Steve, Steve, Steve! You Have Done it Again!

[Guest Anonymous]

To date they seem to have avoided confrontation and challenge by organising their own exclusive conferences, hosted by fans - although there was that write-up by John once, when they described the audience as being shocked by the presentation....

I think the chances of a proper confrontation will increase if they continue to attend mainstream homeschool conferences though. :)

[alysee]

To date they seem to have avoided confrontation and challenge by organising their own exclusive conferences, hosted by fans - although there was that write-up by John once, when they described the audience as being shocked by the presentation....

I think the chances of a proper confrontation will increase if they continue to attend mainstream homeschool conferences though. :)

Does Steve have guns? I sure hope not. Could be a horrible situation.

[Guest Anonymous]

Does Steve have guns? I sure hope not. Could be a horrible situation.

"Guns" have never crossed my mind in relation to anything in the post you quoted, or anything else to do with the Maxwells.

[LilMissMetaphor]

My husband is not yet convicted in the area of baskets/eggs

This, from one of his commenters, CRACKED me up.

[Guest Anonymous]

Go, Amanda! :D

Amanda says:

April 15, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Certainly, you and your family have the right to decide which holidays you celebrate and how. You should not have to justify your decision not to give children chocolate on a particular day. But I notice a judgmental tone to this post and your comments on the last one, which is not fair. Just as you have the right to adapt secular holidays such as Thanksgiving to incorporate your beliefs, others have the right to include Pagan or secular traditions in their celebration of Christian holidays. Respect is a two way street.

Also, the word you were looking for in your response to the May Day comment was “tractâ€. Although the thought of a May Day basket with a bit of railway sticking out of it is quite amusing

>>>>>>>>>>

I wanted to make sure that the post didn’t sound judgmental and asked a number of people to read it first. That is something very important to me/us to avoid writing something with the appearance of an attitude. Obviously, I didn’t quite get there if you felt that. Always room to improve. Thank you.

Steve

Thank you on the spelling help. I’m sure I write it incorrectly every other time.

I love that Steve 'asked a number of people' to read his blog before posting. As if any one of them has not had dissent beaten right out of them...

[Deleted03]

Go, Amanda! :D

I love that Steve 'asked a number of people' to read his blog before posting. As if any one of them has not had dissent beaten right out of them...

they're in his head, they're not scared of him and very helpful :lol:

[dawbs]

I do remember my parents 'christian-ifying' (made up word) the egg hunt one year...the eggs had stuff in them like:

30 'pieces of silver'

thorns

nails

purple cloth.

And then they still gave us a big honkin basket of loot and candy.

I rolled my eyes a bit (even then), but at least we still got to have our (full contact, very competitive) egg hunt and treats.

(then again, my dad encourages my diet pepsi addiction, so I guess I"m damned)

[ncb]

Except that there have been very many occasions where Steve has removed text from the blog, either original post text, or comments, directly following a mention on here.

Sometimes I wonder if that is because people on here actually send him comments about the blog that e never posts. He could get much the same feedback from unpublished comments that he would get by reading here and then edit posts accordingly.

[Guest Anonymous]

Sometimes I wonder if that is because people on here actually send him comments about the blog that e never posts. He could get much the same feedback from unpublished comments that he would get by reading here and then edit posts accordingly.

It might be, but my experience (having posted there and here, but on separate occasions) is that he makes many changes directly in response to what I have posted here (when I haven't emailed him privately about the same things).

For example, he has frequently let posts by 'johnhugh' go though at Titus2, but then removes them when we laugh at them over here.

For whatever reason though, he is letting more snarky posts go through over there. "Amanda" has posted negatively on the Resurrection Day" post, and it has been allowed through without rebuttal, unlike her comment on the "Bunnies" blog.

[Rainbowcolor]

Pretty amazing how so many of the comment-ers started with baskets and bunnies but did NOT end up heathen. Now HOW did THAT happen?

