"19 Kids and Counting" was a cultural phenomenon from the beginning. It was interesting enough to
watch a reality show about the dynamics within a family with nearly 20 children,
but it was the Duggars' unique approach to religion that kept
viewers hooked. In case you haven't seen it, allow us to fill you in.
"I can't believe it, so exciting…"
"Yeah."
The Duggars practice a version of fundamental Christianity that requires strict adherence
to rules that permeate all aspects of their life. For example, the women in the family
are expected to abstain from pre-marital sex, only date if a chaperone is present,
and not drink alcohol, according to The Sun. Despite the strict lifestyle rules,
the Duggar family seemed exceptionally close.
It turns out things weren't quite as wholesome as they appeared, though. "19 Kids and Counting" got
canceled in 2015 due to a scandal involving Josh from when he was 14, as ABC News reported. Some
family members ended up coming back stronger than ever with a series spinoff called "Counting On,"
but that has now also been canceled in the wake of another Josh-related scandal. This time though,
the stress is reportedly taking a toll on everyone and starting to fracture the once
super close clan. Here's what we know about why the Duggars aren't as close as they used to be.
The family is once again at the center of public controversy
after Josh Duggar was arrested in April 2021 on suspicion of possessing child pornography,
as TMZ reported. Then in June, TLC confirmed "Counting On" had
reached its end. As of September 2021, Josh's trial is scheduled for November.
Meanwhile, the Duggar family is struggling to stay united. A source told People magazine,
"They aren't as close as they once were because of all of Josh's legal drama. It's creating a
lot of stress on them — although the majority of the family is acting like nothing has happened."
The family patriarch has supposedly taken an interesting approach to the
situation. The insider told the publication,
"Jim Bob always wants to sweep things under the rug. He's never
going to talk about the scandal because it's bad for business."
However, some of Josh's siblings are not prepared to support him any longer,
which only adds strain to the growing divide between some of the kids and their strict parents.
Jinger Duggar did not come to her brother's defense when news of his most recent legal trouble
broke. Instead, she released a statement saying that she and her husband Jeremy
are "disturbed" by the latest allegations against Josh, according to the Daily Mail.
This isn't the first time Jinger has differed with her parents' beliefs,
either. After marrying Jeremy, she moved far away from the family homestead to live in Los Angeles.
Then there's Jill Duggar, who has publicly spoken against some of the stricter elements
of her parents' faith — like alcohol consumption, according to People magazine.
Things reached a crescendo, though, in 2017 when she publicly quit "Counting
On." Jill said she came to the decision after learning that her father was allegedly making
upwards of $25,000 per episode of "Counting On," whereas she had never
made a cent. As of September, she hasn't seen her parents in more than two years.
The seriousness of Josh's legal situation and the stress surrounding his future
will likely continue to fracture the already broken family. Jill,
for one, isn't worried about it. In 2020, she told People magazine,
"Sometimes it's a good thing being okay with other people not being okay."
"The truth comes out eventually anyway and it's not pretty."
It looks like some of Jill and Jinger's sisters might be following in their rebellious footsteps.
Jessa Duggar, for example, appears to be re-examining some of her dad's favorite
rules — and letting her kids actually dance. Part of the Duggars' brand of Christianity
suggests that members should abstain from dancing to modern music as it promotes promiscuity,
according to The Sun. Jessa bucked tradition in August 2021 when she and her husband posted
a series of Instagram pics and videos showing the kids dancing at a wedding.
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