Counting the Dark Sides of the Duggars

[@stephaniecornwell8766]

I grew up in strict Pentecostal church. Grandfather was a hellfire and brimstone evangelist preacher. I had to wear skirts to my ankles, long sleeves, no make up, no jewelry, couldn’t cut my hair. I didn’t leave that church til I was 21. I’m so glad I got out. So toxic. Not about God, it’s about men striving for power.

[@richardlewin9282]

Glad you got out in time 🤦

[@finallythere100]

But this woman has no biz calling out anyone else while she's using her offensive language within, what, 5 seconds. Unbelievable.

[@ashtonandkylievideos2929]

@@finallythere100 if language offends more than women being controlled there is a problem

[@ecurewitz]

@@finallythere100 oh noes! She used dirty words!

[@burtiebees]

@@finallythere100 literally what does that have to do with anything?

[@sharondowling8896]

TLC needs to be held accountable. The damage done to the children involved is huge. The promotion of what is basically a "Christian Taliban" cult, has helped grow its influence as the participants reach celebrity status. A dangerous, and powerful, political force supposedly based on righteous tenets, yet so corrupt and hypocritical in actuality.

[@Spencer-wc6ew]

They also knew about Josh Dugger raping his sisters before the show even started filming. It was in public police reports for years before the show started.

[@lisam8105]

How about the idiots who made the family so popular? TLC put it out there but the disgusting fans ran with it. And the kids are still extremely popular with many young women...ugh.

[@eschwarz1003]

YES!

[@TheMidwestAtheist]

@@lisam8105 You're not wrong. The main thing I would add is that I hope you yourself are *not* Christian. All of Christianity could be held accountable here, even the more liberal sects because Christianity is always going to be conservative in nature. The toxic patriarchal themes are in the Bible and they are there no matter how much the more liberal sects try to ignore them or try to twist the interpretation of such verses. I have no qualms suggesting that any Christian who defends their religion while condemning the Duggers is dishonest. They may not be blatantly dishonest as they may be lying to themselves, but they are dishonest nonetheless.

[@TahtahmesDiary]

They really are trash TV. I recently learned that their cheapskates show has a ton of lies and the people were asked to exaggerate and then told to sign NDAs so they couldn't say what was real or not...some ended up getting severely bullied from what the show portrayed. TLC is VERY comfortable promoting terrible things through "reality" TV despite the harm it causes.

[@stevechance150]

IT'S CHILD NEGLECT!! If you have 17 children, you CANNOT give each child the attention that they need. You also can't keep an eye on what all 17 kids are doing.

[@sea_triscuit7980]

As long as you have money you're exempt from the law

[@starcherry6814]

Maybe not but I think they would’ve turned out okay if they had help from not toxic family family members and a better father figure

[@Slipatoek1]

The Daniel Tosh Joke about it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw this piece. "You can't keep track of more that 3 kids. You know how I know? My mom had 4"

[@christopherwoodbury7520]

After 3 or so kids you get the older ones to help raise them. Which is how that sicko got access to his sisters for years.

[@johnsonsandra8069]

That's what the older girl siblings are for

[@runascarlet2623]

19 kids and sister wives struck a cord inside me when I first hear about them and yeah, it’s disturbing that it’s considered entertainment and not something that needed immediate intervention.

[@jeffreycater5447]

Sister wives has its issues but they are not the duggars. They’re way better then the duggars

[@sandramarshall8127]

@@jeffreycater5447 Right it’s great! That’s why all their adult children are marrying into the lifestyle 🤦‍♀️!

[@jeffreycater5447]

@@sandramarshall8127 except they aren’t…. None of the children are being forced to do anything. They aren’t abused like the duggars kids were. There’s none of this stuff about them on the level the duggars are. The fact is if someone wants to be in poly relationship that’s their thing. Weird you guys can conflate child abuse and plural marriage as the same thing.

[@Pipsqwak]

@@jeffreycater5447 So, can one woman have three or four husbands? Is that okay? Or does this poly thing only work out for guys who want variety?

[@jeffreycater5447]

@@Pipsqwak I’m sure they can… there’s probably tons of poly relationships were there’s multiple men and one woman

[@stoneyll]

The Christan Taliban.. It's that simple.

[@caryh8]

Also the real Sons of Jacob from the Handmaid's Tale

[@danniet090383]

Yooooooooooo......when she said that Ni-ke... thing about that 'immodestly' dressed women. How is this different from Muslims covering up women to their eyelids

[@JJ21210]

@Stoney: Someone -- Andrew Sullivan, maybe -- coined the termed "Christianist" to indicate that these extremists are as far from normal Christians as extremist Islamists are from normal Muslims. (PS: Fun user name!)

[@MsAlien911]

In a way the taliban are more honest, they dont pretend to have womens best interests at heart.

[@wickedwonka9155]

You hit the nail on the head.

[@louisanow]

The group members - esp the women and kids - are expected to cover for all of the men's failings - * especially * when the men are guilty. Anybody believe Josh Duggar was the only perpetrator there?

[@Sarcasticron]

The parents are 100% responsible, if they knew and did nothing to stop it. I would say they're even more responsible, because they're adults.

[@kbanghart]

@@Sarcasticron when do the older kids carry any responsibility, themselves? Asking only rhetorically.

[@TheGoofy1932]

Nope, pretty sure Daddy Dugger was involved too. Probably some of the other boys too. And I'm sure Mama Dugger knew all about it. It's sickening. They would just send them to "prayer camp" and then they're "cured" just like the Catholic church ⛪ does with all their abusers. Then they move them to another unsuspecting ⛪. Gives a whole new meaning to a 🐺 amongst the 🐑.

[@louisanow]

@@Sarcasticron Even if they didn't know, there’s no way that many kids would ever be properly supervised by two parents. Those kids were essentially on their own - especially in regards to their own physical, mental, and emotional, safety and well-being. The choice to have more kids than they could reasonably care for is 100% on the parents. As usual, the * kids * pay the consequences of their parents' choices. Their ultra CONservative religion/ church is complicit, by tradition, pushing the excessive birthing and giving a free pass to male perpetrators.

[@TheMidwestAtheist]

@@kbanghart Well, I think your rhetorical question is a bit silly. I don't think this is a zero-sum situation. In other words, the parents being 100% responsible *does not* mean the kids are 0% responsible.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Fun thing to note: Quiverfull movement families often start 'training' children via physical abuse as babies by placing them on a blanket, tempting them off of it with something they want, and then striking them with a rod until they lose any desire to explore or move outside where they're allowed to. You know, family values.

[@tonib.3016]

Jfc...that's sick.

[@patplescia3311]

Blantant child abuse. They should all be in jail. How many other baby didlers did this scummy cult produce besides that disgusting Dugger kid? Christian my great Aunt Fanny!!!

[@MarcelaElviraTimis]

Are you kidding?

[@tonib.3016]

@@MarcelaElviraTimis no. She is not kidding.