[Letgo]

Childless wrote:

I'm about as far from the Maxwell's as you can get and yet I seem a lot happier with my life than Steve seems with his. He sounds like a man with weak character who lacks self-esteem. When you are comfortable with yourself and sure in your beliefs, you don't feel the need to control everyone around you.

Yes. But where are you going when you die? It doesn't matter he's not happy now, he's going to heaven (Unlike you, you heathen).

Has Steve ever expounded on the subject of grace? When I read the Corners and his explanations for his choices in how the family lives, I always wonder how he feels about most of Christianity. (Actually, I don't really wonder as he obviously thinks everyone should do as he does.) Salvation by the grace of God is a pretty huge thing; does he believe in it? So much of what he writes and believes seems to be along the lines of "if you do this or don't do that, you are doomed to hell" and completely ignores grace. So what happens to Christians who attend baseball games or a real church, give Easter baskets, have friends outside of one's immediate family, or have jobs that are not home businesses? Is God going to punish them for this type of sin? Do they all go to hell?

[LurkerOverThePond]

Maybe I'm just imagining things and simply can't find the right entry but if I'm not mistaken, the Maxwells have taken away the post with old photos from Steve's past. He had a birthday in August and there are several posts of the zoo trip (his 60th birthday present), the Colorado-what-some-might-call-a-holiday-trip and a general "Happy Birthday we love you soooo much daddy!!!!!!!" post but no sign of his old military photos. There was one with him standing in front of a plane (looking quite cool and normal), and two photos he had taken himself: one of a local Thai soda vendor and one of a US soldier waiting for his post from home. There were other pictures as well, but I can't remember them so well, maybe a pic of him with one of the older kids sitting on his shoulders.

What an Earth would make them remove a post and pictures of their God and Lord, aka Steve-O??? :shock: :?:

Was it too sinful to have pictures about one's past showing some fun times?!

I swear, when you think these people cannot shock you any more there is always something new lurking behind the corner...

[Witsec7]

I was just reading the comments on Steves bunny post. Gosh all these folks that had Easter Bunnies, and Santa's and Tooth Fairies are now denying the same for their kids. In spite of all these trappings the posters still managed to find the message of the Christ. One wonders about their spiritual insecurities.

[Guest Anonymous]

Maybe I'm just imagining things and simply can't find the right entry but if I'm not mistaken, the Maxwells have taken away the post with old photos from Steve's past.

The Fathers' Day post is still up: http://www.titus2.com/blog/index.php/20 ... 3/our-dad/

[QueenMother]

I am pretty sure none of the Maxwell girls will ever marry, or not for a long time. Steve can control Nathan and Christopher even as they are "heads" of their own families now but, unless he succeeds in finding a son-in-law as totally insane as he is, he wouldn't have as much control over what his daughters do once they are no longer under his authority. Indeed, if one of the girls married a guy who decided a few chocolate eggs on Easter WERE NOT a direct ticket to hell, not only couldn't Steve say anything, but neither could the girls. I mean, in that family, Teri can't even remind Steve to get pizza for dinner, can you imagine any of those girls even suggesting to a husband that maybe they shouldn't do chocolate eggs? Ironically, the fact that he has created such passive, obedient, subservient, naive robots for daughters might actually be what ends up putting some cracks in his hold over them...if he ever lets them get married, that is.

Sarah has a few interested parties contact Steve and Steve/Sarah have rejected everyone of them for some reason I do not know. All I knew is that there was "something" in each of them that Sarah could not accept. I have somewhat wondered if one of the Arndt boys was one of the interested parties and she could not accept the sports issue being brought up with Steve's views on organized sports. Personally, I think one of the older Arndt boys would be a great match for Sarah.

I think Anna and Mary both will marry. It is too bad none of them are allowed friends so the boys could invite friends over and the girls could meet nice young possible husbands that way. Mary is trely turning from duckling to swan and I wonder how much longer Steve is going to allow her to wear her hair the way she is before he talks to her about it being an idol and makes her shave it all off.

