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

[Caroline]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:53 PM, allyisyourpally5 said:

How did they get control over all 8? The same way thousands of people across the world are gradually groomed. Starting small, digging deep, constant pressure through guilt, making people feel they only belong with them by knocking down their self worth.....

They played on their children’s natural emotions. Took them out of sports by taking them out and crying at them. Daddy Tapes so they could listen to Steve when they weren’t with him. No Tv, no birthday parties, no news, no real church. Taking them out to judge people (airport trip). Constant belittling of the world around them. 
Basically just everyday - the world is bad, everyone outside our family is bad apart from a few select people and we will tell you who they are. Anyone who doesn’t dress like us is bad. 
 

Has anyone seen the Westboro Baptist Church documentaries with Louis Theroux? They go deep into the church, and you realise that everyone within has been brainwashed to believe that only they will be going to Heaven and that’s what the children are told everyday. The children expressed fear of being next to leave because that means they’re damned to Hell. I can see exactly the same going on in the Maxwell house. Emotional blackmail. You obey us or you clearly don’t love us.

The FLDS - taught to believe that those outside their world will hurt them. I’ve read accounts from women who have left who were raised to believe men outside the city will rape them immediately unless they stay with daddy. Now I don’t necessarily believe Steve has told his daughters this directly, but quite honestly I think he has made them afraid of all men. They believe that if they don’t wear a dress, men will stare at them and sin. I don’t know if they translate this into attack but it wouldn’t surprise me.

I remember a post by Anna about college. She stated “why would I want to undo the work my parents have done to shelter and protect me”. I think she’s been scared too. She’s been raised travelling, however she’s been told that they travel as ministries and saviours to the lost, so she’s special, and been raised to look down on the rest of the world.

Any child who demonstrated a bit of rebellion and independent thinking was put straight. I imagine physical beating and physiological torture. I think those kids were all abused to some extent. That’s how they stayed in line.

3 adult women on bunk beds in mommy and daddy’s house working about 3 hours a day (“serving” family by babysitting does not count) is not right. I have no issue staying at home while you save (I moved back home at 22 for three years to save money) but I worked full time and didn’t have to explain where I was or ask permission - I just had to respect the family home (and not bring random men back, not that I would want to have fun with my dad in the next room - it’s a small house!)

Long dragged out brain washing is how they did it. Emotional blackmail. Physical punishment. Beating down their spirits. Not educating them in a worthwhile fashion. And scaring the shit out of them. That’s how.

I know Teri suffers from depression but to be honest the damage that she is also responsible for with those “kids” is awful and she is just as much to blame as Steve. They are terrible parents

Plus they didn't have any friends of different beliefs to compare ideas with.  It's abusive in my opinion to limit any person's ability to live or think the way they choose, whether it's their parents' way of living or not.  It's emotional prison.

[SPHASH]

Why not have a pic of all the Maxwell spawn instead of just the unmarrieds?  Is it because she still has control over them? Next Mother's Day Jesse won't be in the picture.

Edited May 13, 2020 by SPHASH
Eta

[PennySycamore]

Are two of the young women (Sarah and Anna?) in their sock feet?  If so, good for them!

[Jigsaw3]

That looks like they went to an actual church for service on Mother's Day, not the Holy Church of the Nursing Home! I'm very glad they're not visiting a nursing home at the moment, but I'm surprised that they went to a church drive-in service instead of Steve nattering at everyone in the living room.

[Eternalbluepearl]

I'm so glad I didn't have to go on a walk with the Maxwells on Mother's Day or any day. 

[Captain Obvious]

12 hours ago, Jigsaw3 said:

That looks like they went to an actual church for service on Mother's Day, not the Holy Church of the Nursing Home! I'm very glad they're not visiting a nursing home at the moment, but I'm surprised that they went to a church drive-in service instead of Steve nattering at everyone in the living room.

They said in a previous post that they’ve been going to this church for Sunday evening services for quite some time.

I don’t know what is more Maxwellian: that they’ve never admitted before that they also go to a non-Maxwellian church, or the fact that this means they usually go to church twice on Sunday,

 

[Bethy]

13 hours ago, SPHASH said:

 

What's with the awkward foot positions for Anna and Sarah? It looks like they're stomping on their own feet. Mary just has crossed ankles so that doesn't look quite so awkward.

13 hours ago, PennySycamore said:

Are two of the young women (Sarah and Anna?) in their sock feet?  If so, good for them!

Why do you say that? I've seen their socks plenty of times.

[SisterCupcake]

I might have missed it, but Jesse's wedding is coming up in 10 days yeah?

It seems weird that he is featured in the Maxwell Mother's Day blog post like everything is kosher. I would think he might be absent from the photos because, oh I don't know, he's hanging out with his fiancee and her family?? Or getting things ready for the wedding?? Even if they are silent about the whole thing until it happens, the Craigs live in Ohio so it's not like it's a simple 2-hour drive to have a wedding. There should be some disruption to the Maxwell blog, but then again, this is the Maxwell's we're talking about.