[@saragrimbaum6428]

That’s disgusting 😬

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

It's ALWAYS "good Christians." I am a proud atheist, feminist, environmentalist, Progressive with actual values and integrity, and yet they would call me a bad person. Glass houses, religious people... Glass houses.

[@turquoise770]

Well with WWIII just started in Europe (perfectly fitting Biblican prophecy) and the march to Armageddon beginning, you better get saved.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

@@turquoise770 🙄

[@Stuart68505]

People like to feel what they’re doing is Christian even when it’s definitely not. This self deception helps them to feel OK with doing bad things.

[@Stuart68505]

@@turquoise770 yes saved from believing old politically based religious theology. To work out one’s “salvation” is not instantly accomplished by saying a few words in a prescribed sentence.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

@@Stuart68505 They love absolution, unfortunately they have to give it to themselves because according to their own beloved storybook, their imagined deity would not afford it to them and they know it full well.

[@FlowerChild65]

So glad this is finally getting mainstream attention in recent years and no longer just being discussed on snark forms and ex-er forms online. I'm just sad it took this long.

[@elisabethscott20]

Me toooooooo

[@MsJellyBellyLove]

Same. It's a whole cult of breeders that are a serious threat not just to women and children, but the effing planet. They are overpopulation on steroids.

[@PhilLesh69]

It's called Quiverfull, and they are part of the dominionist agenda to turn America into a religious monarchy.

[@curtiswilson4737]

TLC is an evil channel within itself!

[@curtiswilson4737]

@@MsJellyBellyLove They made that channel the way they did, cause they know women (no offense) will watch garbage like that cause, let's face it, they love mess! Take Bad Girls Club for example, women and female teens love that unnecessary drama, and the more drama, the higher the ratings! Those shows are rigged for women, cause they do surveys, and that's what women catered to, so they made it according to what their targeted audience wanted!

[@theprogressiveatheist7024]

19 Kids And Counting sounds like the tally for Josh Duggar's current list of victims.

[@XmulifanX]

I'm sorry to say this but I think the number is probably much higher.

[@holocene2164]

Sadly, his number is much higher...

[@melindac3368]

@@XmulifanX I'm also sorry to say THIS, but I believe the number more than likely includes his own children.

[@turquoise770]

At least they acknowledge that it is sin, immoral and build their lives around trying to protect against the proclivities of the fallen nature - whereas Jeffrey Epstein, Jean-Luc Brunel and all their most wealthy and powerful clientele is the world system you prefer

[@lorraineclark4413]

Giving these abusing freaks a platform on TV is disgraceful. TLC should be boycotted.

[@heatherheath8859]

Thank you for talking about this! For years I've been screaming about the educational neglect and abuse that happens within ATI/IBLP and FINALLY people are paying attention. It's funny, one of those quotes from the New York Post in this segment is mine, and I was the one on that Dr Oz episode. I'm so thrilled that the media is picking up on the horrific practices in this cult so many of us were and still are trapped in.

[@themurdernerd]

Thank you for speaking out!

[@radschele1815]

Isn't it possible to report to the authorities about this stuff in the USA? I'm seriously just asking in case!

[@heatherheath8859]

@@radschele1815 That's what I'm trying to get people to see, and it's a very long answer. Mostly, it depends on what you're reporting and in what state. Since many states (including where I grew up) there was no state oversight for homeschoolers so no one had eyes on us really other than church, and the church handled everything, including crimes, "internally". It's legal not to educate a child past 8th grade, and where I was raised as long as you are claiming to educate them, there is no rule on what needs to be taught. Since there isn't anyone checking, a lot of the abuse goes unnoticed.

[@robertcowan7610]

@@heatherheath8859 Absolutely horrific. Glad that you got out. Let's hope that many, many others find their way out too and find the support, etc that they need.

[@heatherheath8859]

@@robertcowan7610 I hope so. Leaving is difficult, it's much, much easier to stay in the cult rather than to leave and have to relearn everything you knew to be true

[@RealLukeWilson]

A couple more things about the Quiverfull movement: it takes its name from a verse in the Bible about a Christian’s responsibility to produce of “quiver full” of children for God, meaning that the surplus of kids is more than just not using birth control. It’s that a wife’s entire purpose is to be a factory for producing as many kids as possible over the course of her life. One of the reasons dating is prohibited (in addition to the “immoral” nature of dating and the assurance that Quiverfulls only marry other Quiverfulls) is because it’s important for women to get married as young as possible so their fertile years aren’t wasted. A lot of child brides being set up by their parents to marry the soonest available man, regardless of his age or integrity. The whole thing is depraved and so much worse than any other form of Christian extremism that I know of.

[@melindac3368]

Luke Wilson I suppose we should be thankful they don't do "honor killings."

[@sisuguillam5109]

The claim that that is what it means - I am pretty confident that they misrepresent the verse.

[@DimaRakesah]

@@melindac3368 Don't give them ideas.

[@justincoleman3805]

It seems pretty obvious.

[@turquoise770]

Depraved? You are so sick and twisted. I watch those kids KZbin channels and they are all happily married and have well-adjusted children. It is the sick poison in this world that makes you call good evil and evil good, especially when someone like yourself will probably laud the empty bankrupt state that women where women have arrived with single parenthood, welfare, transgenderism, abortion and host of other societal plagues.

[@sarahhoffman5390]

Thank you for shedding light on this. My family was in ATI/IBLP from the time I was in first grade until I was 18. It was traumatizing. My parents even sent me to their all girls “finishing school” in Dallas, TX called EXCEL. That was a nightmare in itself. :(

[@twistknit1]

That's horrible! How did you free yourself?

[@sparkythancztwise]

thank you for speaking up for yourself and for speaking from your voice of experience to shed more light may your life quality vastly improve and may your recovery go as well as possible (my upbringing was somewhat different, but with similarities, and developmental trauma and accompanying cPTSD is no joke -- takes a long time with support to ameliorate the effects somewhat, hang in there -- it's worth the effort to keep working on recovery at your own safe pace)

[@Degan1000]

Sarah Hoffman You need to write a book! Just make sure it doesn't sound like a hateful screed. Go for objectively chronicling you life and experience and let the readers decide.

[@Clutching.My.Pearls]

Hopefully you can be the survivor who helps others heal and find peace!! 💖

[@catiejunkins5276]

I live in Arkansas, so gross to have them associated with us. The parents share the blame along with Josh, some kids could’ve been saved if they helped him when he told them what was happening. They weren’t even willing to protect their own daughters. Poor excuse for parents, Christians, and people.

[@infinitejest441]

There is no excuse for their actions

[@kamcorder3585]

I've heard nice things about Arkansas, apparently it's an underrated place.

[@patplescia3311]

Those people aren't Christians. It's a G-d-damn cult. Jim Jones an his follower freaks were called Christians too as was David Karesse an the Warren Jeff's cult. All sickening. All done in the name of God. What a joke.

