Free Anna Duggar and the M Kids - Part 2 - Merge

[bashfulpixie]

considering she's had 3 siblings leave the cult, I'd think they do eventually get fed up and she clearly knows you can leave. I know she thinks its expected of her but its not like divorce is unheard of in their circle or within their covenant marriage. Which it totally is in cases exactly like this (molestation and infidelity). He literally did the one thing that gives her the easiest route to divorce.

And in DC there's no telling how much exposure she did or didnt get but considering she was in mommy groups and had a husband that is a politician/political it'd be really hard for her to be completely oblivious to the outside world. I'm sure they've discussed political topics and its not all Jesus jesus Jesus.

Y'all act as if josh was such a super devout gotherdite. I'm sure there was some small bit of devotionals but he's no Jesus freak like his mama. They were going more fundielite in their living despite Josh's job with the FRC. Anna was left to build the playhouse by herself which is typically a "mans job". She shopped and lived her life while Josh was at work. So is it so hard to believe she may have picked up a book, or read the news and kept in touch with the real world while josh worked and went to strip clubs and had affairs?

Very true. But she also has a couple of siblings that guzzle the KoolAid like it's going out of style. But she was definitely exposed to more in DC than she ever would have been had they not left the used car lot. So there is that too.

[SilverBeach]

Victim Blaming much?

Anna has been brainwashed since birth to believe that her role in life is to be a submissive wife and any cheating by her husband in the marriage is her fault for not 'satisfying him' enough. She has also been taught that God 'forgives' anyone who asks for it. Anna's parents also purposely kept her undereducated and have not empowered her in any way to stand up for herself and have normalised women being treated like dirty. 

It's easy for me to sit here and say how stupid it is for a woman in this day and age to 'tolerate' this, but I have the benefit of not being raised in the ATI cult. 

I am impressed by the former FLDS women who mounted the courage to get out of their cult, despite not knowing anything about living in the outside world, and losing children and family relationships. Despite being raised in the cult, at some point, they knew the abuse they suffered, ostensibly because its what God wants, was just wrong. These women were isolated, brainwashed, and taught that if they did not become some dirty old man's 30th wife, or marry their first cousin, they were bound for hell. Not an easy thing at all for them to do, but they left nonetheless.

As such, there is a glimmer of hope that some of the Duggar women (not girls), and Anna will one day want better for themselves and their children. There is hope that they will see that much of what has been taught to them is man-made garbage, and it is possible to live without the yoke of oppression they are currently under. Not victim blaming at all to expect some measure of accountability from an adult.

[nastyhobbitses]

You forgot to mention that Josh had UNPROTECTED sex with a porno star/prostitute/stripper while Anna was pregnant.  He endangered the lives of his wife and his unborn child.  How bad does it have to get?

We won't get a full-on condemnation from Anna/her family unless it comes out that Josh was seen doing the Macarena. Molesting your sisters? Eh, you were young and just experimenting. Cheating on your wife and having unprotected sex with prostitutes? Eh, your wife was probably not putting out enough. But moving your body lasciviously to forbidden rhythms is absolutely unforgivable.

[choralcrusader8613]

We won't get a full-on condemnation from Anna/her family unless it comes out that Josh was seen doing the Macarena. Molesting your sisters? Eh, you were young and just experimenting. Cheating on your wife and having unprotected sex with prostitutes? Eh, your wife was probably not putting out enough. But moving your body lasciviously to forbidden rhythms is absolutely unforgivable.

"Moving lasciviously to forbidden rhythms" also needs to be a post count title.

[19 cats and counting]

Very true. But she also has a couple of siblings that guzzle the KoolAid like it's going out of style. But she was definitely exposed to more in DC than she ever would have been had they not left the used car lot. So there is that too.

Priscilla is the only one that guzzled the ATI Kool Aid (and her husband is the pick of the litter compared to the other 2 fundie men that Mr. Keller chose) but she is also the one who's closest to Anna.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during an Anna/Priscilla conversation.  

