The Duggars family TV show premieres this Sat.

[DisneyMomx7]

I agree with you Anne. I chose to have a large family but I didn't expect the older kids to "raise" the younger ones. These kids seem to have way too much responsibility for the younger ones. I thought a lot of the things the kids were doing seemed unsafe. The 10 year old was working on a gas line! It really seems to me like the kids are being used as slave labor.

 

[pamlet]

Oh, I judge. But then again, I don't subscribe to a religion that tells me not to

Well my faith tells me to do a lot of things... being very careful when going to judge is one of them.

Thankfully my faith also tells me that while I will never be PERFECT on this earth - through my faith in Christ as my savior God can still look on me - as HIS (Christ's) perfection is what God the Father sees me through.

It's easy to not do the BIG things (Like robbing a bank) ... it's those niggly "little" sins that are tough... like judging.. because judging comes so naturally for all. Whether we're judging someone for what they feed their kids - or for the way they look - or for their political choices. While for you not feeling there's any problem with judging - for ME - it is a problem... the example of looking at someone's outside appearance is one that taught me not to judge someone's character immediately. Just an example..

 

[chobie]

Well my faith tells me to do a lot of things... being very careful when going to judge is one of them.

Thankfully my faith also tells me that while I will never be PERFECT on this earth - through my faith in Christ as my savior God can still look on me - as HIS (Christ's) perfection is what God the Father sees me through.

It's easy to not do the BIG things (Like robbing a bank) ... it's those niggly "little" sins that are tough... like judging.. because judging comes so naturally for all. Whether we're judging someone for what they feed their kids - or for the way they look - or for their political choices. While for you not feeling there's any problem with judging - for ME - it is a problem... the example of looking at someone's outside appearance is one that taught me not to judge someone's character immediately. Just an example..

I never said I don't have a problem with judging. And no one is judging the Duggars based just on their apperance. Anne summed it up quite nicely what is disturbing about the family.

Again, you never judge a woman's character based on her wearing skimpy, tight clothes? If you don't, that's admirable.

And I thought the bible said judge not; I don't remember any qualifiers from 20 years as a Christian.

 

[pamlet]

I never said I don't have a problem with judging. And no one is judging the Duggars based just on their apperance. Anne summed it up quite nicely what is disturbing about the family.

Again, you never judge a woman's character based on her wearing skimpy, tight clothes? If you don't, that's admirable.

And I thought the bible said judge not; I don't remember any qualifiers from 20 years as a Christian.

The judge not is an overall concept for sure - however there are times I know that as Christian's we're to be discerning - which is often "judged" as "judging"... But I don't think that this is the place to get into that deep of a theological discussion. I will say that I believe "judgement" is something that as Christian's we are not to do often..

As to judging a woman on skimpy clothing - I'm sure I have judged someone on it... but to be honest - more often than not I believe I don't... "Skimpy" is relative isn't it? Skimpy on ME is a sleeveless ... laugh... not because I have strong convictions - but because I've got LARGE upper arms and it looks gross...

 

[chobie]

The judge not is an overall concept for sure - however there are times I know that as Christian's we're to be discerning - which is often "judged" as "judging"... But I don't think that this is the place to get into that deep of a theological discussion. I will say that I believe "judgement" is something that as Christian's we are not to do often..

As to judging a woman on skimpy clothing - I'm sure I have judged someone on it... but to be honest - more often than not I believe I don't... "Skimpy" is relative isn't it? Skimpy on ME is a sleeveless ... laugh... not because I have strong convictions - but because I've got LARGE upper arms and it looks gross...

Well, skimpy to me is bared bellies because I have that c-section pooch going on.

 

[In a hurry]

I agree with you Anne. I chose to have a large family but I didn't expect the older kids to "raise" the younger ones. These kids seem to have way too much responsibility for the younger ones. I thought a lot of the things the kids were doing seemed unsafe. The 10 year old was working on a gas line! It really seems to me like the kids are being used as slave labor.

They were having a ball putting a pipe in a hole. No gas running thru it. Not exactly slave labor. Our daughter helps my husband all the time do work on our house. She is great at pounding nails, and holding the drywall. She is thrilled to be helping (and she really is) and loves the time spent as daddy's companion. Kids like to do real stuff, and make a difference rather than the made up accomplishments that so many kids hear.