I wonder if Anna and family will come to Kansas for the ceremony? It just seems like such a huge production to have the Maxwell's travel to Ohio. And with non-reversal Anna not even in Kansas (because cancer treatment), I wouldn't think Christopher's family would think of trying to travel. Although the aunties could do most of the legwork to get them ready to travel I suppose.

I guess I'm just wondering if people think the wedding will actually happen in 10 days??

[fundiefan]

1 hour ago, SisterCupcake said:

I might have missed it, but Jesse's wedding is coming up in 10 days yeah?

It seems weird that he is featured in the Maxwell Mother's Day blog post like everything is kosher. I would think he might be absent from the photos because, oh I don't know, he's hanging out with his fiancee and her family?? Or getting things ready for the wedding?? Even if they are silent about the whole thing until it happens, the Craigs live in Ohio so it's not like it's a simple 2-hour drive to have a wedding. There should be some disruption to the Maxwell blog, but then again, this is the Maxwell's we're talking about.

I wonder if Anna and family will come to Kansas for the ceremony? It just seems like such a huge production to have the Maxwell's travel to Ohio. And with non-reversal Anna not even in Kansas (because cancer treatment), I wouldn't think Christopher's family would think of trying to travel. Although the aunties could do most of the legwork to get them ready to travel I suppose.

I guess I'm just wondering if people think the wedding will actually happen in 10 days??

When John was getting married in December, he was in all the Xmas pictures as one of the unmarrieds. Even though Chelsy was around, and he was with her family during the holidays. When Joe got married in September, he was in Colorado for their annual What Some Might Call a Vacation trek just a week before. They don't move that unmarried out of the "immediate" family until the very last possible second.

I would think it would be a production no matter which family traveled. Why would Anna's family coming from Ohio to Kansas be any less of a production? 

Since the friendship/courtship/engagement/wedding wasn't blog material, no changes will be either. The public will know Jesse is married when Jesse is married. 

And, while their motives are not nearly as simple as merely being private people, it is private info that no one is owed. 

[Jasmar]

I’ve been wondering for a long time: if some might call it a vacation, what do the Maxes call it? And why?

[SisterCupcake]

1 hour ago, fundiefan said:

I would think it would be a production no matter which family traveled. Why would Anna's family coming from Ohio to Kansas be any less of a production?

Because there are 11 people in one family v. lots of people (including some little little ones) in many different families. Just more moving parts is all.

And yes, private wedding=private event=they don't owe anyone anything. But they detail their lives to the Nth degree and we get nothing about plans for a wedding. To be sure, I thought it was a little weird when the other weddings were silent too.

[HereticHick]

16 hours ago, Jigsaw3 said:

That looks like they went to an actual church for service on Mother's Day, not the Holy Church of the Nursing Home! I'm very glad they're not visiting a nursing home at the moment, but I'm surprised that they went to a church drive-in service instead of Steve nattering at everyone in the living room.

I doubt that any nursing home in the US (well, may a few in South Dakota or something) is currently allowing visitors. I haven't been able to see my inlaws in about 6 weeks, even though they are in a home 3 miles away.

The John-Chelsy family appears to be missing from the pictures.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, HereticHick said:

I doubt that any nursing home in the US (well, may a few in South Dakota or something) is currently allowing visitors. I haven't been able to see my inlaws in about 6 weeks, even though they are in a home 3 miles away.

The John-Chelsy family appears to be missing from the pictures.

When is she due?

 

[fundiefan]

1 hour ago, Jasmar said:

I’ve been wondering for a long time: if some might call it a vacation, what do the Maxes call it? And why?

I don't know that they ever said what they do call it. 

If you search the term "vacation" on their blog - you get a ton of comments and what I believe is the post where they determined it was what some might call a vacation. 

https://blog.titus2.com/2011/08/15/anticipation-builds-2/

And, also, master VACATION packing lists, which I don't recall having seen before. Doesn't seem to be a blog post, so that's probably why I haven't seen it. 

https://www.titus2.com/downloads/vacation-packing-list.html

*I'm at work and we can't download anything, ever, so I don't know if the links work or not. 

 

[nvmbr02]

40 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

When is she due?

 

Second half of June I think.

Although that might be John with Axton in the brown sweater in the group walking picture. 

[kpmom]

1 hour ago, SisterCupcake said:

 But they detail their lives to the Nth degree and we get nothing about plans for a wedding. To be sure, I thought it was a little weird when the other weddings were silent too.

We used to read all about upcoming wedding plans of the Maxwells.  Teri gave a blow by blow description of Melanie and Nathan's courtship, engagement and wedding.

But ever since Elizabeth left Joseph practically at the altar, that was the end of that.

They did write, very reluctantly, about John's engagement, but only because Chelsy's family wrote in detail about it.  It was so obvious they weren't happy about having to blog about it.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Just read Anna's last post.  Am I the only one who thinks it's weird she took the kids to picnic in the car and watch construction workers?