[Catey]

I doubt that Anna will free herself or her kids. So.........

 

If they "make a go of it" will another M child be the way they show the world that all is forgiven and he has been rehabbed just enough to make him a brand new man?

 

If so.........

 

I am praying they name her Madison...

[Buzzard]

I would doubt that Priss can do very little besides quote scripture and giggle.  

In this case its likely that the Duggar name is preventing Anna from leaving.  Right now she's protected by their bubble.  She has people that can go shopping for her, a home to hide in, a church that is obviously willing to cover up whatever is needed...

If she were to leave she'd cut the cord.  She can move in with her brother or one of her freed sisters, but TMZ will be there.  She cant/wont work, and we have no idea how much money Josh actually has vs. what is in a Duggar trust that is likely controlled by Boob.  If they were to divorce, and Josh is paid an allowance by the Duggar trust, theres no guarantee that would continue. On paper he's likely unemployed and penniless. 

Many others have left oppressive environments, but how many have been single mothers of 4 who spent their entire adult life on camera?   She isnt just leaving her religion, but her family as well, and doing so in a very public manner. Thats very hard.  

I want Anna to leave.  I want Mac to grow up in a household where its not mommy's fault that daddy is a lying, cheating, pig.  I want Meredith to grow up knowing that she can be whatever she dreams, not what her headship allows.  I want those little boys to grow up to treat women as partners, but there is no hiding that life will be hard for them.  Change is hard.  Hard isnt always bad, but I dont fault her for not packing up and not looking back. 

I doubt that Anna will free herself or her kids. So.........

 

If they "make a go of it" will another M child be the way they show the world that all is forgiven and he has been rehabbed just enough to make him a brand new man?

 

If so.........

 

I am praying they name her Madison...

If Anna is pregnant in the next year I will lose all faith in humanity

[FreeCalifornia]

I am sure there is pressure from the in-laws and parents even if Anna wants to stay with Josh.  She's bound to ask questions of why or how, cry and express all the normal emotions regardless of what she wants to do.  And the responses are going be along the line that she should stay with him because that's the only action that is acceptable in their cult and they will take no chances on there being any other outcome.

Pressure like this is not to be underestimated.  I have also personally watched grown adults stay in a place that is not good for them because it's what their family expected.

I agree that there has to be strong pressure- but I wonder at what point it has to give. Legal Battles are no joke. Josh (and JB, or whomever is guiding him along with the lawyers) is going to be spending a lot of time answering questions, strategizing, etc. Not only am I certain that Anna doesn't WANT to hear the details of things about to come- I'm not sure in that sheltered environment that is something that anyone would be willing to expose her to. 

How can she simultaneously work with her husband to move forward and get through things, while being sheltered from truth? I'm wondering if the lawsuit itself puts further pressure on the family to admit that Josh isn't cut of the same cloth and to move on.

[DuggarWatch]

I would doubt that Priss can do very little besides quote scripture and giggle.  

In this case its likely that the Duggar name is preventing Anna from leaving.  Right now she's protected by their bubble.  She has people that can go shopping for her, a home to hide in, a church that is obviously willing to cover up whatever is needed...

If she were to leave she'd cut the cord.  She can move in with her brother or one of her freed sisters, but TMZ will be there.  She cant/wont work, and we have no idea how much money Josh actually has vs. what is in a Duggar trust that is likely controlled by Boob.  If they were to divorce, and Josh is paid an allowance by the Duggar trust, theres no guarantee that would continue. On paper he's likely unemployed and penniless. 

Many others have left oppressive environments, but how many have been single mothers of 4 who spent their entire adult life on camera?   She isnt just leaving her religion, but her family as well, and doing so in a very public manner. Thats very hard.  

I want Anna to leave.  I want Mac to grow up in a household where its not mommy's fault that daddy is a lying, cheating, pig.  I want Meredith to grow up knowing that she can be whatever she dreams, not what her headship allows.  I want those little boys to grow up to treat women as partners, but there is no hiding that life will be hard for them.  Change is hard.  Hard isnt always bad, but I dont fault her for not packing up and not looking back. 

