Maxwells conference fall 2011

[treemom]

Someone ( I think it was Treemom IIRC) wrote them after Slave Lake AB Canada basically burned to the ground a few months after they did a presentation up there, asking them if they prayed for the people up there, the same people who supported their conference, who lost everything? I don't think she ever got a reply.

It was me and it was because they had been there a couple months before and it is a smallish area. The fire went through the town incredibly quick and the company I worked for had a lumber mill there and most of the people I knew there lost their homes to fire or smoke damage. And no they never ever replied. Because they suck.

I think that might have been where I just decided I have no patience for fundies and got super cranky here.

[dairyfreelife]

Interesting how they keep running into people with car trouble or accidents, along with all the problems that they keep seeming to have.

Sounds to me like God's hand really has been in all of this--trying to stop them. Who wrecked the transmission? The countless windshields? All the other troubles they mentioned? The delays for helping people at the side of the road. God wants to keep them at home, and keeps throwing up all these delays.

Seriously, He's sending them a message to stop but they are too self centered to realize it.

I have thought the same thing. A lot of fundies talk about answering to God for not doing what he has he asked. Well, in that case, I bet God will give Steve and Teri, (especially Steve) quite an earful about their self-righteous, self-centered and arrogant attitudes when they get to Heaven. Seems God keeps hitting a proverbial brick wall with people like the Maxwells. No matter he tries to do get them to stop or shut up, they just don't listen.

[Guest Anonymous]

"The Lord" generously blessed the Maxwells with free food at Chik-fil-A all last week and they are returning the blessing this week, by removing the text about the freebies from that last blog entry and promoting the company on their new post.

Product endorsement is fine, if that's the way you need to go to support your ministry, Steve, but why not be honest about the perks you received to promote them?

From the same post, gotta love the sweet condescension with which Sarah refers to the 'sweet widow' who cooked them their dinner. Does she not have a name, Sarah, or any other qualities by which she might be described?

And I thought 'true religion' was about helping widows in distress, not just eating them out of house and home?

[Justme]

Scandalous!!!! Sarah posted a picture of Ma nearly nakked on top!!! The sleeves on her shirt end well above the elbow! :naughty: I shudder to think of all the young men who were defrauded by seeing her elbows!

[Deleted03]

Scandalous!!!! Sarah posted a picture of Ma nearly nakked on top!!! The sleeves on her shirt end well above the elbow! :naughty: I shudder to think of all the young men who were defrauded by seeing her elbows!

Personally "I shudder to think THAT young men COULD BE defrauded by seeing her elbows"

More seriously, they really think that God is working through them during those sessions?

"When we began Friday evening, hearts didn’t seem too open. But as each session progressed, hearts were softened, and the Lord was doing a mighty work! It was exciting to see. "

[Guest Anonymous]

I think that they start the evening sessions with a concert - I'm not surprised that hearts are cold to that racket! :lol:

I think they are so rude in the way that they talk about the real, live people who follow their blog and on whom they are dependent for their income.

[darkplumaged]

I think that they start the evening sessions with a concert - I'm not surprised that hearts are cold to that racket! :lol:

I think they are so rude in the way that they talk about the real, live people who follow their blog and on whom they are dependent for their income.

Their music is the opposite of a joyful noise made unto the Lord. (I wish there were a smiley with its fingers in its ears.)

I think they have a very hard time relating to and connecting to other people, which is why they sound so weird and distant whenever they talk about anyone who isn't a precious Maxwell.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I think that they start the evening sessions with a concert - I'm not surprised that hearts are cold to that racket! :lol:

I think they are so rude in the way that they talk about the real, live people who follow their blog and on whom they are dependent for their income.

It makes me wonder just what those exact same people think about it - I mean, they attended the conference, and one woman made them a lasagna even. Surely she is going to check out the blog, if she's that much of a fan? But the mention is only "a sweet widow."

I agree it comes off as just weirdly condescending. It's the Maxwells, who knows what they're actually aiming for, but always their conference reports with the pictures of attendees are described almost like stand in stock characters, "a boy and his father" "a sweet young woman" etc. As if they don't know anyone else personally so their blog is always just filled with an endless parade of interchangeable strangers.

I think they have a very hard time relating to and connecting to other people, which is why they sound so weird and distant whenever they talk about anyone who isn't a precious Maxwell.

Yes. Exactly the same feeling I get too.

[chemist1217]

I have two comments on that blog

1. When you caption a picture and say "so and so and I" you are only making yourself look like an uneducated nitwit. Its "ME and anna". ARGGG ok grammar rant over

2. Mary is becoming a beautiful young lady. Really, I think she is going to take over as the best looking Maxwell very soon

[Guest Anonymous]

It makes me wonder just what those exact same people think about it - I mean, they attended the conference, and one woman made them a lasagna even. Surely she is going to check out the blog, if she's that much of a fan? But the mention is only "a sweet widow."