 

[chobie]

They were having a ball putting a pipe in a hole. No gas running thru it. Not exactly slave labor. Our daughter helps my husband all the time do work on our house. She is great at pounding nails, and holding the drywall. She is thrilled to be helping (and she really is) and loves the time spent as daddy's companion. Kids like to do real stuff, and make a difference rather than the made up accomplishments that so many kids hear.

Yes, but a lot of these kids days are taken up doing real stuff; taking care of siblings, doing laundry and cooking for 18 people on top of helping with the home for the last three years. Plus you had one child getting to spend time with Daddy so there actaully was quality time involved. Its the whole excessiveness of the chores, the seclusion from the outside world etc. No one thing makes people have a problem with the Duggars it's the whole picture.

And having a ball and does not negate the safety issues.

 

[monsterkitty]

Did anyone else think that Michelle looked ill about half way through the show? I first noticed it when they still had about two months left of work on the house. I really noticed it after she had the baby, but it continued through the rest of the show. Her voice was horse and looked pale to me.

For humor, so a Google search on tater tot casserole. Cooks.com alone has 570 variations of tater tot casserole!

 

[In a hurry]

Yes, but a lot of these kids days are taken up doing real stuff; taking care of siblings, doing laundry and cooking for 18 people on top of helping with the home for the last three years. Plus you had one child getting to spend time with Daddy so there actaully was quality time involved. Its the whole excessiveness of the chores, the seclusion from the outside world etc. No one thing makes people have a problem with the Duggars it's the whole picture.

And having a ball and does not negate the safety issues.

I see your point ...but I will continue to argue that laying a plastic pipe isn't dangerous or slave labor. Maybe because our daughter is helping us build our cabin and is loving it. So, I do have a bias!

 

[monsterkitty]

I see your point ...but I will continue to argue that laying a plastic pipe isn't dangerous or slave labor. Maybe because our daughter is helping us build our cabin and is loving it. So, I do have a bias!

Laying a plastic pipe isn't dangerous unless the pipe is in a trench.

 

[In a hurry]

Laying a plastic pipe isn't dangerous unless the pipe is in a trench.

It was only a couple of feet deep. Didn't you ever play in a hole before?

 

[monsterkitty]

It was only a couple of feet deep. Didn't you ever play in a hole before?

Yes I have played in a whole before.

And as a former EMT/Paramedic I also dug two kids out of a two foot trench that had collapsed and knocked them over. Unfortunately for those two kids we didn't get them in time.

The trench the Duggars were digging easily went to the child's waist.

It's dangerous. you may not agree, but when you dig two young children out of a trench they were playing in, you might understand.

 

[cardaway]

I do think they barely on the good side of the child abuse line, but as long as they are not on government assistance, I can't complain.

 

[In a hurry]

Yes I have played in a whole before.

And as a former EMT/Paramedic I also dug two kids out of a two foot trench that had collapsed and knocked them over. Unfortunately for those two kids we didn't get them in time.

The trench the Duggars were digging easily went to the child's waist.

It's dangerous. you may not agree, but when you dig two young children out of a trench they were playing in, you might understand.

Hmmm. You know, you can find a horror story, whether real or not, for any scenario. Riding in cars is far more dangerous than playing in a trench, if you look at the facts. Doesn't mean putting a kid in a car is child abuse. I lost two children in a car accident, and it doesn't mean I live my life around protecting/sheltering my other two children from that danger.

I will continue to believe that children helping is good, and that they shouldn't be sheltered from every possible disaster.

 

[monsterkitty]

Hmmm. You know, you can find a horror story, whether real or not, for any scenario. Riding in cars is far more dangerous than playing in a trench, if you look at the facts. Doesn't mean putting a kid in a car is child abuse. I lost two children in a car accident, and it doesn't mean I live my life around protecting/sheltering my other two children from that danger.

I will continue to believe that children helping is good, and that they shouldn't be sheltered from every possible disaster.

I am sorry for the loss of your children.

The rest of your post I will ignore.

