Jill Duggar and her husband Derick Dillard embarked on a mission to El Salvador to do the Lord’s work, but their expedition has been marred with controversy almost since they left. In the past few weeks, speculation arose that the Dillards cut their mission short and returned to Arkansas to avoid catching the Zika virus, which is currently rampant in the Central American country. However, a new photo posted to Facebook confirms that the couple and their son Israel are definitely still in El Salvador, and even welcomed two guests: Jill’s parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. “Jill’s parents surprised us recently with an impromptu visit for a few days,” Derick wrote on his blog . “It was great to have them with us and get to show them the work the Lord is doing here.” He assured fans that 10-month-old Israel is doing well, loving the fruits and veggies there and was happy to see his grandparents. “Israel definitely enjoyed all the attention when Grandma and Grandpa Duggar came to visit,” wrote Derick. Fans have been concerned about the Dillards’ stay in El Salvador as Zika has been known to cause severe birth defects in pregnant women, and given the family’s stance on shunning birth control, Jill could be at risk. Could Jill be making an exception and using birth control ? If she did in this case, we can’t imagine anyone would fault her for it. View Slideshow: Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard Photos
Jim Bob Duggar has a message for all his fellow fathers out there, though said message may be targeted toward one struggling dad in particular. Is he sending a thinly-veiled message to Josh Duggar, his first-born son who is currently toiling away in a Christian sex rehab labor camp? No one knows with certainty. But when the patriarch pens an open letter on the family website, urging dads to become the “coach of your home”? It sure as crap reads like that’s his intended audience. Jim Bob begins by encouraging fathers to be “spiritual leaders” by sharing a very personal story of the time his wife, Michelle, suffered a miscarriage. Going through that while she was on birth control, he says, shaped their views on children (and clearly, they take those views seriously). “We had been rejecting His gifts,” Jim Bob wrote . “We prayed and asked God to forgive us and we gave Him this area of our lives.” “We said, ‘Lord, help us to love children the way that you love children,’ and Lord, we want to receive each one as a gift from you.'” Jim Bob says that in order to be a leader, it’s urgent that fathers ask forgiveness from Jesus, their significant other and children. He also suggested that dads remove all “books, magazines, television or Internet that have worldly or sensual content” from the home. View Slideshow: 11 Things BANNED in the Duggar Family To protect one’s family, this is crucial, he advises: “Replace them with good things, [such as] wholesome music, biographies of great Christians, good old-fashioned family fun and games.” This open letter comes just days after we learned that some members of the Duggar family have visiting and encouraging Josh in rehab . It’s not the first time we’ve heard the Duggars hate on worldly or sensual content , nor is it at all surprising that they would do just that. The timing is curious, though, amid conflicting reports regarding the state of Josh’s fractured marriage to the long-suffering Anna Duggar. Having admitted an online porn addiction and being “unfaithful” to Anna earlier this summer, Josh has been on thin ice to say the least. Still, he’s not giving up with out a fight, and some sources say he’s pushing Anna to have another baby to help save the marriage (really). Anna Duggar: Heartbroken Over Josh in New Special On the flip side, others speculate that Anna is finally leaving Josh after porn star Danica Dillon sued him for giving her rough-sex-induced PTSD. Meanwhile, Anna is breaking her silence. “It was heartbreaking to hear, what had happened,” an emotional Anna, 27, said in a promo for TLC’s Jill and Jessa: Counting On released Friday. At this point, it remains unclear exactly what Anna is planning, and even where Josh is. Rumors suggest he may have bailed on rehab months early. A plane carrying Jim Bob and two of his sons was spotted Friday at an airport in Rockford, Ill., near the facility where Josh is (or was) being treated. Insiders say the plane was on the ground for several hours, before taking back off to Springdale, Arkansas, where the Duggar family resides. The plot thickens. View Slideshow: 13 Reasons Why Anna Duggar Should Leave Josh NOW
Last week, we reported Institute for Basic Life Principles founder Bill Gothard is being sued by five former employees who claim they were sexually harassed by Gothard during their time with the IBLP. Gothard is best known to the public as a friend and mentor of the Duggar family. Now, another close Duggar associate is being implicated in the scandal: According to Radar Online, Bringing Up Bates star Gil Bates is also being sued for allegedly helping to cover up the abuse. Bates is reportedly one of six defendants to be named in the suit for assisting Gothard with his systematic abuse of dozens of female employees over the course of several decades. Like Gothard, Bates is best known as a longtime friend of Jim Bob Duggar and a famous follower of the controversial Quiverfull movement that’s espoused by the Duggar clan. Like Jim Bob, Gil Bates is both the patriarch of a family of 19 and the star of a basic cable reality show. The Bates family’s Bringing Up Bates currently airs on UP TV. In recent months, it’s been rumored that Gil’s son Lawson Bates is “courting” Jinger Duggar – Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 21-year-old daughter. The Duggar family has yet to respond to the accusations against Bates. Though they are not directly involved in Bates’ alleged wrongdoing, it’s certainly an unwelcome situation for a family that’s been repeatedly rocked by scandal this year. View Slideshow: 23 Biggest Duggar Family Scandals: How Low Can They Go?!