[@ashleydixon4613]

@@kamcorder3585 thank you! yes it really is, in many ways. The hardline conservatism not just in Arkansas but in so many states right now has become an issue for me: I never thought I’d have people telling me I needed to leave my own home state, or assume I must not be from here, because I’m a “bleeding-heart liberal,” but since MAGA culture took over, things have been crazy everywhere, including here. Yeah I’m in the minority, but it’s a bigger minority than you might think. It’s very affordable compared to other parts of the country- you can get way more for your money here, and particularly the Little Rock metro area in central Arkansas where I live, or Northwest Arkansas, in the Ozarks, the Fayetteville/Bentonville/Rogers area - where are the Duggers live, Lol, are the best parts of the state, in general. My hometown of Benton (not Bentonville) was on money.com‘s list of 50 best places to live (in the US) at the end of last year, and was the most affordable on the entire list. Although I’m only about 20 minutes from whatever I need in Little Rock (or 30 minutes in the other direction to Hot Springs), the Benton/Bryant area offers enough that we don’t typically need to go to Little Rock or elsewhere for every little thing; I have access to whatever...quality healthcare and a nice meal at an upscale restaurant within 3 miles of my house. And the school system is consistently in the top 10% of the nation.

[@julierogers1155]

Exactly. It was obvious to me from the first time I saw anything about these to mental cases that there are several things really wrong about the parents. SEVENTEEN, EIGHTEEN, NINETEEN kids?!! Come on, that is greed, irresponsibility, and likely deserving of a hoarding diagnosis.

[@Skios]

Another detail of the Quiverfull movement that wasn't brought up in this video - they believe that any kind of debt or borrowing money is forbidden, including mortgages and such. As a result, the vast majority of these families live in deep poverty, having children they can't afford. The Duggars were able to afford having this many kids because of the TLC money, but their financial situation is in no way representative of families within the movement at large.

[@jospinner1183]

This. The deep and abiding poverty regularly leads to the children getting taken by CPS when they're discovered by authorities to be underfed, undereducated, and generally neglected by parents. Any parental behavior that leads to me sympathizing with the CPS agents is pretty messed up.

[@elizabethnobody6591]

The Duggars also never revealed that they were living for free, in a house owned by their former church, and at least their 1st family van was donated.

[@sandramarshall8127]

On the pilot episode they stated their income came from them buying and selling real estate!

[@Crystal5672cats]

@@sandramarshall8127 They also were still living in a three bedroom house when their 15th baby was born.

[@kbanghart]

@@Crystal5672cats 3 bedrooms and 17 people???

[@tiffbeevachou108]

I never liked the Duggars and found it creepy from the get go. I don't understand how this wasn't more obvious to people?

[@BobPagani]

It was presented and perceived as a harmless freak show.

[@trumpsAnti-ChristsREvil]

have you not observed the trump cult? the trump/putin cult???

[@davidking4838]

Exactly how I felt. At the time, my wife and young daughter liked the show so I didn't voice my opposition and just let it go.

[@nancyaustin9516]

Don't blame me--I don't have cable or even a tv.

[@melindac3368]

@@trumpsAnti-ChristsREvil You left out Tucker Carlson.

[@c.a.t.732]

This reminds me of a woman I knew back in the 80s who, after marrying a fundamentalist Christian, took a course called "Fascinating Womanhood" designed to teach women how to be more amenable and alluring to their husbands. She seemed to really lose herself for awhile, until her holier-than-thou husband was caught in a real estate ponzi scheme, which led to their divorce and her returning to her former free-spirited ways, much to the relief of her friends and family.

[@aparnarajesh]

I glad your friend break her vows

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

sometimes All Is Lost home family...

[@TahtahmesDiary]

Modern day "Fascinating Womanhood" followers refuse to be stomped all over and abused... and even advise towards divorce if they see it which I think is such a relief...sadly the fact that some even have to ask for fear that they are breaking the "rules" is still cause for concern.

[@fosterapamela]

I remember that from my childhood in a Fundamentalist church. It was a book that my mom and other ladies read. I've recently discovered that we had influences from IBLP , as well . Some were reading Train Up a Child, and I remember my mom, who amazingly didn't believe in spanking, remarking that she didn't believe in breaking a child's spirit, as the book advocated. They also used the ATI curriculum in the school that was run out of the church basement. I was an adult by then.

[@Neenerella333]

There is always a ponzi scheme. One was going around FLDS communities in Idaho and Utah, telling them they didn't vote to join the US union for their respective states (which required making polygamy illegal to qualify for statehood), so they weren't required to pay federal income tax. I know one family personally that went to prison for tax evasion.

[@emcd3589]

I grew up in a homeschooling, purity culture, IBLP family. I'm still getting therapy for it. Thankfully my parents were loving and supportive else the damage would have been much worse.

[@kissit012]

Weren’t your parents responsible for you being in it in the first place?

[@emcd3589]

@@kissit012 Yes, and they were also victims of the cult mentality. My parents were also not abusive like the Duggars turned out to be.

[@radschele1815]

@@emcd3589 if they see what they dig wrong, it seems more helpful than of you had to go through all that alone. I hope you can find your peace with the past

[@turquoise770]

@@emcd3589 Abusive? I follow their channels on KZbin and their children have happy marriages where no one is divorced, no domestic violence, no alcohol or drugs, and their children are well-mannered and well-educated - it amazes me that even ordinary citizens such as yourself are mini-versions of the fake news we have to put up with - truth twisting, lying snakes at all levels I guess.

[@hansakkerman2611]

@@turquoise770 they have full control over those channels, do you really think they would show any conflict, if those arise?

[@slixameth]

The irony of all these misogynistic rules when their son grew up to hurt MULTIPLE women. Yep

[@azizahamura2592]

Girls*

[@bwenluck9812]

@@azizahamura2592 Doesn't make it better that "girls" were abused, girls grow into women with scars from that abuse! Do you have an actual point here?

[@jospinner1183]

Well, to be fair, those rules basically state that anything he does to a girl or woman is their own fault, and not his. This is why there was no real intervention when the parents found out JD had been molesting his _very_ young sisters (and at least one other girl). The truly ironic part is that instead of dealing with Josh when he admitted his molestation, the parents instead got a state trooper friend (same brand of "Christian"), Cpl Hutchins, to give the boy a "stern talking to." Hutchins was subsequently found guilty on CP charges (just like Josh would be later), and is currently serving 56 years in prison. Gee, it's almost like the Duggar parents cared more about the reputation of their son than they did about the safety of their younger children or other little girls in the neighborhood.

[@sandramarshall8127]

Alexandra Smith Girls!!

[@awesomesauce8216]

That's not irony. That's inevitability.

[@ericalane7220]

I grew up in this cult, and I am still recovering 20 years later.

[@letsRegulateSociopaths]

the first step to recovery is admitting that they have a problem...

[@1m2rich]

Hugs.

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

Wishing you so much healing, peace and joy.

