19 Kids and Counting, Part Two

Click here if you missed: 19 Kids and Counting, Part One

Last Friday we began talking about 19 Kids and Counting, a reality show on TLC centered around the Duggars of Arkansas who have 19 children (to date), and the very harsh comments aimed at them that are posted on anything, either on their blog or any other print article.  To date, I have never seen any response for the Duggar family anywhere, including their own blog where Michelle posts articles in addition to others around the family.  In this manner, the Lord allows them to testify to others in these situations with their silence.  I could learn a lot from this example!

Here is one comment on one article as an example:

“These children are all doomed. It makes me so sad and enrages me, but I’m going to try really hard not to freak out about the Duggars today. So please, please, nobody post how everybody should just leave them alone because they’re such a nice family and they aren’t hurting anybody. They are hurting their children by exploiting them in their crazy, sex-obsessed, misogynistic, racist cult.”  What’s that all about?

If you are not familiar with the show, it will be nearly impossible to convey enough information to give you a real feel for this family and what they are about.  They are all very well behaved.  They all pitch in with the work that needs to be done to take care of a family (which also draws criticism regarding older siblings taking care of younger siblings).  Everyone works in some fashion.  The boys help with “manly” work and the girls help around the house.  Each child is expected to learn life skills that will allow them to support their future endeavors with family life and being independent.

So they are brought up to respect other people, to make a marriage commitment that includes staying together through ups and downs, which every family has, and to put in the work it takes to make a family work.  Okay, it’s true, they are horrible!  Just kidding.

The oldest son, when he married, took over the family used car lot.  Another boy has a wreaker service.  Some of the girls are learning to be midwives; some are studying online college courses.  They all play an instrument, mostly the violin and some play harp.  They are taught respect and responsibility.  So what’s the rub?

The rub is Christianity.  Many of the people who make negative comments don’t really seem to know what they are talking about.  The commenters are not shy in their views about the women in this family.  If you look at any article that mentions them at all, or Michelle’s blog, you will see scores of comments that the girls are treated like slaves and they have to take care of their younger siblings (big deal, watch the Walton’s).  I am not sure why so many people are so against women being wives and mothers.  Isn’t that how it used to be?

And as far as their religion goes, they are not very verbal about it on the show.  They might mention God here and there, but for the most part it is just a show about a super sized family and how they live and work it all out, while having fun and enjoying each other’s company.  If they supported gay marriage and living together and having lots of babies with lots of baby daddies the nay-sayers would be behind them 100%.  The same people slamming them for their beliefs and how they live their lives would be their biggest supporters.

It seem strange to me how a family like the Duggars, training up young ladies to be wives and mothers, and young men to be husbands and the leaders of their homes can draw such negativity.  Something seems off kilter to me.  It’s not a crime to be a wife and mother or a husband and father who loves and supports his family.  I wonder if we could poll the opponents of girls being “just” wives and mothers, how many would say that having their mother at home while they were growing up would have been something they would love to have had?

Sometimes it seems this world is very backwards.  I confess I don’t understand it at all.  Why is being good so bad?

But be mindful of what Peter said in 1 Peter 2:12, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

Bottom Line:  I guess you have to be Honey Boo Boo or Gypsy Sisters to impress this crowd.  I say give me more Duggars and Andy Griffith and the like instead.  We don’t need another Kardashian reality series.  Just my opinion.