Questions About The Duggars.

[T-Bone]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

 

[Izdaari]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

 

[T-Bone]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

I am pretty much in agreement with this whole statement.

 

[Timothy]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

I got a chance to watch an episode or two of the Duggars two weeks ago while on vacation and TV surfing. At some point I said "What is the point of this!" and my mother-in-law said, "They need to support that big family some how ..."

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

I got a chance to watch an episode or two of the Duggars two weeks ago while on vacation and TV surfing. At some point I said "What is the point of this!" and my mother-in-law said, "They need to support that big family some how ..."

In the article referenced in the OP, it's clear they were financially secure before the program began....their motive, so I hear from some who know them personally, was I hope of providing a testimony of their faith in Christ.

Your mil's reaction was incorrect.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

As someone who has attended multiple basic seminars, a number of advanced seminars and ministers seminars, I would disagree with your broad statement of pure baloney/bologna.
While I'm certainly no Gothard apologist, his seminars helped me grow and mature in my Christian life and marriage more than any other source.

 

[Izdaari]

Just another family that's famous for no good reason, like the Kardashians, only less rich and less beautiful. I have no interest in following any of those. Oh, and the Gothard stuff is pure baloney.

As someone who has attended multiple basic seminars, a number of advanced seminars and ministers seminars, I would disagree with your broad statement of pure baloney/bologna.
While I'm certainly no Gothard apologist, his seminars helped me grow and mature in my Christian life and marriage more than any other source.

No doubt there's a lot more to him than just the 'no birth control, have a gazillion kids' stuff. I sure hope so. But that's the part I meant was "pure baloney". I don't know anything else he teaches.

 

[Gina B]

I don't see how it's much of my business. I watch them on occasion and they seem very sweet. They chose to make their lifestyle public and it benefits their cause (witnessing) and helps them financially, so I can't see a problem with that. If they can handle it without changing who/what they are, more power to 'em. I'm even a bit jealous that they can make money just from being themselves!

I've gotta admit that they are awesome at home and money management. Side by side with mine, I look like an idiot for how I spend money when I compare the (much smaller) income of mine and how it is spent to the percentages of how they spend theirs, and I consider myself to be a lot cheaper than most people I know. I'll be taking some cues from them and trying to be better at what and how I spend money. It's frustrating and embarrassing to see them spend less on some stuff for their large family than I spend on our puny family of just seven. I'd like to change that and if they weren't out there in the spot light, I may not have realized how much better I could be doing and not have had the motivation to start paying lots more attention and try to adjust how we work our finances.

 

[Raine]

I think the Duggars may have some good motives, but I am not a big fan. I do think it's good that they encourage people to be debt free, mothers to stay home with their children, and that they live their Christian witness in front of the cameras and try to reach others. I do wonder how much being on tv has effected them and how their lives will be when the show ends. It will probably be less hectic then, and maybe some of the things I and other people criticize them for will no longer be necessary once the cameras are gone and they can be on a more normal schedule.

OTOH, I don't think it's fair to the children to have grown up in the spotlight the way they have (I don't like any long term reality show with child cast members, not just the Duggars). I also think they place too much of the parenting responsibilities on their children - I'm not opposed to chores, but I think that many kids and the buddy system, combined with the added pressures on Michelle's time with the TV show, books, and speaking events, forces the buddies and the older girls into taking on too many responsibilities of mothering. I am especially uncomfortable with the babies moving to their buddies room so early, instead of being cared for by Michelle, because infants need that time to bond with their mothers.

I also question some of the financial stuff. I'm sure they did have to scrimp more in the past, but they make a lot of money from the show and other things now, and I am pretty sure they do not really buy most of their clothes at thrift stores anymore (some of the clothes on the show are in season, current year, name brands, not stuff that's easily thrifted) - you can see a noticeable difference in their clothes since the show started (I guess a lot of clothes in the earlier seasons was sewn at home). To promote frugality, their cooking and eating habits are very wasteful - yes, it's a lot of pole too feed, but why not use real plates and silverware and take advantage of the nice kitchen equipment. They could also eat a lot less processed and prepacked stuff and more fresh fruits and vegetables, even if they had to grow them their-selves.

 

[brianb]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

Actually they have nothing to do with Gothard. They have only personal reasons for having as many children as God would allow. In fact they used to use birth control until they lost one of their first children. They really are no different than a Catholic family I know of in Canada.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

Actually they have nothing to do with Gothard. They have only personal reasons for having as many children as God would allow. In fact they used to use birth control until they lost one of their first children. They really are no different than a Catholic family I know of in Canada.

I believe they are proponents of Gothard and use or used his home school materials as well as his sound principles of financial freedom.

 

[brianb]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

Actually they have nothing to do with Gothard. They have only personal reasons for having as many children as God would allow. In fact they used to use birth control until they lost one of their first children. They really are no different than a Catholic family I know of in Canada.

I believe they are proponents of Gothard and use or used his home school materials as well as his sound principles of financial freedom.

I thought they used his materials but in respect to their decision to have lots of children Gothard had nothing to do with that.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

Actually they have nothing to do with Gothard. They have only personal reasons for having as many children as God would allow. In fact they used to use birth control until they lost one of their first children. They really are no different than a Catholic family I know of in Canada.

I believe they are proponents of Gothard and use or used his home school materials as well as his sound principles of financial freedom.

I thought they used his materials but in respect to their decision to have lots of children Gothard had nothing to do with that.

That very wel could be true, I had seen a news clip about their relationship with Gothard, and assumed they were adherents to his Quiverfull philosophy!

I guess it is true about when you assume....

 

[brianb]

I am still trying to sort out how I feel about what this family is doing.  I know many here see them as heroes for the anti-controceptive movement.  But is the way they are "marketing" their kids and family healthy, legitimate or biblical?  What's your input?

http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/duggars-support-nineteen-kids-live-debt-free-180400323.html

While I might disagree with them on many things (they follow the 'Gothard philosophy', I believe), I find no problem with their decision to have 19 kids, the way they live their lives or their reality show!

Actually they have nothing to do with Gothard. They have only personal reasons for having as many children as God would allow. In fact they used to use birth control until they lost one of their first children. They really are no different than a Catholic family I know of in Canada.

I believe they are proponents of Gothard and use or used his home school materials as well as his sound principles of financial freedom.

I thought they used his materials but in respect to their decision to have lots of children Gothard had nothing to do with that.

That very wel could be true, I had seen a news clip about their relationship with Gothard, and assumed they were adherents to his Quiverfull philosophy!

I guess it is true about when you assume....

And wouldn't it make the Quiverful people or Gothardites just a little envious that they (Duggars) have a show they don't? Maybe not . Then again maybe they are a little envious regardless of who they follow or if they are independent which they are.