Keller parents / shunning

[pomology]

Daniel posted on his Facebook that he's in Florida on vacation near his parents. He emailed them to see if they could get together, but his parents "don't have time."

I don't think there's anything my kids could do that would make me write them out of my life. But what do I know? I'm not a fundy.

Don't have time? Are you fucking kidding me? These people are disgusting.

I feel bad for the Keller kids because they really do seem like nice people who love each other, but they certainly got screwed in the parents department.

[lilwriter85]

Wasn't part of the Keller's problem with Daniel that he listened to his wife?

I used to like the Kellers but their treatment of Daniel bothers me.

The main problem with the Kellers is that and the fact that Daniel doesn't have the "fundie headship" role over Candace.

I also used to like the Kellers. I thought they were more likable than the Duggars.

[marmalade]

Wasn't part of the Keller's problem with Daniel that he listened to his wife?

Yup. He chose to live in SC near his wife's family; I guess the oldest son willfully choosing not to follow Pa into the Prison Ministry in favor of finding his own path in life is a no-no. Especially egregious since he's the oldest son, I'd think.

I used to like the Kellers but their treatment of Daniel bothers me.

I'm glad that like some others here, his persona screamed ASSHOLE at me even though, as Rebekah's husband assures us, he is a decent man. Sure, he's a decent guy, as long as you play by HIS rules. Daniel and Suze chose not to and look where it's gotten them. Anna, Rebekah and Esther (the sister who lives in Oregon with 7 kids at age 30) can get away with seeing them since they are under the umbrella of their husband's authority (gah, typing all that Gothard drivel, almost verbatim, makes my stomach sour). This explains why J&A can go to Florida to meet up with both the senior Kellers and presumably also Daniel and whoever else showed up for the Disney trip.

Priscilla? Even after she's married, I doubt she'll ever talk to Daniel or Suze; even Anna and Rebekah would be questionable, IMO, since she's marrying true Gothard royalty. Smuggar and Anna may be on teevee, but they've loosened some of the restrictions under which they were raised (but remain uber-fundie, Tea Party asswipes who may yet stay with ATI). Rebekah and her Josh have left ATI altogether, so I think that would further estrange Priscilla from them, especially since the women wear jeans and the girls may go to an actual school. I think Esther would still be acceptable; she's apparently doing VF stuff, wearing dresses, etc., so is close enough to Gothard's teachings in her lifestyle to be "acceptable." BUT, they associate with the non-ATI, pants-wearing faction of the family so it could go either way.

IOW, in the end, I think that the parents and Priscilla are going to be the biggest losers in the Keller family, especially once Daniel and Suze start having kids (although I betcha they won't be having a passel, like Esther). It's sad that the Kellers have chosen not to see potential grandkids, and Priscilla her future nieces and nephews, because they chose the Law over the love of family, which is about as Christian a value as there is.

I hope the younger brothers get out, but I imagine Ma & Pa Keller have battened down the hatches with those two, possibly even limiting their access to those faux online "colleges" like the one Anna "went" to. (eta: the post above mine proves my suspicions to be on the mark).

[dairyfreelife]

c

Someone with stronger guts than I should e-mail the Keller rents that. It won't do any good but at least Old Man Keller* would know that not everyone drinks his grape drink.

* I always see Keller as Yeller which makes me think of rabid dogs. Only me? Ok, I'm going to go sit over there.

That's okay. I keep seeing the name Keller and think of that family with 9/10 kids, all but one entirely biological. One she gave birth too-embryo adoption or something. The rest were adopted and were drug-addicted (I want to say meth, but don't quote me on that), I think.

[Deleted07]

Daniel Keller: Candice emailed them telling them we were in the area and asked if we could meet somewhere for lunch but they dont habe time... i completely understand, i mean i just saw them a lil over two years ago!!

The poor guy! :-( That sucks, what an ass of a Dad to do that to your kids! I don't care how busy you are, if any of my relatives were in town and I hadn't seen them in two years (even the ones I am estranged from and don't get along with) I would gladly get together if they were willing!!!

Whats the old saying? I rather regret having done something, than regret NOT doing it!!!

One day the Kellers will be old and alone and dying and will have grandchildren they don't even know, and I hope to God they feel sorry... But They won't. people like this think their own mess always comes up with roses. :evil:

Thankfully after he posted that about 4 people commented for him to come see them and meet up etc, so at least he has good friends that want to see him and his wife and can be of support.

