The Duggars Respond to Reports That Josh Duggar Was Accused of Child Molestation

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The ONLY thing that is admirable ( and this is a stretch) Is that there is none of the denials that are common in today’s scandal world. At least Josh and the Duggars admitted it, rather than tried to minimize it.

When you dance with the devil you will get burned. The duggars are finding out what a fame and money culture will do with blood in the water.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Possibly the most uncharitable thread ,both towards the Duggars and other members, that I have run across in my years on CAF

I have not seen much that is uncharitable towards the Duggars. I have seen much criticism of their parenting skills, but that is perfectly reasonable since they put them on display for everyone to critique. I agree that neither side has been particularly charitable in the debate in this forum.

 

[SWolf]

I doubt it. I don’t think many 14 year olds are tried on felony assault charges for groping
their sisters . I Also think he the idea they sought a “dirty” cop to cover things up was is rather spacious in that if they wanted to cover it up they wouldn’t went the police in the first place. What He did was terrible but it appears from the story his parents didn’t ignore it , tried to get him and his sister’s help and reported it to the police . I am curious as what people think should’ve been done to him?

Children from stable families tend to manage to stay away from sex assault charges, and resolve the issue without criminal liability. Children from unstable families do not have the same luxury. It is unfair but it us life. I wish i could say Juvy and foster care reforns kids, but it is just not true.

Many posters seem the think he should have gone to at least Juvy and been labeled a sex offender. I guarantee the end result would have been far worse. The son would have been a pariah for the rest of his life, the family and victims ostracized, and he would be MUCH less likely to reform and more likely to recommit a crime. You do not want a kid like that with the wolves in the Juvy system.

Getting CPS involved could have resulted in their kid in a foster home, part of another abysmal system.

Going to the secular authorities should be the last resort, not the first. Try to resolve in the family, then the Church, and if you feel it is the only way to keep others safe. secular authorities.

It is a terrible situation to be in, but the family is sacrisanct, and you only willfully give up your children in the most dire of circumstances.

 

[masondoggy]

Possibly the most uncharitable thread ,both towards the Duggars and other members, that I have run across in my years on CAF

How is this thread uncharitable to the Duggars? Are you defending them?

Hey, I used to defend them. But not anymore. The children, aside from Josh, are innocent in all this and they are ALL victims not only of Josh but of their parents putting them on TV, in the public eye, knowing they had secrets like this hiding in the corners. They set their kids up for this public humiliation.

There is no defending Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar anymore. Their actions are inexcusable.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

I have not seen much that is uncharitable towards the Duggars. I have seen much criticism of their parenting skills, but that is perfectly reasonable since they put them on display for everyone to critique.

It’s not only that they put their parenting skills on display, but that they measure the parenting abilities and morality of others against their own. Their show is not only a family drama, but a *commercial *for a way of life, with the requisite sleights against the lifestyles of their moral competitors. In short, they’ve turned their lifestyle into a product.

Sadly, the Quiverfull design is flawed. The IBLP goods are spoiled. As with any shoddy product, catastrophic failure demands scrutiny. When Consumer Reports ruthlessly deconstructs the flaws of a new smartphone that melts or a new car that fails crash ratings, they aren’t being uncharitable.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Children from stable families tend to manage to stay away from sex assault charges, and resolve the issue without criminal liability. Children from unstable families do not have the same luxury. It is unfair but it us life. I wish i could say Juvy and foster care reforns kids, but it is just not true.

Many posters seem the think he should have gone to at least Juvy and been labeled a sex offender. I guarantee the end result would have been far worse. The son would have been a pariah for the rest of his life, the family and victims ostracized, and he would be MUCH less likely to reform and more likely to recommit a crime. You do not want a kid like that with the wolves in the Juvy system.

Getting CPS involved could have resulted in their kid in a foster home, part of another abysmal system.

Going to the secular authorities should be the last resort, not the first. Try to resolve in the family, then the Church, and if you feel it is the only way to keep others safe. secular authorities.

It is a terrible situation to be in, but the family is sacrisanct, and you only willfully give up your children in the most dire of circumstances.

Part of the problem is that there is no widespread agreement on what the appropriate punishment is for sexual abuse. It is certainly very reasonable to believe that whatever punishment he received it was too little, although not everyone is going to agree with that.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Possibly the most uncharitable thread ,both towards the Duggars and other members, that I have run across in my years on CAF

I dont think so. It is heated for sure and probably too emotional, but this is an emotional topic. The Duggars put themselves, their parenting, their beliefs, and their sexual morality out there for all to form an opinion on. They did this in trade for money. (do you remember their house when the show first started?) They did this at the peril of their own children. And those of us that watched are a tad culpable in the resurgence and reliving of this tragedy. I find it hard to accept that sometimes the “good guys” who stand up for values get trounced. But that does not mean they don’t deserve it. Just because we like them or feel like we know them, there is no reason to offer them any more excuses than we would the neighbor boy.
What shocks me is the apparent tolerance and absolute refusal to accept the evil of abuse by Catholics. We of all people should know exactly the horrors and exactly the way to handle it. I see much of the same “turn our heads and refuse to believe it” here as might have happened in the abuse scandals of the Church? Have we learned nothing? Because we like “father” Jim Bob, do we really exempt him from the horrid way he handled this and his fall from grace?

