And the Next Maxwell Money Making Scheme Will Be....

[twin2]

(Drum roll please...............................)

 

Publications on courtship! Ta Da!!

 

 

Quote

Still praying that the Lord will lead your family to publish some courtship resources!

>>>>>>>>>>

I believe we are getting closer to that time. Our courtship workshop sessions have been very well received and we are beginning to do them on the weekend conferences and I’m considering adding one to the single evening session in cities where we have been previously.

Steve

 

Uh, hasn't this been done before, way too many times. Also, I think they should have to get at least half their brood married off (including at least one girl) before they can publish. Personally, I would love to know if Papa Maxwell has a list of "courtship questions" should any godly man come asking about his daughters.

[fundiefan]

I'm not so sure anyone with a mind of their own would turn to the Maxwell's for courtship advice or information.

Their daughter is almost 30 - THIRTY -her child bearing years are diminishing by biology, no matter what their god wants. 35 is about the 'top of the line' with natural, healthy conception. Biological facts are god's doing, not something to ignore and expect god to get over and change to accommodate you. Biologically, their oldest daughters prospects are limited with each passing day.

They have eight offspring. Two have spouses, and the latest only got his spouse after he was in his 30's. He's also a man so his biological clock isn't as time sensitive.

Even all of that aside, only one quarter of their offspring are married. Two out of eight.

Who the hell is insane enough to go the THEM for courtship advice? Obviously, experience counts for absolutely nothing.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I see a new line of Maxwell books featuring courtship stories. The Castleberry family has written some-they probably do sell since the kids in that group can't read anything a normal teen would like.

I could see Sarah Maxwell writing a book titled "I still believe that some day my prince WILL come when Daddy is out...."

[fundiefan]

I see a new line of Maxwell books featuring courtship stories. The Castleberry family has written some-they probably do sell since the kids in that group can't read anything a normal teen would like.

I could see Sarah Maxwell writing a book titled "I still believe that some day my prince WILL come when Daddy is out...."

Poor Sarah. When Daddy is out is key to that poor girl. She is screwed. She is too valuable to her father's image and for his purpose. He doesn't give a rat's ass about her or her future. She does the paperwork, billing, follow-up, details. She is his voice - on the blog and otherwise. She is his right hand. She has no exposure to anyone outside his control. Courtship isn't possible, much less a future of her own. (Dare I say it? She is his substitute wife).

Single and thrity is no big deal in the REAL world. In their world? She is over the hill. Her reproduction ability is limited with each day. No guarantee it won't happen, but no guarantee it will either. When you are raised to be a wife and mother, yet not allowed to become that, life has to be miserable. She'll never admit it, but I guarantee she feels it. Emotions cannot be turned off or manipulated even if they can be ignored and hidden. She won't express it, but I have no doubt she feels it - she is human.

Daddy Maxwell is a narcissistic, manipulative, selfish, mean asshole who has issues so deep he uses his family to accommodate himself.

Yeah. I hate the Maxwell's. Or, at least I hate Stevie and his control of every other person unfortunate enough to be part of his life.

[liltwinstar]

I think it would be highly creepy for them to publish courtship stuff on their post-30-year-old-son. I mean, he's a grown man, with a job and a house, and he was fully capable of getting a wife on his own, no help needed from Mom and Dad. Basically he met his wife at a homeschool conference, right? Where he was working? So you could say he met his wife at work. I met my husband at work. That's not anything special; that's normal life for most of us.

I *do* feel badly for Sarah. She seems like such a sweet woman (I refuse to say girl) and she's pretty and she does seem to like the domestic stuff - there are posts of her making cheesecake, etc, and I'm assuming that she writes because she wants to. Yes, it contributes to the family brand, but I'm guessing it was her idea since the rest of the family seems to concentrate on concrete stuff like computers, spreadsheets, and death. Sarah writes fiction which to me indicates that she has a creative mind, however much that mind might have been somewhat stunted by her upbringing. I hope she meets a nice man and has a beautiful family of her own, and soon.

