I think some of the Duggar kids WILL leave sooner or later

[lawlifelgbt]

Josiah, Josiah, Josiah.

I imagine that these last three weeks of his life have been the most confusing of his entire life. He is an adult, but he is still in a bunk bed, sharing a huge room with all his brothers, a few of which are still rambunctious children.

Josiah idolized Josh. From the very first special you could see how much Si hung on every word Josh said. Josiah has morphed from a cheeky little boy who loooooved the camera and preferred to play with his sisters or follow Josh around then get down and dirty. Then, after he lost his cute appeal, he became Smugger Jr., all of his mannerism and the way he spoke was pure Josh.

Fast forward, and Josiah gets sent to ALERT for a crazy amount of time. He comes back, and immediately starts courting Marjorie, following in his older brother's footsteps.

But then, the first scandal broke. I'm sure that Josiah had little to no clue as to what actually happened. He was way too young to know the details, and I'm sure he was just told that Josh fell to temptation and that he needed to find his way back to God. Which, he apparently did. So growing up I'm sure Josiah saw Josh as this redeeming golden boy. He was, what 6 or 7 when the first incident happened? His older brothers were just old enough to understand more of the details of what Josh did and were able to judge him for it, while his younger brothers were toddlers and hadn't a clue what was going on.

So growing up, Josiah idolized Josh and thought that even through the worst trials, Josh managed to find God, and managed to live a holy life and was truly a role model for Josiah.

When the actual story hit, I am 100% sure that Josiah found out some shit that he had no idea about. He found out details he didn't want to know. For example, I am sure that he had no idea that Joy was involved. I'm sure that it wavered his faith in his brother, but, if anything, proved what the power of prayer and forgiveness can do. Even though Josh sinned, he was able to be fixed!

When the show got cancelled, I'm sure tempers started to fly at TTH. JB would lash out more and Michelle spent more and more time with JB and away from the kids. When Marjorie broke it off (I doubt Josiah did, but maybe he did. Who knows?), I'm sure JB was absolutely enraged. That courtship was the ONE thing that the public still cared about, and in JB's eyes it was the one thing that could get them back on air.

JB and Josiah, as some have speculated, have never had the closest relationship. What, from being not as traditionally masculine as a child to the infamous arm-grab to being sent away for over a year. I'm sure the break-up didn't help their relationship whatsoever.

So now, Josiah doesn't even have a moment alone with his thoughts because he's not allowed to. He always is within earshot of one of the howlers or of his baby sisters. He can't find a place quiet in TTH to sort of stop and think.

Then, this scandal hits. Everything Josiah thought about Josh; his redemption, his faith, e v e r y t h i n g, has totally been shattered.

So what's Josiah got now? He has no girlfriend, he lives in a dorm room where he has no time to think, his faith is undoubtedly shaken; Josh's sin and dirtiness was not "really" fixed, was it?

I'm calling it now. Josiah is getting the fuck out of there.

That really makes sense. I do hope he does leave, and not just because he is like me. He also strikes me as the most intelligent of the 19, and being in any extreme religion almost guarantees rampant anti-intellectualism. I don't quite agree with all your detailed speculation, but I certainly think he wants more out of life than the TTH can offer him.

[Toothfairy]

JB and MICH are not poor. They are worth between 4 and 6 million $. Money from TLC, books and guest speaking at different churches. I don't know how much their fee was but wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't between $10,000 - $20,000 per guest appearance. Plus selling books and DVD at those functions. Those appearances at the mega churches will soon dry up. Pops JB will have to dig into his savings account to finish raising all those little ones. No more freebees!

After taxes and other fees there isn't much left. Especially since these people grew a custom to a certain lifestyle. They no longer eat rice 6 times per day but can buy/eat more variety of things. The name brand clothes, iphones, insurance, airplane, cars, Starbucks, mac books will eat up whatever they have left.

[Lewy]

After taxes and other fees there isn't much left. Especially since these people grew a custom to a certain lifestyle. They no longer eat rice 6 times per day but can buy/eat more variety of things. The name brand clothes, iphones, insurance, airplane, cars, Starbucks, mac books will eat up whatever they have left.

Even after the taxes/fees are gone, Boob and Uterus probably would have had enough left to maintain that lifestyle if they had just a couple of kids to bring up, especially if they were a bit older. Even my middle class parents could afford to gift me a Macbook for University and give me a little bit towards my study abroad trip, but buying 12 iPhones and 12 Macbooks and 12 flights for mission trips? That money will be gone very fast. They're not going to be able to keep them all in that lifestyle for long, and it won't be very pretty when it gets taken off them. I don't see Joe wanting to leave Clown, Jinger wanting to sell her Camera, the Howlers losing the 'Duggar Studios' production stuff or the lost girls wanting to wear hideous second hand frumpers when they're used to sparkly Hello Kitty shirts.

Ironically since they are Christians and it's not supposed to be about being rich, the thing that might make a kid snap is losing all the perks the TLC gravy train provided them with and being back to that simple life in Arkansas with no trips to New York and fancy phones.

[FreeJesusFromFundies]

I actually wouldn't be surprised if JD had a facebook, but it was a secret one. Kind of like Josh, but not with stripper friends. I also wouldn't be surprised if JD drank beer and played CoD. :)

Hah! I wouldn't be surprised. In fact, I hope it's true. Good for him.

[salex]

True enough, but they have their name which, for the short term at least, will open some doors for the young adults if they choose to openly reject their parents' lifestyle.

They're still young. There is time to begin to make up for the ridiculous indoctrination and their woeful education. Others in worse situations have done it, and are surviving and thriving.

I can't imagine living in the TTH is fun for anyone right now. If fact, it must be hellish. The show and everything that went with it are now obviously gone forever. Jim Bob and Michelle must be out of their minds with rage, grief and confusion. Granted they brought it all on themselves, but I doubt they can hide it from even the littlest kids.

