Maxwell 37: The Moody Family Buys Matching Vests to Wear to Jesse's Wedding

[Bethy]

25 minutes ago, JulineD said:

I can't figure out why they all call it "Resurrection Sunday."  Why can't they call it Easter like normal people? I grew up in some pretty conservative churches, and we sometimes referred to Easter as "Resurrection Sunday," but most of the time it was simply, "Easter Sunday."  It is as if they are trying to make a point about how holy they are.  It just annoys me for some reason. 

 

It's because the "Easter" celebration is tainted by its association with some pagan festival. They're trying to be ABSOLUTELY clear - if you say "Easter" you might mean "celebrating when Jesus rose from the dead" but you also might mean "celebrating a worldly ritual with candy and bunny stuff." If you say "Resurrection" it's absolutely clear which side you're on.

[JordynDarby5]

Its another way for them to show how their so much better then everyone else. You call it Easter? Well, we are much better Christians we call it Resurrection. Cause we're special. We're the only ones who think of only Jesus on this day and everyone else thinks of a bunny and candy. You know except a lot of Christians also do or can actually manage to do both.   

[FundMe]

because no, I have nothing better to do right now, I looked at the Amaxon wedding registry for Jesse and AnnaP. there's an outstanding lack of color.

And also, do the Maxwells have middle names?  (things an insomniac needs to know )

Edited April 18, 2020 by FundMe
question

[Syriana]

1 hour ago, FundMe said:

because no, I have nothing better to do right now, I looked at the Amaxon wedding registry for Jesse and AnnaP. there's an outstanding lack of color.

And also, do the Maxwells have middle names?  (things an insomniac needs to know )

According to https://fundamentalists.fandom.com/wiki/Maxwell_Family:

Nathan James

Christopher Lloyd

Sarah Rae

Joseph Howard

John Steven

Anna Elizabeth

Jesse Paul

Mary Carol

[danvillebelle]

23 minutes ago, Syriana said:

Christopher Lloyd

I'm dying over here because Prissy Chris has the same name as Reverend Jim (and Doc from Back to the Future)  

 

[Paperplate]

36 minutes ago, Syriana said:

According to https://fundamentalists.fandom.com/wiki/Maxwell_Family:

Nathan James

Christopher Lloyd

Sarah Rae

Joseph Howard

John Steven

Anna Elizabeth

Jesse Paul

Mary Carol

I remember finding out that Sarah's middle name was Rae and thinking that was a pretty... racy name. It sounds kinda like a stripper name to me???

But I looked it up and it's all innocent and actually very fitting. It means ewe in Hebrew. And Sarah really is such a good little girl sheep.

[fundiefan]

12 hours ago, NancyDrewFan1989 said:

Honestly, that is why I think Steve and Teri don't like her like they do with Melanie and Anna Marie. They were able to keep their entire family in a bubble until Elissa married Joseph and refused to confirm completely to Maxwellian ways. Steve and Teri would be furious if they ever went over and found out that one of their grandchildren were given the green light to watch a movie and/or TV show on "the beast" at a friend's house. The two of them really need to swallow their pride or they are going to push Joseph and Elissa out the door. 

When did she do this that we know of? What has she refused/done differently? Is there tension between them & Steve, that we know to even think they'd "push them out the door"? I always assumed they just didn't want to be on the blog as they do their own thing - and business wise, it wouldn't be an overly wise move for Joseph to be paraded on his parent's blog. I think because of his business, Joseph has to tone down his fundie-ism publicly, but I don't doubt it remains as always inside the home. 

They still go caroling. They still do auntie/grandma "time", they still go to holidays, etc. They're not daily fixtures on the blog, but they are very much part of the "relatives". There may be small, actually irrelevant ways they don't do things  the Maxwell way - like the example I used once of Calia not wearing a skirt over snowpants. But, she is always in skirts/dresses otherwise - they just apparently don't have to be visible when in snowpants. 

I just don't see any indicaton that Elissa isn't liked and they are going so against the grain they'll be pushed out the door. 

Same with Chelsy & John. She has the freedom to go to Iowa, why would she push him to move there? when they married under the "proper" fundie mantras and moved into his house in Kansas? She is full on fundie and a dutiful wife - her parents raised her to be exactly the kind of wife John was raised to expect. Their differences have only ever been in how their fathers interpret the fundie rules, not in having any different rules.  