[@stephanie5249]

Ya I’m sure he only abused four of his sisters. Monsters usually stop at four

[@stevechance150]

Too many kids, to monitor and protect them all. This is absolutely the parents fault. It's child neglect.

[@elizabethwillis885]

There was also a babysitter he abused

[@novaava]

I'm concerned about his own kids.

[@katharineshade9550]

@@novaava luckily he’s locked up now, and will be for a long time.

[@stephanie5249]

I think that’s why the oldest sister stuck around so long to raise the younger ones. Everyone wondered why she hadn’t married off yet and had just become her baby-siblings caregiver… I think it was to protect them from him, because she knew that no one had protected her. 💔

[@ushere5791]

it's NEVER about the clothes. back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, corseted women in their hoop skirts had to stab men with their hatpins to fend off attacks and unwanted advances. we as a society have to teach empathy, and we have to teach men they're not entitled to women's or children's bodies.

[@mommadee9128]

💯!!!!

[@M_SC]

Quiverful people carefully don’t allow their members to interact with our society. So that they can’t be taught right.

[@mapples007]

They know they're not entitled but they know they are stronger and wont get punished, so they do it anyway. I said it once and Ill say it again: rapists need to be castrated, period.

[@mapples007]

@@M_SC All extremists groups are anti-education. Men know educated women are harder to control.

[@TattedIrishxxx]

The fact we have to teach men not to go after children is part of the problem.

[@alw87642]

And these are the ones who fearmonger about “Sharia Law”

[@Picturedragon]

It's not that they see it as evil, just as competition.

[@charlie-obrien]

@@Picturedragon Can't have those Muslims crowding in on their "good thing".

[@melindac3368]

@@charlie-obrien Besides, many Muslims are brown people.

[@DimaRakesah]

Right? Oh hijab is abuse! Meanwhile their daughters are constantly being policed about every detail of their appearance and how it could "tempt" an man into evil. Gosh, that sounds familiar.

[@Christiangjf]

Yes. Also the very same people who cry about children being indoctrinated in public schools.

[@blackgayhistorychannel]

The dudes name is Jim Bob, no way things were gonna end well 😩

[@kbanghart]

That may even be worse than Florida Man

[@patplescia3311]

@@kbanghart oh nothings worse than Florida Man although Jim Bob is a close 2nd.

[@China-Clay]

@@kbanghart Florida Man?

[@kbanghart]

@@China-Clay yes

[@robertandhollyscorpiofan2697]

You have apparently not heard of the tv show “The Waltons,” the youngest son was called Jim-Bob, he turned out okay.

[@sarahedwards2]

The man looking at his wife when she’s speaking is so creepy. It’s like he’s saying “I can control what you say; if I do not like what you say I will squeeze your hand to tell you to shut up.”

[@ramonacunningham5954]

It could have been directions from the show production. News anchors in our area were complimented when the female anchor gazed at the man when he read a story.

[@daveshoemaker7137]

@@ramonacunningham5954 No they are freaks!

[@jenellejessop2454]

I'm currently pregnant. You couldn't pay me to do this 19 times. I'm getting my tubes tied after 3.

[@SnarkyRC]

@@sunnywynn56 Yep. Should've adopted a dog or a cat from an animal shelter instead of polluting the earth with more disgusting humans.

[@jenellejessop2454]

@@SnarkyRC maybe, but I'm selfish. Want to pass on my genes.

[@hailey8941]

@@jenellejessop2454 hope you know whenever your child suffers, it’s 100% YOUR fault because you put them here cause you “want to pass on your genes” 🙄🙄🙄

[@jenellejessop2454]

@@hailey8941 yes, and the happiest and fun my child experiences will be my 'fault' too. I intend to do everything I can to provide him with a joyful life.

[@hailey8941]

@@jenellejessop2454 also, you’re banking on the idea your child will be happy. I’ve never been happy in my 26 years of life, and I’ve been in therapy since 12.

[@deviouskris3012]

Has no one pointed out the complete lunacy of the demand to cry out to god while being sexually assaulted. I’m going out on a limb here. But I don’t thing yelling “oh god” is going to send an appropriate message of disgust.

[@jospinner1183]

The worst part is that if a modestly-dressed girl _was_ to try to call out to god while being assaulted, the fact that the assault proceeded without actual Divine Intervention would probably lead her community to assuming that she actually "wanted it."

[@heatherheath8859]

We had actual charts on this. We had to figure out what we did that brought on our assault

[@jospinner1183]

@@heatherheath8859 Yeah, I've heard about that. It's victim-blaming without bothering to be subtle about it. So, so gross.

[@marcmiller789]

I've met most of the Duggers and I've done roof work on alot of his properties in the past, including the infamous warehouse Ana lives in. They were hard to deal with, always haggling for a lower price on my work.

[@lorraineclark4413]

Is THAT all you've got to say? When all people care about is money, it's no wonder abuse doesn't get reported.

[@marybedwell4065]

Tell us more...

[@pazza4555]

@@lorraineclark4413 He only dealt with them in the context of his job. And it's not "caring about money" with a small business, it's keeping your family fed.

[@JJ21210]

Grown women in little-girl dresses (the white collars, the puffed sleeves) says it all ...

[@samanthanash6370]

They wore that stuff and permed their hair because that's what the church leader, Bill Gothard, preferred.

[@jessicahildebrand9712]

@@samanthanash6370 gothard lol

[@w.k.astrolabe280]

Actually there are a huge number of women of color and/or lgbt+ folks in the cottage core community. Just look at tiktok and tumblr. It is an outlet for things that are seen as more traditionally feminine that we feel we have not been allowed to enjoy. Think like Bridgerton, but with pies and freshly baked bread.

[@overgrownkudzu]

@@w.k.astrolabe280 the difference is those people are choosing to express themselves that way, not being forced to cover up and punished if they refuse

[@daveshoemaker7137]

Guess they didn't wear underwear so Josh had easy access!

[@JB-gi5ph]

Nice to see the Taliban and Quiverfulls finding common ground. Really brings people together around shared beliefs.

[@turquoise770]

get saved.

[@nancyenkelmann7801]

@@turquoise770 Get bent

[@PhilLesh69]

I always wondered how these Christian families who pump out litters can afford to raise those kids. I knew a family with 8 kids whose father was the same rank as an Army officer as my father and my father's salary could barely cover two kids and a wife even while living in free military quarters. That family with 8 kids was on food stamps, and even then they had to really scrimp and save simply to make ends meet. Why do I have a strange feeling that families like the duggars end up getting *_more_* back in taxes than they paid in by claiming 19 dependents on their tax returns?

[@DimaRakesah]

They get by with hand outs and then say it's God helping them. No, it's your neighbors who feel bad for the 12 kids your cram into a 2 bedroom apartment. Ironic that these ultra conservative families tend to be Republicans who supposed loath government hand outs yet insist on having a billion kids they cannot afford and then expect God to take care of it

[@vylbird8014]

In this case, they got a giant heap of money for appearing on the TV program.

