Ian and Larissa's baby was born yesterday

[fundiefan]

I call it Larissa's baby in my head because Ian's genetics may have been used but I doubt highly he had any say in or control over the use of said genetics.

I hope that kid has an actual life, but somehow I think he'll be touted as some godly miracle/reward/prize - - miles above the normal way fundies see their children as prizes for being perfectly godly.

[Howl]

On 1/24/2017 at 2:04 PM, Palimpsest said:

I don't expect the child to do anything other than exist and be loved to pieces by his parents, his extended family and their very supportive friends and community.

A thousand times this! 

[lilwriter85]

On 1/24/2017 at 3:56 PM, fundiefan said:

I call it Larissa's baby in my head because Ian's genetics may have been used but I doubt highly he had any say in or control over the use of said genetics.

I hope that kid has an actual life, but somehow I think he'll be touted as some godly miracle/reward/prize - - miles above the normal way fundies see their children as prizes for being perfectly godly.

I hope so too. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if Larissa and Ian go out on the speaking circuit gig again and then mention how their son is a miracle for them.  The church Ian and Larissa attend doesn't have a good reputation and now the church and Piper will use the baby more to push Ian and Larissa's story.

[Terrie]

I'm going to have to go with @Palimpsest here. We don't know Ian. Most of us are not professionals who can evaluate a person's level of cognition. Ian clearly has impairments, but if they went to trial to confirm he is competant, he most likely was professionally evaluated. Unless someone has some evidence that he's gotten worse since then, there's no reason to think he's not competant. Assuming disabled = unable to consent is some shady, icky thinking.

[Granwych]

On ‎1‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 2:24 PM, Palimpsest said:

probably having a child will help with the depression she has shown in the past.  

If that were the case, then Teri Maxwell should be singing and dancing in the streets.  I hope that Larissa doesn't suffer PPD.

[Joplin4206]

On 1/24/2017 at 10:04 AM, Koala said:

It's hard for me to get excited about this (read: I can't), as issues of consent loom large in my mind.  

I think if Larissa were in Ian's shoes, we'd see a very different reaction to him impregnating her and having her carry a child to term.  To say nothing of saddling her with the responsibilities of raising a child.

As any of the parents here can tell you, raising a child is not for the faint of heart.  It's a joy, but it's a job.  A job that it's unfair for Ian to have placed on his shoulders, in my opinion.

I do feel that Ian's father emotionally manipulated Larissa, essentially telling her she must marry Ian or get out of his life.  

Why?  Why couldn't she transition from a girlfriend to a support/friend role in his life?  The answer is pretty obvious.  Long term care.  

It's a sad situation, but I don't think bringing a baby into it was the answer.  He's here now though, so I wish them the best.

Wow. You really have no idea what you’re talking about. And you’re basing it off of your very limited understanding of their situation. 

On 1/24/2017 at 5:56 PM, fundiefan said:

I call it Larissa's baby in my head because Ian's genetics may have been used but I doubt highly he had any say in or control over the use of said genetics.

I hope that kid has an actual life, but somehow I think he'll be touted as some godly miracle/reward/prize - - miles above the normal way fundies see their children as prizes for being perfectly godly.

What a strange reaction. The baby’s life is amazing so far. Try to pull your head out of your butt. 

On 1/24/2017 at 12:35 PM, Koala said:

Now this is where I will be happy to acknowledge it, if I was mistaken.  I haven't seen any videos of Ian communicating his thoughts.  I am not saying they don't exist, just that in the videos I've seen, there has been no significant communication.  

In the video I am about to link, Larissa talks about making the decision to marry based on what Ian said/did before the accident (min: 4:03).  She does say that Ian can communicate, but there is no real evidence of that in the video.  I think at one point he says, "Hi wifey" and when asked how his day went he says what sounds like, "I love you".

At min 6:10 she talks about his dad telling her they need to make a decision about what they are going to do.  Why did his dad need to do that if Ian was capable of making decisions for himself?  Why was his father a part of that aspect of their relationship?

Larissa said that the conversation (which really sounds a lot like an ultimatum) with his father is the reason they decided to pursue engagement.

Do I think Larissa is a bad person?  No.  Her writings are tragic, and you can tell she deals with a lot of depression over the direction her life has taken.  

Like I said, if there is a video that I've missed, showing that Ian has progressed and is now having meaningful conversations, please point them out to me so that I can apologize.  

If not, this is my opinion.  Take it or leave it.  I maintain that if this was a woman (in Ian's exact same situation), there would be an outcry like no other if her husband impregnated her and had her carry a child to term.

I do wish them both the best. 

*edited, because I found the video on Youtube*

Again Koala, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re basing your responses off of what you’ve seen on the internet. You’re coming across as mean-spirited, which I doubt is what you’re intending. But your objective observations are inaccurate and inappropriate. 

[Curious]

Welcome to Free Jinger.  You realize this thread is a year old, right?   Maybe it's time we revisited Ian and Larissia and see how they are doing.  Thanks for the reminder

[Joplin4206]

Yes. That doesn’t make it any less painful when they (yes, both of them) read it. 

[Mela99]

I'd almost forgotten about them. I still hope they're happy and thriving

[JermajestyDuggar]

I looked for an update on their blog, fb page, and Instagram and none have been updated in a year. I hope they are doing well.

[Rachel333]

I had forgotten about them too. (Kind of ironic that this new poster is bringing FJ's attention to them all over again.) I was also surprised to see that there's a whole category for husbands with TBI's.

[Curious]

Enjoy our new thread on Ian and Larissa here: http://www.freejinger.org/topic/30457-ian-and-larissa-~-where-are-they-now/