 

[beckmrk04]

And if this family was an ultra-liberal, Goddess worshipping, insular family commune, I would also have the same concerns, but I'm willing to to bet the same people who think the Duggars are being "judged" would not be so quick to defend the practices of a liberal, hippie family raising thier kids like the Duggars in all the other respects.

I have to respectfully disagree. I think they are being judged unfairly- and I am about as far away from a right-wing conservative Christian as you can get!! I AM one of those liberals, although I'm not a hippie, and I don't live on a commune. But hey, it's just not for me. I just happen to be someone who happens to know that my house just might be made of glass too. To each his own. They aren't harming their kids. I don't agree with everything they do, but I don't agree with everything that anyone does. SO, who am I to judge? Nobody. They are doing what feels right by them. It isn't hurting anyone. Their kids could certainly be worse off.

And the whole "they opened themselves up to judgement for being on the show"- maybe so. But that doesn't mean that we can't just try to be empathetic people and understand that just because they don't do it "our way" makes theirs the "wrong way."

And as far as the kids having a hard work load- yeah- they do. But again, it seems old fashioned. This is how our great grandparents lived. They made it. I'm not arguing that I think this is a better way, but it's thier choice. And if you can't have the freedom to choose how to live in America, where can you have it? The kids didn't whine and moap and complain- they pitched in and got things done together like a family- I have nieces and cousins, none of whom know how to do anything, and if you so muchas ask them to take out the trash they act like you just killed their dog. Kids are like that these days. I'm fine with kids putting in some effort into something that makes the house work: want dinner? Make it. Want clean clothes? Wash them. The one little girl was hoping for GIRL TWINS next! They seem to like having a big family, and you get used to what you know.

And, being a liberal feminist, I'm sorry that their girls seem to be headed towards the oppression of gender roles, but then again- we saw them for one hour. The girls helped work on the house, had their own drills. Not very stereotypical. Now, the fact that the boys didn't have to do the cooking... Well, who knows. Maybe every time they tried they made an awful disaster of a meal. I guess my point is- it's their right to raise their kids like this if they want to. I'm sure not everyone on here is a perfect parent, and I know I won't be. But, you can't know everything about the inner workings of a family by two highly edited tv specials.

 

[kimmikayb]

Hmmm. You know, you can find a horror story, whether real or not, for any scenario. Riding in cars is far more dangerous than playing in a trench, if you look at the facts. Doesn't mean putting a kid in a car is child abuse. I lost two children in a car accident, and it doesn't mean I live my life around protecting/sheltering my other two children from that danger.

I will continue to believe that children helping is good, and that they shouldn't be sheltered from every possible disaster.

I am so sorry to hear about your kids that were lost in the car accident.

I agree we can't wrap our children in bubble wrap and send them into the world preparing them for every possible scenerio. Lots of things we did as children have been proven to be dangerous (riding a bike without a helmet comes to mind). Some things have always been dangerous....like welding without goggles. I saw a happy boy running through a trench. Someone else who's had experience trying to rescue kids out of a similiar circumstance saw extreme danger. I would have never thought of that before, but now will.

 

[chobie]

I have to respectfully disagree. I think they are being judged unfairly- and I am about as far away from a right-wing conservative Christian as you can get!! I AM one of those liberals, although I'm not a hippie, and I don't live on a commune. But hey, it's just not for me. I just happen to be someone who happens to know that my house just might be made of glass too. To each his own. They aren't harming their kids. I don't agree with everything they do, but I don't agree with everything that anyone does. SO, who am I to judge? Nobody. They are doing what feels right by them. It isn't hurting anyone. Their kids could certainly be worse off.

And the whole "they opened themselves up to judgement for being on the show"- maybe so. But that doesn't mean that we can't just try to be empathetic people and understand that just because they don't do it "our way" makes theirs the "wrong way."

And as far as the kids having a hard work load- yeah- they do. But again, it seems old fashioned. This is how our great grandparents lived. They made it. I'm not arguing that I think this is a better way, but it's thier choice. And if you can't have the freedom to choose how to live in America, where can you have it? The kids didn't whine and moap and complain- they pitched in and got things done together like a family- I have nieces and cousins, none of whom know how to do anything, and if you so muchas ask them to take out the trash they act like you just killed their dog. Kids are like that these days. I'm fine with kids putting in some effort into something that makes the house work: want dinner? Make it. Want clean clothes? Wash them. The one little girl was hoping for GIRL TWINS next! They seem to like having a big family, and you get used to what you know.