If Anna is pregnant in the next year I will lose all faith in humanity

I don't know how she could crawl under the sheets with him again.  I really don't.

Remember that the Danica story broke after Josh was already taken away to Illinois.  

[Lewy]

I think you're over-estimating just how much exposure Anna has been given to the 'outside world'. She has also had Kool-Aid forced down her throat about how educating herself is

I accidentally deleted part of my post and can't edit. I was trying to say 'about how educating herself is wrong because the internet is full of evil satantic lies and everything she needs to know is in her wisdom booklets'. 

[sj3339sta]

At the very least, I hope Josh has been properly tested for std's.  I'm sure DD is not the only woman he slept with.  And I'm pretty sure he has never used a condom in his life.

[CorruptionInc.]

Josh went to Skool for a while until homeskool was all the rage at the Duggar house.

I wonder if they'll use that as a reason for why Smug is a perverted criminal?

[Cerealgirl]

You forgot to mention that Josh had UNPROTECTED sex with a porno star/prostitute/stripper while Anna was pregnant.  He endangered the lives of his wife and his unborn child.  How bad does it have to get?

I think she's probably in so much shock from her entire world being turned upside down that she's ring to wrap her head around how it could happen/make sense of it. I'm sure it makes no sense to her. She believed him to be someone he is not. Once she comes to terms with it she will or is likely trying to muster forgiveness because that's what she's "supposed" to do. For her to give up and walk away I think it would have to be an event that came up after she has made place with the events of this year. The molestation and cheating were only a month or two apart. It was a double blow. She didn't have time to recover from the first before then next scandal. It takes years before she'll be able to come to terms with it. I doubt she'll make any drastic move while in the middle of so much turmoil. She is probably just wishing for her life back and turning to faith to make that happen.

Illegitimate love child? Or proof of an aborted illegitimate child that he paid for? That might get his entire family to disavow him. 

Considering how judgemental Michelle is, I'm pretty surprised how they are standing by him like they are as it is. But then again his actions weren't homosexual in nature. (If you know her history as a homophobic asshole) That would do it.

[Lewy]

Yes, they lived in DC.  But how much exposure would she have really had? My guess is she spent most of her days at home with the three little ones, and Josh's crowd was the FRC. Not exactly the most open minded group.

She'd have to be pretty strong to go against both sides of her family to leave him. And while she may have some support from a couple of her siblings, let's be honest, almost everyone in her world believes she needs to stay with him.  That's a hard thing to go against, especially with four young kids.

If I were her, I would have said peace out a long time ago. But I wasn't raised in a cult.

Exactly. 

I have no doubt that any friends Anna had in DC came from like minded uber conservative Christian circles.

Just because she was living in DC doesn't mean she was suddenly exposed to different world views. She was there because her husband was working for an uber conservative political lobby group and she was also a stay at home mom (which is what women do in her culture). 

She might have moved to a big city and while she might have met some 'toned down' Christians which means she might have relaxed on things like letting McKynzie wear pants or watch a few episodes of Dora the Explorer or something, it doesn't mean she was suddenly hanging out and going to brunch with a group of liberal woman who discuss feminist theory over their crepes or whatever. 

[DuggarWatch]

Exactly. 

I have no doubt that any friends Anna had in DC came from like minded uber conservative Christian circles.

Just because she was living in DC doesn't mean she was suddenly exposed to different world views. She was there because her husband was working for an uber conservative political lobby group and she was also a stay at home mom (which is what women do in her culture). 

She might have moved to a big city and while she might have met some 'toned down' Christians which means she might have relaxed on things like letting McKynzie wear pants or watch a few episodes of Dora the Explorer or something, it doesn't mean she was suddenly hanging out and going to brunch with a group of liberal woman who discuss feminist theory over their crepes or whatever. 