It looks like the distance was enough that the workers probably didn't notice, but I think that's just odd.  People are just trying to work for a living, it's not performance art.

If I lived on their block and the Maxwells were cleaning out their garage I wouldn't load my kids in the car to watch them work.  Maybe it's just me and this isn't a weird thing - seems like it kind of teaches kids to take an unhealthy interest in the activities of strangers, but I could be an outlier.

Edited May 13, 2020 by HerNameIsBuffy

[IReallyAmHopewell]

18 hours ago, Jigsaw3 said:

That looks like they went to an actual church for service on Mother's Day, not the Holy Church of the Nursing Home! I'm very glad they're not visiting a nursing home at the moment, but I'm surprised that they went to a church drive-in service instead of Steve nattering at everyone in the living room.

They cannot visit the nursing home due to Covid precautions--I think they announced that.

JESSE'S house is for sale/sold? Does that mean it wasn't in the actual family enclave-neighborhood? Or, dare we hope, he's moving closer to HER family after the wedding? Or actually going somewhere else?? [No, I know that's dreaming--unless it's to work or "apprentice" (informally) with another Steve-approved cult MAN somewhere). Has he bought another house for their marital bliss and child-training years?

[fundiefan]

47 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Just read Anna's last post.  Am I the only one who thinks it's weird she took the kids to picnic in the car and watch construction workers?

It looks like the distance was enough that the workers probably didn't notice, but I think that's just odd.  People are just trying to work for a living, it's not performance art.

If I lived on their block and the Maxwells were cleaning out their garage I wouldn't load my kids in the car to watch them work.  Maybe it's just me and this isn't a weird thing - seems like it kind of teaches kids to take an unhealthy interest in the activities of strangers, but I could be an outlier.

I've never met a kid who doesn't love watching construction work. Girls & boys alike. Hell, I'm a grown ass adult, and my street is being torn up. While I was home on medical leave, I was out there every day just sitting in my little chair, watching. 

When I read it I just assumed the car was safer for all - she didn't have to get out to wrangle kids, etc. 

[nvmbr02]

48 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Just read Anna's last post.  Am I the only one who thinks it's weird she took the kids to picnic in the car and watch construction workers?

It looks like the distance was enough that the workers probably didn't notice, but I think that's just odd.  People are just trying to work for a living, it's not performance art.

If I lived on their block and the Maxwells were cleaning out their garage I wouldn't load my kids in the car to watch them work.  Maybe it's just me and this isn't a weird thing - seems like it kind of teaches kids to take an unhealthy interest in the activities of strangers, but I could be an outlier.

I don't think it is that strange that the kids liked to watch the construction workers. My kids loved watching them when we first moved into our house when they were young and most of the houses were still being built. They were mostly interested when the heavier machinery was being used. They were less interested when it was something like a roof being put up. They also enjoyed watching the snow plow, the garbage truck and the street sweeper.

I do think it was odd that they packed up a picnic to watch them though. For us, it was more something we would pause and watch for a few minutes before moving on. 

[Hane]

@HerNameIsBuffy, I dunno—I think watching the construction workers was pretty innocuous. A couple of decades ago, the mom of some little kids made serious bank by making videos of construction and excavation vehicles at work, after having seen how much they fascinated her children. I remember the time my daughter took me to the hospital for a procedure, and my two-year-old grandson went into ecstasy at seeing a crew building a new wing, calling out, “Guys! GUYS!” at them. It reminded me of my oldest nephew at that age when he happened on a group of high schoolers practicing basketball.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

3 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

I've never met a kid who doesn't love watching construction work. Girls & boys alike. Hell, I'm a grown ass adult, and my street is being torn up. While I was home on medical leave, I was out there every day just sitting in my little chair, watching. 

When I read it I just assumed the car was safer for all - she didn't have to get out to wrangle kids, etc. 

Mileage varies I guess.  I can't imagine finding that even remotely interesting, nor did my kids ever show an interest.

[Hane]

One favorite memory of my grandson as a toddler: We were driving on the highway and some emergency vehicles sped by us, sirens ablaze. He looked on in fascination, then begged us, “Make ‘em come back!”

[FloraKitty35]

Anna showed common sense by keeping the kids in the car which is better than some other fundies have done.

Edited May 14, 2020 by FloraKitty35
grammar

[Ozlsn]

13 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Just read Anna's last post.  Am I the only one who thinks it's weird she took the kids to picnic in the car and watch construction workers?

Not weird to me. One of my favourite memories is coming across a road crew who were resurfacing the road while being avidly watched by two small boys and their grandfather, who'd set up a picnic chair on the nature strip. The crew thought it was hilarious, and were explaining everything as it happened. 

While I was still working on site we watched the construction site 5 storeys down every lunch time and talked about the giant machines (and how hard it would be to reverse them). It'll be interesting to see how far they've progressed if we ever get back to work.  

At least Anna and the kids were socially distancing while they watched and picniced!