Seriously, Steve?

[kpmom]

2 hours ago, erunerune said:

Adam and Eve totally fell for God's set-up with the whole tree deal. Something to think about, Steve.

Absolutely.

Maybe if God had told them they could have a little of the fruit, maybe once a week or so, they wouldn't have fallen for it and we'd all be living in paradise now.  Darn it, God, what were you thinking??

[Foudeb]

Steve totally thinks he's more clever than God. He's designed a perfect garden of Eden - the Fathership - with (wait for it) NO FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Therefore, no temptation. Therefore, no sin.

If only God had been a bit more like him, eh. Think of that, Yahve! And buy a MOTH book while you're at it, business is slow at the moment.

[socalrules]

On 5/25/2018 at 3:12 AM, Foudeb said:

Steve totally thinks he's more clever than God. He's designed a perfect garden of Eden - the Fathership - with (wait for it) NO FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Therefore, no temptation. Therefore, no sin.

If only God had been a bit more like him, eh. Think of that, Yahve! And buy a MOTH book while you're at it, business is slow at the moment.

I think you are completely right. I never thought about it that way. If Steve is trying to improve on God, and does so, doesn’t that make him higher than God? He could do what God couldn’t by completely get rid of all curiosity and individual thought in his children ,leaving them without the ability to sin?

[CyborgKin]

If Steve really thinks he can keep his children and grandchildren (and other people's children) from sin by instituting strict enough rules (aka laws) he's completely missed the point of the Bible he claims to study so much.

[Palimpsest]

2 hours ago, CyborgKin said:

If Steve really thinks he can keep his children and grandchildren (and other people's children) from sin by instituting strict enough rules (aka laws) he's completely missed the point of the Bible he claims to study so much.

And that's the thing.  Whatever he used to think, he may be beginning to twig that he's lost control.

Stevehovah is on a rampage at the moment.  It is not that he doesn't preach about the dangers of TV regularly, but three rants in a row?  It has to do with John and Chelsy openly admitting to watching movies, methinks.

Quote

A SUCCESSFUL HOOK

This was posted on May 30, 2018 by Steve Maxwell.

Each Father is the spiritual head of his home and is accountable to God to raise his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus (Eph. 6:4). Part of that means teaching the children to totally avoid some things (although that does involve self-control) and to have self-control in others. For example, I want my children to learn self-control in their eating, exercise, and time usage.

Well, you can't deprive children of food completely, but regular fasts apparently teach self-control.  And you schedule exercise and time so strictly that it causes panic if something takes longer than it should.  I expect it causes even worse panic if a task that was supposed to take 30 minutes is done in 10, but you can read your Bible if you finish early.

Quote

However it is my desire that they stay away from things that create lust (1 Pet 2:11), coveting (Eph 5:5), and loving the world (1 John 2:15). Just how important is it to you that your children NOT develop appetites for those things? (Hoping doesn’t count. It will take action.)

Actually my desire is for all children is for them to grow up to enjoy healthy sex lives, work to be able to afford some of the things they want as well as those they need, and enjoy the diverse and beautiful things the world has to offer.  The action is to teach them to chose good and healthy things from the tempting smorgasbord of life.  It is not to restrict them from knowing about what is available.

Quote

Most consider TV’s purpose is to entertain, but that is not true.

No.  I think TV can be very educational.  It is all in what you chose to watch.  And it does have an off switch.

Quote

TV’s purpose is to sell the things of the world, always has been, always will be. Advertising is what funds TV, and the hook is baited with entertainment.

Never watched PBS, have you Steve. 

Quote

Having experienced the negative appetites TV had to offer, I wanted my children to totally avoid TV, for it to be forbidden fruit. I had no desire to use TV to teach them self-control. There were plenty of other places to teach self-control where the consequences weren’t so serious.

He must have watched the Play Boy channel or something.  Oh, no.  My mistake.  He was watching something quite Godly that was interrupted by that commercial featuring a scantily clad woman turning cartwheels.  It sent him into spasms of lust.  He mentioned that, with much salacious nudging and winking, in the men's session Mr P attended. 

Most men seem to be able to watch TV without masturbating in public, Steve. 