Earlier this week, we reported that Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar have entered marriage counseling . Along with professional therapists and several other couples, the Duggars embarked on a retreat in Ozark National Forest amidst rumors that the many Duggar scandals of the past year had put a strain on their relationship. In response to those rumors Michelle and Jim Bob posted a statement on their Facebook page and explained to People magazine that their marriage was simply in need of a little fine-tuning. “Beautiful place, beautiful people, beautiful truths!” the Duggars said of the retreat that they claim brought them closer together. They reportedly told People that the retreat was timed so that they would be back in their hometown of Tontitown, Arkansas several weeks before Jessa Duggar’s due date . Jessa is expected to give birth to her first child on November 1, which also happens to be her one-year wedding anniversary. There’s no denying that 2015 has been packed with scandals and public humiliations for the Duggars, but unfortunately they now find themselves in a position where critics and former fans are looking for controversy where none exists. We’re sure Michelle and Jim Bob’s marriage is just fine. And we’re still hoping Anna will leave Josh while he’s in rehab , but that’s neither here nor there! View Slideshow: Duggar Family Marriage Tips: Yes, These Are Real Quotes
It’s been a tough year for the Duggar family. Obviously, the various Josh Duggar sex scandals created the biggest headaches, but the past few months have seen the 19 Kids and Counting clan have seen coping with lots of other stumbling blocks and mini-scandals. Just last week, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard refunded donations to fans who became outraged after realizing they helped fund missionary work that never actually happened. (At least when Josh shells out for “missionary work” he gets what he paid for!) Yes, the Duggar situation has gotten so bad that using charitable donations from fans to pay for a vacation is considered a minor scandal. We imagine seeing your kids’ faces accompanied by some lurid headline every time you check out at the grocery store would be a pretty major source of stress for anyone, so we’re not surprised to hear that Michelle and Jim Bob have decided to get away from it all and give their marriage a tune-up. Radar Online is reporting that Michelle and Jim Bob have embarked on a marriage retreat , where they’ll spend time in the woods discussing their relationship along with counselors and several other couples. The Duggars confirmed the news on there Facebook page today, but did not offer any information regarding when they’ll return from the outing in Ozark National Forest. A website for the pastor who runs the retreat states that he offers “Biblical solutions to critical family problems.” Well, that’s good. After all, the Duggars’ family problems are of Biblical proportions. View Slideshow: Duggar Family Marriage Tips: Yes, These Are Real Quotes
Last week, we learned that Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard will be leaving the US in order to perform missionary work in an undisclosed foreign nation. Yesterday, Jill was accused of faking a mission trip photo and falsely leading her Instagram followers to believe that she and Derick had already set out on their journey. Now, it looks as though Jill, Derick and Baby Israel have indeed left the States and simply posted a photo from an earlier trip in order to keep their destination secret. Before leaving, however, the newlyweds made one last visit to the Duggar compound, and patriarch Jim Bob posted the following video in which the whole family bids the Dillards a fond farewell: Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard Say Goodbye to Duggar Clan The family never addresses the Josh Duggar sexual assault scandal directly in the video, but Jim Bob does preach about the power of forgiveness and personal transformation: “To share the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Jim Bob prays at one point. “How people can be forgiven for what they have done wrong, and in you they can become new creatures.” The video is a sort of mini-episode of the reality show that made the Duggars famous, and it even features an emotional scene in which Jim Bob asks Derick about his father’s premature death. Could this be a way of reminding fans what they’ll miss out on if 19 Kids and Counting gets canceled ? We don’t know, but it certainly seems to be another small step toward the Duggars rebuilding their battered public image.
