Maxwell 44: Must We Permit Mephistopheles and Beelzebub to Perform Financial and Performance Audits

[JordynDarby5]

10 hours ago, Casserole said:

I tested positive for covid, and while it is a *thankfully* seemingly mild case, my smell and taste are completely gone. I was just rummaging through the freezer for something lame to eat because I didn't want to "waste" the good food on my tasteless buds who wouldn't enjoy it... so what am I eating? A frozen Amy's GF bean burrito. Bland AF. and yet still probably more flavorful than the Max's version. Thank rufus I am not a max and can have spices and flavor. 

I'm so sorry. I'm glad its mild. I hope its stays that way and your feeling better real soon.

[IsmeWeatherwax]

@Casserole best wishes for a swift recovery! 

[fundiefan]

16 hours ago, Casserole said:

I tested positive for covid, and while it is a *thankfully* seemingly mild case, my smell and taste are completely gone. I was just rummaging through the freezer for something lame to eat because I didn't want to "waste" the good food on my tasteless buds who wouldn't enjoy it... so what am I eating? A frozen Amy's GF bean burrito. Bland AF. and yet still probably more flavorful than the Max's version. Thank rufus I am not a max and can have spices and flavor. 

I hope it stays mild and you recover quickly.

I actually made burritos Wednesday night, and froze most of them, individually. Fully assembled, so they're ready to pop in the microwave when I need a quick meal. Mine are chicken, black beans, Spanish rice, onions, peppers, garlic, kale, cheese & an Adobo-like sauce I made that isn't exactly Adobo because I didn't have all the spices, but close enough & it doesn't taste too bad. I cooked the chicken in it in the slow cooker all day,

I almost always have things like more cheese, sour cream & avocados on hand, so when I want a quick meal I'm set. 

And while I didn't follow a recipe or spend an entire weekend making them in bulk, I would bet just about anything they taste better, and have a better texture, than any Maxhell slop like mushed beans will ever taste. The one I ate the night I made them was delicious, and filling. 

I did use store bought, non organic tortilla shells, but I don't consider that a problem. No way I'm making my own and I don't really feel a need to do the organic thing. 

[quiversR4hunting]

15 hours ago, Bajovane said:

That's also a Michael Pearl opinion that children should always be happy.   No negativity is allowed,  period.   No boredom,  eye rolling, sadness,  anger,  frustration,  whatever.  Smile, and you damn well better mean it. 

Sarah writing a book about someone losing a sibling like that...  what the hell does she know about loss, anyway?  

I don't understand this because the kids watch these preachers yell, scream and pound the pulpit. So it is ok for the preacher to have full emotions but not others. The cognitive dissonance is what screws up these kids that grow up to screwed up adults. 

[Lgirlrocks]

27 minutes ago, quiversR4hunting said:

I don't understand this because the kids watch these preachers yell, scream and pound the pulpit. So it is ok for the preacher to have full emotions but not others. The cognitive dissonance is what screws up these kids that grow up to screwed up adults. 

It’s different because they are doing it in the name of Jesus. I’m sure it would be okay for Anna to show emotions like anger if it was over abortion. 

[Jana814]

2 hours ago, Lgirlrocks said:

It’s different because they are doing it in the name of Jesus. I’m sure it would be okay for Anna to show emotions like anger if it was over abortion. 

Exactly!  That’s only area where they want their kids to show emotion when it has to do with abortion. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Jana814

[Elegant Mess]

Didn't I read somewhere that they've supposedly gotten on their knees and wept for lost souls on New Year's Eve?

[kpmom]

1 hour ago, Elegant Mess said:

Didn't I read somewhere that they've supposedly gotten on their knees and wept for lost souls on New Year's Eve?

And Steve almost cried when he was caught looking down a lady's blouse (accidentally of course).

 

[fundiefan]

They've updated their conference request page/link.

We are open to conference requests from pastors. To initiate that dialog, please have the church’s pastor email Steve through our Contact Us form. 

Why not an online Maxwell conference? No doubt online conferences are numerous these days. However, we are energized by seeing faces and being together with families. Therefore we have not felt that was the media for us. Might that change? Who knows.

No safe, distanced conferences for them! You must sit in a big room with a bunch of other people so you can energize the Maxwells & spread Covid. (I have to admit, I'm surprised they didn't use the word synergy).

Fortunately, there hasn't been much demand for Maxwell drivel in recent years so it's unlikely they'll be going anywhere anytime soon. 

[Elegant Mess]

51 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Why not an online Maxwell conference? No doubt online conferences are numerous these days. However, we are energized by seeing faces and being together with families. Therefore we have not felt that was the media for us. Might that change? Who knows.

 

No safe, distanced conferences for them! You must sit in a big room with a bunch of other people so you can energize the Maxwells & spread Covid. (I have to admit, I'm surprised they didn't use the word synergy).

Yep!  Indeed, when you look at what they said, the emphasis is on them, not their customer base.

