Maxwell 32: Wearing Your Vest in 15 Minute Increments

[Giraffe]

“Her beautiful acceptance and peaceful countenance were a testimony of God’s grace flowing through her life.”

Why?? Why couldn’t her apparent calm be an indication of overwhelming grief? Why couldn’t it be evidence of shock or still-working-on-it rage? 

AND WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH OUTWARDLY EXPRESSING GRIEF?!? WHAT BIBLE VERSES SAYS “THOU SHALT PRESS THINE GRIEF DOWN INTO THOU DEEPEST DARKEST DEPTHS OF THINE SOUL”?!? 

Grief can be messy and “ugly” and gut-wrenching and loud and so many other “not keeping sweet” emotions! 

It’s ok for you to angrily grieve Susannah’s death. It’s ok for you to question God over her death. It’s ok for you to feel enraged and livid and confused over her death. 

[Markie]

1 hour ago, Queen Of Hearts said:

Anyone else find it odd that Baby A's father was never mentioned? Perhaps Stevie doesn't believe him to be a man of God?  Could it be that he didn't buy his house debt free? Or worse .. watches the beast?!?!?!

(I do feel bad for the baby's family - it is a horrible thing they had to go through and if their faith is bringing them peace then I 100% support it.)

I wondered about the father not being mentioned at all, too. Could it be that Sarah knows an unmarried mother? 

[IReallyAmHopewell]

4 hours ago, Markie said:

I wondered about the father not being mentioned at all, too. Could it be that Sarah knows an unmarried mother? 

 

"Could it be that Sarah knows an unmarried mother?" Probably ok if she's working to save her. After all, life has clearly passed Sarah by. She can befriend to save. Like Amway.

 

[fundiefan]

That was an awful post. Awful. Grief is not godly and no god blesses or graces anyone for grieving silently, calmly, whatever.

Sarah's words are indicative of the life she lives though. Stomp down all feeling, all emotion, all independent thought, action and reaction. Behave in one way and one way only. Always be calm and happy and never, ever, ever, push back. 

F*cking religion. It ruins people's lives. 

[PennySycamore]

I can think of one verse that Sarah ought to know: 

Quote

Jesus wept.

Jesus wept when he learned that his friend Lazarus had died.  (John chapter 11)  

Sarah dear, are you fucking saying that it would have been better for Jesus not to show grief?

How about the women weeping at the foot of the Cross?

[uber frau]

Sarah, go and read your Bible.  Actually read it, not just the bits that support the opinions you already have.

Start with the Psalms-they're full of messy emotional stuff. 

I've always been of the opinion that your version of God can't handle your big feelings, he's pretty pathetic and you're wasting your time.

(But then, we all know that Sarah's god is named Steve and, well, yes...)

Edited July 30, 2019 by uber frau

[Jody]

Fuck you Sarah. Fuck you.

 

[Queen Of Hearts]

On 7/23/2019 at 10:42 AM, louannems said:

In the "Sweet fellowship with friends for a few hours" photo, the last woman on our right is wearing blue jeans.  The photo has been photoshopped to blur the middle thighs, turning the jeans into a godly, long, denim skirt!

Lying is a sin and Stevie purposely attempted to deceive us with the Photoshopped picture so...... that makes Stevie a sinner, right?  Seriously, how can his followers believe anything he says at this point? He has proven himself (or Sarah, if he is low enough to make her take the fall for this) to be a lying liar who lies.

[PennySycamore]

@uber frau,  the hospice nurse that facilitated the bereavement group in my old parish said that God could handle our grief and even our anger at God.  Of course that would mean nothing to Sarah as this woman (and the church) were ebil Catholic and not the Church fo Stevehovah.  

[Coconut Flan]

Yesterday's lesson:  Martha questioned Jesus and was angry he let her brother die.  It's OK to question and even be angry.  It's even healthy.  It's time for the Maxwells to wake up from the Steve version of life.

[Lady Grass Lake]

That wasn't faith and acceptance, that was shock and disbelief, and pulling inside of yourself because you can't face the reality of what you are currently experiencing.  And why did she not mention the father, be cause he is a MAN and men are strong and stoic and show no emotions so they would not want to seem weak if they cry or show pain.......which is a load of male bovine excrement.     

 

[daisyjane1234]

I really have to wonder if these people every read the laments.  There's a lot of raging at God there.  God can handle grief, and anger, it is clearly Steve who cannot.

I also really wish these people would read Kushner's "When bad things happen to good people".  That particular book, not the theology of Maxwellian people, restored my relationship with God following the critical illness of my child.  One of Kushner's key themes is that God isn't a jerk doling out human suffering and our role is to meekly accept.  The antithesis of Maxwellian theology.

I also wish these people would read Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, in which the suffering of children is seen as a valid critique for the goodness of God - among other ethical and moral dilemmas.  

But no.  These people will memorize their Bible, avoiding all critical engagement with the text, or any other material that deviates from their fear-based theology, to appease a control freak.

Just now, daisyjane1234 said:

I really have to wonder if these people every read the laments.  There's a lot of raging at God there.  God can handle grief, and anger, it is clearly Steve who cannot.