 

[stinkcat_14]

I dont think so. It is heated for sure and probably too emotional, but this is an emotional topic. The Duggars put themselves, their parenting, their beliefs, and their sexual morality out there for all to form an opinion on. They did this in trade for money. (do you remember their house when the show first started?) They did this at the peril of their own children. And those of us that watched are a tad culpable in the resurgence and reliving of this tragedy. I find it hard to accept that sometimes the “good guys” who stand up for values get trounced. But that does not mean they don’t deserve it. Just because we like them or feel like we know them, there is no reason to offer them any more excuses than we would the neighbor boy.
What shocks me is the apparent tolerance and absolute refusal to accept the evil of abuse by Catholics. We of all people should know exactly the horrors and exactly the way to handle it. I see much of the same “turn our heads and refuse to believe it” here as might have happened in the abuse scandals of the Church? Have we learned nothing? Because we like “father” Jim Bob, do we really exempt him from the horrid way he handled this and his fall from grace?

To be honest, I wonder if exposing your children to a media bubble is not a form of abuse in and of itself. I mean, I would have hated it if my parents would have made my growing up to be a reality show for all the world to see.

Now, that is my opinion, is it a nice opinion to have, I am sure some won’t like it. But is it uncharitable? I cannot see how it is.

 

[Crossbones]

Possibly the most uncharitable thread ,both towards the Duggars and other members, that I have run across in my years on CAF

You must not read the threads on politics where all sorts of weird stuff is believed about Democratic politicians and anyone that doesn’t agree with the right-wing viewpoint is a Democrat making excuses for their vote.

 

[SWolf]

Part of the problem is that there is no widespread agreement on what the appropriate punishment is for sexual abuse. It is certainly very reasonable to believe that whatever punishment he received it was too little, although not everyone is going to agree with that.

Well said.

 

[Walking_Home]

I am utterly appalled by some of the responses I have been reading here at CA on this topic. As if a teenage boy sexually abusing his sisters/ girls – is just some kind of “passage” they go through to adulthood. It looks like the Church needs to be adding the west/the US alongside those African states.

III EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

THE PASTORAL CHALLENGES
OF THE FAMILY
IN THE CONTEXT OF EVANGELIZATION

INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS

VATICAN CITY

2014

Practical Objections to the Natural Law concerning the Union between a Man and a Woman

1. Given the lack of reference to the natural law by many academic institutions today, major complaints result from the extensive practice of divorce, cohabitation, contraception, procedures of artificial procreation and same-sex unions**. Other complaints against the natural law come from the poorest areas and those least influenced by western thought — especially some African states — which cite the phenomena of machismo, polygamy, marriages between teens and preteens, and divorce in cases of sterility or a lack of a male heir, as well as incest** and other aberrant practices.

vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20140626_instrumentum-laboris-familia_en.html

 

[masondoggy]

So every unpleasant thing that happens to a person is a punishment? When a factory closes because people no longer buy the product it produced are the former employees being punished? Or are they just losing out because no one want the doohickey then made anymore? When the guy plowed into the rear end of my car while I was stopped at a red light, was that was a punishment?

Why can you not see that the Duggars by hiding the dysfunction in their family and pretending to a standard that viewers want are selling a false product. Dr. Phil, Jerry Springer and a host of others have this kind of stuff all the time, people watch 19 Kids and counting BECAUSE it didn’t have this ugly content.
Why can’t you see that it’s not punishment but consequences?

Who is punishing the Duggars if the show is cancelled?

To me, canceling the show isn’t anything about punishment. It’s about doing right by those girls. Knowing what I know about that family and the cult that they are a part of, I highly doubt those girls would have any true choice about participating in that show or not. And it would be horrific, after all this became public, for them to be forced to put a smile on their face and continue waving to the cameras like nothing is wrong. That would just be continuing the abuse, imo.

Those girls have no say in that family. Their father is the leader, the decision-maker, the authoritarian, they do as they are told with a smile and don’t ever dare question him.

The show MUST be cancelled for that reason.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

Going to the secular authorities should be the last resort, not the first. Try to resolve in the family, then the Church, and if you feel it is the only way to keep others safe. secular authorities.

It is a terrible situation to be in, but the family is sacrisanct, and you only willfully give up your children in the most dire of circumstances.

To which crimes does this keep-it-in-the-family attitude apply? Merely sexual offenses? Dealing with crimes of any sort in house whilst refusing to get authorities involved hews precariously close to omertà . Is that the level of family honor and preservation we’re talking about here?

Laws do not only exist for the benefit of the individual; they exist for the benefit of society at large. The quarantine and ostracization of sex offenders, like all criminals, however unfair it appears, serves a purpose for the protection of others.