And, being a liberal feminist, I'm sorry that their girls seem to be headed towards the oppression of gender roles, but then again- we saw them for one hour. The girls helped work on the house, had their own drills. Not very stereotypical. Now, the fact that the boys didn't have to do the cooking... Well, who knows. Maybe every time they tried they made an awful disaster of a meal. I guess my point is- it's their right to raise their kids like this if they want to. I'm sure not everyone on here is a perfect parent, and I know I won't be. But, you can't know everything about the inner workings of a family by two highly edited tv specials.

You disagree that the people complaining that they are being judged because they are conservative Christians would be just as unjudgmental about a hippie-commune family? I disagree with that.

As for throwing stones, I know that some of my child-rearing methods are considered bad parenting by others (co-sleeping, breastfeeding past age 1) and that is why I was very careful not to call them bad parents or abusers.

I do think, regardless of the editing, that cloisturing you children from the outside world and raising children like it was the 18th century is doing them a disservice. Also, I don't think reproducing yourself until your uterus drops out is something to brag about it.

And they have chosen to prostitute their so called values for money and publicity (don't forget Jimbob is talking about taking another run at the Senate and the publicity from these specials is bound to help) so I do think they have put themselves out there to be judged.

But I'll give you credit you are more liberal than I.

 

[beckmrk04]

You disagree that the people complaining that they are being judged because they are conservative Christians would be just as unjudgmental about a hippie-commune family? I disagree with that.

Ok- maybe I misunderstood you. Personally, I don't think that they are just being judged because of their religion. I think it's because they are just so out of the norm. NOW- the people who are saying, "You are only judging them because they are conservative Christians.." Yeah- would probably be the first to freak out about the hippie commune. I got ya.

As for throwing stones, I know that some of my child-rearing methods are considered bad parenting by others (co-sleeping, breastfeeding past age 1) and that is why I was very careful not to call them bad parents or abusers.

I do think, regardless of the editing, that cloisturing you children from the outside world and raising children like it was the 18th century is doing them a disservice. Also, I don't think reproducing yourself until your uterus drops out is something to brag about it.

That's exactly what I'm talking about here. I can only imagine what kind of judgement has been passed on you for choosing to breastfeed past one year (which doctors RECCOMMEND! GOOD FOR YOU!), or for co-cleeping, which is another hot issue. But, it's your choice, and you have to make the choices that you feel are right for you and your family. But should people have judged you for it? No- not in my opinion, because in the end, who else did it affect, besides your family? I'm willing to bet- no one.

It's the same thing here. I wouldn't raise my kids like the Duggar's are, but, I get to do whatever I want with my kids, within reason. And I am verymuch a believer that we all have a plan- whether you believe in God, or the Goddess, or whatever, and who am I to say that having a million and 2 kids isn't Michelle's purpose in life? As long as she isn't sending them to ME to take care of, I really couldn't care less. And they are taken care of, even if it's in a different manner than most of us would choose.

And they have chosen to prostitute their so called values for money and publicity (don't forget Jimbob is talking about taking another run at the Senate and the publicity from these specials is bound to help) so I do think they have put themselves out there to be judged.

But I'll give you credit you are more liberal than I.

And yeah- maybe they are getting money and publicity and products and loving it. But that just makes them human. I'd love it to. I'm not going to have 16 babies, but if anyone thinks I'm interesting, come on over. And who said they sought out a show? Maybe they were approached, and they saw a way to clear some misunderstanding about themselves- although it's painfully clear that if THAT was the reason, it isn't working... And I don't know if anyone will vote for him- I sure wouldn't, but then again, I'm a liberal feminist !

 

[disneymom3]

Chobie--maybe your posts on here are coming off more strongly than you intend. It's just that it seems that everytime someone else comes on the thread supporting the Duggars in anyway, you seem to have a problem with it. But then you go on to say you are not judging them. That's cool if that is how you feel, but it does come off sounding like you are. Why are you so passionate about how much you don't agree with these people's choices?

BTW all, the show is on again on Sunday, noon central, 1:00 eastern and pacific.