I have wondered if Joseph or John would ever connect with one of the Seven Sisters. Same jumpers and hair as their sisters afterall.

[Letgo]

Sarah has a few interested parties contact Steve and Steve/Sarah have rejected everyone of them for some reason I do not know. All I knew is that there was "something" in each of them that Sarah could not accept. I have somewhat wondered if one of the Arndt boys was one of the interested parties and she could not accept the sports issue being brought up with Steve's views on organized sports. Personally, I think one of the older Arndt boys would be a great match for Sarah.

This brings up a good point. Is Sarah so steeped in Steve's lifestyle that NO ONE will be godly enough? I am sure it is difficult enough for anyone to please Steve, but if he also has to be acceptable to Sarah, who has been brought up to believe that her isolated life is THE only Christian way, how can anyone qualify? Not only will Sarah have to have a suitor who is a godly Christian, but she will also feel great pressure to only consider someone who falls in line will all of Steve's decrees. I doubt that anyone (other than another Maxwell!) will be a good candidate with regard to the proper beliefs. It is easier for Nathan and Christopher because their potential mates will have to obey and fall into the party line once married. Sarah's choice already needs to be that way. If Steve brings up a potential mate for her, she probably feels obligated to say no every time there is one little detail that doesn't follow Steve's teachings. It might be easier for Sarah to get married if Steve just chose for her.

[lilwriter85]

This brings up a good point. Is Sarah so steeped in Steve's lifestyle that NO ONE will be godly enough? I am sure it is difficult enough for anyone to please Steve, but if he also has to be acceptable to Sarah, who has been brought up to believe that her isolated life is THE only Christian way, how can anyone qualify? Not only will Sarah have to have a suitor who is a godly Christian, but she will also feel great pressure to only consider someone who falls in line will all of Steve's decrees. I doubt that anyone (other than another Maxwell!) will be a good candidate with regard to the proper beliefs. It is easier for Nathan and Christopher because their potential mates will have to obey and fall into the party line once married. Sarah's choice already needs to be that way. If Steve brings up a potential mate for her, she probably feels obligated to say no every time there is one little detail that doesn't follow Steve's teachings. It might be easier for Sarah to get married if Steve just chose for her.

I think Sarah is really steeped in the lifestyle. She probably prays to meet a fundie man that is completely like Steve. I doubt she will ever find someone would agree with all of Steve's beliefs.

[lilwriter85]

My biggest fundie fantasy is that Sarah is the one who reads here, then says "Oh, we haven't mentioned such and such on the blog", but I do think that Steve is paranoid or so full of himself that he reads here (gotta know what the unwashed masses think about him!).

I think Sarah does read here because there was a blog posting sometime back in which she discussed being single.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

The Maxwells talk about sheltering quite a bit, why school is out, sports are out, youth group is out. Even activities held by the homeschool group they were leading (in Kansas) were not okay for their kids to participate in. (Basically any activity, regardless of how wholesome, is out if it involves a teacher or coach that the kids might end up looking to and absorbing lessons from.) What about individuals?

It is likely that, even as you shelter your children, you will find a family that is very similar to yours. The temptation then arises to let go of the sheltering rules. We suggest that you be cautious in this. Just because another family is like-minded doesn't mean their goals for their children are the same as your goals for your children. If the goals are similar, you still aren't assured that the other family is actually making decisions consistent with those goals. They may be allowing appetites to grow in their children that would oppose your goals and could be an influence on your children if they spent time together unsupervised.

For our family, we have come to realize that friends aren't a necessary or beneficial part of raising children.

So yeah. Even if there's another family that raised their kids in 100% sheltering like that, you can't be sure their goals are exactly the same, so there's gotta be some more hurdles, particularly if you're looking for a HUSBAND and not even just friends. I imagine it's a rather high threshold just given the particulars of all their rules and just how much they forbid. It's just way too easy to possibly have some forbidden appetite going.

