Bontragers and Bowers Engaged

[mango_fandango]

What on Earth possesses people to call their kids weird names like that? Crosby for a girl is just cruel. Normal C names for the eldest two and then CROSBY. Why not something like Calista or Catherine or IDK something NORMAL...

[JermajestyDuggar]

I'm not an enforcer of strict gender roles but I am not a huge fan of giving girls a traditionally boy name. It's because no one ever gives a boy a traditional girl name but so many people will give a girl a boy name. My opinion is that it's rooted in sexism. So I tend to stick with traditional names. 

There are so many pretty C names for girls. Cora, Charlotte, Cecily, or Cordelia. But they go with Crosby? 

ETA: and before people flip because they think I'm calling them sexist. I think the cultural practice of giving girls boy names but not the other way around is sexist. I'm not saying people who do it are automatically sexist.

[Smash!]

I like the Bontragers actually. Of course they are fundy with everything we snark on but at least the couples can talk without a chaperone it seems. And they're hard working. Very curious about the weddings as well!

[mango_fandango]

I don't really know much about the Bontragers apart from the fact they're a singing group and the Duggars have associate with them sometimes. Searching "bontragers" in the search bar doesn't bring up much, unless I screwed up searching somehow. Is there any info on them anywhere? Their blog doesn't bring up much.

[HereticHick]

26 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

I don't really know much about the Bontragers apart from the fact they're a singing group and the Duggars have associate with them sometimes. Searching "bontragers" in the search bar doesn't bring up much, unless I screwed up searching somehow. Is there any info on them anywhere? Their blog doesn't bring up much.

They are extremely informative bloggers. And if you just google "Bontrager Family" or "Bontrager Bible Bee" you will find multiple articles like this one: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/one-homeschooled-christian-family-bands-mission-to-elect-ted-cruz/

[Lurky]

I especially scratch my head at Crosby, because I think of the area on Merseyside that's not exactly the first place I'd name a child for (though I did get on the station coming back from seeing Antony Gormley's Another Place, so it's not all bad)

[divadivine]

I'm wondering if Crosby wasn't someone's maiden name or the name of a special family friend who passed away? My friend's parents gave both of their daughter's their grandmother's maiden names as their middle names. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

20 minutes ago, divadivine said:

I'm wondering if Crosby wasn't someone's maiden name or the name of a special family friend who passed away? My friend's parents gave both of their daughter's their grandmother's maiden names as their middle names. 

And you know, I love honoring people with "out there" middle names. I think middle names are absolutely perfect for that sort of thing. That's why I always said I would have kind of liked "Elliot Spurgeon Seewald." It actually have a nice sound and flow to it. And it's why I think Henry Wilberforce Seewald is a nice name. I wish poor "Heistheway" was actually a middle name :-/

[divadivine]

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

And you know, I love honoring people with "out there" middle names. I think middle names are absolutely perfect for that sort of thing. That's why I always said I would have kind of liked "Elliot Spurgeon Seewald." It actually have a nice sound and flow to it. And it's why I think Henry Wilberforce Seewald is a nice name. I wish poor "Heistheway" was actually a middle name :-/

My friend's middle name is not one you would want as a first name. In fact, she always uses the initial as opposed to writing it out because it's obviously meant to be a last name. When she finally told me what it was I understood why she just used "W"... let's just say "Don't squeeze the Charmin!" would give you a hint on the middle name. 

I think her middle name made me so giggly because we were 16 when we met & it was not a name I would have ever guessed in a million years. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

It looks like they will be live streaming the double wedding and the single wedding. It won't be archived so if you want to see it, you better be watching live! 

[G33kywife]

14 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

It looks like they will be live streaming the double wedding and the single wedding. It won't be archived so if you want to see it, you better be watching live! 

Is it this weekend? 

[Italiangirl]

i think is the next, not sure in any case 

[JermajestyDuggar]

4:18 is oddly specific 

[veron1que]

15 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

4:18 is oddly specific 

 

I thought so too. Only guess is that it's a reference to a bible verse? Perhaps John 4:18

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

 

Sadly, I was originally thinking it would be the overused "love is patient, love is kind" bible verse. That's a 13.4.

[Lurky]

Why DO Fundies livestream their weddings?  I can't imagine that anyone sits through them apart from playing an FJ drinking game - surely putting up video highlights would be better for people who can't make it IRL (I'm assuming they can't make it as have other things on, so won't be available for the one-time-only stream)

[HereticHick]

I assume they livestream so far-away friends and relatives can watch--you would think most of their circle will come because its a triple wedding--but they do have Mennonite relatives in Mexico, New York State and Canada, and even some Hutterite friends in Canada (although maybe Hutterites don't do computers?). Some of those folks may not be able to afford the trip--or farm responsibilities may mean not everyone can get away for a whole weekend.