Edited May 30, 2018 by Palimpsest
tidied up quotes

[HereticHick]

21 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

Most men seem to be able to watch TV without masturbating in public, Steve. 

I love you.

PS Did you see the "Picnic Eggs" in the Maxwell's latest post? Or whatevertheheck they are called in Maxwellvania

[nelliebelle1197]

Those Seriously, WTF Steve's are really short. Like super short and terse, even for Seriously Steve. Hmmm...

[Palimpsest]

22 minutes ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

Like super short and terse, even for Seriously Steve. Hmmm...

His posts have been getting shorter and shorter.  But they are supposed to be dynamic and succinct.  He used to ramble on for ages pretending to be a kindly shepherd, so I prefer them, terse and rude as they are.  It is the real Steve, IMO.

Quote

Steve’s dynamic but short weekly e-mails to men come in the form of Seriously Dads. His goal is to deliver succinct encouragement about a man’s walk with the Lord, his marriage, discipling his family, being a leader, making the most of his vocation, and much more.

And I'm not sure about the "encouragement."  It is more like yelling at people to do what he wants.

Edited May 30, 2018 by Palimpsest
added thought

[Alisamer]

It occurred to me recently that all the fundy "teach your children not to love the world" is a little strange considering the Bible says clearly and specifically, in it's most popular verse that even many non-Christians know, that God loved the world. I'm sure they'd say "Oh, God loved the people of the world, but not 'worldly' things" or "but it was different back then!" (to which I say, please go look at the paintings found in Pompeii, ancient pottery, etc.) - but I keep thinking if God made the world and all the people in it, and He doesn't make mistakes...

I love plenty of worldly stuff. I figure God made things fun because He wants us to enjoy them. Steve thinks God made things fun because... I have no idea. Apparently Steve's God is either a trickster who enjoys tormenting people, or he's less powerful than Satan who also enjoys tormenting people.

Also, Stevehovah is somewhat right about much TV being advertising driven, but he's wrong thinking that nobody realizes that but him. I'm a Transformers fan, and have been since childhood. I, and all the other fans I've ever known or met, fully realize that the cartoons and movies are just really long toy commercials. We get that. Many of us get irritated and complain because that meant characters from the first toy line kept getting killed off to introduce new characters/toys. We can still enjoy it, despite that! In fact, despite watching the show every day it came on as a child, I didn't get my first Transformer toy until I was in college and buying things for myself. Somehow those 22 minute cartoon commercials interspersed with actual commercials for the toys had a delayed reaction, I guess?

[Palimpsest]

59 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

It occurred to me recently that all the fundy "teach your children not to love the world" is a little strange considering the Bible says clearly and specifically, in it's most popular verse that even many non-Christians know, that God loved the world. I'm sure they'd say "Oh, God loved the people of the world, but not 'worldly' things" or "but it was different back then!"

"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "  John, I believe.  One of John's better moments because a lot of the time he's completely out of step with the Synoptic Gospels.

And you have not been paying attention to Steve's words of wisdom.  Steve's God is rather quixotic and not very nice.  He put all those tempting things around to tempt humankind.  And when people fall, as they inevitably do, then they can only be saved by believing that Jesus died for their sins.  No good works can save anyone so why bother doing them.

I'm sure if Steve, or most of the Fundies we follow, met the Jesus of the Bible they would be most uncomfortable around him.  They certainly don't follow his preaching.  The man consorted with prostitutes and sinners for goodness sake. 

So they base this separation from the world mainly on Paul (see II Corinthians 5, 6, and 7),  and 1 John 2:  "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

I've never liked Paul but Fundies love him.

[nelliebelle1197]

@Palimpsest I like it when someone tries to argue Paul with you!

[CTRLZero]

3 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

TV’s purpose is to sell the things of the world, always has been, always will be. Advertising is what funds TV, and the hook is baited with entertainment.

[Note: Steve's quote in box, not Palimpsest's.]  How does Steve get the word out about his holy money-making ventures?  Isn't that advertising?  Perhaps the internet is not of this world (as long as it's strictly monitored)...