I agree it comes off as just weirdly condescending. It's the Maxwells, who knows what they're actually aiming for, but always their conference reports with the pictures of attendees are described almost like stand in stock characters, "a boy and his father" "a sweet young woman" etc. As if they don't know anyone else personally so their blog is always just filled with an endless parade of interchangeable strangers.

Yes. Exactly the same feeling I get too.

My guess, from reading the Moody books and the blog, is that the 'children' have grown up with their everyday behaviours being sermonised and corrected, and with everyone asking forgiveness and promising to reform their behaviour all day long, and in that context they probably have no idea how to reflect and communicate in a positive way.

That weird blog from John the other week, was the best/worst example I have seen of the disconnect, but Sarah seems to have caught the same bug.

Their 'regular' blog commenters seem to be off the wall and probably wouldn't notice the coldness: Mrs Mari who writes incessantly about how she worries for them, and Rebekah K!!!!!!111eleventy!!!! who over-exclaims about every.single.detail of her dealings with them. But there must be more ordinary folk who go to these conferences and feel bemused by the way it was written up.

[darkplumaged]

If I were a Maxwell fan and met them at one of their conferences, and we talked for a while, I'd be hurt if they captioned a picture of me "A lady we met on Tuesday" or something like that. It would make me feel as if they couldn't be bothered to remember my name. I know it's hard to remember lots of names, but if they can take pictures, they can write down names of their subjects. If they don't want to use people's full names on the blog for privacy reasons, that's fine, but how about a first name and last initial, or Mr. or Mrs. Last Initial?

[slickcat79]

Mmm...Chickfila :drool:

As far as the photo captioning goes, maybe they're just really bad with names? I mean, I'd think they could remember the woman who made them dinner, but may not make a note of every attendee's name to match it up with a picture. It's also a teeny tiny weak possibility that they had some awareness of others and decided it was a bad idea to post names on pictures without the subject's express permission, which they don't always bother to get. They have been blogging for a long time...maybe someone complained about being identified when they didn't want to be.

[clarinetpower]

Mmm...Chickfila :drool:

As far as the photo captioning goes, maybe they're just really bad with names? I mean, I'd think they could remember the woman who made them dinner, but may not make a note of every attendee's name to match it up with a picture. It's also a teeny tiny weak possibility that they had some awareness of others and decided it was a bad idea to post names on pictures without the subject's express permission, which they don't always bother to get. They have been blogging for a long time...maybe someone complained about being identified when they didn't want to be.

Yep, that may be it, but still--it should be "me". (This is a photo of) Anna and Me. You would never say, "this is a photo of I!" You are the object of the photo in this case, so you must use the object form. Drives me nuts, too, and I see it all the time.

*steps of grammar soapbox*

*which is different from the spelling soapbox, of which I am also a fan*

*shuts up now*

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Not quite on topic maybe, but... I noticed in their latest post that they have a new session called "A Necessary Skill For Life." Hoping to see what it's about, I did a quick google of just that phrase plus "titus2."

This leads to some PDF schedules for their conferences but also a hit on Facebook for this Orlando conference, where it was touted as "a free homeschooling conference."

It reminded me of another thread where people were complaining (rightfully, IMHO) that so many "homeschooling conferences" when you get right down to it are only "conservative Christianity sermons" and amount to almost a bait and switch. I would hope anyone going to see the Maxwells would know what they're about, and surely the "free" means "don't expect much" when it comes to these things, but still - can you imagine going to what you think is a homeschooling thing and ending up at a Maxwell conference? Other than the one session on "Managers of their Schools" it's not really about homeschooling, seems to me...

[LilMissMetaphor]

"When we began Friday evening, hearts didn’t seem too open. But as each session progressed, hearts were softened, and the Lord was doing a mighty work! It was exciting to see. "

This sounds like a couple trying to hurry along the labor and birth experience if you ask me:

"When we began Friday evening, cervixes didn’t seem too open. But as each session progressed, cervixes were softened, and the Lord was doing a mighty work! It was exciting to see."

[skankbiscuit]

Hmmm...in John's post and in Sarah's recent post it doesn't sound like the Maxwells have been very well received lately. Perhaps it's their smug and condescending manner in which they speak to people. Perhaps it was what some would call more fun :lol: when Christopher was around to make his balloon art.

I think if they are seeing people being "stoic" or with "their hearts closed" it has nothing to do with the Lord at all. It's probably people being like "I drove 6 hours to hear these people and they won't even say hi" or "I made a fabulous dinner to welcome them and they didn't even say thank you."

The Maxwells really need to see that the problem is THEM and not the people attending their "conferences".

[MamaJunebug]

My unyielding vexation about the way the Maxwells describe people -- and it's not limited to them, either -- is calling every woman or girl "sweet." OMFood if I had a dollar for everytime Rebecca Sreven (in the day) described a female as "sweet" I'd have enough for a nice lunch today, and to take a friend with me.

