Seriously Steve 4: Judging and Hating

[theologygeek]

Uh Steve, whether it's long hair spiked or short hair spiked, it's still spiked.  Joseph's hair is spiked.  You can't get that look unless you spike it up with gel.  I spent years doing that to my sons' hair when they were young.  

 

[Black Aliss]

Ungodly?!? Where in the bible is dyed hair mentioned as being an abomination?

All of my kids have gone through phases, starting at around age 3, where they wanted their hair a color not naturally found on mammals. They got it as often as they wanted it.

And guess what? In the fundy church of my childhood probably 90% of the women over 40 dyed their hair. And monochromatic dark brown hair on a woman in her 60's doesn't look at all natural either. Does that make it ungodly? I'm glad Teri doesn't color her hair, but I bet a lot of the women in their church do. 

[feministxtian]

My grandson has different hair colors on the regular. This summer his hair was cut into a mohawk, the top was blue, the sides were pink and purple as in one side was pink, the other was purple. I think they do the kool-aid thing where they use that to dye his hair, it comes out in a few shampoos. Then again, my daughter hasn't seen her natural hair color in probably close to 20 years. Right now it's bright red. My hair is close to its natural color, but with high and low lights. 

#1 son keeps his hair rather short and conservative now, he got another promotion and is doing a lot of traveling for his company again. #2 son has his shaved on the sides and back and LONG on top of his head. 

Whatever, it's just hair. 

[Loveday]

I'm doubly damned in Steve's eyes, I suppose. I color my hair AND I keep it cut super short. I use a semipermanent color, it basically just covers the grey and deepens the natural light brownish/dark blondish/sort of reddish a little bit. I don't get the monochromatic look so many women my age do with home color, because the semi sort of makes the grey into highlights, and then they kind of fade out back to the grey after six weeks to a couple of months. I keep thinking I'd like to try a vivid pink or deep teal streak, but I'm too scared to do it. I'm the shy, retiring type in public and even the slightest bit of attention due to something about my appearance would make me very uncomfortable. I love seeing bright colors on other women, though. My daughter has a friend from college who changes up her hair color all the time--vibrant streaks of hot pink, or a mix of teal and bright white, in her naturally dark hair. She looks amazing.

[Granwych]

Steverino seems dangerously close to going off the deep end.  Frightened of spiked  hair, unnaturally colored hair, body piercings, making pleasurable pastimes into idols, different colored buttons on women’s shirts, meat in burritos.  I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he’s building an underground bunker in his backyard in order to avoid contact with the evil world.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Granwych
Additional thought

[Botkinetti]

I wonder if Steve is just profoundly shocked at how life has changed.
He expected an ever growing army of obedient children and grandchildren to follow every edict he issued and that is no longer happening. I think he’ll find more “evils” to rail against and sound even more odd particularly if he tries to talk to other members of his church. 

[Howl]

Still curious about who successfully applied the leverage that pried the women loose, got them into a church, out of the house and out from under Stevehovah's control? Because you know that Steve did not agree with any of this.  The Swift Otter boys? 

Was there an actual intervention where Steve found out that things, they were a' changing and the emperor had no clothes? 

Even Teri has broken free to some extent, attending and taking on roles in the church as Steve becomes more irrelevant every day.  He's pretty much at the "old man yells at clouds" stage. 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Howl

[Hane]

@Howl, I’m leaning towards the pastor of their new church. I think he met the family when they were new members and immediately saw how toxic an environment it was for the Maxwell daughters, so he finessed their chance at escape by showing how to make it harmonize with conservative Christianity.

[hoipolloi]

2 hours ago, Hane said:

I’m leaning towards the pastor of their new church

Yes, I also think he was the key player in facilitating these changes. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

On 12/10/2022 at 11:00 AM, Hane said:

@Howl, I’m leaning towards the pastor of their new church. I think he met the family when they were new members and immediately saw how toxic an environment it was for the Maxwell daughters, so he finessed their chance at escape by showing how to make it harmonize with conservative Christianity.

I think the opposite is true. I think the women (i.e. adult daughters) were unhappy and they went to the someone else (the pastor?) for help. I think it started with them. It would be hard I think for an outsider to fully pick up on the dynamics of the family just seeing them at church.

I also think change has been going on for longer than we know.  Remember they were going to evening services before the pandemic. I think they found the church, because things weren't going well and they needed help. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I found the missing Steve Maxwell column!!! WTF! I couldn't see it on the website, but when I googled "Under the Influence" I found it on the website.

This missing column is called Under the Influence is the first Under the Influence and it's from November 23, 2022.

First Section:

Quote

On occasion we hear of someone who was stopped for driving under the influence (DUI). It is very easy to wonder “what were they thinking?” They know to drink and drive is not only illegal but dangerous. However, if they were thinking rationally, they wouldn’t have made the dumb choices that led to that consequence. 