 

[formergothardite]

Steve is royally pissed off one of his arrows has been tempted into enjoying The Beast by an evil woman. 

[molecule]

I'm particularly bothered by this:

Quote

For example, I want my children to learn self-control in their eating, exercise, and time usage.

All of his children are adults now, but this is worded in a way that makes it clear that he still considers them to be children who still need to learn. It would have been much more effective to say that he wanted his children to learn self-control and that he's been pleased to see so many of them exhibit self-control in these areas as adults. That kind of wording would have presented him as having been a successful father who his readers could emulate, even if the truth is that he feels he failed with any of his kids.

It's so sad. 

Edited May 30, 2018 by molecule
typo

[nomoxian]

If Stevehova wasn't tightassed about who his offspring marry, he will be now.

Those 'girls' are never getting married

[Hane]

Meanwhile, Chelsy has just baked a batch of brownies and she and John are in front of The Beast scarfing them down and watching a sportsball game.

[Palimpsest]

And Steve is STILL beating the anti-TV drum.  Isn't he bored yet.

I can't help feeling that this is a passive aggressive way of getting at John and Chelsy.  They don't have "value" if they are watching TV.

Quote

 

WHICH GROUP?

This was posted on June 6, 2018 by Steve Maxwell.

Every decision made is based upon value. If you purchase something, having it was worth more than keeping the money. When you eat something, the taste or nutrition is more important than what it cost in money and calories. When time is spent on something, it was of greater value than what you didn’t spend your time on.

 

Huh?   

Quote

For many, TV is an easy choice because they consider it harmless, pleasurable entertainment.

And it can be just that.  Again, it depends what you watch.  I'm not a huge fan of TV but FFS, stop exaggerating, Steve.

Quote

Have you wondered if you can ever have enough pleasure? With food, God designed the body to signal that it has had enough. (I know this can be ignored, but God gave it for a purpose.) However, there are no signals sent to limit pleasure so our fleshly appetites crave/covet more and more.

Pleasure is evidently pleasant but not everyone finds it so addictive that they can't get things done.  And plenty of signals are sent to limit pleasure.  I get easily bored with TV.  I can only read for so long before my eyes need a break or I need to stand up and stretch.  Sex is fun but you can't burn up the sheets indefinitely.  One does need sleep.  Sleeping is pleasurable but sleeping too long gives me a headache.  And I find that work can also be very pleasurable.  I just can't do it all the time either.

Quote

As parents feed their appetites for the pleasure of being entertained, it creates and fuels it in their children.

Everyone needs to do pleasant things and be entertained sometimes.  All work and no play burns people out.  There is value in entertainment, whether you get it from passively watching the box as relaxation, kicking a soccer ball around, or having a great dinner with good friends.

Quote

Where is your value – on your pleasure or your children’s future?

The two are not mutually exclusive, you dim-wit.  I might value both and see a relaxed and happy parent as both being very much invested in their children's future and able to help that child attain success in that future.  Perhaps even better than an incubus that sucks all the fun out of leisure like Steve.

Quote

For some the thoughts I shared against TV and movies are compelling. They get it, and their life in Christ benefits going forward. For others, they aren’t moved. What is the difference between the groups? Value!

Uh oh, John and Chelsy.  You will be in b-i-g t-r-o-u-b-l-e now with Daddy dearest if you keep watching movies.  You have no values!

[Ozlsn]

Steve should really have been a monk in one of the more restrictive orders. No TV, only prayer and contemplation. He'd have fitted right in. And bonus - no need for either a vasectomy or a reversal!

[kpmom]

The thing is, the Maxwells do have pleasures.

They have family cookouts.  They play volleyball.  They play that other ball game that I forget the name of.  They just recently played some board game that Chelsy is fond of.  They go out for coffee.  They play with their nieces and nephews.  They play with their pets.  They drive around looking at Christmas lights.  They celebrate birthdays and holidays. 

These are all pleasures, and somehow the Maxwells seem to be able to put those aside when work needs to be done.

It's tv and movies he's worried about and I think the chance of seeing a scantily clad person, or worse, is really what worries him.

