Sister Wives

[Maude]

Never on FJ have I claimed to be anything other than a 69 year old female. Of course, I know that the Bates are Santorum fans, and so does everyone else who reads her blog. Also like everyone else the Bates are entitled to a political opinion. They were not following Santorum around in their bus, and they haven't written about their choice, aside from once, unlike Josh. When I met the Bates, several children ago, they were not famous. Because I no longer live in the South, I don't see them now, but we still email, sometimes often, sometimes not as often. Now if you want to say I'm a liar, well, I certainly have no way of stopping you, but I have spoken the truth. What I can't imagine is why people are so obsessed with whether or not I know the Bates. And I don't stalk them, either.

The Bates' may not have been on the campaign trail, but the fact that they were ready to vote for him makes them no different. It really is that simple.

[formergothardite]

Never on FJ have I claimed to be anything other than a 69 year old female. Of course, I know that the Bates are Santorum fans, and so does everyone else who reads her blog. Also like everyone else the Bates are entitled to a political opinion. They were not following Santorum around in their bus, and they haven't written about their choice, aside from once, unlike Josh. When I met the Bates, several children ago, they were not famous. Because I no longer live in the South, I don't see them now, but we still email, sometimes often, sometimes not as often. Now if you want to say I'm a liar, well, I certainly have no way of stopping you, but I have spoken the truth. What I can't imagine is why people are so obsessed with whether or not I know the Bates. And I don't stalk them, either.

You are skipping around on of the big issues here, they still want to legislate their lifestyle. They want to strip rights from women.

Have you read the threads about all the abuse in ATI? Have you asked them why they continue to support a man who sexually harrasses teen girls, some 13 and 14? If you are going to defend them then you should be willing to address all the horrible things they do, from starving a horse, to putting a KKK leaders picture up on their wall to denying their children a real education to joining a cult. Why won't you? Why are you so afraid of confronting and admitting that maybe they aren't as wonderful as you want to believe?

[apple1]

I used to like the Duggars, but they completely finished me off with their love affair with Rick Santoro.

Quoted again.

The Bates are EXACTLY the same on this subject.

Cognitive dissonance much?

[Lady]

Janelle was skinny? I can imagine perhaps Robyn and Meri being not heavy but I can't imagine Janelle is truly skinny in person.

I wouldn't say skinny, but she looked several sizes smaller than in the TV show. Whether it was the diet or the camera adding the pounds, I don't know.

[Coconut Flan]

The film cameras seem add at least two sizes. When I saw Marcia Cross standing next to me, she was a twig - bone thin.

[tropaka]

I think Meri is the one who most seriously buys the Mormon beliefs about multiple wives, I see Janelle as more of a friend to Kody (and initially the financial provider), Christine as originally buying in because she was raised that way and didn't want to be a first wife. Robyn is the equivalent of a mid life crisis.

[CrazySister]

I think Meri is the one who most seriously buys the Mormon beliefs about multiple wives, I see Janelle as more of a friend to Kody (and initially the financial provider), Christine as originally buying in because she was raised that way and didn't want to be a first wife. Robyn is the equivalent of a mid life crisis.

I've always thought that fascinating about Christine not wanting to be a first wife. Any ideas as to why? In my mind, even in plural marriage it'd be better to be the first, but clearly that's my own bias coming through. It just struck me as an odd thing (someone stating not wanting to be the first wife).

[snarkbillie]

I've always thought that fascinating about Christine not wanting to be a first wife. Any ideas as to why? In my mind, even in plural marriage it'd be better to be the first, but clearly that's my own bias coming through. It just struck me as an odd thing (someone stating not wanting to be the first wife).

Because the newest wife is the one who gets all the attention. That's why Christine hates Robyn. Robyn took her place.

Christine is just plain nasty and it only shows through on cameras every now and again but when it does I notice. I remember the whole "sharks" conversation. She's very us vs. them. They all are, but mostly her. They're not "live and let live" like they say. They're very similar to the Duggars in the way they come off as "this quirky family with strange beliefs who just want to live" but in reality they're very judgmental and rigid to the point that they don't like outsiders.

[valsa]

They're very similar to the Duggars in the way they come off as "this quirky family with strange beliefs who just want to live" but in reality they're very judgmental and rigid to the point that they don't like outsiders.

I don't think they're similar to the Duggars at all. The Duggars want to legislate their way of life at the expense of stripping people of their rights. The Browns do want to make their way of life legal, but not by taking rights away from anyone else. There's a huge difference there.

[ElphabaGalinda]

Because the newest wife is the one who gets all the attention. That's why Christine hates Robyn. Robyn took her place.