In the wake of the Josh Duggar sexual abuse scandal , more and more uncomfortable truths about Josh and his family are coming to light. Somehow, they keep getting progressively more disturbing, too. We heard first-hand accounts of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar child abuse in the form of using a “rod” to punish their kids for minor offenses. Shortly thereafter, we learned about the harsh nature of Michelle Duggar’s “blanket training” and other controversial parenting methods. The floodgates are officially open, and what a deluge it’s been. Everyone from former 19 Kids and Counting crew members to fellow residents of Tontitown, Ark., are coming forward with troubling Duggar tales. The latest? Gawker posted several shocking Duggar stories today, several of which involved Jim Bob and his stance on pre-marital sexual activity. His supposedly hard-line, yet often hypocritical stance. One fellow parishioner at the Duggars’ church recalls Josh’s return from “therapy” after Jim Bob sent him away, supposedly for being caught with pornographic materials: View Slideshow: 9 Things BANNED in the Duggar Family “Nobody told me he was guilty of sexual molestation. I do remember that he was caught for pornography and being sent away for rehabilitation when he was 17 or so.” “If people look back to when Josh was bald on the show, it was because he was being ‘rehabilitated.’ The head-shaving was part of the shaming process.” “When Josh returned from his ‘porn rehab,’ he was brought before the church.” “After Josh gave his ‘testimony,’ his sisters came up and hugged him and I remember seeing huge, confused tears streaming down their faces.” “I remember being confused about why they seemed to take it so personally … Now it makes more sense.” Like so many things about this scandal, it most disturbingly does. Another tipster says her “cousin’s husband” worked on the 19 Kids set and offered an alarming account of an incident in which Jim Bob caught one of his sons masturbating: “One of the older Duggar Boys was caught playing with himself.” View Slideshow: 20 Controversial Duggar Family Quotes “He said that one of his brothers had told on him for being in the bathroom for a few hours one night, worried that he was sick.” “Well to see if he really was, Jim Bob walked in.” “He caught him doing it, and on one of the day’s the cameras were filming. Jim bobs screams made the crew run to where they were filming.” “Immediately they asked him what was wrong. All Jim Could reply was, ‘Idle hands are the devil’s playthings.’ “Apparently, the whole next day he was supposed to do chores around the house. But, Jim Bob had tied his hands together so that doing anything was nearly impossible.” Tell us if you have a hard time picturing that. Obviously, there’s no excuse or explanation for Josh’s reprehensible actions, and there’s no one to blame except for Josh Duggar himself. That said, every new revelation about the Duggars’ bizarre approaches to child rearing and sexuality helps shed new light on the situation. Specifically, the troubling mentality of the authority figures who believed they could handle the situation themselves, and who convinced their children to keep revolting family secrets to themselves for over a decade. View Slideshow: 23 Biggest Duggar Family Scandals
The Duggar family dating rules have been well documented. Here are nine things they specifically do not allow. 1. Dates Without Chaperones The Duggar parents often accompany their kids on dates in order to maintain “accountability” and “keep things from going in the wrong direction,” per Jim Bob. The girls are fine with this, as being alone with men puts them in grave “moral danger.” When the parents aren’t available, their older siblings will often tag along, making every date a group date and a family affair. 2. Non-Group Texts Even in the kids’ late teens and early 20s, mom and dad are creeping on their text messages. When Ben Seewald jokingly wrote to fiancee Jessa, “Give me a ring,” Jim Bob actually jumped in on the group text, writing “No ring yet.” With a smiley face emoticon. Seriously, he did that. Jim Bob needs his own Instagram so he can start posting screen shots of this stuff. 3. Hugs on the Chest This moment you see here between Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard would not have been permitted until the couple was married. Side hugs are the preferred method of PDA in order to prevent any further temptation or hanky panky, as has been well documented on 19 Kids and Counting. The Duggars love their side hugs so hard. Any touching beyond that? Save it for your wedding night. 4. Alcohol This is probably an obvious one if you know anything about the Duggars. The family does not smoke or drink. They do, however, enjoy the occasional sugary dessert or getting high on life and love. 5. Romance Novels Safe to say the Duggars are in the minority, having not read Fifty Shades of Grey (the movie adaptation of which they won’t be seeing either, we’re guessing). The Bible warns not to “think about gratifying the pleasure of the flesh,” so instead the family studies Christian text and not E.L. James’ erotic fiction. The Duggars’ option is probably better-written. 6. Modern Music and/or Dancing Avert your eyes, Michelle Duggar! The family matriarch feels that dancing encourages “sensual” feelings, while Jessa Duggar has said that she feels modern music promotes “sex, drugs, all that type of stuff.” Instead, the family chooses to play gospel music together. View Slideshow