Even extended family does not get a pass.

By choosing to limit time spent with those who would present negative influences on our children, we would be sheltering them. That means we wouldn't spend every holiday with extended family, and when we were together, we wouldn't stay long. We would keep our children near us so that they wouldn't be off with others, being exposed to things from which we shelter them. If this became awkward, we might consider planning activities, which we would oversee, for all of the children at the gathering. That way we would have a reason to be with the children.

We would plan to invite relatives, one family at a time, into our home where we have control over the influences. Often our desire in these relationships is to share the love of Jesus Christ and to have witnessing opportunities. This happens best in a smaller group setting when we have them in our own home by themselves.

I bet that's a party and a half... :roll:

Of course then Sarah chimes in:

I can't imagine where I'd be now if my parents had just let me do whatever I wanted. I wouldn't change their sheltering for anything in the world!

Now that they are adults...

Steve admits that when differences have come up relating to our adult children, he has fount it difficult to let go of his fatherly authority role and simply use his fatherly influence... [though] we realize our adult children are to be treated as the adults they are.

They don't do the "negative consequences" official discipline anymore, but strongly imply that that's because they don't need it.

There's not much in here specifically about courtship. I'd love it if they put out a book specifically on that, with particulars.

Edited just to add: I agree with others upthread that it is probably way harder for girls (any girls, not just Maxwell girls) to get married in this lifestyle than it is for the boys, precisely for the reasons they give too - a wife marries into your son's direct authority, but your daughter marries OUT and goes under the authority of her new husband, an essential stranger whom you can't control.

[Deleted03]

This is crazy... if you don't make friends, how do you find a spouse? If you don't interact with other families how do you find someone? Can you imagine how awkward it would be to have no iidea of what a friend is and then trying to do a courtship and interact with the whole family???

[Guest Anonymous]

The Maxwells talk about sheltering quite a bit, why school is out, sports are out, youth group is out. Even activities held by the homeschool group they were leading (in Kansas) were not okay for their kids to participate in. (Basically any activity, regardless of how wholesome, is out if it involves a teacher or coach that the kids might end up looking to and absorbing lessons from.) What about individuals?

So yeah. Even if there's another family that raised their kids in 100% sheltering like that, you can't be sure their goals are exactly the same, so there's gotta be some more hurdles, particularly if you're looking for a HUSBAND and not even just friends. I imagine it's a rather high threshold just given the particulars of all their rules and just how much they forbid. It's just way too easy to possibly have some forbidden appetite going.

Even extended family does not get a pass.

I bet that's a party and a half... :roll:

Of course then Sarah chimes in:

Now that they are adults...

They don't do the "negative consequences" official discipline anymore, but strongly imply that that's because they don't need it.

There's not much in here specifically about courtship. I'd love it if they put out a book specifically on that, with particulars.

Edited just to add: I agree with others upthread that it is probably way harder for girls (any girls, not just Maxwell girls) to get married in this lifestyle than it is for the boys, precisely for the reasons they give too - a wife marries into your son's direct authority, but your daughter marries OUT and goes under the authority of her new husband, an essential stranger whom you can't control.

Is this on titus2, or from a book?

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Is this on titus2, or from a book?

It's from a book, "Keeping Our Children's Hearts" by Steve and Teri Maxwell. I got it on eBay.

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh God, poor Aunt Tami and Grandpa and Gigi, reading that and knowing that every interaction will be monitored and used as an opportunity to preach at them. :?

[Guest Anonymous]

And what the fuck were non-reversal Anna's parents thinking, handing her over to that...? :(

[HoneyBunny]

Pretty amazing how so many of the comment-ers started with baskets and bunnies but did NOT end up heathen. Now HOW did THAT happen?

Aaaaahhh, yes, but they could have been even HOLIER if they hadn't split their vision between the secular and the Christian. Unless you have some incredible peripheral vision, it can't be done (per Steve).