Christine is just plain nasty and it only shows through on cameras every now and again but when it does I notice. I remember the whole "sharks" conversation. She's very us vs. them. They all are, but mostly her. They're not "live and let live" like they say. They're very similar to the Duggars in the way they come off as "this quirky family with strange beliefs who just want to live" but in reality they're very judgmental and rigid to the point that they don't like outsiders.

Also being the last wife, you don't have to go through the jealousy of having your husband seeing someone new. You start out having to share, but you know what you're getting into, and you don't have to go through your husband's courting period with other women.

I think the beliefs of their family are just as bad as the Duggars, but they allow their kids to have post secondary education and they're allowed to express opinions of contrary beliefs on television, like how they would never ever be a sister wife. Plus they go to public school and are allowed to disagree and not "keep sweet". These are things the Duggar kids can never do, so I can easily see how some of the Brown family can easily break away from that life with a much better education and being allowed to openly disagree

[valsa]

I think the beliefs of their family are just as bad as the Duggars

I'm curious as to what beliefs you're referring to (I stopped paying attention to Sister Wives late in the first season, so I might have missed something) While there is inherent sexism in the belief that only men can have more than one wife, I can't think of anything else that bugs me. They don't seem to hold strict views on gender (iirc, we've seen sons doing "women's work" like cooking and laundry and Janelle was co-bread-winner of the house), they don't object to their children receiving an actual education, at least one of them (Janelle, I think) has come out as supportive of gay marriage, and while they want their kids to follow in their faith (most parents do), they seem to be honest when they say their children are free to choose.

[lilwriter85]

I don't think they're similar to the Duggars at all. The Duggars want to legislate their way of life at the expense of stripping people of their rights. The Browns do want to make their way of life legal, but not by taking rights away from anyone else. There's a huge difference there.

This.

[snarkbillie]

I think the beliefs of their family are just as bad as the Duggars, but they allow their kids to have post secondary education and they're allowed to express opinions of contrary beliefs on television, like how they would never ever be a sister wife. Plus they go to public school and are allowed to disagree and not "keep sweet". These are things the Duggar kids can never do, so I can easily see how some of the Brown family can easily break away from that life with a much better education and being allowed to openly disagree

I think I believed they were better/more accepting until I heard Christine's whole thing about if they decided not to choose "the lifestyle" or whatever they called it that she would be worried that she 'raised them wrong'. That made it pretty clear to me that they might be allowed to balk all they want as kids but that if they choose something else with their life when they're grown it would be considered "wrong" to Christine. Robyn, Meri, and Kodouche all nodded when she was expressing this. I don't remember what Janelle was doing.

[moreorlessnu]

I've always thought that fascinating about Christine not wanting to be a first wife. Any ideas as to why? In my mind, even in plural marriage it'd be better to be the first, but clearly that's my own bias coming through. It just struck me as an odd thing (someone stating not wanting to be the first wife).

Christine always struck me as someone who would conjure up reasons to make it seem like she was in control of her destiny, and her life worked out as she had planned. She claims that "I didn't just want the man, I wanted the family" and she "wanted to be the third wife".

How many people who are in a non-polygamous relationship decide they don't just want a partner, but also want a family with kids? So, justifying polygamy by saying "I didn't just want the man, I wanted the family" doesn't really hold water.

[valsa]

I think I believed they were better/more accepting until I heard Christine's whole thing about if they decided not to choose "the lifestyle" or whatever they called it that she would be worried that she 'raised them wrong'.

IIRC, I think she was talking about their religion, not the polygamy. Which isn't all that different to me than the tons of Christian parents who would feel like they failed if their kids grew up to be non-Christians.

[snarkbillie]

IIRC, I think she was talking about their religion, not the polygamy. Which isn't all that different to me than the tons of Christian parents who would feel like they failed if their kids grew up to be non-Christians.

Yeah, I'm not really okay with those people either. I didn't mean to say that the SW were "just like the Duggars in every respect" but more that they put on one face for the cameras but other shit probably goes down behind the scenes and I've seen it come through a few times. I'm 100% not okay with rejecting your kids over their religious choices. I think it's hypocritical/lying to say you're okay with whatever they want out of one side of your mouth and then going on and on about how people who aren't your religion are "sharks" and how you would feel that your kids were "raised wrong" if they didn't choose the same exact things you did.

[curlykate]

I've always thought that fascinating about Christine not wanting to be a first wife. Any ideas as to why? In my mind, even in plural marriage it'd be better to be the first, but clearly that's my own bias coming through. It just struck me as an odd thing (someone stating not wanting to be the first wife).

IIRC, Chistine's mother was the 3rd wife in her marriage. I think I remember her saying that, but I may be wrong, because at the time I didn't really care about the answer. She saw how the 3rd wife balanced everyone out, and so that's why she decided she wanted to be a 3rd wife.