[@lorraineclark4413]

@@vylbird8014 Giving these abusing freaks a platform on TV is disgraceful. TLC should be boycotted.

[@michellesilver718]

Litters. Well put.

[@jkardi9803]

My friend came from a family like this, 9 kids before his mom died in childbirth because his dad was more concerned with proving his virility than giving his wife's body time to recover from the toll back-to-back pregnancies put on her

[@mommadee9128]

Poor woman

[@TheChaoticAsexual]

I remember I went to a bakery where the family was like this. They had holy water at the door and pamphlets on all the conservative Christian topics. All their kids homeschooled each other and they all worked for the bakery.

[@jospinner1183]

The homeschooling "each other" thing has a name. Ultra-conservatives call it the "buddy system," and it basically involves the parents abandoning parental duties to the older children. Older children (usually the girls only) are put in charge of the younger ones in pairs or small groups, leading to situations where a 9-year-old might be in charge of a toddler. So a pre-teen girl would be responsible for feeding, cleaning, clothing, teaching, and keeping track of one or more younger siblings. The process is a type of child abuse and trauma called "parentification." It's not exclusive to Quiverfull families, of course, but it's pretty ubiquitous there.

[@kbanghart]

@@jospinner1183 ugh gross. I've been a progressive Christian all my life and so glad this was never my reality.

[@jospinner1183]

@@kbanghart It's so awful that the compassionate voices of progressive Christianity always seem to get drowned out by hateful fundamentalists. I admire you for being able to maintain your faith with those crazies making so much noise. It would be so easy to just lump all Christians together in the religious crazies camp, and I'm glad that my best friend (for nearly 30 years) is a progressive _and_ deeply religious person.

[@kbanghart]

@@jospinner1183 well said

[@laurenhill7844]

My family attended the IBLP seminars for a few years in the late 80s/early 90s. My entire family has now left fundamentalist denominations, but we’re still dealing with the entrenched guilt and trauma from that time.

[@turquoise770]

hopefully you at least got saved from the experience

[@stoverboo]

@@turquoise770 Did you miss the part about trauma? What is wrong with you?

[@turquoise770]

@@stoverboo all those horrible things are a result of rejecting and rebelling against God.

[@tanyawade5197]

@@stoverboo This person is deceived & completely insane. Don’t even bother🙄.

[@juratory8876]

@@turquoise770 Lol what god?

[@SonicMTD]

So what I learned from this is, America has a massive cult problem…

[@lynnwarburton2417]

Not just America ...

[@nataliepaad1869]

Oh yes... since the very beginning.

[@elizabethhall9334]

Yes

[@dayseyenavajo3925]

Ignorance and mental health…

[@lorraineclark4413]

Yes, it's called the GOP. Quiverfull weirdos hurt themselves. The Gang Of Putin hurts EVERYBODY.

[@WooferMcWooferson]

"It's a figurative umbrella, but it also keeps you from getting wet." Outstanding.

[@tuckerplum8085]

Totally. (Laughed out loud at that one!)

[@holocene2164]

Thanks for talking about this! The quiverful movement is sectarian and abusive. Fundie Fridays has great videos on the topics. For anyone interested in knowing how truly effed up those "Christians" are.

[@PhilLesh69]

Quiverfull is simply a tactic to achieve the true goal of God's kingdom on earth. Dominionism is the real dangerous belief that unifies all of these odd Christian cult groups. Same with the homeschoolers, or the project Joshua folks.

[@PhilLesh69]

_Focusing on ethnicity, the project maintains a database of "unreached peoples" listed by country and language. As of 2010, they list 9,803 ethnic groups. These are further divided into 16,350 peoples-by-countries, counting national minorities individually for each of 236 countries, of which 6,642 are classified as "unreached peoples". Ethnic groups are organized hierarchically in 251 "People Clusters" which in turn are divided in 16 "Affinity Blocs" (Arab World, East Asians, Eurasians, Horn of Africa-Cushitic, Iranian-Median, Jews, Latin-Caribbean Americans, Malay peoples, North American peoples, Pacific Islanders, South Asians, Southeast Asians, Sub-Saharan Africans, Tibetan / Himalayan peoples, Turkic peoples and Unclassified). Each ethnicity is listed as speaking at least one of 6,510 languages_

[@PhilLesh69]

Maintaining lists of people grouped by race or (lack of) religion sounds harmless. Nothing ever could go wrong, I'm sure.

[@qwertydog9795]

that channel gives me the kind of childhood nostalgia I wish I could forget but am glad I haven't

[@beckybertish7841]

Fundie Fridays is the best!!

[@michaelthornton5292]

We miss you on Australian TV Sam, your witt and view of idiots in the system brings me nothing but Joy ..... you're a star! 😘

[@visgrrl1]

Shout out to Jana Shortal! I lead my daughter's GS troop in MN. Yes, there are adults who try to pick fights with little girls who are just trying to pay for camp.

[@ThePalFishCoach]

Shouting out from Virginia! I moved here from MN a few years ago... and I was happy to see Jana in this! She’s an amazing reporter.

[@granthanham9082]

Thank you Sam for highlighting issues that no one else is looking at. Your episode on " sand " was a good case and point. I have noted that other outlets have since followed your lead.

[@laurenwalker1048]

If you liked this kind of content, check out jimmy snow. He does really good atheist videos.

[@kathryngeeslin9509]

Telltale covers cults, mostly JW and Mormon types, but several on Quiverfull as well (he's ex-JW).

[@laurenwalker1048]

@@kathryngeeslin9509 telltale also!

[@elisabethscott20]

Very glad you're covering this

[@BouncyBrown]

I was hoping you'd mention that they use abusive techniques like "blanket training" (beating a baby to train them to stay put on a blanket).

[@beth8775]

Say what?! What the actual frick?!

[@sadgayyeehaw5199]

@@beth8775 its like pavlov's dog. they put a baby on a blanket and any time it moves off, they beat it until its too scared to move off the blanket, therefore any time they cant or dont hold the baby they can rely on the infant to not move from the blanket

[@morganqorishchi8181]

@@beth8775 They put a baby on a blanket, then offer the child something tempting like food or toys. If the child moves off the blanket, they are struck, usually with a wooden rod or ruler, sometimes just with a hand. The goal is to train the child not to move from where they've been put, no matter what, or else they will be hurt physically. The Gothards put out a book called To Train Up A Child on how to best start this, but also advocate that things like pinching your newborn to punish them for clamping down too hard during breastfeeding is totally logical and will also help 'train' your newborn baby.

[@MsContralto]

Parents who do this should be in jail!

[@turquoise770]

your mother should have beat you for lying

[@agapeagapeone]

"cookie sells fund plan parenthood" Scratching my head. The world is getting dumber by the minute.😩

[@Missy-Missy1111]

and more insidiously deranged.

