seems emotionally stunted.

The only hope for any of those girls is to marry a guy who will take them away from all that, since they'll never take the baby steps away on their own. It's very telling that the older boys are getting married and having courtships and whatnot, but none of the girls have come close. They're not allowed to initiate anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I emailed Sarah about her books with some suggestions. I got the most beautiful reply. It's very well written. She let me know that some of my suggestions are things she has already considered and that she was interested in other ideas. The letter did seem like it was written by someone quite young (I'm not much older than Sarah but it felt more like an email from my 16yo daughter than an equal) but in terms of what she wrote and how she wrote it, it was better than her books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.