I don't think Anna had anything in common with the power-women in Josh's political circles in D.C.  She was probably treated much like a country bumpkin.  Seriously, can you imagine her at a D.C. cocktail party?  She has no education, doesn't read newspapers or magazines, doesn't watch television.  What could she possibly talk about in the political arena?  I think she just stayed home a lot with the kids.  They were only there just over a year.  The TLC shows while they were there just showed them with relatives who came for visits, not with friends or neighbors.  I think she just stayed behind the scenes and supported Josh in "saving families" from the perils of abortions and same-sex marriages.   

[Buzzard]

I don't know how she could crawl under the sheets with him again.  I really don't.

Remember that the Danica story broke after Josh was already taken away to Illinois.  

Thats going to be the hardest thing, I think.  Her world is telling her that his "circumstances" are because of her not doing her wifely duties, but at the same time I dont know how she can look between his legs without wondering "where has that been?" 

[MyMilkshake]

I don't know much about their religion so maybe someone can answer this question: What happens in circumstances where your husband dies? How is the woman expected to keep herself and kids alive? Is it acceptable for a woman to earn money in that situation?

[19 cats and counting]

I doubt that Anna will free herself or her kids. So.........

 

If they "make a go of it" will another M child be the way they show the world that all is forgiven and he has been rehabbed just enough to make him a brand new man?

 

If so.........

 

I am praying they name her Madison...

Please no more M kids.  Cute kids, but right now they have two unemployed parents and could lose their source for food pending the result of the lawsuit.

Last thing they need is another mouth to feed.

[Cerealgirl]

I doubt that Anna will free herself or her kids. So.........

 

If they "make a go of it" will another M child be the way they show the world that all is forgiven and he has been rehabbed just enough to make him a brand new man?

 

If so.........

 

I am praying they name her Madison...

They could out do Spurgeon if they named the next one MacGuyver. And he would be symbolic of Josh getting himself out of a sticky situation [emoji23]

If Anna is pregnant in the next year I will lose all faith in humanity

Oh you can bet on it.

At the very least, I hope Josh has been properly tested for std's.  I'm sure DD is not the only woman he slept with.  And I'm pretty sure he has never used a condom in his life.

Of course he didn't. Because THAT would be sinful.

[Cerealgirl]

Why was Anna in such a rush to get pregnant after Marcus? Or after any of them? During their engagement they said they would be happy with whatever god had planned and made it sound like they weren't interested in going as far as 19.

[OldFadedStar]

Why was Anna in such a rush to get pregnant after Marcus? Or after any of them? During their engagement they said they would be happy with whatever god had planned and made it sound like they went interested in going as far as 19.

Could Anna have maybe spotted trouble in "paradise" then? Maybe not know the details but know something was amiss. Maybe she thought that if she could just get pregnant again quickly she would be doing her duty as a wife. Maybe that next baby would reignite their marriage. 

[singsingsing]

Right from the beginning Anna would say, "We want as many as possible!!" and Josh would say, "But we'd be happy with just one or two if that's all the Lord gives us." They were never actually on the same page. Josh was just toeing the party line.

[Toothfairy]

Josh shoulder just told Anna he didn't want a big family.  He could've used a condom or get snipped. Josh wanted sex but not babies

[Screamapillar]

I think Anna is genuinely baby crazy. I think Josh is genuinely power hungry and wanted only enough kids, maybe 5-7, to fit into his Families First political agenda without crossing into "freak show" territory. "Josh Duggar for Senate" on a billboard years down the line with a picture of his family of 8 wouldn't look as crazy as "Josh Duggar for Senate" with a picture of his family of twenty. Remember JB's campaign pictures with all eleventy kids in frumpers toting violins? How seriously was he taken?

[SassyPants]

Shoes or barefoot. Both gross. Of course, they clean the counters before they prepare food each time. 

These folks are lazy and I doubt they clean much.

Doesn't really matter, the food they prepare is gross and of little nutritional value.

I'd pass all around.