I usually think something along the lines of "What a Jerk". I'm surprised Steve Maxwell doesn't think "how sinful!" Maybe it's generational? The risk to other people on the road is really destructive.

Second Section:

Quote

Frankly, it is beneficial that we step back and consider, “What influences am I under?” Hopefully, none of us are under the influence of alcohol or drugs that alter our minds, but we are all under many influences. What might some of those be? 

🙄 Yes, Steve we all have stuff that influences us. 

Quote

• people we spend time with
• people we admire
• music we listen to
• what we read
• what we watch

Yes, Steve those things can influence us. The last three not necessarily as much as you think. I read your columns; I hope you're not influencing me.

Quote

There are influences that will benefit us and others that will harm us. How aware are you of each of them and their differences? Are you seeking to fill your life with good ones and avoid bad ones? This is such a critically important topic that more words are needed. To be continued. 

I'm aware you're a bad influence, not on me, but on most people around you. 

"To Be continued" should be the end of the column. Instead, 

Quote

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). 

For some reason, I didn't see this column on the blog until I googled it. It's the first in a many-part series. The series isn't that good. Most fundies aren't good influences. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

And now here's this week's Seriously, Dad?. 

It's called "The Outcome of the Bad Influence" and it's from December 14, 2022. 

First Paragraph:

Quote

It seems too good to be true, yet the popular Christian today insists it is. “You can be an effective believer for the Lord and have what the world offers (as long as it isn’t sinful).” Might that idea be a major reason why our country is now “post-Christian?”

Oh FFS! We're not post-Christian. Yet. It's true that more and more people are becoming secular, but we are not "post-Christian". We also aren't a Christian nation exactly. We believe in separation of church and state. At most we're "One Nation Under God" which includes Judaism, Islam, and many some theists.  Maybe we're post-Christian, because some Christians have forgotten what they believe. 

Quote

Let’s consider where that propaganda originated by looking at Matthew 16:23 when Jesus said to Peter. “… Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Notice Satan was credited with what Peter said. 

Propaganda? I forgot when Jesus said that. Jesus is predicting his death and Peter's like "You're my best friend and we're in our thirties. Please live long and prosper." Jesus knows everything that will happen and is not understandably concerned about it and doesn't want Peter second guessing him. This seems like very specific circumstances, and not to be used because your friend wants to watch a movie.

Second Paragraph: 

Quote

What were the circumstances surrounding what might have been the strongest rebuke delivered by the Lord to Peter, one of His apostles, who would be commanded to go unto all the world making disciples of men? Jesus had just told them (in verse 21) He was going to “suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed.” Then He said in verse 24, “ … If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Suffering was not part of the apostles’ plan. Their hearts were not set on denial of self. Don’t many Christians share a similar mindset? 

Honestly I don't like that Christians assume we have to suffer. I don't trust Christians who glorify suffering like Steve or Mother Teresa. I think it can be necessary to make sacrifices to do the right thing, but not everything requires suffering. 

Third Paragraph:

Quote

Maybe Satan has continued influencing Christians by convincing them that they can have the good life with all the entertainment, sports, music, and movies they want as long as those aren’t outright sinful.

I doubt Satan is influencing people to watch entertainment and sports, etc. Most people can find entertainment for themselves.  If all evil consisted of people watching television, etc., the world would be more benign place. 

Fourth Paragraph: 

Quote

Might we have come under the influence of the propaganda being spewed forth that the believer can have both the Lord and the world?

Oh, stop it! It's not devilish propaganda. It's people living normal lives. You and Teri own things. You haven't given away all you own to the poor.  You have a car.  You have airbud earphones: you list to podcasts on. You have worldly things you love. 
 

Quote

Is Satan whispering in our ears: “Sure, spend your time on all these things. Enjoy life while still being a good Christian. Jesus never really meant for you to deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Him. Paul really didn’t mean for you to ‘… seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth’ (Col 3:1). You can love the things of this earth and heaven and still be a good Christian.” Satan’s subtle influence continues to proclaim, “Don’t be a narrow-minded Christian. Enjoy life!”

Enough! You want to talk about real evil. Today is the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting. Instead of whining insufferably about entertainment; you could have posted something about Christians making idol of guns.  Jesus was non-violent (money-changers in the temple aside). 

Last Paragraph:

Quote

Does that mean we really can’t enjoy life? Continued. 

By continued, he means to next week. Yikes! Steve, you're a joyless, miserable man and next week is the last Seriously, Dad? before Christmas. I have a feeling it won't be merry. Tune in next time to find out if we can enjoy life. 

I say forget the answer and just a post about fatherhood or on Luke Chapter 2:8-14 (the part with the Shepherds). I'm thinking about Linus in the first Charlie Brown Christmas special. He was a much better influence.

[Bastet]

On 12/12/2022 at 5:25 AM, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I think the opposite is true. I think the women (i.e. adult daughters) were unhappy and they went to the someone else (the pastor?) for help. I think it started with them. It would be hard I think for an outsider to fully pick up on the dynamics of the family just seeing them at church.