 

[Markie]

Okay, I was reading about the Maxwells and fell asleep. I dreamt I was with NR Anna and I was telling her how to make masks. Even at the time I felt it was ludicrous that I would be telling NR Anna how to sew something. She was very calm and agreeable and got her calico and sewing machine and went to it. My mask was the same blue flowered calico her family used for their Easter dresses. Ive ordered masks but they won’t be delivered until May 6-28. 

[mango_fandango]

2 hours ago, Paperplate said:

I remember finding out that Sarah's middle name was Rae and thinking that was a pretty... racy name. It sounds kinda like a stripper name to me???

But I looked it up and it's all innocent and actually very fitting. It means ewe in Hebrew. And Sarah really is such a good little girl sheep.

Also I believe Steve’s middle name is Ray. 

[Melissa1977]

13 hours ago, NancyDrewFan1989 said:

I can easily see Elissa pushing Joseph to let the kids be exposed to participating in activities outside the Maxwell's.

Honestly, that is why I think Steve and Teri don't like her like they do with Melanie and Anna Marie. They were able to keep their entire family in a bubble until Elissa married Joseph and refused to confirm completely to Maxwellian ways

I get a very different vibe from Elissa. She looks (to me) as a very submissive wife, doing whatever her husband says. I think it was him who pushed the secret courtship, because his previous experience and who put an end to being featured in the blog (maybe someone mocked him in one of the IT conferences he goes?). It is him who travels and had opportunities to watch TV or do ungodly things (for a Maxwells... regular things for any of us). She's at home having a kid every other year. 

I highly doubt Joe would choose a strong-willed wife, after what happened with Elizabeth. I'm sure he chase the opposite, someone with a weak personality.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

27 minutes ago, Melissa1977 said:

I think it was him who pushed the secret courtship, because his previous experience and who put an end to being featured in the blog (maybe someone mocked him in one of the IT conferences he goes?).

No one would have had to have mocked him about that.  I have zero doubt just the fact that she dared reject him, and that it was publicly known, would have been humiliating to Steve.  

She took a look at what it was like to be a Maxwell and said no thank you.  That hurts the brand.

[Hane]

Could it just be that Elissa chooses not to have her private life bruited about on line?

[scoutsadie]

11 hours ago, Bethy said:

It's because the "Easter" celebration is tainted by its association with some pagan festival. They're trying to be ABSOLUTELY clear - if you say "Easter" you might mean "celebrating when Jesus rose from the dead" but you also might mean "celebrating a worldly ritual with candy and bunny stuff." If you say "Resurrection" it's absolutely clear which side you're on.

 

10 hours ago, JordynDarby5 said:

Its another way for them to show how their so much better then everyone else. You call it Easter? Well, we are much better Christians we call it Resurrection. Cause we're special. We're the only ones who think of only Jesus on this day and everyone else thinks of a bunny and candy. You know except a lot of Christians also do or can actually manage to do both.   

Right - and the fact that the word "Easter" is derived from a pagan name. 

[Caroline]

13 hours ago, Bethy said:

It's because the "Easter" celebration is tainted by its association with some pagan festival. They're trying to be ABSOLUTELY clear - if you say "Easter" you might mean "celebrating when Jesus rose from the dead" but you also might mean "celebrating a worldly ritual with candy and bunny stuff." If you say "Resurrection" it's absolutely clear which side you're on.

We attended a Catholic church (in our very liberal town, in our very liberal part of the state) and I remember the first time I heard someone say "Resurrection Sunday" instead of Easter I started to get suspicious.  They have taken a very radical turn toward extremist Catholicism, and we got out just in time.  

[Giraffe]

1 hour ago, Caroline said:

We attended a Catholic church (in our very liberal town, in our very liberal part of the state) and I remember the first time I heard someone say "Resurrection Sunday" instead of Easter I started to get suspicious.  They have taken a very radical turn toward extremist Catholicism, and we got out just in time.  

I agree. I don’t attend church anymore but changing the words on normal things was a red flag for me, too. Kind of like the Duggars refusing to call deviled eggs deviled eggs*. ?

 

*they call them something embarrassingly stupid like “angel pocket eggs.” 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

17 minutes ago, Giraffe said:

I agree. I don’t attend church anymore but changing the words on normal things was a red flag for me, too. Kind of like the Duggars refusing to call deviled eggs deviled eggs*. ?

 

*they call them something embarrassingly stupid like “angel pocket eggs.” 

That's the Duggars that call then Angel yellow pocket eggs.  Maxwells call them picnic eggs.