[GatorGutCasserole]

Daniel is a type of guy whol loves to carry his lady on his palms. She found a perfect candidate for that. Of course such guys - the best kind of guys one can ever get!!! - won't treat their Lady, the only one, as an 'It'. I know such guys, they love to please their wives, and their love LASTS. They will never want to rule over their woman. They think of them as equal, but more like, their princess. Some men just love having a princess of their own. If he'd try to give them orders... that'll ruin the picture for them. Daniel is an awesome man. He and Suze will find much more people to like than their large, weirdo family, even though the splinter migh remain stuck in them. Go Daniel, Go Suzie.

[EmmieJ]

This is where fundies show how un-Christian they are; how lacking in the basic concepts that Jesus tried to teach. Any parent who shuns their own offspring, because that offspring decided to make their own adult decisions, is clearly not following the teachings of Christ. So Mr. Keller is no Christian, nor man of God, nor worthy of his son's love or affection.

Mrs. Keller, for going along with this nonsense, or perhaps she even believes her husband is right, is just as bad as Mr. Keller.

The son Daniel is well off without those two phonies in his life. He's clearly the bigger person for still reaching out and trying to be friendly. I hope all the children distance themselves from Ma and Pa Keller, and they can end up alone, but sustained by their certainty that they are always right.

If I were JimBob, I'd be wondering exactly when this scenario was going to play out in his little fiefdom. Although JB is pretty stupid and probably thinks he's got all the kids sufficiently under his thumb that it won't. But it will. And I think it will probably be one of the boys who breaks away first by making a decision as an adult that JImBob does not approve of. For all their talk of instilling responsibility in their offspring, men like Mr. Keller and JimBob really do not want any of their children to fully mature and move out from under their control.

I can't imagine cutting off my kids because they disagree with my religious beliefs. Is this very common amongst fundies or just the Gothardites?

I don't know the answer to your question, but it seems to me that shunning or ostracizing children because they won't fit into the narrow parameters the parents created for them, is a symptom of a small, petty, lameass excuse for a human being. I guess Pop Keller saw Daniel not as a beloved son and gift from God, but as a handy prop he could display to showcase his own "amazing religiousness." Then Daniel goes and acts like an adult male, and Pop Keller freaks out and can't even man up enough to see him once in a while. This then is the typical fundie male. When he could bully and push his son into doing what he wanted, he was happy. When the son finally grew up and became a man, couldn't handle it and like the coward he is, refuses to see him or talk about him.

Even if my child were to commit some horrible act, I would still never disown him, nor refuse to see him. Seems like fundies love to spout about the sanctity of the family, but in actuality, treat their own children as disposable items. Don't like the way your son turned out? Throw that "blessing from God" away.

[Mais Pourquoi]

A bit OT, but I wonder if Anna and Josh visited Daniel during their honeymoon? It WAS in Myrtle Beach, after all, which is about two hours (?) from Charleston.

[fakepigtails73]

And to think Pa Keller works in a prison ministry, being a chaplain to some men who most likely were shunned by their families...

I have nothing else to add that's different than what all of you wrote. I just hope that one day Mr and Mrs Keller cry tears of sorrow for what they are missing now out of Daniel and Suze's lives.

Horrible...And Mr and Mrs Keller dare to proclaim that family is the most important thing.

[PBrooke]

A bit OT, but I wonder if Anna and Josh visited Daniel during their honeymoon? It WAS in Myrtle Beach, after all, which is about two hours (?) from Charleston.

IIRC, Daniel got married just before or just after J&A did. Nothing was amiss then. They probably had their honeymoon just before or after Daniel's wedding.

[Mais Pourquoi]

IIRC, Daniel got married just before or just after J&A did. Nothing was amiss then. They probably had their honeymoon just before or after Daniel's wedding.

I figured it out after lurking around his facebook page that this was probably the case...

[formergothardite]

The Kellers are proof that fundies only view children as a blessing as long as said children do exactly as they say. Once children have independent thoughts, they are a curse to be cut out of their lives.

[GatorGutCasserole]

The Kellers are proof that fundies only view children as a blessing as long as said children do exactly as they say. Once children have independent thoughts, they are a curse to be cut out of their lives.

This is called conditional love. Conditional. 'Love'.

[marmalade]

IIRC, Daniel got married just before or just after J&A did. Nothing was amiss then. They probably had their honeymoon just before or after Daniel's wedding.