It's weird - I want to like the Maxwells, for some reason, even though I have basically no use for religion at this point in my life. But their teachings scare me.

[moreorlessnu]

Could there be a strategy behind this to go across the country, spewing their wisdom, and along the way, drawing in the potential fundie mates?

[Feberin]

I'd be curious to find out what it would include. Would there be a chapter about how no man will ever be good enough for your daughter?

[darkplumaged]

the rest of the family seems to concentrate on concrete stuff like computers, spreadsheets, and death.

:lol:

The Maxwells are reminding me of Dougie here... what hubris to think they can teach anything useful about courtship when they have a 29-year-old daughter at home and one son did not have a successful courtship until he was over 30.

[marmalade]

I'm guessing it was her idea since the rest of the family seems to concentrate on concrete stuff like computers, spreadsheets, and death.

I'm sure this is on the word/phrase no-no list, but I don't care. Oh, SNAP!!!! :dance:

Concur that Sarah goes nowhere until Steve is 6 feet under. BUT not too long ago Steve talked about training Mary (isn't she the next girl?) to replace Sarah *if* she ever got married. Probably a carrot to keep their lemmings in line, but hey, it's out there in the universe.

[denimjumper]

Will it include a section on how to break off a courtship and then hide all the evidence that it ever existed? Will it be given by Christopher?

[allyisyourpally5]

I can imagine the Contents Page Now:

CHAPTER 1: Courtship: A Godly Perspective

CHAPTER 2: Why Courtship will Save You at The Valley of the Shadow Of Death

CHAPTER 3: Why Dating is of the Devil

CHAPTER 4: How Even Holding Hands with Spouse To-Be Will Corrupt Marriage

CHAPTER 5: Temptations of Evil: How To Successfully Chaperone Courting Couple

CHAPTER 6: Best Locations to be in While Waiting For God To Provide Your Child's Spouse from Thin Air

CHAPTER 7: What To Look For in Potential Courtship Family

CHAPTER 8: Questions for Spouses Father

CHAPTER 9: Vital Questions for Your Son's Potential Wife

CHAPTER 10: Seeking out and Squashing Possible Worldly Influence

CHAPTER 11: What to do In The Event of Damaged Goods.....Your Son's New Wife May Have Kissed Another Man

CHAPTER 12: "My Son's courting a woman who is indicating possible fertility problems, is this a sign from God that the courtship is wrong?"

CHAPTER 13: Signs that A Potential Wife May Not Be Totally Submissive or Obedient, and Seeking Gods Assistance for Correction

CHAPTER 14: How to Successfully Dominate Your Child's Wedding by Becoming a Fake Pastor

CHAPTER 15: How to receive Thanks from the Couple for Saving them From Worldly Influences which garuntee Divorce, i.e The Beast

CHAPTER 16: How A Mortgage will Damn you to Hell

CHAPTER 17: How to remove your Neighbors so that Couple can live Next Door and Near Your Godly Fatherly Influence, and remove Cult Acussations from Heathens

CHAPTER 18: Remember, God Speaks to FATHERS, Not Wives or Children

CHAPTER 19: How to Donload our Successful Courtship Software (only $30) - A Vital Tool for a Godly Courtship

CHAPTER 20: How to Download our Successful Marriage Software (Only and extra $40 a year after Courtship Package) - A Vital Tool for A Successful Heaven Bound Marriage

CHAPTER 21: How to download our Successful Child Bearing Software (Only an extra $50 a year until all children are married) - A Vital Tool in Raising Obedient, Anti-Fun Children

[dawn]

CHAPTER 21: How to download our Successful Child Bearing Software (Only an extra $50 a year until all children are married) - A Vital Tool in Raising Obedient, Anti-Fun Children

and because if you follow chapters 1-20, it's almost certain your children will simply not get married, the $50 will never stop coming in :ugeek:

[kpmom]

Loved Chapter 14 about dominating your child's wedding. Before Christopher M's wedding, I'd never seen a wedding where either parent puts him or herself front and center like Steve did.

