Sarah

Quiverfull is a belief rather than a cult, no? As in, there is no cult leader, they're not required to give up all monies, drink kool aid etc

They've always seemed like being a hybrid of Catholic and Amish to me, without being Catholic or Amish if that makes sense.

Gingerert

I've often heard people criticise the Duggar family for their eco footprint. Jim Bob's response is always the following:

"When you have this many children, resources are shared. Therefore each of my children has a much smaller footprint and uses fewer of the Earth's natural resources than children who come from smaller families."

HOWEVER!! I say that yes, HIS children are probably using a smaller footprint than, say, my child, but what about THEIR children? And THEIR children? By having hundreds of descendents, the world's population increases exponentially and more resources get used up quicker. So yeah, the Duggars are being selfish.

Jim Bob never seems to have a response for that one.

I do honour a woman's right to choose though. If Michelle wants that many, I'm not going to stop her. No-one's telling me when to have/not to have kids, so the same should apply to her.

Nutmegger

On last night's show it said they do ten loads of laundry a day -- one hopes they use cold water and a non-phosphate detergent for that lot, or it will leave some footprint . . .

However, I have to admit that they seem like pretty decent normal kids with a sense of humor (seen without sound late at night!) -- the boys are tomboys and none of them are coddled in any way, they all muck in and help.

Leslie

I don't object to their lifestyle or religion. I just think they're a bunch of smug annoying pie-faced goody-two-shoes and we really shouldn't reward that kind of thing.

TimFountain

I do object. With the world population just passing 7B it is totally irresponsible to be breeding 20 kids, for what purpose exactly, just so you can break some record? Also what about the quality of life for all these kids, the parents surely can't give them any amount of meaningful attention. They should have stuck with numbers for the kids names, it would be easier than some of the wank names they have chosen....

sir_eccles

I'm all for a woman's right to choose too, I just wonder in her situation if she had said no at any point between 1 and 20, what Jim Bob would have done.

joto

I really don't think he is really bothered what the health implications are for his wife and coming baby, as long as she keeps shelling them out.
It might be to keep the tv company interested in their family, as I've not seen their programme recently. 45 is, IMHO, way to old to be having a baby, be it the 1st or the 20th.
Would they be having the same lifestyle if it wasn't for the tv company's money coming in? I know Jim Bob makes a reasonable living with his "property investments", but probably not enough for them to life in the style they are accustomed to now.

AlienUk

I really don't think the Duggars are having kids to keep the TV show producers interested...They had had like 16 or so WELL before they went on TV...and they were providing for them, ie no mortage or loans etc....Don't think they are doing it to break records unless she's planning on having 69 like the current record holder....which seems a tad unlikely....

Leslie

Que?

Anian

I saw a photo of their kitchen in my wife's MOPS magazine (now that is a screwed up organisation) that showed a full soda fountain.

N1cky

I've never seen the programme and know nothing about them other than the number of kids. So from what I've read on here they manage to support them all themselves, what does he do for a job he must earn a boatload, homing, feeding and clothing 19 kids and 2 adults must be a fortune?

I read the article, and she manages to spend 1 hour on the eliptical every day, how the hell? I have 1 kid and work and can't find an hour a day to do that. She can't be giving the kids the time they need and deserve as it is.

Bet they would have chosen a better letter than 'J' for the names if they knew they were going to have 20.

Gingerert

Well, I'm embarrassed to say I know the answer to that one.

After their first son, Josh, was born, Jim Bob and Michelle used birth control. Michelle eventually got pregnant again, but they lost the baby early on in a miscarriage. After that they decided that God had sent them a message telling them birth control was a bad thing, and they stopped using it. The next children were twins (Jon David and Jana, I think), which seemed to be their "reward" for stopping the birth control.

And by the looks of things, Michelle seems just as game for more kids as Jim Bob. I think they're equally off their rockers.

AlienUk

http://books.google.com/books?id=xix...silyev&f=false

Lorna at Vicenza

20 kids at age 45.

My Brit, old school friend told me she's expecting her third the other night. Same age as me. I put the idea of a third away ages ago but after her 'phone call I got all hormonal/stupid thinking "it's now or never to have another". The biggest reason why I can't is cash- commodities-practicalities. It seemed quite hard at the time to put emotions aside for the sake of cash and practicalities. It's also hard to ignore emotions in favour of cash (lack of) and practicalities.

OH was trying to be nice but his bloody body clock thing doesn't stop when mine does.

Anyway - I was a little bit vino-ed up at the time but I still think it's a shame that I have to virtually put a price on a new baby's head.


20 is completely out of my bounds though !

AlienUk

He's a real estate agent...they also own a cell tower (ashamed to know this)