I also really wish these people would read Kushner's "When bad things happen to good people".  That particular book, not the theology of Maxwellian people, restored my relationship with God following the critical illness of my child.  One of Kushner's key themes is that God isn't a jerk doling out human suffering and our role is to meekly accept.  The antithesis of Maxwellian theology.

I also wish these people would read Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, in which the suffering of children is seen as a valid critique for the goodness of God - among other ethical and moral dilemmas.  

But no.  These people will memorize their Bible, avoiding all critical engagement with the text, or any other material that deviates from, or challenges their fear-based theology, to appease a control freak.

 

[PennySycamore]

@daisyjane1234,  my Heart reaction to your post needs to be multiplied by a thousand, make that a million.  Thank you for posting that!

[johnhugh]

Very sad and I don’t want to snark, but...

Why call him ‘Baby A’?  Privacy is important but we are not going to find out his identity with using his Christian name? There are loads of John s in this world ...

That what some would call an ‘art’ photo of an electricity pylon is so horrid - but does it symbol the cross?   

[raspberrymint]

Expecting me to live with my parents or rent forever was the nail in the coffin for my even trying to stay close to my family.  Affording a debt free house was impossible.  In some attempt to trap me, I wasn't gifted a house despite my grandparents having the resources and gifting houses to my cousins.  I bought a house in a city out of state and never see my family.  

[kpmom]

14 hours ago, johnhugh said:

That what some would call an ‘art’ photo of an electricity pylon is so horrid - but does it symbol the cross?   

At first I wondered what the heck that was all about too, but on closer look it appears there are balloons ascending to the heavens and that's probably what she took the picture of.

[DooDahDame]

It looks like the building in the background could possibly be a church. That might explain the balloons in what looks to be in the middle of nowhere. Sorry, it’s late and my brain is fuzzy, just trying to make sense of the picture and the blog.

[zee_four]

I was a middle school student in the Littleton area when the Columbine High shootings happened. I went to the Catholic church next to Columbine and was in Confirmation classes and was good friends with a girl whose older brother was killed. Their family was the most "liberal" (aka non hardcore evangelical) of the families who lost children. They were the only Catholics. The Catholic church didn't react like the evangelicals did but still, they told my friends family to not be sad or angry but be happy their son was in heave. They couldn't do that.  They left the church and cut mainstream religion out of their lives. 

Grief is raw and angry and sad and messy and that's okay. Sarah doesn't know that because she's been so protected from the real world personally. Someday Stevehova will die and we'll see what happens then.. But until then... She may as well be locked up in a tower. 

[danvillebelle]

For Sarah.  And Stevehovah.  And any other "christians" who think grief must be quiet and dignified and non-upsetting.

From the pilot episode of Six Feet Under (my favorite television show of all time).

 

[dripcurl]

Shouts out to the kid in the fair pics that had on a “Love Wins” t-shirt! Let’s not let the Maxwells know what that means.

[terranova]

“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven"

Such a weird verse to attach to a post about kids. Fuck they are clueless morons.

 

[kpmom]

19 minutes ago, terranova said:

“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven"

Such a weird verse to attach to a post about kids. Fuck they are clueless morons.

 

I picture Sarah writing these posts with a Strong's Concordance next to her.  If the post involves kids, she looks up the word "children" and posts the first verse that comes up.

They really reach pretty far trying to tie verses into some of their posts.

[dripcurl]

35 minutes ago, terranova said:

“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven"

Such a weird verse to attach to a post about kids. Fuck they are clueless morons.

 

The problem with this is that in Maxhell, only the KJV is allowed. In this context, by telling His disciples to “suffer little children” Jesus is saying “deal with it”, as they were preventing people from taking children to get healed by Him. I prefer the NASB, and I also think it is important for many reasons to include the preceding or succeeding verses for accuracy. 

Matthew 19:13 “Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.” NASB

Since the Maxwells only posted verse 14 in the KJV, it makes it seem like they are talking about the kids themselves suffering, but as you can see in 13, Jesus is telling the disciples to “suffer”.

The Maxwells are such a poopshow, most people that try to live as “biblically” as them take immediate context in the Bible seriously, even though their lifestyles are full of legalism. But as we’ve seen, the Maxwells are so stunted intellectually that they are unable to communicate their own faith, however wacky it may be, correctly.

Edited August 3, 2019 by dripcurl
weird italicization?

[SilverBeach]

On 7/30/2019 at 3:09 PM, daisyjane1234 said:

Kushner's "When bad things happen to good people".

This book changed my life. I recommend it to everyone facing a crisis of faith after a death.

[thoughtful]

Oh, boy -- fair week again!

I agree with all who rage at the idea that grief must be stoic and quiet, am relieved that Ellie is OK and no longer able to have pups, but I disagree about the jeans skirt!

I think someone just did a bad job of making jeans into a skirt, with a pair of jeans that were wide-legged enough that not much of a panel was needed. The leg fabric retaining the dip towards the middle is pretty common when that's done, especially if the jeans had been worn before being made over.

It looks more like bad sewing than bad photoshopping to me. But I could be wrong.