Steve, it's Christopher and Anna's day, not yours.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

allyisyourpally5 just one word: BRILLIANT!! Make sure you copyright it, so when they use it you can sue!

[demgirl]

I dunno -- on one hand, I feel really bad for Sarah. Her religion teaches that the ultimate thing a woman can do is marry and have children, and that is being denied to her. She might also benefit from getting away from her parents -- like, the new headship might be ultra-conservative fundie, but at least he might not be so utterly depressed sounding and obsessed with sucking all joy out of everything. On the other hand, delaying her marriage means lessening her years of fertility, and I think that's a good thing when you are a woman with no control over your own reproduction. It might save her from depression, ill health effects, being overwhelmed. And yet on another hand (I have three hands) by doing this, Steve may be denying her any chance to have the life of a Titus 2 woman -- because, let's face it, she's been on the shelf way too long for most fundie young men. And while that's sick and sad, it's also true.

[gingernut]

I'm sure this is on the word/phrase no-no list, but I don't care. Oh, SNAP!!!! :dance:

Concur that Sarah goes nowhere until Steve is 6 feet under. BUT not too long ago Steve talked about training Mary (isn't she the next girl?) to replace Sarah *if* she ever got married. Probably a carrot to keep their lemmings in line, but hey, it's out there in the universe.

Training Mary to replace Sarah in WHAT? I don't follow these people much. Does he mean in chores? In a specific area of expertise? What is with this man? These people claim children are a gift, even a reward, but they are just part of this man's corporate strategy. A money maker. Bleck.

[Marian the Librarian]

allyisyourpally5 just one word: BRILLIANT!! Make sure you copyright it, so when they use it you can sue!

Seconded! And after you copyright it, send a copy along to the Botkins!

[kpmom]

Training Mary to replace Sarah in WHAT? I don't follow these people much. Does he mean in chores? In a specific area of expertise? What is with this man? These people claim children are a gift, even a reward, but they are just part of this man's corporate strategy. A money maker. Bleck.

Bleck is right. From what I can gather, Sarah does most of the "Titus2" work; i.e., handling orders, mailing, etc. She keeps up the blog, writes those books, and she's the one who researched how they were going to get across the Canadian border with all of their items to sell. Probably a bureaucratic nightmare. I'm sure she does a zillion other things too. No wonder they are not so quick to let her go!

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

Could there be a strategy behind this to go across the country, spewing their wisdom, and along the way, drawing in the potential fundie mates?

I hope you're right about that! I remember someone posted on the old board a while ago that they had met or worked with one of the Maxwell boys, and that the Maxwells believe that it is wrong to actively seek out a courtship - instead, one may only meet a potential mate while going about "God's work." I really hope for the girls' sakes that Steve is going to be using this new venture to kill two birds with one stone.

[emmiedahl]

I think Michael Pearl is trying to criticize the Maxwell's (etc) in this recent article: nogreaterjoy.org/articles/general-view/archive/2011/june/15/functioning-community/

[HoneyBunny]

Interesting article by Michael Pearl. That man is a few bricks short of a load too, and while he does seem to knock the Maxwell style of living on one hand (adult children still at home, kids still cloistered after age 16 or so), he seems a total proponent of isolation until age 16. Hmmm....dangerous minds, these. I love it when they get into snits with each other about degrees of insanity.

But the Sarah/Anna/Mary dilemma is a very real one. When I read about Anna's "choice" (yeah, right, like there was ever any question) about not attending college because she wanted to be a wife a mother, I actually sat and cried at the waste. I, too, wanted to be a wife and mother (among other things), but thank God I attended college and, in fact, earned advanced degrees. Because, you know what...I never had kids. It just wasn't in my medical cards. What a waste it would have been for me to have sat home and waited for my prince to appear on my doorstep and then for my womb to be opened. Talk about depression...it would be truly depressing to know that I had wasted the talents God gave me because I was too busy working my own agenda.