[@aking3624]

Only $1.00 of each box goes to help Girl Scouting activities. You can simply donate to the cause & bypass the cookies. I'm thinking a religious nut job, obsessed with Thin mints came up with this conspiracy theory!!

[@CollinMcLean]

Honestly a box of coconut fudge stripes and giving women healthcare? Sounds like a win-win-win!

[@2eachaccording]

just the mental image of a man yelling at a little girl holding a box of thin mints...there's no point in dystopian fiction...we are in it🤣😭

[@tanyawade5197]

@@2eachaccording I think I might have taken a tire iron to that guy’s knees. I could claim fear for my life & child’s in that sitch, right? A deranged man, yelling crazy things at my children, you don’t know what he’ll do next, but why wait to find out?

[@bonnaewaldron2727]

I can’t wait till one of those Duggar kids escapes the cult and writes their book

[@fourcatsandagarden]

my wish for every quiverfull child is that they know we want to help them escape the abuse - there is a better life out there, and they can have it too

[@lynnwarburton2417]

I have this feeling with the Cult of Scientology ... when i hear another has blown i do a little Carlton dance and wait for the next one to find the strength. Take care 🌈❤💙🧡

[@kflo8634]

You know those kids are just going to pass down those toxic misogynistic views to their own kids. It's just unfair to limit a kid's personal growth and views like that.

[@milascave2]

During his teens, Josh was prevented from looking at all girls other than his sisters. Do we wonder why he became atracted to them?

[@raggedyanarchist]

Tater Tot casserole is actually really good. Maybe not convert-to-extreme-Christianity good, but at least good enough to swing by a midwestern church potluck and be polite for an hour if there's also gonna be an ambrosia salad.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

I can hear my arteries hardening just thinking about it.

[@jospinner1183]

I can't tell whether you consider the ambrosia salad to be a further enticement or a deterrent. 😅

[@johnsonsandra8069]

Amen to that... lol

[@raggedyanarchist]

@@jospinner1183 ENTICEMENT!!!

[@Pipsqwak]

@@heronimousbrapson863 Just reading about it causes obesity.

[@annasluka6708]

In the northern most part of MI, there is a huge Finnish Apostolic religious group who follow this doctrine. The other day, I heard a 16 year old girl giggling about a dream she had where she was engaged. I've heard abusive speech from brothers to sisters in public. They can give off a very eerie vibe and outnumber the rest of us here by a long shot. We have to learn to live with them here, they control all the business and local school.

[@daveharrison84]

Interesting. I didn't know there were Finnish crazy Christians

[@ericacrawford435]

Interesting, in the UP? I'll have to look into that.

[@kbanghart]

Ugh sounds like the Mormon cult where I live in California.

[@annasluka6708]

On the Keweenaw Peninsula. I don't know if they subscribe to the Quiverfull doctrine particularly, but it sure appears that way to outsiders. Easy to spot. White blonde hair, similar facial features, huge families driving huge vans. They drink Mountain Dew and smoke Marlboro Reds like it's going out of style. No alcohol, no drugs. The boys cause a lot of mischief, and the girls can't play sports. Some boys can't play sports either. They run the local school, partially why we homeschool. Not very well liked by the non-apostolics, but they outnumber us, so we have to deal with them. They keep to themselves for the most part.

[@EndeavorsDnB]

Wht’s wrong with having a dream of tht nature or giggling about it?

[@tempestive1]

Well, inflicting religious indoctrination on children has already set a pretty high bar for what's "to be considered" child abuse.

[@kbanghart]

And ppl define "religious indoctrination" many different ways.

[@TheGoofy1932]

I would say forcing a child to go to church at an early age to believe in a make-believe sky daddy would most definitely count as Indoctrination. In fact, it's kind of the very definition of it. I understand their parents were Also most likely Indoctrinated into a Cult (Any Religion) at an early age too, so it normalized it for them to the point where they don't understand they've been brainwashed and abused themselves. But it's not an Excuse. LESS BIBLE MORE SCIENCE BOOKS,PEOPLE.

[@kbanghart]

@@TheGoofy1932 nah. Bible AND science.

[@TheGoofy1932]

@@kbanghart I mean most people like fairy tales 🧚‍♂️, I guess 🤷. So as long as you're Not trying to push the Bible as fact . Although I would say Aesops or Grimms does just as good of a job with teaching allegories. Plus talking animals so...I would pick Grimm or Aesop, but to each their own.

[@jelatinosa]

@@TheGoofy1932 I think people should actually read the bible, like reading any other book. It's what lead me to become an anti-theist after being a "good catholic girl". In fact, I started to read the bible at around 9 years old, as an avid reader, to become a better christian, and I just ended up disgusted by "god" and by religion and it's indoctrination. I started questioning god and religion then, at 9yrs old. By 12 I was an anti-theist. I don't recommend doing this so young however, because it did lead me to become resentful and contributed to my depression, distrust in adults and all that.

[@sonjalord7833]

“And I have been invited to join - neither” 😂😂. Love you so much Samantha Bee

[@jaybird6905]

imagine trying to convert Sam Bee to something. their head would be swiss cheese when she’s done with them

[@spendiferouslochness]

Sadly he's actually only facing 20 years in jail, not 40. The two counts he was convicted of cannot be served consecutively :( but at least all his children will be adults by the time he is free

[@Clutching.My.Pearls]

He will be strictly monitored for 20 years after his release, he will be supervised with a minor at all times. This will keep him away from any children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Josh will almost 70 by the time he will not have to be supervised. Hopefully, his smart family members will have abandoned him.

[@China-Clay]

I hear that it’s not over yet, rumor has it that more charges may come, one can hope they get his wife Anna also, she has covered up his tracks for years

[@shermanhofacker4428]

Girl scout cookies mostly fund the company that makes them. The scouts don't get that much from the sales.

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

This year, we couldn't get enough cookies to fill our preorders. Little Brownie dropped the ball.

[@vanessac8193]

Google's first result: 50 percent goes to council-sponsored programs, events, properties, training, and scholarships. 24 percent goes to the cost of the cookies. 23 percent goes to troop proceeds, girl recognitions, and service unit bonuses. 3 percent goes to the cost of Cookie Program support. I can't tell that the companies that make them do any work outside of girl scout cookies ( at least nothing featured prominently on their websites) so it could be true that most of their funding comes from the girl scouts. But I think what you were saying with that first sentence was that most of the money from the sale of cookies goes to the company, not the scouts, and that seems to be an inaccurate statement. If your second statement said, the *local* scouts don't get much from the sales, I could see that at 23%. But overall the scouts get 75% of the sales.

[@rassilontdavros3004]

I remember my parents watching them when I was a little kid. I thought their family seemed nice at the time. Knowing the truth, it freaks me out that my parents and I ever thought that they _weren’t_ creepy.

[@aking3624]

Jim Bob knew about Josh's predilections when they first got the TLC show.

