John Shrader 15: Welcome to Poisonwood, Caleb

[Freejin]

The new prayer letter has literally no news in it. He repeats information from months ago about those who have “fallen away” and lists nary a new acccomplishment. Not one. Why put a newsletter out if you don’t have news?  

[Palimpsest]

54 minutes ago, Freejin said:

Why put a newsletter out if you don’t have news?  

To grift, my friend.  To grift.

The quarterly newsletters are expected by members of the supporting churches who don't follow or friend Shrader on Facebook.  I hope they twig that there really isn't any news but they seem remarkably slow to cut off the World's Worst Missionary.

For us, the bad news is that Boyd (AKA "Black Bull" according to John) has returned to the fold.  The "faithful" Whyte, Paul, and Emmanuel have been around for ages and never left.  No mention of formerly faithful Percy, however.  Perhaps he has fled and took Brian with him.

It is news to me that Whyte and Paul are Roderick's brothers.  That could be what Handia was referring to in his December post when he mentioned brothers.  Interesting.  I hope that they will follow their older brother in seeing Shrader's feet of clay.

An unidentified former follower came back to confess his drinking and smoking sins.  John told him to take a hike because he "only wanted money."  Silly chap.  He should have known that John will never part with cash.

Oh, and Caleb is doing well.  That is an extraordinarily unflattering photo of the unfortunate little sprog on the right though.  Two months old and already stuffed into a shirt and enormous tie.  Poor little thing.

And poor Bro. Theophil.  He has no idea what a pit of dysfunction he has fallen into!

[Howl]

Kudos to Handia, though.  Apparently, he graduated in February from a Russian university with a PhD in nuclear engineering. 

[EyesOpen]

Well damn. Was hoping they’d been chased home. 

[Howl]

38 minutes ago, EyesOpen said:

Well damn. Was hoping they’d been chased home. 

Sadly, it sounds as though he's augured in even more deeply. 

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, Howl said:

Sadly, it sounds as though he's augured in even more deeply. 

I don't think so.  I think he is still on the very edge of the precipice.  What do we have now - 4 "faithful" and he is praying for 20 preachers?

He has gone silent on FB (and swiffered incriminating evidence) before many times but this time seems longer and different.  I think he has been warned to be careful about what he makes public.  'Cos legalities.  They could still catch up with him.  And he lies like a rug.

Things have changed since Johnny first made landfall in Sub-Saharan Africa.  His so-called "missionary" status is under fire.  

Mind you, I genuinely thought Shrader would crap out within months.  I was sadly disappointed about that.  The man clings like a limpet to his fake mission and has far too many enablers.

[Flossie]

13 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

Mind you, I genuinely thought Shrader would crap out within months.  I was sadly disappointed about that.  The man clings like a limpet to his fake mission and has far too many enablers.

Damn shame John couldn't use that tenacity to get a job, support his family all by himself, and be a full time father and husband.

[subsaharanafrica]

Did anyone notice that he talks about needing to start learning Chichewa (as opposed to Nyanja). It’s the same language but what you call it depends on what side of the border you are on...which begs the question: Is Malawi John’s new exit strategy?

[JillRodsEyeliner]

Are the Kellers that desperate to marry off their daughters that they will marry them off to anyone? Ester and John boy were living in a pop-up tent with all those kids. Wouldn't they want more for their daughter? All these fundie men do is beg for money, sit on their asses and get their wives pregnant with 20 kids. These boy-men need to grow up and take responsibility for their children.

[Howl]

3 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

Are the Kellers that desperate to marry off their daughters that they will marry them off to anyone? 

Yes! 

3 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

Ester and John boy were living in a pop-up tent with all those kids. Wouldn't they want more for their daughter?

No! 

3 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

All these fundie men do is beg for money, sit on their asses and get their wives pregnant with 20 kids. 

Word! 

3 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

These boy-men need to grow up and take responsibility for their children.

You're preachin' to the FJ choir!  

[JillRodsEyeliner]

9 hours ago, Howl said:

Yes! 

No! 

Word! 

You're preachin' to the FJ choir!  

To think Prissy got the better end of the deal with TFDW. Is it just me or do they look like siblings?

[mango_fandango]

2 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

To think Prissy got the better end of the deal with TFDW. Is it just me or do they look like siblings?

A LOT of FJers say that!!

And I’d agree. David does seem to love Priscilla, in a more genuine and obvious way than Johnboy does Esther. 

[JillRodsEyeliner]

6 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

A LOT of FJers say that!!

And I’d agree. David does seem to love Priscilla, in a more genuine and obvious way than Johnboy does Esther. 

Their kids are adorable and look kempt.

[TuringMachine]

44 minutes ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

Their kids are adorable and look kempt.

And David has a real job too, I think. Even if it is with IBLP

[Ozlsn]

16 hours ago, subsaharanafrica said:

Did anyone notice that he talks about needing to start learning Chichewa (as opposed to Nyanja). It’s the same language but what you call it depends on what side of the border you are on...which begs the question: Is Malawi John’s new exit strategy?

I really hope not.

Also "starting" to learn Chichewa? He's been there how long? Either he genuinely doesn't realise about the different names or it begs the question of what he's been doing all this time. 

[subsaharanafrica]

It’s also possible he’s trying to make it seem like a new language to his followers as he has mentioned starting to learn Nyanja in previous prayer letters and Facebook posts. 