The Maxwells do realize that you can still see faces and families if they have their cameras turned on in an online meeting, right?

[NancyDrewFan1989]

5 hours ago, kpmom said:

And Steve almost cried when he was caught looking down a lady's blouse (accidentally of course).

 

Not to mention the meltdown had had over seeing a woman wearing a bathing suit and feeling his heart was conflicted because he was attracted to her. Although, he did say it was a friend, I believe this was Steve all the way.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I could be naive, but I doubt they're going to any conferences right now. They barely been to any conferences in the past 4 or 5 years at least. If anyone bothers to ask, I think Steve will probably give a diplomatic "no, sorry we can't make it."  

[allyisyourpally5]

When was their last conference tour?

Their conferences dried up largely because they were the same - no repetition needed. It was the same old thing over and over again. They would still be the same now - and honestly just too out of date, not that the Maxwells would realise this. The front covers of their books look like the 80s published text books I used at school in the 90s. 
 

Is the request conference information new? I wonder if even they are getting bored and want to restart.

Just imagine attending a new conference that you think might help you as a new home schooling family, only to be told that the family presenting are the only ones who know how to make decent conversations, you don’t. Then you look at your daughters and realise there are three grown woman up there under daddies thumb and if you follow that path that’s what’s going to happen to yours. Hmmmm.

I do remember one conference (one of the last) and they admitted the audience were “stoic” and not receiving the message well. The pictures of that conference, I remember, showed families in more normal clothing (there was Avery obvious man in shorts). It would be interesting how the different churches would advertise the conferences - not all Christian homeschoolers are evangelical conservatives with a 100% closed mindset. I imagine the Maxwells can come across extremely patronising and stuck up in person.

[anachronistic]

I think there have been more homeschoolers, and thus more homeschooling curriculum, coming out in recent years, plus so many people have switched to homeschooling this year when online school didn’t work for them. So there are more options to choose from and more people to talk to. You can pick a secular curriculum and then add in your Bible stuff, you can do an online school, you can use educational websites and YouTube like Khan academy and ABCMouse, you can buy curriculum piece by piece or get it for free. You don’t even need to go to the library anymore (which is good since so many are closed) because libraries have free e books. Basically the Maxwell model isn’t needed, and they probably know this.

Also I don’t know anyone in their real-life circles but there has got to be some talk about how weird the family is, with all the sons married off and the daughters still at home? Does Sarah truly believe that Steve will introduce her to a GYM, or at this point a GMiddleAgedM, and let her get married, or has she given up? I think most fundie families probably wouldn’t want their daughters to end up like the Maxwells and so maybe wouldn’t want their kids exposed to the idea that they should never marry. Just like how when teenagers point out that so and so still lives with his parents and doesn’t pay rent, do chores, etc, parents (at least mine did) are quick to point out that this will *not* be them. (This weird time period and terrible economy excepted, of course.) Its leave and cleave, not stay and rot away.

[Black Aliss]

21 hours ago, Elegant Mess said:

Yep!  Indeed, when you look at what they said, the emphasis is on them, not their customer base.

The Maxwells do realize that you can still see faces and families if they have their cameras turned on in an online meeting, right?

Sure, but I doubt that's the problem. The problem is with fundies not exactly being known for their honesty. People could pay for just one person to attend a conference on Zoom and have god-knows-how-many people attending from one location.

[fundiefan]

16 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I could be naive, but I doubt they're going to any conferences right now. They barely been to any conferences in the past 4 or 5 years at least. If anyone bothers to ask, I think Steve will probably give a diplomatic "no, sorry we can't make it."  

No, they're not. And they haven't for a long time. That's kind of the point. They are not going anywhere yet they still felt the need to update their page to say we won't talk to you via Zoom, we will only bless you with our presence in person. Which is a completely moot point because even before COVID, they hadn't been anywhere in years. Unless he's specifically looking for some church to invite them to do the whole "you can't stop god or prevent us from gathering in church" BS. 

Steve still feels very important and has to let everyone know. And he's trying to passive-aggressively enter the dialog about poor kristchens having their freedom taken away by not being able to go to a brick & mortar church; he won't commit to saying the words, but he's got to make himself part of it. 

Steve is a coward. He's hiding behind a keyboard. 

[allyisyourpally5]

I doubt the Maxwells really are aware their model is no longer fit for purpose. Even the sticky labels on their schedule kit - make an excel chart! 
 

Theve also got, in many respects, a very “simplistic” mindset. They judge character and whether someone is saved based on clothes. The conversations in their conversation book are over the top and assume every stranger is a friend who can be trusted (which is quite ironic for them). They believe every child learns the same way - text books work for everyone. They believe any worldly influence will send them to hell - no faith in themselves. Homeschooling and abortion are the only true issues facing America today. They are persecuted.

I honestly think they’re too out of date, isolated, sheltered and overly dramatic in their thoughts for even the most evangelical  right wing group to take seriously.