I don't know why I allow these things to take up room in my brain.

[Jana814]

36 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Maxwells call them picnic eggs.

I once saw a biography on the singer Katy Perry. She was raised in a religious household they also called deviled eggs picnic eggs. 

[Giraffe]

At least “picnic eggs” makes sense! I never understood where the Duggars got their stupid euphemism. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

17 minutes ago, Giraffe said:

At least “picnic eggs” makes sense! I never understood where the Duggars got their stupid euphemism. 

Let me channel Michelle's limited mind:

Devil is bad and angel is the opposite so they are angel eggs.  Look!  There is a pocket to put the yellow part back!  Yellow pockets!

This is a woman who was excited about teaching her kids the (incorrect) meaning of perpendicular and that bankruptcy isn't about going to the bank.   To say she views language literally when she understands it and baffling when she does not is a pretty safe bet.  

[Granwych]

4 hours ago, scoutsadie said:

 

Right - and the fact that the word "Easter" is derived from a pagan name. 

 "Easter" is derived from the pagan goddess Eostre.   I believe she is the goddess associated with spring.

[Tangy Bee]

6 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

I get a very different vibe from Elissa. She looks (to me) as a very submissive wife, doing whatever her husband says. I think it was him who pushed the secret courtship, because his previous experience and who put an end to being featured in the blog (maybe someone mocked him in one of the IT conferences he goes?). It is him who travels and had opportunities to watch TV or do ungodly things (for a Maxwells... regular things for any of us). She's at home having a kid every other year. 

I highly doubt Joe would choose a strong-willed wife, after what happened with Elizabeth. I'm sure he chase the opposite, someone with a weak personality.

I went back to their courtship story and Joe claims he kept the courtship a secret because he wanted to respect her privacy. Plus he also mentioned what they had in common. Sounds like he was more careful his 2nd time around. Back then the Maxwells were still touring the country. 

[NancyDrewFan1989]

7 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

I get a very different vibe from Elissa. She looks (to me) as a very submissive wife, doing whatever her husband says. I think it was him who pushed the secret courtship, because his previous experience and who put an end to being featured in the blog (maybe someone mocked him in one of the IT conferences he goes?). It is him who travels and had opportunities to watch TV or do ungodly things (for a Maxwells... regular things for any of us). She's at home having a kid every other year. 

I highly doubt Joe would choose a strong-willed wife, after what happened with Elizabeth. I'm sure he chase the opposite, someone with a weak personality.

True, after things fell apart with Elizabeth he probably went with someone who is more submissive. But, in a way I do feel bad for Elissa. She married Joseph only to have the family snub her every chance they get since, it looks like, recently started to bring fun and be more herself than the way the Maxwell's want. The fact she could be encouraging Joseph to have some outside influences that Steve deems evil could create a rift. I really think that her and Chelsy (John's wife) didn't fully comprehend the isolation Steve and Teri raised their children in and the way they have control over them. 

[NancyDrewFan1989]

9 hours ago, fundiefan said:

When did she do this that we know of? What has she refused/done differently? Is there tension between them & Steve, that we know to even think they'd "push them out the door"? I always assumed they just didn't want to be on the blog as they do their own thing - and business wise, it wouldn't be an overly wise move for Joseph to be paraded on his parent's blog. I think because of his business, Joseph has to tone down his fundie-ism publicly, but I don't doubt it remains as always inside the home. 

They still go caroling. They still do auntie/grandma "time", they still go to holidays, etc. They're not daily fixtures on the blog, but they are very much part of the "relatives". There may be small, actually irrelevant ways they don't do things  the Maxwell way - like the example I used once of Calia not wearing a skirt over snowpants. But, she is always in skirts/dresses otherwise - they just apparently don't have to be visible when in snowpants. 

I just don't see any indicaton that Elissa isn't liked and they are going so against the grain they'll be pushed out the door. 

Same with Chelsy & John. She has the freedom to go to Iowa, why would she push him to move there? when they married under the "proper" fundie mantras and moved into his house in Kansas? She is full on fundie and a dutiful wife - her parents raised her to be exactly the kind of wife John was raised to expect. Their differences have only ever been in how their fathers interpret the fundie rules, not in having any different rules.  

 

I'm going to write this in two parts.