Maybe he wants to sound important without drawing attention to the fact that he’s been starting to learn the same language for a year. 

[Palimpsest]

7 hours ago, TuringMachine said:

And David has a real job too, I think. Even if it is with IBLP

David and Priscilla seem on the surface to have the most successful marriage of the Keller siblings to date, but this is important.  They are the poster family for the evils of IBLP.  I am not part of their fan club.  "Not as bad as John Shrader or Josh Duggar" is a pretty low bar.

I don't think Priscilla is as stupid as many FJers think.  I do think she is probably a good and conscientious mother.  So is Anna and so is Esther.  Within the bounds of their ugly religious beliefs and limited education, that is.  The children are all very cute.

David doesn't just have a job with IBLP.  He is the "Director of ATI" and responsible for organizing the Family Conferences.  He and Priscilla go on the road with the dog and pony show and he is a featured speaker at Big Sandy.  They preach the poison everywhere they go.  David is also ambitious.  He was Gothard's personal assistant in the past and must know about all the closets full of skeletons.  David has his eye on the very top level of IBLP, if not the Presidency, in the future.

Bottom line, I think David is very dangerous and up to his eyeballs in the cult.   Pa Keller probably thinks he is the bee's knees and basks in David's reflected glory. 

Pa Keller probably thinks Shrader is perfectly OK, although it is a pity he renounced Gothardism.  He is a God-fearing Missionary, after all.   Pa Keller probably forgiave Josh Duggar ages ago.  He has repented his sins and is still procreating with Anna.

If Pa Keller has regrets it is probably over allowing Rebekah to marry Josh McD.  Josh McD renounced Gothardism and tried to break away.  Josh McD has posted on Recovering Grace.  And Rebekah and Josh McD divorced!  We don't know why, but Pa Keller probably sees that as far worse than John Shrader's antics as a fake missionary.

[Georgiana]

@Palimpsest, I would like to give you 100 HAYMAYUNS and a GOOD PREACHING for that post. Exactly.

I would also like to point out that APPEARANCES are VERY IMPORTANT to David Waller. Back in the early days of their marriage when they did not APPEAR to be the perfect fundie union, things were much darker. Pris admitted to crying in the middle of the night and feeling like a failure. David always seemed to be very frustrated and there were indications he directed that frustration at Pris. If you go back to the early days of their marriage, it’s not nearly so well manicured and presented as it is now. 

Sure, now that they have a perfect family for David to advertise it seems great, but I’m not convinced the family we see on social media is the reality. I think David has learned to hide his frustration better, and his family has learned to perform to his standards. But I think behind closed doors, Pris and the kids are still terrified to mess up and lose daddy’s love...or provoke his distaste. 

[Palimpsest]

Thanks @Georgiana, and I completely agree with you about the Wallers.  I should probably have put the above post on the David and Priscilla thread.  A lot of people seem to be forgetting David's cult leader in development status there.

@TuringMachine, I may have quoted you above but my rant was not meant for you at all.  Your post just triggered some thoughts about Waller and his "real job,"  that's all.

[Beermeet]

David seems scary.  Part tyrant and demanding.  I remember their earlier videos and Pris saying how David has them stay up late after the kids are put to bed so they can hang out even though she is so tired.  They seemed so forced.  And, honestly, if David really is suppressing his true sexual self, that is not going to be a good time for Pris.  Not to mention the kind of tool that a IBLP go getter is!  But, he's not John or Josh, so he's got that going for him.

[TuringMachine]

57 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

 

@TuringMachine, I may have quoted you above but my rant was not meant for you at all.  Your post just triggered some thoughts about Waller and his "real job,"  that's all.

Don't worry about, it needed to be said

[bertnee]

I haven't read this thread in a while and I was SO HOPING that by the time I caught up, I'd find that John Boy had been sent back to the US in disgrace. Sigh. Maybe soon....

[Gobsmacked]

23 hours ago, JillRodsEyeliner said:

Their kids are adorable and look kempt.

Could a kind Sis post the pic for us poor locked out folk? Thank you. 

[Palimpsest]

5 hours ago, Gobsmacked said:

Could a kind Sis post the pic for us poor locked out folk? Thank you. 

I think @JillRodsEyeliner meant the Waller kids look kempt.  

As far as the Shrader kids go, they looked fine at the time of Caleb's birth announcement and all those pics were already posted here.  John hasn't posted new pictures of them since then. There is one new blurry picture of Caleb on the newsletter, but I lack the tech know-how to post it here.   Sorry.

23 hours ago, subsaharanafrica said:

It’s also possible he’s trying to make it seem like a new language to his followers as he has mentioned starting to learn Nyanja in previous prayer letters and Facebook posts. 

Maybe he wants to sound important without drawing attention to the fact that he’s been starting to learn the same language for a year. 

Very possible indeed.  John counts on the ignorance of his followers with this type of misleading statement.  He is very good at misdirection and obfuscation.

[JillRodsEyeliner]

@Palimpsest I did mean TFDW and Priest's kids. Jill and David's kids look so sickly and malnourished, it's very sad. I think J-Rod a and a D-Rod are the worse. David looks like he has never skipped a meal. Jill thinks the world revolves around her. The kids are what, assesories? Anna and Turd's kids always look clean.Out of the fundie Prissy, although a bit clueless, lucked out with TFDW.