PS I thought it was interesting in the Bontrager's latest "Meet the Family" blog post that 23-year old daughter Alison, who works at their little family hotel, is temporarily living there until they hire a live-in manager. I can't imagine the Duggars or Bates allowing a daughter, no matter what age, to do that.

[JermajestyDuggar]

28 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

I assume they livestream so far-away friends and relatives can watch--you would think most of their circle will come because its a triple wedding--but they do have Mennonite relatives in Mexico, New York State and Canada, and even some Hutterite friends in Canada (although maybe Hutterites don't do computers?). Some of those folks may not be able to afford the trip--or farm responsibilities may mean not everyone can get away for a whole weekend.

PS I thought it was interesting in the Bontrager's latest "Meet the Family" blog post that 23-year old daughter Alison, who works at their little family hotel, is temporarily living there until they hire a live-in manager. I can't imagine the Duggars or Bates allowing a daughter, no matter what age, to do that.

I really think their Mennonite background allows for so much more autonomy for daughters. Amish/Mennonite are still patriarchal but they don't usually do the whole constant chaperone thing. They probably think it's way too impractical. Plus being a SAHD like the Duggars/Maxwells probably seems lazy and boring to them. 

[ophelia]

Seems like the Bontraeger offspring actually gets some skills which could be useful in the real world.

[L1o2u3]

I am very sure that Crosby was inspired by Fanny Crosby - lived about 100 years ago and wrote lots of hymns and gospel songs while being blind. Her songs are sung in churches all over the world. She wrote more than 8,000 songs! One of them is Blessed Assurance. 

But I only know that because I am writing a paper on Christian music and therefore read a book on the history of Church music. 

[ophelia]

@L1o2u3 "Blessed Assurance" is one of my favorite hymns. Thank you for all this background information and good luck with your paper!

[Hortense Peyrac]

22 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I really think their Mennonite background allows for so much more autonomy for daughters. Amish/Mennonite are still patriarchal but they don't usually do the whole constant chaperone thing. They probably think it's way too impractical. Plus being a SAHD like the Duggars/Maxwells probably seems lazy and boring to them

It seems that the two older Bowers daughters were alone in Iowa during July, while the rest of family were in Romania. Cassidy and Carolina took care of littles. I think that it's a real token of trust for the girls,  no chaperone except the children.... no father, nor uncle or brothers.... Normal for me, but remarkable for fundies

[JermajestyDuggar]

According to the Bowers blog, the Bontragers threw a triple shower for the girls. And the only other Bowers daughter is the maid of honor in the double wedding. She's young so that will be cute. She's the one named Crosby. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

Carson and Carolina's house is done. These worker bee Bontragers and Bowers must be exhausted. I bet it's really nice on the inside. 

[MamaJunebug]

On 8/10/2017 at 7:25 PM, divadivine said:

My friend's middle name is not one you would want as a first name. In fact, she always uses the initial as opposed to writing it out because it's obviously meant to be a last name. When she finally told me what it was I understood why she just used "W"... let's just say "Don't squeeze the Charmin!" would give you a hint on the middle name. 

I think her middle name made me so giggly because we were 16 when we met & it was not a name I would have ever guessed in a million years. 

"Watercloset"??????

On 8/10/2017 at 4:37 PM, divadivine said:

I'm wondering if Crosby wasn't someone's maiden name or the name of a special family friend who passed away? My friend's parents gave both of their daughter's their grandmother's maiden names as their middle names. 

And that seemed to be rather Southern or - in the bistate area of Mo/IL - upper-class. I actually really like the concept, but when your grandmoms'  maiden names come from Eastern Europe .... not an option. Not if you don't want little Caitlin Wojcziekowski Lastname to hate you her whole life. Heh!  

[MamaJunebug]

On 6/26/2017 at 10:50 AM, HereticHick said:

I am mystified about the Bowers source of income. They just bought their farmhouse + land near the Bontragers last fall; they have a giant-ass tour bus. They seem to be living quite comfortably-- nice home furnishings, nicely dressed kids. I can't believe Daddy's 2 documentary films bring in enough income to keep them all fed and pay the mortgage on the house. I know that they sometime have little booths at conferences, and they probably sell CDs of their singing (but those type of CD sales rarely make a profit over the  recording + production + shipping costs).

I can see how "love offerings" + grifting from friends while on the road can keep them in food, gas and laundry quarters, but I don't see how they are paying the mortgage (or paying for upcoming giant wedding receptions)

I am willing to bet big money that they are doing this on the backs -er, Love Offerings  -- of any number of friends who are donating food, decor, labor, etc.,  in a spirit of true community fellowship, of course, and not at all to be noticed by other cultists for their generosity.  (Yes, I'm in a particularly buzztchy mood today, thanks for noticing!)