[@een_schildpad]

It's therapeutic to listen to Sam roast my IBLP/ Reformed Presbyterian adjacent childhood haha. Thankfully kids can grow up and form their own views of the world 🙃

[@DimaRakesah]

So glad you escaped ❤

[@lise1255]

ISIS and Taliban saw the show and were inspired.

[@DianaAmericaRivero]

It's The Handmaid's Tale brought to life.

[@luannnelson2825]

I went to one of the Gothard Institutes in Basic Youth Conflicts meetings at the Omni in Atlanta in probably 1979 with my now-husband’s family; I think they had gone several times at the instigation of the very fundamentalist SBC church they attended. When Bill Gothard very seriously announced that he diagnosed some guy’s mental illness by suggesting he needed some dental work, I knew this was not something I wanted to get mixed up in. That SBC church, which we left not long after because of the minister’s cracks he made behind my back about my not being submissive, is now known as the home church of the Atlanta Spa Shooter. The anti-education attitudes and the misogyny of those people is terrible. They used to hand out little pamphlets titled “Three College Shipwrecks,” all about how you’d end up dead or drug-addicted or whatever if you got an education.

[@bethanythatsme]

Fundie Fridays 💜

[@jospinner1183]

Jennonites represent!

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

Since she went full time, she seems to be getting bored of doing it. It became less fun and more job. I first subbed when she had a few hundred viewers, and just can't anymore. Dear Mr. Atheist and so many others went down the same road.

[@billhinshillwood2670]

The pressure to have the perfect Christian family does tremendous damage to mental health. At my current church (which I don't really attend anymore) I would constantly get what was basically frat house level peer pressure from sermons and others families to be a super perfect Christian father and husband. But the expectations were so unrealistic, and I would leave church so discouraged cause I had a laundry list of things I needed to do to prove I was God's man. I'm a teacher, a special needs father, and an occasional caregiver for my mom. Got enough on my plate thank you!

[@dayseyenavajo3925]

You are a better man without religion

[@garyowen3662]

Bill, you're a better person without BAD religion. Episcopalian here, and blessed to be....... go whereever you're Fed, not Berated. Blessings +

[@TimothyHuffGuitar]

I am extremely grateful that I didn't give these shows any of my time or viewership!

[@heyysimone]

Every single group of people who follow rules like this and groups like this family did (with the idea of women being fully submissive) there has always been men in that group who have sexually abused women and/or children. Every single time.

[@MakeupDrShari]

For the record, all Christians are not like these monsters! This is not of God. I'm glad that Samantha is shining a light on these hypocrites.

[@LibraryDrudge]

Never watched it. Saw too many women in my mother's era worn out by excessive child bearing. Catholicism, pre- birth control, was brutal for women.

[@patplescia3311]

Well, sadly the 1950s are making a return if the QpubliCONS have a say. The Duggers are probably like folk heros to them they're so afraid of this being anything but a WHITE nation.

[@janicem4382]

I hope that most of these kids make it out of these cults. They will probably suffer for a long time even when they do. It is heart breaking.

[@elisam.r.9960]

Some do, but a lot don't. Interestingly, three of Anna Duggar's siblings have been able to get out from under the IBLP umbrella, per information on the Fundie Family Wiki. Two of them happen to be women. If we're lucky they'll throw her a lifeline, but I'd understand if these three decided to permanently estrange themselves from the rest of the family.

[@juratory8876]

@@elisam.r.9960 If I recall correctly, one of them (her brother) offered her help to get out from under Josh's thumb, but Anna declined and chose to stay with Josh.

[@elisam.r.9960]

@@juratory8876 Hats off to him. I can only imagine how frustrating it's gotta be for him to watch this all go down and know his help is not being accepted.

[@alexiskangootui8614]

I remember I watched the Duggers when I was in Middle School and even though I wasn't raised in a super Christian household, I really wanted to have a lot of kids cause it made it seem super fun to younger me. Now I can't even imagine having 2 kids.

[@RocLobo358]

I had family friends as a child whose parents were into quiverfull. They would hit their children with rods when they were bad. I still catch up with them from time to time. The kids aren't particularly god fearing or educated. They seem to be on the whole worse off even by their own standards

[@patplescia3311]

Those Bible thumper kids usually turn out to be a bad lot with a sad life.

[@peachesandpoets]

But let families in the Bronx have 5 kids and certain people hold panels about overpopulation in "urban" communities.

[@AmberAmber]

Ikr!!!?? Eughh... WSupremacy is VILE.

[@gibbontakeit9098]

Your bait is getting tired.

[@azizahamura2592]

@@gibbontakeit9098 Bait? It's true

[@stevechance150]

@@gibbontakeit9098 it's true. If you're a woman of child bearing age and you need to get on food assistance in Mississippi they are going to require you to get the birth control implant in your arm. And women on food assistance in Mississippi are primarily what race?

[@gibbontakeit9098]

@@azizahamura2592 I apologize, I misinterpreted the the original comment, they said "let" and I got heated. My fault.

[@klaythoring1326]

It’s wild because I think the whole reasoning was essentially Michelle had a miscarriage, they blamed hormonal birth control (which does not cause this, especially when you’re no longer on it) and so decided to leave it in the hands of…and I can’t stress it enough…THEMSELVES. Not God. They made decisions they then take no responsibility for. If they could’ve just processed grief more healthily this whole family could have been smaller and healthier.

[@TititoDeBologay]

Quiverful : Child abuse, adultification, deprivation, financial abuse and so on. Yet CPS isn't called.

[@akshelby33]

Well done. Thank you for doing this story. It’s really abusive and it’s what’s driving the Christian Right.

[@Hulk1566]

Watching this makes me feel that that is the true root of all evil.

[@celestialnubian]

Josh was head of FRC's political action committee and was being groomed to succeed James Dobson as the head of Family Research Council. #ConservativesAreEvil

[@jospinner1183]

Presumably Dobson saw a kindred spirit in Josh. 🤢

[@themurdernerd]

Yep! He was following in his old man's footsteps.

[@debrapalmer9772]

Joshy boy was raised to be the second coming of old Jimbo. IMO

[@vylbird8014]

Nice detail now though: You'd have a hard time showing as much. The FRC didn't just dismiss him - they retconned him. Every trace of him on their website vanished. They even went back to find documents he had endorsed during his time in the position and replaced them with updated files that omit his name. A full on un-personing. I wouldn't criticise the FRC specifically for that though, any organisation with a reputation to maintain might well react to scandal in the same manner.

[@mariahelizabeth_ent]

I could hear the first journalist wondering why she even pursued journalism, from the first clip! This is gunna be a doozie😵‍💫😩

[@seaninness334]

So creepy...so many layers of creepiness. The Duggars, "they're creepy and they're kooky..."

[@adrianashilling2573]

And now we have Amy COVID Barrett on the SCOTUS! GAG!

[@10DoctorWho11]

"One family. Nine murders. Countless laughs." Sam & the gang are so insanely funny.

[@iris-2021]

Horrific! Poor kids being in a cult since birth.