It seems that these people who claim to be so busy praying for the Lord to "lay things on their hearts" are the same ones closing themselves off to possible answers.

[allyisyourpally5]

Seconded! And after you copyright it, send a copy along to the Botkins!

Awww you guys I'm touched :D why is there no bowing smiley? :snooty:

Is it obvious I'm off work sick today and couldn't thinkl of anything else to do? hehe

[emesbe]

I can imagine the Contents Page Now:

CHAPTER 1: Courtship: A Godly Perspective

CHAPTER 2: Why Courtship will Save You at The Valley of the Shadow Of Death

CHAPTER 3: Why Dating is of the Devil

CHAPTER 4: How Even Holding Hands with Spouse To-Be Will Corrupt Marriage

CHAPTER 5: Temptations of Evil: How To Successfully Chaperone Courting Couple

CHAPTER 6: Best Locations to be in While Waiting For God To Provide Your Child's Spouse from Thin Air

CHAPTER 7: What To Look For in Potential Courtship Family

CHAPTER 8: Questions for Spouses Father

CHAPTER 9: Vital Questions for Your Son's Potential Wife

CHAPTER 10: Seeking out and Squashing Possible Worldly Influence

CHAPTER 11: What to do In The Event of Damaged Goods.....Your Son's New Wife May Have Kissed Another Man

CHAPTER 12: "My Son's courting a woman who is indicating possible fertility problems, is this a sign from God that the courtship is wrong?"

CHAPTER 13: Signs that A Potential Wife May Not Be Totally Submissive or Obedient, and Seeking Gods Assistance for Correction

CHAPTER 14: How to Successfully Dominate Your Child's Wedding by Becoming a Fake Pastor

CHAPTER 15: How to receive Thanks from the Couple for Saving them From Worldly Influences which garuntee Divorce, i.e The Beast

CHAPTER 16: How A Mortgage will Damn you to Hell

CHAPTER 17: How to remove your Neighbors so that Couple can live Next Door and Near Your Godly Fatherly Influence, and remove Cult Acussations from Heathens

CHAPTER 18: Remember, God Speaks to FATHERS, Not Wives or Children

CHAPTER 19: How to Donload our Successful Courtship Software (only $30) - A Vital Tool for a Godly Courtship

CHAPTER 20: How to Download our Successful Marriage Software (Only and extra $40 a year after Courtship Package) - A Vital Tool for A Successful Heaven Bound Marriage

CHAPTER 21: How to download our Successful Child Bearing Software (Only an extra $50 a year until all children are married) - A Vital Tool in Raising Obedient, Anti-Fun Children

:clap:

This forum has the awesomest smilies.

[darkplumaged]

But the Sarah/Anna/Mary dilemma is a very real one. When I read about Anna's "choice" (yeah, right, like there was ever any question) about not attending college because she wanted to be a wife a mother, I actually sat and cried at the waste. I, too, wanted to be a wife and mother (among other things), but thank God I attended college and, in fact, earned advanced degrees. Because, you know what...I never had kids. It just wasn't in my medical cards. What a waste it would have been for me to have sat home and waited for my prince to appear on my doorstep and then for my womb to be opened.

I agree with your whole post, HoneyBunny, but this part in particular struck me. None of us can know ahead of time if we will marry and have children. Both goals are out of our own control; they require a willing partner, and in the case of having children, good health and fertility (or access to effective treatment). What we can do as individuals is develop our talents, get a real education, and work toward a career... but, of course, none of those are real options in the Maxwell family. No, only those "ambitions" that require the involvement of a "godly man" are acceptable. Ugh.

On a personal note, if I had waited at home until my "prince" came along, I would have been waiting more than 10 years after finishing high school (and we didn't get married for another three years after meeting). I can't imagine spending 13 years (!) as an adult SAHD. (Though I'm sure my parents' house would be a lot more organized now if I had.)

[emmiedahl]

If they are going to make their daughters eschew a life and an education to marry and have babies, the Maxwells should be actively looking for young marriageable men. Yet they aren't. Reason #2314 that they suck as parents.