I also think change has been going on for longer than we know.  Remember they were going to evening services before the pandemic. I think they found the church, because things weren't going well and they needed help. 

  I think you and Hane both have points. I had forgotten about the timing of the evening church.  Clearly the Maxwell women needed some air. They may not have gone further, but  I don’t think the minister was magically intuiting their situation. The church members had been watching the Maxwells  for years—remember those young men who were interviewed by Steve, they had stories to tell for sure. The church members gave that new minister an earful.  I also think, however, that he may not have needed to do more than touch that theological house of cards that Steve built for it all to come tumbling down. I suspect the Maxwell women didn’t think their misery was holy. (Maybe visiting Sarah when she was sick was how he got close enough to give the cards a poke.)  
  This is a parlor game for us, trying to imagine what happened with so few clues. We can all agree that the women have escaped Steve and that it’s wonderful and more than any of the most optimistic of us predicted—we mostly argued that they would have their shot at a wan kind of happiness only after Steve finally died.  
  What is this all like for Teri, I wonder. Did she go to the evening services with her daughters? Did the brothers and their wives have any role to play?

[Howl]

Steve's stance is profoundly anti-joy, as though one should be on the alert for outbreaks of happiness and knock that shit down STAT. 

It's fun to think about the joyful smiling photos of the daughters once they escaped Maxhell.  I want to see one of those smiles on Teri's face. 

 

[Jana814]

Steve has taken joy away from everyone. He doesn’t get that someone can have joy even if they don’t follow & believe what he does. 

[Coconut Flan]

From what we know of Steve, he could even have gone to the pastor himself to offer advice on what was wrong with the church and thus given the pastor quite a bit of material to work with on Steve.  Steve and his website and weekly tirades would have opened the pastor's eyes.

[Jana814]

I thought Steve started the nursing home church because he didn’t like how the church they were attending was run. 

[SPHASH]

2 hours ago, Jana814 said:

I thought Steve started the nursing home church because he didn’t like how the church they were attending was run. 

True.  He complained about how the Youth Group was ungodly.

[JermajestyDuggar]

18 minutes ago, SPHASH said:

True.  He complained about how the Youth Group was ungodly.

And now I think Sarah is helping with the youth group at Kory’s church. Or at least it seemed that way. 

[hoipolloi]

In addition to ending the blog, it looks like there will be no more all-family holiday photos. Looks like the last all-family photo was in August of 2021, for Steveʻs 70th. 

Re: the role of the church in liberating les femmes Maxwell.

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

The church members had been watching the Maxwells  for years—remember those young men who were interviewed by Steve, they had stories to tell for sure. The church members gave that new minister an earful.  I also think, however, that he may not have needed to do more than touch that theological house of cards that Steve built for it all to come tumbling down.

Because of my intermittent following, I missed the fact that young men (from that same church?) were interviewed by Steve. Iʻd be interested to learn more or catch up with links. TIA.

I also have to think that church members & the pastoral staff took a good look at Steveʻs online presence and saw the cray for what it is. Steve is oblivious to others and what he clearly thought of as godly pontificating would readily be seen as bizarre, controlling, and toxic by others, even very conservative Christians. IOW, Steve did it to himself. Just sorry that it took so long to free his daughters from that mess.

 

[lunaselene503]

Eeh, I don't think anyone is "free". Sarah simply got married and Mary is engaged. In five years I bet FJ will lament how they're just run of the mill fundie wives. And Anna will probably return home if she doesn't find a suitable husband before graduation.

[JermajestyDuggar]

42 minutes ago, lunaselene503 said:

Eeh, I don't think anyone is "free". Sarah simply got married and Mary is engaged. In five years I bet FJ will lament how they're just run of the mill fundie wives. And Anna will probably return home if she doesn't find a suitable husband before graduation.

Sarah won’t be a run of the mill fundie wife because she got married at 40. She can’t have 8 kids before menopause. She can’t have a laundry room breakdown because she has seven kids seven and under. That already sets her apart from a lot of fundie wives. 

[Coconut Flan]

Sarah married someone in a mainline denomination not technically a fundie.  

[lunaselene503]

14 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Sarah won’t be a run of the mill fundie wife because she got married at 40. She can’t have 8 kids before menopause. She can’t have a laundry room breakdown because she has seven kids seven and under. That already sets her apart from a lot of fundie wives. 

It's true Sarah won't be able to have a mega family. But if she has kids she'll still raise them with the same beliefs.

11 minutes ago, Coconut Flan said:

Sarah married someone in a mainline denomination not technically a fundie.  

I get what you're saying. But its a technicality and we don't really know much about Kory. I just don't like seeing people get their hopes up. Sorry for being a party pooper. 

[fundiewatch]

@lunaselene503 have you never known anyone who has an evolution in their belief system? Your thinking is so black and white on this that it is almost Stehova-like.