Michelle Duggar is trying to get pregnant again with her 20th child.

Well - duh - it’s in her contract.

Why “shut off the blessings” with just 19?

So the whole article is to inform us that they are still sexually active? Was there some doubt?

Honestly, I’m a bit weary of America’s obsession with sex and reproduction, and either invading other’s privacy, or hanging one’s own proverbial skivvies out for public view and comment. It’s icky.

We need a new trend. How about that pancreas? What an awesome organ! And the hypothalmus! Do you know how many autonomous functions are controlled by an organ about the size of an Airsoft pellet? It’s amazing!

A reality TV show called, The Awesome Pancreas, would have limited appeal because it would require the viewers to use another organ rarely used among “reality” television audiences —

The brain.

Let’s just be blunt and honest — the Duggars are watched because, like The Osbournes, they are a freak show. Sure, the opposite side of the freak-show-coin, but still a freak show.

Freak show Easton? Got any biblical data to back up that claim or is it just more cultural rambling? I eagerly wait to see which.

What Biblical data does he need to provide? Being a “freak show” means that people are drawn to watch because they find what they see unusual and a different experience from their own- and in our culture, the specific behavior seen in the case at hand is different from the experiences of most people.

“Biblical data”? Like there’s anything remotely biblical about “reality” TV.

The Duggars are marketed like all other reality TV shows.

Nobody watches, no ads are sold, no money is made…

Unless there is something unusual, interesting — weird to watch.

My best guess is that ratings were down for The Duggars, so their agent called Jim-Bob and demanded Child Number 20, “or you’ll never work in TV again!”

I stand by my Freak Show comment.

Considering some of the vapidness available on tv, I think The Amazing Pancreas could be a runaway hit with the right marketing ploy. It could even become a musical.

[Susan R]

…I think The Amazing Pancreas could be a runaway hit with the right marketing ploy. It could even become a musical.

As long as the Pancreas has an affair with the Hypothalamus — then I think you may have something…

[Greg Linscott]

What Biblical data does he need to provide? Being a “freak show” means that people are drawn to watch because they find what they see unusual and a different experience from their own- and in our culture, the specific behavior seen in the case at hand is different from the experiences of most people.

It is different for the simple fact that people do not have a biblical approach to children. Sadly many “within” the church have an unbiblical view. If Christians adopted a more biblical view of children, then it would certainly be less common to see a Duggar-like family.

“Sadly many “within” the church have an unbiblical view. If Christians adopted a more biblical view of children, then it would certainly be less common to see a Duggar-like family.”

The reality TV freak-show that is The Duggars is more biblical, according to you, James, than a majority of Christian families that have less than, oh, let’s say, 19 kids, and never allow a TV crew into their home.

Keep at it, buddy. Maybe one of the networks will come calling.

Whether or not the philosophy of large families is one that ought to be more common isn’t really the point. As Easton observes, the thing that make them compelling to some as far as a TV show is that they are the exception, people like to gawk, and they are willing to let them for a price.

Easton, since you haven’t actually put together a biblical viewpoint about why a Christian should find having many kids to be freakish, I will assume you can’t. It is helpful to read what people actually say. Where did anyone say the Duggars are more biblical than the majority of Christians? Many Christians have unbiblical views on a great many issues. Does this really surprise you? Do you actually think all views are equally acceptable? Does God view them as freaks? Your culturally informed view just keeps showing up. Children are truly a blessing.

From a purely cultural perspective, the Duggars take care of their kids without guvment assistance. They homeschool so they don’t burden the schools. They aren’t criminals. So they are freaks to you because they have a lot of kids? So they don’t use a man-made device to prevent what God clearly and naturally expected of a husband/wife relationship, and this offends you somehow?

At some point, you must do away with culture as your standard. Unless you can post some scripture of biblical rationale, I am done. Have at it.

Greg, on another thread, Easton and I were posting about the attitude toward kids some have. I know he is sensitive on this issue and has to have his views affirmed first. I didn’t do that so it got a little testy.

It’s really hard to understand why some Christians have a difficult time with humor. If I’m guilty of anything on this thread, it would be what scripture refers to as “provoking”, as in, “provoke not your children to wrath”…

Some people take themselves way too seriously and are easily manipulated, i.e., James K.

On another thread, James refers to Christians who have small(er) families as disobedient, guilty of violating God’s law and living a life that is not in-line with scripture — James K calls it “shutting off the blessings”…

I simply disagree.

Some families are small by choice, others are not. But family-size (large or small) is not a sin.

In James K’s world, it is.