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, kpmom said:

It's tv and movies he's worried about and I think the chance of seeing a scantily clad person, or worse, is really what worries him.

He claims that ad featuring a scantily clad woman was soooo traumatic.  And TV, even with massive parental controls, might infiltrate the protective dome with which he smothers his family.

He's always preached against the Beast but he's having a major tantrum at the moment.  

Basically:  "TV is bad because I, the Great Stevehovah, say it is bad.  I am always right and my views are compelling.  If you don't agree with me then you are bad!" 

Steve has a right little God Almighty complex.

[Lisafer]

30 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

He claims that ad featuring a scantily clad woman was soooo traumatic.  And TV, even with massive parental controls, might infiltrate the protective dome with which he smothers his family.

He's always preached against the Beast but he's having a major tantrum at the moment.  

Basically:  "TV is bad because I, the Great Stevehovah, say it is bad.  I am always right and my views are compelling.  If you don't agree with me then you are bad!" 

Steve has a right little God Almighty complex.

I know we can't tell for sure, but I agree that all this seems to be aimed at John and Chelsy. If I'd mentioned watching a movie in a blog post, and my father-in-law started ranting about the evils of the beast, I'd take it personally anyway. 

And people who go on and on about how they saw a scantily-clad woman one time creep me right the fuck out. It feels very...Norman Bates, to be so obsessed with someone else's "purity." It's like the guy (forget his name) who wrote a modesty tract in which he mentioned how the underarm area as seen through a woman's tank-top was very arousing to men. Ewwwww. 

[Palimpsest]

28 minutes ago, Lisafer said:

It's like the guy (forget his name) who wrote a modesty tract in which he mentioned how the underarm area as seen through a woman's tank-top was very arousing to men. Ewwwww. 

Yep.  Steve's equivalent is that a young mother once leaned forward (in a loose-fitting modest top) and he "accidentally" caught a glimpse of her bra.

It was utterly horrendous.  Steve nearly cried because he thought people might have noticed him ogling that woman's breasts.  So he shamed her husband publicly for not policing his wife's clothing.

One has to draw the conclusion that Steve is apparently so highly sexed that he is tempted by everything.  And he projects that onto all other men.  And shames any woman that does not dress according to his exacting standards.

Freud* would have a real field day with Steve. 

*Not a Freud fan.  

 

[Howl]

4 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

I can't help feeling that this is a passive aggressive way of getting at John and Chelsy. 

I'd argue that watching TV is John and Chelsy's passive aggressive way of getting to Steve, which makes it all the more delicious.  Stevehovah's rebellious hellions, acting out like two teenagers. 

And who decided that they would have a TV in their home?  If they don't have cable, their options are extremely limited -- PBS and a local station or two.  If they do have cable, they're all going straight to hell, even if all they watch is ESPN and the Hallmark channel. 

Edited June 7, 2018 by Howl

[Lisafer]

3 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

Yep.  Steve's equivalent is that a young mother once leaned forward (in a loose-fitting modest top) and he "accidentally" caught a glimpse of her bra.

It was utterly horrendous.  Steve nearly cried because he thought people might have noticed him ogling that woman's breasts.  So he shamed her husband publicly for not policing his wife's clothing.

One has to draw the conclusion that Steve is apparently so highly sexed that he is tempted by everything.  And he projects that onto all other men.  And shames any woman that does not dress according to his exacting standards.

Freud* would have a real field day with Steve. 

*Not a Freud fan.  

 

Jeez, I didn't know this story. I need to go take a shower now.

Edit to add: ooo, look, I've reached "bong hits for Jesus" level!

Edited June 7, 2018 by Lisafer

[Palimpsest]

1 minute ago, Howl said:

I'd argue that watching TV is John and Chelsy's passive aggressive way of getting to Steve, which makes it all the more delicious.  And who decided that they would have a TV in their home?

I think all we know is that Chelsy watched a movie.  That is what was on her blog.  Possibly on a computer and probably a "Christian" movie.  No idea whether they have a TV, cable, or whatever.

But it does imply that Steve's historic and VERY IMPORTANT strictures about the BEAST are not being followed.

But I really do think this is aimed at John's "straying."  It is rather interesting.