[valsa]

Yeah, I'm not really okay with those people either. I didn't mean to say that the SW were "just like the Duggars in every respect" but more that they put on one face for the cameras but other shit probably goes down behind the scenes and I've seen it come through a few times. I'm 100% not okay with rejecting your kids over their religious choices. I think it's hypocritical/lying to say you're okay with whatever they want out of one side of your mouth and then going on and on about how people who aren't your religion are "sharks" and how you would feel that your kids were "raised wrong" if they didn't choose the same exact things you did.

I think you can be disappointed with the choices your child makes without rejecting them. I'm an atheist who borders on being antitheist at times. I'd probably be disappointed if my future children chose to be religious. Doesn't mean I'm going to reject or disown them.

[ChunkyBarbie]

I think I believed they were better/more accepting until I heard Christine's whole thing about if they decided not to choose "the lifestyle" or whatever they called it that she would be worried that she 'raised them wrong'. That made it pretty clear to me that they might be allowed to balk all they want as kids but that if they choose something else with their life when they're grown it would be considered "wrong" to Christine. Robyn, Meri, and Kodouche all nodded when she was expressing this. I don't remember what Janelle was doing.

They consider their lifestyle a religous one. So, I think that the disappointment that they would feel is the same as any parent whose child/children choose a different faith than the one they grew up with. All of the adults have stated that they would be disappointed, but ultimately understanding, except maybe Robyn, if their children go another way because their lifestyle is not easy. I do believe they are sincere, not everone practiced polygamy back when the mainstream church practiced it either. Plus, not all of their families practice it. There is no way in Hell Jim Bob or Michelle would think like that.

ETA riffle fix and I think Christine is sufering from PPD since Truly was born and the move to LV did not help.

[snarkbillie]

I think you can be disappointed with the choices your child makes without rejecting them. I'm an atheist who borders on being antitheist at times. I'd probably be disappointed if my future children chose to be religious. Doesn't mean I'm going to reject or disown them.

I think stating that if they didn't choose my religion that they were "raised wrong" perhaps means a bit more than disappointment. We're free to disagree though as neither of us really knows exactly how they feel. I'm just going by their words. I would never ever imply much less state that there was something 'wrong' with my kid if they chose a different religion than I did.

[ChunkyBarbie]

I think stating that if they didn't choose my religion that they were "raised wrong" perhaps means a bit more than disappointment. We're free to disagree though as neither of us really knows exactly how they feel. I'm just going by their words. I would never ever imply much less state that there was something 'wrong' with my kid if they chose a different religion than I did.

My impression with "raised wrong" does not imply that there is anything wrong with the child, but that the parents have errored some where along the line. It is just a poor choice of words.

[valsa]

My impression with "raised wrong" does not imply that there is anything wrong with the child, but that the parents have errored some where along the line. It is just a poor choice of words.

This. After all, the wording is coming from a woman who refuses to use toasters because they kill more people than sharks...

[snarkbillie]

My impression with "raised wrong" does not imply that there is anything wrong with the child, but that the parents have errored some where along the line. It is just a poor choice of words.

You could be right. It very well could be that I heard it differently due to my background which is a family where you either believe exactly like they do or you're evil. I chose a different branch of protestant Christianity and half of my family is convinced that I'm literally demon possessed. How could I not be? The Bible says, according to them, that if you raise your kids right they'll believe exactly what you tell them to and if they don't then either you raised them wrong or they're evil. My parents obviously never did a wrong thing in their life, so I'm evil. With that kind of baggage, it's very possible that I read way more into Christine's words than what was meant. However, it's slightly possible that she meant what I heard and just didn't mean to let it slip out on camera.

[snarkbillie]

My impression with "raised wrong" does not imply that there is anything wrong with the child, but that the parents have errored some where along the line. It is just a poor choice of words.

You could be right. It very well could be that I heard it differently due to my background which is a family where you either believe exactly like they do or you're evil. I chose a different branch of protestant Christianity and half of my family is convinced that I'm literally demon possessed. How could I not be? The Bible says, according to them, that if you raise your kids right they'll believe exactly what you tell them to and if they don't then either you raised them wrong or they're evil. My parents obviously never did a wrong thing in their life, so I'm evil. With that kind of baggage, it's very possible that I read way more into Christine's words than what was meant. However, it's slightly possible that she meant what I heard and just didn't mean to let it slip out on camera.

[moreorlessnu]

This. After all, the wording is coming from a woman who refuses to use toasters because they kill more people than sharks...

...but at least she bakes her own hamburger buns. That's worth something, right??