<p>I have a problem with the extreme subset of any religion…when that happens it seems that women are always secondary rather than equal. All the good in what is a loving family is negated for me because of the indoctrination rather than the open education of their children. They are purposely not giving their children the tools to live in the real world. IMHO, Quiverfull is about women being broodmares in the name of Jesus Christ. It is a cult. Long dresses, purity rings, the visit to the creationism museum…amazing. I watched two episodes and that was enough.</p>
<p>I do feel very badly for any family that is dealing with what they must be dealing with at present. I hope that the baby is doing well.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure she was a Duggar. I just don’t remember the details of why the girl was shunned for a length of time by the family. But I could be wrong. I don’t watch this show except for an occasional flip the channel - what’s going on kind of thing. I share the concerns of others who wonder how well prepared for the real world the children will be.</p>
<p>I do wish the best for the family as they deal with the birth of their latest child.</p>
<p>It was bugging me that I couldn’t think of the name of the family whose daughter was estranged from the family, so I looked it up. The family I was thinking of is the Jeub family, who was featured on the series “Kids by the dozen”. Apparently, their older daughter got pregnant out of wedlock, which is what caused the estrangement. </p>
<p>As far as the Duggar girls are concerned, I think two of them are of marrying age, but I’m not aware of any upcoming marriage plans.</p>
<p>my heart goes out to baby josie. I hope she fares well along with her mother</p>
<p>While I do feel for them, i do NOT agree with what they have put their daugthers through. The Quiverfull movement(which the Duggars subscribe to) advocates little to no higher education for females and that a woman’s PRIMARY role is to mother children(this can be a role, but not the primary one). I hope they allow ALL of their children to pursue education and whatever their heart desires, not just marriage</p>
<p>TLC has had several shows about large famillies. Some are more mainstream than others. Some are full-on Quiverfull. The Duggar children are all at home, except for the oldest son, who married a little over a year ago. He does live close by. Another family featured by TLC did indeed have a daughter who left the fray.</p>
<p>Also, the Duggar daughter-in-law has a sister who has not opted in for the Gothard and ATI lifestyle.</p>
<p>It’s also interesing to watch when several of the large families get together. The Bates with 17 children and the Wilsons who seem to be slacking with only 8.</p>
<p>The Roloffs are difficult to watch. He shows little to no interest in his family. A least with the Duggars it’s all about family.</p>
<p>So is it large families or large families with certain values? I haven’t heard any criticism of Robert and Ethel Kennedy for having eleven children – and who knows if they might have had more had he lived. Nor do I think there should be any criticism. They were Roman Catholics and had a right to plan their family according to their values.</p>
<p>Son of Opie, I don’t think you understand the quiverfull movement very well. The goal is not to add members to a church. It’s a belief – and this is the RC belief as well if I understand correctly – that people should just let God give them as many children as He will and not do anything to stop that. It’s the belief that “children are a blessing from the Lord.” You’d be hard-pressed to find a church whose idea of a membership drive is to instruct everyone to go home and conceive.</p>
<p>Guys - I get that the Duggar’s lifestyle is not one you would choose - however… why so harsh? Those kids are not being neglected. They are loved and well-fed - unlike some kids in this country who grow up in drug/alcohol/sex abusive families. The Duggar kids can leave anytime they want after they turn 18. </p>
<p>To judge how many children one should have is so wrong on so many levels. If you don’t like the choices other people make in having children- move to China.<br>
I “only” have 4 kids - but when I was pregnant with my third I was the talk of the neighborhood. People had no qualms in asking if I was “done”. When I got pregnant with my fourth I didn’t even tell the neighbors. The whipsers were loud and clear. My neighbors told me I was being unfair to the older kids because I could not afford to take them to Disney World, I kid you not. </p>
<p>The Duggars are a lot like the Amish - except the Amish will shun you if you leave.</p>
<p>The goal is not explicitly to add members to a church. Implicitly, those children will most likely be quiverfull or RC or LDS themselves. It’s not like children in those households aren’t brought in to the church at a very young age. People rarely pick a religion from a vacuum at 18.</p>
<p>And if there are kids that are being underfed/neglected/abused, how about the Duggars adopt some of them? Surely children that don’t share their DNA with the Duggars could benefit from God’s love?</p>
<p>Mom of 4 – I know how you feel. I have lived my whole life with people looking down at me for being one of 18 children. My parents handled the looks and snide remarks very well, never let us children see it if it hurt them, and they always reminded us how they wouldn’t want their lives to have turned out any differently. Even so, I suppose that this is one of the last areas open for public ridicule. I suppose it doesn’t sit well with the feminists that some women view motherhood as their calling and vocation. It also seems strange to me that large families were the norm in this country not so long ago and now are the object of crude jokes. C’est la vie!</p>
<p>Something tells me that no one on this thread decided to bring reality-show cameras into the hospital for each birth, or accepted a free house from a television network. I do think that changes the analysis when it comes to public judgment. They are cashing in on the public’s curiosity and shock about their large family. They have to take the bitter with the sweet.</p>
<p>“move to China”</p>
<p>Surely you see the difference between a private citizen saying “Yuck, they’re nuts” and the government arresting and forcibly sterilizing them.</p>
<p>I know how you feel. I have lived my whole life with people looking down at me for being one of 18 children.</p>
<p>Does it come up often?
I don’t bring up my family background except with my close friends.</p>
<p>I also know other families, that are almost as large, or should I say I know some members from families that size, although they are generally from East Africa, and to a widower who has remarried</p>
<p>RadDad1 - I agree. Thank you for your comments. I was one of five and that was considered a “small” family growing up in the 60’s.
Even now occassionally someone will (crudely) ask me if I wished I only had two children - my answer is usually “Sure, problem is I can’t decide which two!”. My youngest often reminds me that I save the best for last!
I honestly don’t know where people get off ridiculing families for the number of children they have. The Duggars aren’t welfare families.</p>
<p>Son of Opie - sure they could probably adopt, but they probably have “too many” children to do so. In the same vein, do you ask couples who want two children to give birth to one and adopt the other?</p>
<p>No, but I might for a couple that has more than ten…then it’s such a small additional burden percentage-wise.</p>
<p>Or she can keep on popping out babies even though she’s well past her reproductive prime. The same way you can take a car with 200 thousand miles on a coast to coast trip- it might get there, but there is a greater chance of something breaking down.</p>