I used to buy into the “courting” thing a little bit, but over time I’ve realized that courting can actually be more embarrassing for the young people if/when it ends. The demise of a courtship relationship invites speculation as to what is “wrong” with one or both of the parties. Yet when two teens or young adults break up most people don’t think twice about it.
Ben was 18 when he started courting Jessa - I think maybe she was 20.
http://www.people.com/article/ben-seewald-graduates-jessa-duggar-photo
I asked my pastor friend in Rockford if she knew anything about this facility or Josh being there. She said she drove past the Baptist church today, so she knows where it is. She’s going to ask around to see if any of her colleagues know anything about him being in Rockford.
The whole saga is just so crazy.
Have you ever heard of someone going away for 6 months for in-patient treatment for cheating and porn anyway? Seems a few celebrities have done rehab for sexual addiction - maybe a month in-patient and then out-patient therapy.
I can understand that if Josh is at this facility - he does not want to attend church services with papparazzi and gawkers staring at him. I can hardly imagine that scenario being conducive to reflection.
He’s a hypocritical jerk - but I do have sympathy for his current predicament.
I have sympathy for him only because I don’t know how he will (a) Survive the six months trying very hard to swallow the nonsense and (b) Come to the realization that it’s all nonsense. And I do believe that (b) is inevitable. Does anyone really think that he’s going to go back to being monogamous with Anna and become a little Jim Bob?
I have zero sympathy for him.
He is a grown man with resources. He can break away from the cult if he wants.
Further, he molested his sisters for YEARS before any of this crap.
Sorry, I’ll reserve my sympathy for people in the family with no way out (the kids and the women).
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Is there some double standard? He doesn’t want Anna to have contact with anyone outside their family and friends but Jessa is allowed to post freely whatever opinions she has? Jessa seems the most vocal. I don’t see reports of other sisters commenting.
In another article previously posted:
“JimBob’s advice: Start protecting your family by removing books, magazines, television, or internet that have worldly or sensual content. Replace them with good things like wholesome music, biographies of great Christians, good old-fashioned family fun and games.”
He mentions removing internet but Jessa posts in blogs, instagram, and facebook. She also is quoted in news articles.
So according to Jim Bob’s advice she not to be communicating on the internet?
Is she going against family beliefs? Wouldn’t her father have issue with her saying anything about her brother?
She comes across as outspoken and liking the limelight.
Jessa is JimBob’s mini-me. Out of all of the kids, she is the one who follows the party line the most, and was the “enforcer” with the younger kids. When she got married JimBob was a wreck, and commented on how much alike they are and how hard it was for him to let her go.
I used to see a “glimmer” of hope in Jessa that though she was “tough”, she also seemed practical in a bit of a normal person way. That she COULD escape the rigidity of some of the family ways if she truly though it best or right. Maybe that “glimmer” opened Jessa’s eyes - or, she (and the Seewalds) are trying to save some face for the future or future opportunities.
As rigid as they were for years on things like the internet, modesty in clothing, etc. I did start to be a little suspicious of the changed ways of the girls wearing LOTS of make up, social media being very much used by many family members, etc. It seemed so contridicting!
They seem to customize their rules to fit various situations. They use Biblical quotes to explain their hair routines - they like to use curling irons and do spiral curls - I think there is a Youtube how to video. Make-up is ok because they use Biblical quotes about focusing on the “countenance” - the face.
I do have sympathy for Josh because I feel he has an untreated mental illness. If you recall when the molestation situation came to light in May, there were descriptions that three times - think about that - three times - he went to his parents and confessed what he had done and asked for help. And three times - they did nothing. It was only after the molestation of the youngest victim - which we believe to be Joy Anna - when it escalated to inside her underwear - that they sent him away - not for the professional help he needed - but for prayer and labor with a church friend. I feel sorry for him in that he has a problem and his religious upbringing prevents him from getting the help he needs. I feel sorry for him that he seems unable to break free of the Duggar control and receive professional non religious based therapy. When you read his stmt about being the biggest hypocrite - I see someone who is really struggling and is filled with self-loathing. If I were a friend or family member - I would be concerned about Josh hurting himself.
I totally agree that Mama and Papa Duggar need to undergo some real soul searching “rehab” of their own in the decisions of their past and present.
And I agree, that things like this make me worry for one’s sanity - be it Josh or others in the family. That’s why REAL help is so, so needed.
The spiral curled hair has to do with their cult founder’s style preference for godly women (Bill Gothard).
https://homeschoolersanonymous.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2015/05/23/gothards-ati-and-the-duggar-familys-secrets/
Under the sexual assault counseling pictogram, victims are practically taught that it’s better to have been assaulted than not because you are then given the opportunity to increase your spiritual power…
They do see prayer as real help. It’s their culture. They are not like “us.” I can smack my head at what I project as the futility of 6 months of Bible study and their religion focused sort of introspection, but many primitive (and some not so primitive) cultures do things differently. He may view this as a long penance.
I find it hard to have sympathy for him, when my perspective is “choices” and he’s a grown man. He was a seemingly functional man, albeit with a world view that contrasts with mine.
As for Jessa, she is now a Seewald. There have been comments on how her style of dress has changed. She is now beholden to the Seewald view. I can imagine Ben telling her to align with them. I don’t see her posts as representative of any “breakout” to become more like “us” in her thinking. Certainly not like us CC parents. Only time will tell.
I’m by no means a fan of the Duggar world view, but I have a great deal of sympathy for Josh right now. He is struggling to figure out what is right for him versus what he’s been fed for 27 years. Unfortunately the so-called treatment facility he’s in won’t let him explore that. I agree with the concern about his possibly harming himself.
Bill Maher’s take on Josh Duggar.
From the above link:
Oh yech.
I’d be enraged if my brother’s cheating got me fired from a good job.