 

[masondoggy]

Please forgive me for not going back through all 50 pages of this topic, but I don’t recall any other posters stating as a FACT that the Duggars are lying.

I do recall you mentioning a history of sexual abuse. I don’t recall you ever mentioning that your family was famous. No, I’d rather not know who you are in real life or where you hail from. I will point out, though, that you are not the only victim of sexual abuse to post on this topic.

Raises hand. I called them liars because they DID lie in the police report. They completely contradicted each other. One of them was lying. One was telling the truth. They forgot to get their stories straight beforehand.

That is a verifiable fact.

That makes me question everything that has ever come out of their mouths.

 

[masondoggy]

They may have more trouble repackaging the Duggars after cancelling Honey Boo Boo for the molestation connection. Do TV networks care if they are perceived as hypocrites?

As much as I believe the show needs to be cancelled, I believe this situation is completely different than Honey Boo Boo. June was ACTIVELY dating/living with the creep that molested her children. It would have been absolutely wrong and inappropriate to film a show with that going on.

On the other hand, with the Duggers, this is something that happened a decade ago and is not something that is going on currently. If not for the issue of the girls being the victims, they could have continued on with the show and left Josh and his family out of the whole thing…just like they did with Jon Gosselin.

But the girls should not be forced to remain on TV. So to me, THAT is the issue. It has not a thing to do with Honey Boo Boo.

 

[masondoggy]

It’s not only that they put their parenting skills on display, but that they measure the parenting abilities and morality of others against their own. Their show is not only a family drama, but a *commercial *for a way of life, with the requisite sleights against the lifestyles of their moral competitors. In short, they’ve turned their lifestyle into a product.

Sadly, the Quiverfull design is flawed. The IBLP goods are spoiled. As with any shoddy product, catastrophic failure demands scrutiny. When Consumer Reports ruthlessly deconstructs the flaws of a new smartphone that melts or a new car that fails crash ratings, they aren’t being uncharitable.

I completely agree. And I think it’s high time for the destructive product that is Gothardism to be exposed for what it is publicly. There are way too many people being hurt in that cult. Don’t believe me, have a read over at Recovery Grace…or whatever it’s called. These people are harming children in various ways…physically, sexually, spiritually etc. etc.

And the moral advice the Duggars have been selling on their show all these years really needs to be exposed for what it is. The courtship rules, the side-hugs, the constant obsession with purity and sex, the total lack of education for their girls, the fact that their GROWN adult daughters are still living under daddy’s thumb and total authority…they sold these goods as good Christian morals. They are not. They are destructive and are in no way something that we Christians should try to emulate.

And how many times on that show did Michelle give a speech RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER GIRLS about how failures in modesty on the girls part stir up sinful thoughts in a man that he can’t control, defrauding them because they can’t rightfully address them, and it’s HER fault for his lack of control? SHE caused him to sin. SHE is responsible. Over and over and over.
I watched that show since it was on and I don’t remember ONCE a speech about how a man needs to learn how to control himself. Not once.
It needs to be exposed.

 

[stinkcat_14]

I think the problem is that many families may be too permissive. That fact does not mean that the Duggars method of raising children is necessarily desirable.

 

[estesbob]

I dont think so. It is heated for sure and probably too emotional, but this is an emotional topic. The Duggars put themselves, their parenting, their beliefs, and their sexual morality out there for all to form an opinion on. They did this in trade for money. (do you remember their house when the show first started?) They did this at the peril of their own children. And those of us that watched are a tad culpable in the resurgence and reliving of this tragedy. I find it hard to accept that sometimes the “good guys” who stand up for values get trounced. But that does not mean they don’t deserve it. Just because we like them or feel like we know them, there is no reason to offer them any more excuses than we would the neighbor boy.
What shocks me is the apparent tolerance and absolute refusal to accept the evil of abuse by Catholics. We of all people should know exactly the horrors and exactly the way to handle it. I see much of the same “turn our heads and refuse to believe it” here as might have happened in the abuse scandals of the Church? Have we learned nothing? Because we like “father” Jim Bob, do we really exempt him from the horrid way he handled this and his fall from grace?

To Answer your question no I didn’t see that episode-in fact I have not seen any of the episodes and to be honest had no idea that the Duggars were until this controversy erupted . I wouldn’t know any of them if I ran into them on the street. I do know that in this thread that if one states anything that is seen is even remotely supportive of the Duggers they are accused of supporting child molestation. We have even had people state that Josh is still molesting children .

I also get the impression that many people resent the Duggers and what they consider their holier than thou lifestyle.In reading reactions across the internet it seems many are taking great delight in their downfall.

 

[stinkcat_14]

We have even had people state that Josh is still molesting children .

Who here has claimed that Josh is still molesting children. After all, it would be highly uncharitable of you to make the claim without backing it up.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

I also get the impression that many people resent the Duggers and what they consider their holier than thou lifestyle.In reading reactions across the internet it seems many are taking great delight in their downfall.

As I said, there was a large amount of hubris involved in the Duggar enterprise.