[@zizinnnn]

i’m very happy not having heard of any of this. handmaids tale with joyful avaliability. yuck

[@lilo2226]

My sister was obsessed with this show and I had a feeling they weren’t perfect.I told her but she didn’t believe me and the rest is history.

[@lorraineclark4413]

Giving these abusing freaks a platform on TV is disgraceful. TLC should be boycotted. And your sister is weird.

[@mirfir]

It’s a cult!

[@heatherheath8859]

Facts

[@crazysavvyloverlee]

Thanks Sam! Y’all need to check out Fundie Fridays for great videos on the Duggar’s

[@MelanieLauree]

On my way. Thanks for the tip.

[@AlSpice]

And the podcast Escape from Eden!

[@jospinner1183]

Seconded. Jen at Fundie Fridays is a lovely person who tries to approach aspects of Christian Fundamentalism with as much empathy as it possible. I really respect how she treats her subjects as real people, and not as circus sideshows to be laughed at. (I also adore how much Jen loves Tammy Faye.) (PS: James's content is hilarious and a great addition to the channel.)

[@brooke_reiverrose2949]

@@AlSpice Leaving Eden?

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

Since she went full time, she seems to be getting bored of doing it. It became less fun and more job. I first subbed when she had a few hundred viewers, and just can't anymore. Dear Mr. Atheist and so many others went down the same road.

[@CollinMcLean]

This is honestly why I hate so many TLC shows. They're often exploitative in their premise and at times are downright horrifying.

[@sherip9854]

👏🏻Thank you for shining a brighter light on this gross family.

[@davidmckendry7684]

This was disturbing for a long, long time. Now I know why I felt that way to begin with. Thanks Samantha!👍

[@acadiestudio]

EXACTLY!!! Thank you for closed captioning! Subscribed!

[@jackt1954]

Funny, I thought "The Handmaid's Tale" was a work of fiction.

[@heatherheath8859]

It was so, so real for us

[@aking3624]

Have you seen the news lately? Texas has now set the standard for bounty hunting anyone connected with, having or helping a women get an abortion!! Imagine someone getting $10,000.00 for reporting these activities!! Handmaids tale is real, and Republicans are serving it up on a silver platter!! 😠

[@DBDdavid]

Nike be like..."leave us out of this."

[@lukesta12]

0:15 even the news host had a hard time believing what was on the teleprompter

[@kendomyers]

The neighbor girls I grew up next to were from a religious family so when they dressed for church they wore those super modest Dugger style dresses. So...when I see Mrs. Dugger dressed like that she looks like a womanchild. Womanchild? Does that work? Like manchild, but female?

[@carmellacandy509]

One unwritten cultural rule is that it considered obscene when women and girls dress the same. Men and boys is okay...but girls and women, no, just no.

[@danielkanewske8473]

While I have never tuned in, I can't believe that the vast majority of viewers support their lifestyle. Watching a freak show, is an American pastime.

[@hbernaiche01]

You would be surprised. Throw Jesus in there and these people fall for anything including condoning child abu$e and mole$tation.

[@JJ21210]

@Daniel: I wouldn't be so sure that ppl watched to be amused or horrified; an ENORMOUS segment of the US population is composed of religious fundamentalists (not surprising, given that the Pilgrim, were relig. fanatics, and that successive waves of immigration here contained ppl who were equally nutty). The rise of trumpism tells us that this nation is full of irrational, punitive, ultra-conservative crazies.

[@melindac3368]

@@JJ21210 I agree.

[@turquoise770]

It's only a freak show, because you like so many other millions of Americans are practically one with the hedonistic, filthy sewage of this culture - actually the wholesome of the Duggars and their highly functional and happy lives - the way America was pre 1960 before all the sexuality immorality and drug addiction culture, at least what we held up as the bar to live up to - is only repulsive to people like yourself because it is spiritually good.

[@lorraineclark4413]

Giving these abusing freaks a platform on TV is disgraceful. TLC should be boycotted.

[@Tavieme]

Remember when TLC meant the learning channel?? Now it just means “ The Latest Craziness “ This channel and bravo are why i stopped watching tv 5 years ago

[@Byzantina1204]

Kinda how the History channel just shows nutty "aliens built the pyramids" shows.

[@Tavieme]

@@Byzantina1204 yep… now I watch the Smithsonian channel… I’m just just waiting for that to turn into nonsense too 😭😭

[@marydlutes1792]

Did the Duggars even know Nike is a Goddess?

[@patplescia3311]

I didn't so I can probably assure you they didn't.

[@janel.8921]

Such knowledge is not important in their world. I wonder if they know the names of the major Greek gods, such as Zeus, Hera, Apollo and others.

[@magnoliafreak6]

Man, Fundie Fridays has been making entertainingly informative videos about this for the past year or so

[@uthmanbaksh3530]

Fun Fact, when the Network TLC launched, it was known as the Learning Channel. Now, I haven't learned anything from TLC except that My mom watches their shows religiously. Like she is obsessed with 90 Day Fiance and was one of those obsessed with the Duggars back in the day. I always saw them as odd because they seem to live a simple life even though they have a ton of money [not that there's anything wrong with that.] Like they could get a bigger house for their growing family but refuse to. Then once the scandals dropped, My unease with them made sense. I think it was Josh that like multiple Accounts for the infidelity website Ashley Madison. We only knew about that through their infamous hack then the literal abuse behind the scenes. Luckily my mom also watches TMZ as well so she dropped them when the curtain was raised on the Duggars. But it is important to know the ideolgy behind it all and the fact that we were entertane by it is honestly disturbing. Like actual Christians I know will find them odd and very extreme.

[@Mark-gg6iy]

5 kids in my family, Mom stayed home Dad worked min 8 hr's every day (yes, 7) virtually no individual time with either. I am 66 now, my father died a few years ago, we never had a meaningful two-way conversation, I tried a few times, he was not interested, in fact he would shut down angry because our views did not align. Mom never liked me and never wanted to hear any opinions that she did not agree with. Both were Christians and everybody thought they were very nice people.

[@patplescia3311]

😓 I'm sorry. What mother doesn't like her own child?

[@Mark-gg6iy]

@@patplescia3311 An honest one? I don't like my daughter, we have not spoken for years.

[@loriepaix6391]

Fun fact: Josh Duggar can't be sentenced to 40 years. Even if he's given the maximum of 20 years on each count, the sentences will run concurrently.

[@dianemurray6550]

The prosecutors noted that the CP Josh had depicted the most violent abuse of TODDLERS they had ever seen.

[@iamjustamomdoingthebestica6999]

This show/family always creeped me out. It's cultish and they are not the only ones like them. I grew up in fostercare and have always hated Christian purity ish. The first I was hurt by was Mormon and they harmed me and my sister for years. Plus forcing humans to behave like a breeding cow and toxic masculinity that LITTARLY damages both sexes and makes some messed up minds. I hated this show in the same way I hated Sister wives..😡