Bette Midler is the latest celebrity to make her feelings on Josh Duggar public. The reality star and his family, of course, continue to experience fallout over Duggar’s admission that he sexually molested multiple young girls when he was a teenager. In the wake of this heinous bombshell, TLC has pulled 19 Kids and Counting from its schedule, while Josh Duggar has resigned as Executive Director of FRC Action at the Family Research Council. Referencing this Christian nonprofit organization, whose agenda is partly to condemn the homosexual lifestyle as dangerous to children, Midler Tweeted on Monday: “Josh Duggar resigned from an anti-gay ‘family’ group due to molestation allegations. Kids, is there anything more delicious than irony?” Along with Midler, stars such Montel Williams and Ryan Reynolds have chimed in on the Duggar controversy, calling out the Duggars’ largely due to the family’s ongoing anti-gay agenda. Williams has blasted Duggar for being a scumbag, while Reynolds linked to an article online and essentially slammed the Duggars for acting as hypocrites . Ben Seewald’s father, however, has stood up for his son-in-law, claiming the media is simply out to get this Christian family. And, most recently, Amy Duggar posted about “peace” this past weekend, writing that word alongside a secluded, nature-filled image of trees surrounding a flowing stream of water. Do you think Josh Duggar deserves to get castigated for his actions? Do you think he has already repented and the world should move on? Do you think TLC should put 19 Kids and Counting back on the air? Or do you think it’s despicable that the network would allow a family who covers up a sexual molestation scandal to profit in any way, shape or form? So many questions. So many gross accusations. So many sordid controversies attached to this famous family… View Slideshow: 22 Biggest Duggar Family Scandals
For fans, the Duggar family of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting fame has long been a symbol for old-school Christian values and the virtues of family life. However, critics claim that there’s something much more nefarious going on behind the family’s wholesome facade, and now they may have found the proof. Testimony from several former cult members does not paint a pretty picture … In the past, the proud parents of those 19 kids, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, have publicly stated that they were followers of disgraced minister Bill Gothard . Before becoming involved in a sex scandal that brought down his career, Gothard was the leader of an organization known as the Institute of Basic Life Principles. Following allegations of harassment and claims that he helped cover up cases of child abuse, Gothard stepped down and several of his former followers have since spoken out about the leader who’s shaped much of the Duggar’s belief system: “I have no problem calling it a cult,” ex-IBLP member Micah Murray tells Radar . “What the Duggars are doing is putting Gothard’s philosophies on display as a positive thing, and they are not positive.” “From my experience, it has all the hallmarks of what makes cults so damaging – abusive authority structures, the way that people’s thinking and behavior is controlled, the way that people aren’t taught to trust themselves and trust their leader unquestioningly.” “I have seen a number of episodes [of 19 Kids and Counting] and it makes me very uncomfortable.” 9 Things BANNED in the Duggar Family 1. Dates Without Chaperones The Duggar parents often accompany their kids on dates in order to maintain “accountability” and “keep things from going in the wrong direction,” per Jim Bob. The girls are fine with this, as being alone with men puts them in grave “moral danger.” When the parents aren’t available, their older siblings will often tag along, making every date a group date and a family affair. “I think the Duggars are probably very nice people. I think they are very sincere people. But I think that the teachings of Bill Gothard are destructive.” Murray grew up in the IBLP and broke away from the organization at age 21. He says that seeing the Duggars’ method of raising their children brings to mind his own severely strict upbringing, during which he was forced to abide by a dress code and a bizarre set of rules regarding inter-sex interaction, in accordance with IBLP teachings. Kari Underwood is another former IBLP member who founded the organization Recovering Grace in order to expose the Gothard and his more destructive teachings. She says the Duggars are quite clearly victims of Gothard and company’s sophisticated brainwashing tactics. “They seem like a lovely family,” Underwood says. “I see the Duggars as sincere people as my parents were…I believe they have made some decisions for their family that are not healthy.” Underwood points to the Duggars’ strict courtship rules , as famously depicted at length on the popular reality TV program, being particularly problematic: 5 Duggar Family Dating Rules 1. It’s Called COURTING! Dating means you’re shopping around, says Jim Bob Duggar, while courtship is the path toward marriage. Courting is getting to know each other in a group setting, both families spending time together and the couple setting goals together to determine if they are meant to marry or not. “Bringing up your children in such a way that the father makes all the decisions, sons have no choices until they’ve moved on, women have no choices, it’s a hierarchy of protection. But it’s no protection.” She adds that the family’s decision to star in a reality show is the only manner in which they’ve broken from Gothard’s teachings, but that the leader is likely accepting of this choice, as it helps bring in donations. However, such a decision may prove confusing to Michelle and Jim Bob’s children: “The children probably don’t watch much television, yet they’re on a TV show,” Underwood says, adding that right now, “Their life is confusing and inconsistent… It’s important to be consistent when you have that many rules.” Hit the comments below and tell us what you think, and watch 19 Kids and Counting online to decide for yourself if the Duggars are what critics say they are. Are they victims of an insidious cult or simply a devoutly religious family living in an increasingly secular world? We turn the discussion over to you … 13 Biggest Duggar Family Scandals 1. Jessa Gets Strapped Jessa Duggar and her then-boyfriend Ben Seewald began courting controversy almost from the moment they started dating, posing for photos like this one – a picture that now seems tame considering what they’ve been stirring up more recently.