 

 

[fundiefan]

15 minutes ago, allyisyourpally5 said:

I doubt the Maxwells really are aware their model is no longer fit for purpose. Even the sticky labels on their schedule kit - make an excel chart! 
 

Theve also got, in many respects, a very “simplistic” mindset. They judge character and whether someone is saved based on clothes. The conversations in their conversation book are over the top and assume every stranger is a friend who can be trusted (which is quite ironic for them). They believe every child learns the same way - text books work for everyone. They believe any worldly influence will send them to hell - no faith in themselves. Homeschooling and abortion are the only true issues facing America today. They are persecuted.

I honestly think they’re too out of date, isolated, sheltered and overly dramatic in their thoughts for even the most evangelical  right wing group to take seriously.

 

 

I agree. I think that's why, in part at least, he is trying to be a good, persecuted American evangelical kristchen - - without actually committing to it. He is not part of the population who get the attention; he's pretty much just a troll in the mountain cave and even those who believe much of what he does don't feel the need to bother with him. 

So, he dips his toe into the dialog - "we will only do our dog & pony show in person" - it's the script of persecuted evangelicals. But, that's as far as he goes. He doesn't discuss anything, he isn't involved in anything, he doesn't engage even other good kristchens. Even though they say they go to church now, I'd bet my Christmas budget that they sit in a group and ignore everyone else around them because they have pants on or only one shirt or their kids go to public school or a woman works...they sit in judgement. 

Steve wants to be relevant. At one time, he was at least relevant enough to support his spawn with the show. Now? Anyone who even was interested a decade ago has raised their kids & moved on. Their pool is getting smaller & smaller & Steve doesn't know how to handle motion. His entire existence is based on he & his family being the mountain trolls everyone knows about but doesn't get too close to. 

 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

1 hour ago, allyisyourpally5 said:

I doubt the Maxwells really are aware their model is no longer fit for purpose. Even the sticky labels on their schedule kit - make an excel chart! 

They've also got, in many respects, a very “simplistic” mindset. They judge character and whether someone is saved based on clothes. The conversations in their conversation book are over the top and assume every stranger is a friend who can be trusted (which is quite ironic for them). They believe every child learns the same way - text books work for everyone. They believe any worldly influence will send them to hell - no faith in themselves. Homeschooling and abortion are the only true issues facing America today. They are persecuted.

I honestly think they’re too out of date, isolated, sheltered and overly dramatic in their thoughts for even the most evangelical  right wing group to take seriously.

I would say the same of Bro Gary and Jill R and yet those two still find gigs. I think in some ways the Maxwells are more up to date than the Rods, or Gary, etc. They take working out and eating healthy seriously.  

The last conference they went to, they brought Anna, Jesse, and Mary and left Sarah at home helping Anna Marie. 

[Joe Pukepail]

On 12/11/2020 at 1:06 PM, kpmom said:

And Steve almost cried when he was caught looking down a lady's blouse (accidentally of course).

 

Don't forget the time he quit his job because the boss wanted him to attend a business lunch with a woman. Or the time he accidentally saw the woman next door using the swimming pool in her own goddamn backyard. Steve has seen the cruel debauchery of This Fallen World, guys. HE WEEPS.

[Black Aliss]

On 12/12/2020 at 10:44 AM, allyisyourpally5 said:

Theve also got, in many respects, a very “simplistic” mindset. They judge character and whether someone is saved based on clothes.

Do I remember correctly that they once sat in an airport waiting area judging women by the clothes they were wearing? Now I am cracking up imagining Steve spotting the Rodrigues women in the wild. He would probably point them out to his innocent daughters as harlots.

[Hane]

Am I alone in being a total twunt and thinking the artwork on the covers of the Hill Top books is pretty amateurish (no offense to amateurs)?

[CyborgKin]

On 12/12/2020 at 6:39 AM, fundiefan said:

Why not an online Maxwell conference? No doubt online conferences are numerous these days. However, we are energized by seeing faces and being together with families. Therefore we have not felt that was the media for us. Might that change? Who knows.

This is sickening (possibly literally) and terrible writing, since 'media' is plural.  It should be 'the medium'.

[freejugar]

1 hour ago, Hane said:

Am I alone in being a total twunt and thinking the artwork on the covers of the Hill Top books is pretty amateurish (no offense to amateurs)?

They should have left the other artist do the cover. I don't know why they have two artists if their style doesn't match at all.

[kpmom]

55 minutes ago, CyborgKin said:

This is sickening (possibly literally) and terrible writing, since 'media' is plural.  It should be 'the medium'.

"Might that change? Who knows."

Steve comes across so friggin' terse and unpleasant in his writing. 

"Maybe we'll decide to do Zoom one day, maybe we won't.  Invite us to your church and we'll let you know.  We'll probably come in person, but maybe not."

Yeah, I'm sure churches are knocking the Maxwell's door down after reading that sentence.