What's the big compliment in being called sweet? I think of my mom, very often a sweet person to the point that she got taken advantage of. Then I think again of her, upstanding and intelligent and keen-eyed, and those are the times I like to remember. Yes, even when it was my sorry self that had been the subject of some keen-eyed observations and resulting (loving) correction.

Why are men never sweet? Because it's a female trait, I suppose, and in the Fundyverse, femaleness is perceived as bad, flawed, weak, inferior. That's true in many parts of the universe, too, but at least we have the opportunity to say it's not.

I've never seen a boy baby or toddler described as "sweet" on a blog. One of my grandjuniors is the sweetest little person I've ever seen and he's male. Yes, he throws tantrums, yes, he prefers hammer toys and such (see? I'm ressuring myself/you-all that he's all boy, even I do it!) but yes I call him sweet because he is!

Aurgh.

Also, I've never eaten any Chick-Fil-A products and knowing what I do about them, I never will. They can't be any better than Church's or Popeyes, anyway!

:violin: :-x <---How's this for close-to a fingers-in-the-ears emoticon???? :D ;)

ETA a comment in re: the misuse of "I" and "me." "Me" sounds shrill with the long E, whereas "I" has a sort of propriety about it. Think of people who say "eye-ther" instead of "ee-ther" for the word either. Sure, some of that is cultural and regional (eye-ther or ee-ther) but I've always thought that the perception of using "I" as more educated and proper is what's responsible for most of the misuse. In dominionism's case, I'd almost be sure that was true! That, and ineffectual homskuuling! ;)

[Guest Anonymous]

This sounds like a couple trying to hurry along the labor and birth experience if you ask me:

"When we began Friday evening, cervixes didn’t seem too open. But as each session progressed, cervixes were softened, and the Lord was doing a mighty work! It was exciting to see."

I definitely like your interpretation better.

[emmiedahl]

It reminded me of another thread where people were complaining (rightfully, IMHO) that so many "homeschooling conferences" when you get right down to it are only "conservative Christianity sermons" and amount to almost a bait and switch. I would hope anyone going to see the Maxwells would know what they're about, and surely the "free" means "don't expect much" when it comes to these things, but still - can you imagine going to what you think is a homeschooling thing and ending up at a Maxwell conference? Other than the one session on "Managers of their Schools" it's not really about homeschooling, seems to me...

This totally happened to me OVER and OVER when I homeschooled. That Nancy whoever lady who is supposed to be a history education whiz gave a talk that was all about prayer and the necessity of making boys do hard manual labor. That was not the only time... it was hella annoying.

[docmom]

"The Lord" generously blessed the Maxwells with free food at Chik-fil-A all last week

I did not know that God owned Chik-fil-A. You'd figure he'd have spelt it correctly, you know, being all-knowing and all.

[slickcat79]

Yep, that may be it, but still--it should be "me". (This is a photo of) Anna and Me. You would never say, "this is a photo of I!" You are the object of the photo in this case, so you must use the object form. Drives me nuts, too, and I see it all the time.

:? I'm confused? I understand how grammar works; we are in agreement there. It's as if their english education stalled around middle school, or whenever it is that you learn to put "I" last. I was only talking about actually identifying the subjects in the pictures by name.

I don't really find it problematic that they don't call each person by name because we often don't know what their relationship is. Maybe that person has spoken to them for days and has been friendly and welcoming, or maybe they've barely spoken. It is a little weird that they ID some subjects by name and not others, but that's sort of what leads me to believe that some people give permission to be named and others don't. Of course, that may be giving them way too much credit. I'm sure many of the people who show up on their blog are nothing more than a parade of random strangers.

[slickcat79]

This sounds like a couple trying to hurry along the labor and birth experience if you ask me:

"When we began Friday evening, cervixes didn’t seem too open. But as each session progressed, cervixes were softened, and the Lord was doing a mighty work! It was exciting to see."

Ha, I kind of got that vibe too. Especially the bit about softening :shock:

[emmiedahl]

I just realized that the Maxwell empire must be in some serious financial peril if they are lowering themselves to be the poster children of a fast food joint.

[skankbiscuit]

It's all gone downhill since Christopher got married. Even Sarah laments about how much they miss Christopher. I think he was really the brains behind the whole operation. I think their music has also gone downhill (I know, not really possible) since Chris left.

They need to figure out something else, and fast. I'll bet Steve was so pissed they had to shell out money for a hotel. I wonder if no one from the church offered to put them up in their house. How weird.

[kpmom]

It's all gone downhill since Christopher got married. Even Sarah laments about how much they miss Christopher. I think he was really the brains behind the whole operation. I think their music has also gone downhill (I know, not really possible) since Chris left.

I think you are right about the music. I believe Christopher was the only Maxwell sibling who actually took piano lessons and not just learned from a book. I believe an old Corner mentions he gave lessons to his younger siblings. He played a mean harmonica in a you tube video of them singing I'll Fly Away, and I'm not snarking. It was very good.

I agree their music is not terrific, but it is better than their singing, for sure.