Carefully Scripted Lives: My Concerns about the Duggars

By blogger Libby Anne of Love Joy Feminism. Originally posted here. Please remember that while the contributors to this website are united in our belief that there are problems with the teachings of Vision Forum, we come from a variety of diverse perspectives.

I can’t say how often I’ve heard ordinary Americans defend Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their popular TLC television show, 19 Kids and Counting. “I wouldn’t choose to have nineteen kids,” they say, “but if they can manage it, who am I to question their choice?” “The kids look happy and healthy,” they say, “look how polite and well mannered they are.” I hear these comments and I just have to sigh.

First of all, I want to pout out that I would have concerns about the Duggars even if they were your ordinary family plus seventeen extra children. For one thing, there is no way any two parents can give nineteen children the individual attention and time they need. It’s just not feasibly possible. The Duggars like to say that “love multiplies,” but the thing is, time doesn’t. And then, of course, there is the population issue.

But it’s not these things I’m going to discuss here. The fact is, the Duggars aren’t just your ordinary family plus seventeen extra children. There is a great deal of editing that goes into making TV, and one thing that gets edited out are the Duggars’ religious beliefs and their beliefs about child rearing. There is much, much more going on here than you see on TV.

I know this because I grew up in a family very much like the Duggars. We had a third fewer kids and we didn’t have a TV show, but otherwise it was about the same. Our beliefs were nearly identical to theirs, as was our way of living. When I look at the older Duggar girls, I see myself. I was them. With that in mind, I’m going to take a moment to outline nine specific concerns I have about the Duggars.

Vision Forum’s Jonathan Park Creation Audio Series

Vision Forum produces a creationist audio series called Jonathan Park. The series was originally created by the Institute for Creation Research.

A blogger who is also a Christian home-educating parent and a self-described creationist has created a blog called “Jonathan Park Reviews” for her reviews of the Jonathan Park series. According to the blog’s about section, the author:

…decided to write reviews for the Jonathan Park Audio Adventure series after a friend loaned them to her and she was appalled at what was being touted as ‘science’. As first, writing the reviews started out as an opportunity to exercise her research and thinking skills. However, over time, as she listened to more episodes, the idea that many people are listening to them and accepting them as truth started to get real depressing.

To read the reviews, click here.

The Oppression of Youth and Dominionism

By blogger Bible Believer of Galatians 4. Originally posted here. Please remember that while the contributors to this website are united in our belief that there are problems with the teachings of Vision Forum, we come from a variety of diverse perspectives.

One caveat before I begin this one, this post is not about all parents that happen to go to Dominionist focused churches, there are people even within those churches who dearly love their children and treat them right but trends that are happening with different areas and with some teachers. I am going to be taking on multiple trends, they all come out of circles of Dominionist influenced “Christianity” and to me show how the totalitarianism of Dominionism is not just intended for the political order but the family as well.

The Patriarchs are Coming!

I just came upon an article first published eleven years ago called “The Patriarchs are Coming! Why are they arriving on the scene and in our churches?”  It was originally published by Christians for Biblical Equality and the link to it above is on Home Church Central. I am linking to it here because it is so prescient of what has happened since and because in the years since it was first written Vision Forum has become one of the leaders of this self-styled and self-identified patriarchy movement (if you have any question of that, see Vision Forum’s Tenets of Biblical  Patriarchy). You should read the whole thing, but I’ll post some excerpts here:

Make ready for the inevitable oddity–the patriarchs are coming to church! But who is coming to church claiming such an epithet? In fact, the neopatriarchs who are now coming are those who identify with the ancient, old-order patriarchy. And why are they now arriving on the scene and in our churches? And what is their agenda, hidden or spoken?

A Commentary on Vision Forum’s Books for Girls

Blogger Against the Current wrote an interesting post on Vision Forum’s books for girls today. Here is an excerpt:

I was browsing through Vision Forum’s devotionals catalogue for girls and noticed that a good portion of them were related to “character”.  This is not necessarily a bad thing but I wondered if law and gospel is being presented in these books.  …  The fiction books seemed to teach moral lessons and the womanhood preparation books taught on subjects like modesty, motherhood, father-daughter relationships, and how to be a godly daughter.  So I wondered where the books are on Christian doctrine and spiritual growth were.  I searched the website but came up with many more books on womanhood, how to be a godly daughter, and only a few that were what I would call “meaty” doctrinally.  …  Overall, the products were more focused on godly womanhood and character than on anything else.  That concerns me since the Christian faith is much more than godly womanhood (or manhood).

Vision Forum, Christmas, and a Marketing Schme

By blogger Libby Anne. Originally posted here.  Please remember that while the contributors to this website are united in our belief that there are problems with the teachings of Vision Forum, we come from a variety of different perspectives.

I am subscribed to “vision forum” on google, which means I get an email each day with every new internet article or blog post containing the words “vision forum.” Lately, essentially every new article or post has been something on all of Vision Forum’s Christmas sales. Fundamentalist and evangelical blogs across the segment of homeschooling influenced by patriarchy are lighting up in excitement and in preparation for giving their children a very Vision Forum Christmas.

There’s just one problem with this. Doug Phillips, who founded Vision Forum and continues to run it today, does not believe in celebrating Christmas.

The Tenets of Unbiblical Patriarchy? Tenet 6

By M.M. Johann of The Tenets of Unbiblical Patriarchy. Originally posted here. This is part of a new series critiquing Vision Forum’s Tenets of Biblical Patriarchy. Please remember that while the contributors to this website are united in our belief that there are problems with the teachings of Vision Forum, we come from a variety of diverse perspectives.

6. A man’s authority in the home should be exercised with gentleness, grace, and love as a servant-leader, following the example of Jesus Christ. Leadership is a stewardship from God. (Ps. 103:13; Mal. 3:17; Matt. 11:29-30; Col. 3:21; 1 Pet. 3:7)