First Elissa: Yes, I do think that there is a chance that they don't want to be featured on the family blog. However, there are some posts that Sarah does about family gatherings where Elissa is featured and she is only pictured above the waste. When I said "push them out the door" I was referring to the fact that the Sarah seems to always finds a way to praise Anna Marie and Melanie in these family gathering posts while pushing Elissa aside. After Joseph first married Elissa she was featured more frequently on the blog. Now, she only pops up when she and Joseph visit with the family. Sarah has allowed Anna Marie and Melanie to do life updates in the past. Yes, is it possible Elissa doesn't wish to do so. But, whenever a post featuring Elissa pops up Sarah and Teri seem to be more warm to all the other daughters in law. Elissa and the kids still partake in Maxwell activities like caroling and gatherings, but this is the only time we see them. 

Second Chelsy: Honestly, I really think Chelsy is dissatisfied with her life in Kansas. She went from having a full blown social life in Iowa and enjoyed travelling with the family band. Now, she has given it all up to live in a place where the only source of fun she gets is from her in-laws. I can easily see Chelsy silently seething with jealousy as her parents tell her about their involvement in church activities Chelsy enjoyed partaking in like the Christmas play and multi-cultural fundraiser night. The only events Chelsy can partake in with her church now is caroling with the in-laws and ministering to the elderly in the retirement community where Steve's church is. Yes, Chelsy does have the freedom to go to and from Iowa as she pleases. However, she and John aren't slowing down on having children and as they get older traveling with that many children while juggling homeschooling can get tricky. Plus, all that traveling to and from can get expensive. Not only that, but Chelsy would write about how much she loved to travel. Now, the only traveling she does is by tagging along with John while he goes on business trips. I have a feeling when she goes on them she and Axton are left alone in a hotel to do what they want during the day without John. I can see Chelsy trying to get Axton to go out to a place to eat only to have him have a fit and leave or taking him out for a walk only to have the same thing happen. Thus Chelsy, most likely, takes Axton back to the hotel room where she sits and waits for John to come back to tell her about his day. Chelsy, I really do not think she is enjoying Kansas life like she is writing about. A few times the Maxwell's have written about how wonderful it is for Chelsy to have them live nearby to for babysitting Axton, like the Bontrager family wouldn't jump in and do the same. A few times Chelsy has mentioned being in Maxhell on the compound with John on leaving for work only to have one of his siblings or in-laws to do something with. A few times she has posted about going out shopping with some of the family, but I think she thought she would be able to move to Kansas and make friends outside the family. Only to discover that the Maxwell's really don't have any friends in the area. Chelsy, to me, seems to be getting more and more frustrated with Maxhell as the only interaction she has there are her in-laws and if she wants to go out and do something she can only do it with them. She made friends in Iowa through her church, but her church now is in a retirement home and lets face it Steve isn't going to be happy if they go to a regular one.

All in all, I believe Elissa and Chelsy were extremely naive to the isolation their husbands were raised in. Last night I went back through some of the old Maxhell threads featuring Elissa and Joseph. There some people were able to find Facebook accounts and blogs featuring Elissa wearing things like pants and shirts that showed the shoulders before and after her marriage. We all know that the Maxwells did everything they could to edit Chelsy's pregnancy announcement photo shoot to not show the pants she was wearing. Who is to say that they didn't do the same with Elissa a few times. Honestly, I really think both Chelsy and Elissa, based on what I saw, didn't realize how much Steve and Teri cut John and Joseph off. Now, due to fundie culture, they are stuck there. The two of them, I think, are trying to encourage their husbands to let them do things that they were allowed to do before marrying into Maxhell. I can easily see Chelsy trying to get John to go to a nearby church in Kansas closely associated with their beliefs once a week so she can meet new people that aren't senior citizens or his family. I can see Elissa trying to encourage Joseph to let her and Calia wear clothing that she once enjoyed, like pants, and now she can't. If they are, then I can see Steve and Teri having total breakdowns over it after John and Joseph called them. 

[mango_fandango]

Teri’s posted about those picnics she does with the grandkids... only Melanie’s kids and Anna Marie’s kids have been featured. Calia and Kyle are only 4 and 2 but they could do something similar. When they had a Scripture memory party last year, again only those two families were featured. Benji was one of the grandkids who recited, and he’s younger than Calia. The post even stated that Christopher encouraged “all” the cousins to memorise something. In the group photo at the end Calia wasn’t there so perhaps she just didn’t take part. But she is older than both Danny and Benji so it’s not an age thing. 

[Jana814]

I have to agree that Elissa & Chelsy didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.  They might have known some of the Maxwell’s believes but not all of them.