I believe that Anna actually said on the show while on their honeymoon that they went to Myrtle Beach because her brother was getting married thereabouts, but due to the Duggar pranksters (how on earth could they have snuck away?), had to keep the exact location a secret.

At any rate, I believe Daniel got married the weekend following Smuggar and Anna.

[gilora]

Do the Kellers have any other marriageable daughters? It seems that both Anna and Priscilla did well in the Gothard marriage market. I wonder if the shunning is a facade to show their fundie "worth" in order to help their daughters get "good" husbands. I'd be interested to see whether their treatment of Daniel changes once Priscilla is married.

It's still a shitty thing to do, though.

Edited for typo.

[slickcat79]

I always thought the Kellers were somehow better people or more authentic than the Duggars. Papa Keller impressed me with his prison ministry, etc. (The prison ministry seemed to be a lot more like genuinely "giving back" than the Duggars ever do.)

I was impressed with the prison ministry as well. There are plenty of people who would never even set foot in a prison for any reason. It's nice to want to reach out and help people who are having troubles.

However, he still considers it a ministry, which makes me wonder exactly what his efforts entail. Does he offer counseling? Is he trained or educated in psychology or therapy, even a little? Or is it really just thinly-disguised evangelism? Combine those questions with the gag-worthy "transfer of authority" and his treatment of his "rebellious" children, and he just gets more douchey.

Do the Kellers have any other marriageable daughters? It seems that both Anna and Priscilla did well in the Gothard marriage market. I wonder if the shunning is a facade to show their fundie "worth" in order to help their daughters get "good" husbands.

No, once Priscilla is married they don't have any more daughters. The only children left at home at that point will be two teenage boys.

[Deleted07]

Yeah I seriously doubt he is educated in anyway when it comes to Psychology or Counselling, it definitely seems to be just Evangelical and I don't think they even attempt to disguise it... There was an episode where Anna went along with her Dad after her first child was born and after her miscarriage I remember...

AHA FOUND IT:

[ChunkyBarbie]

It absolutley horrifies and astounds me that marrying Smuggar could be considered marrying well or up.

[Mais Pourquoi]

Horrifying for us outside of ATI, but the Duggar lifestyle is one that those enamored with QF are trying their best to emulate. Plus, the family is super "blessed" as seen in how many kids J'Chelle has managed to pop out. Add to that the TLC $$$ aspect of it... and Smuggar looks pretty good compared to your average ATI guy whose family of 15 likely lives in a tiny house. I'm surprised nobody has jumped John David's bones yet.

[desertvixen]

And I think it will probably be one of the boys who breaks away first by making a decision as an adult that JImBob does not approve of

Most likely, if only because they have skills and the girls do not, so much.

[gustava]

Horrifying for us outside of ATI, but the Duggar lifestyle is one that those enamored with QF are trying their best to emulate. Plus, the family is super "blessed" as seen in how many kids J'Chelle has managed to pop out. Add to that the TLC $$$ aspect of it... and Smuggar looks pretty good compared to your average ATI guy whose family of 15 likely lives in a tiny house. I'm surprised nobody has jumped John David's bones yet.

He may have had his share of boners, but I doubt he would know what to do if a real woman actually did jump his bones. Anna H. doesn't qualify.

[Jessica]

It absolutley horrifies and astounds me that marrying Smuggar could be considered marrying well or up.

House on the left... Or house on the right? Decisions, decisions. ;)

(Not knockin' modular homes, here! I've seen some that are fixed up to be quite cute... But the Kellers' is pretty dumpy)

[Witsec7]

I'd never seen the Keller home before. I thought it was one of those huge double or triple wides. And how many kids did they stuff into that single wide?

(BTW I'm a fan of MHs, they're pretty popular in the PNW, affordable, low maint. , and energy efficient. )

[Jessica]

They have3 8 kids total but only 3 (soon to be 2, with Priscilla getting married) still living at home.

[Witsec7]

They have3 8 kids total but only 3 (soon to be 2, with Priscilla getting married) still living at home.

Thats a single wide. It may have 3 bedrooms, and a single bath. More than likely one ok sized bedroom, and one smaller . I can't imagine 10 people living in that. They must have stacked the kids like cordwood.

A pal of mine has a 1500 sq ft double wide with 2.5 baths, laundry room and pantry (not to mention her bamboo floors). It is to die for, but its just for her and the dog, although I do have my own room over there.