Ka-boom time soon.

I don't believe they will ever acknowledge, even to themselves, that they brought this on themselves. They may blame and shun Josh for his actions as an adult but they think they handled the things he did as a teen per protocol and it was the evil outsiders who caused the trouble about that.

[MoonFace]

I hope someone is remembering to feed the lost kids something other than pretzels and vinegar.

[JenniferJuniper]

I hope someone is remembering to feed the lost kids something other than pretzels and vinegar.

Never fear. Jordyn probably has a stash of empty ice cream cones they can use to supplement their diet.

[Sundaymorning]

I hope someone is remembering to feed the lost kids something other than pretzels and vinegar.

The remaining J'Slaves are probably on it. Hopefully, because I truly wouldn't trust J'Chelle and Boob to do a good job in that (or any other) area of child raising.

[Alexa]

As morbid as this sounds, I will be surprised if Michelle is alive in 10 years or in good enough health to keep the younger kids in line and in the house. I just don't see Michelle as having the energy or motivation any longer to micro-manage the younger 10 kids the same way she did with the first 9. These latest scandals have probably taken years off of her life and I've never thought she was in that great of health from how she walks all stooped over etc. Jana will probably be stuck taking care of her in the TTH, while Jim Bob is off doing who knows what and the younger kids will be running wild.

With so many of the Howlers coming of age soon, they're bound to lose some of them. Jim Bob won't be able to gift all of them with houses and jobs working for him. Perhaps most of them will just end up being your typical conservative instead of crazy-fundies. Derrick has already taken Jill to another country and I am convinced a huge part of it is separating themselves from Jim Bob and Michelle. Once Jim can't afford to keep Ben on his payroll any longer, Jessa is going to have to start hustling to get Ben a good job and I can see her going fundie-light, the girl loves fashion and nice things too much to go back to what life was like in poverty. I can easily see Josiah and Jinger going to the darkside eventually. John David is certainly in no hurry to get married (good for him!) and in a way that is going against his parent's quiverfull lifestyle already.

Time will tell, but I won't be surprised when most of the younger kids end up fundie-light.

[calimojo]

I do wonder what JD, Joe and Older Middle boys think of all of this. I have never gotten the feeling that Josh was close to any of his siblings and unlike you might expect he especially doesn't seem close to JD and Joe, who are the closest brothers in age to him.

JD doesn't seem like much of a thinker, though I do give him credit for appearing to have a better work ethic than the rest of the clan. He does also seem pretty practical, and is bright enough to learn to be a pilot.

Joe seems more introverted and sensitive to me. I wonder what he thinks of all of this. When he first started at Crown, his family was top of the heap fundie royalty, and that has all come tumbling down. Is he still going there?

And Josiah, who doesn't seem to have fit in as well with his parents, as the others, What does he think?

The Twins, surely have plenty of free time to contemplate all of this as well. While I don't think the boys cared much about the show, I do imagine the liked the lifestyle it afforded them. And now, getting houses from daddy upon marriage, and not having to get real jobs seems pretty unlikely for all of them. Are they in a panic? Do they realize the long range implications of this on their futures?

Were they close to Josh and now feeling very deceived by him? Have they always felt that Josh was a D bag, and glad to see him fall out of the Golden Boy status?

So many questions, so little time

[Clutched Pearls]

I feel sorry for the younger ones who are likely very confused. I'm sure JB&M have convinced them that the big bad non ATI meanies of the world is blowing Josh's scandals out of proportion. I'm sure they're being manipulated into thinking they're safest in the tth.

I feel so sorry for all of the kids left with JB&M. I hope that some of those kids escape. My heart goes out to all of them.

[chris]

As morbid as this sounds, I will be surprised if Michelle is alive in 10 years or in good enough health to keep the younger kids in line and in the house. I just don't see Michelle as having the energy or motivation any longer to micro-manage the younger 10 kids the same way she did with the first 9. These latest scandals have probably taken years off of her life and I've never thought she was in that great of health from how she walks all stooped over etc. Jana will probably be stuck taking care of her in the TTH, while Jim Bob is off doing who knows what and the younger kids will be running wild.

With so many of the Howlers coming of age soon, they're bound to lose some of them. Jim Bob won't be able to gift all of them with houses and jobs working for him. Perhaps most of them will just end up being your typical conservative instead of crazy-fundies. Derrick has already taken Jill to another country and I am convinced a huge part of it is separating themselves from Jim Bob and Michelle. Once Jim can't afford to keep Ben on his payroll any longer, Jessa is going to have to start hustling to get Ben a good job and I can see her going fundie-light, the girl loves fashion and nice things too much to go back to what life was like in poverty. I can easily see Josiah and Jinger going to the darkside eventually. John David is certainly in no hurry to get married (good for him!) and in a way that is going against his parent's quiverfull lifestyle already.

Time will tell, but I won't be surprised when most of the younger kids end up fundie-light.

I'm not so sure about that line of thinking, especially with the scandals surrounding Josh right now.

Here's my working theory:

• Jim Bob dreams of a political dynasty. While a TV show brings in the money, being a politician brings real power and greater influence over others
• Josh was preparing to run for office and moved back to do so, but is unelectable now.
• Problem is, none of the other Duggar boys seem to have the desire to go into politics.
• However, marrying the pretty Jana off (to cement the alliance) to an young, still malleable politician (even one a few states away) would give Jim Bob influence. True, the guy won't be a Duggar, but seeing how JB controls Derick and Ben....

Thinking about it, that could be one of the better outcomes for Jana

[morri]

I think JD will break , he probably has a lovenest somewhere already.

Josiah nothing more hed like.

i dont think the younger ones will be part of this either..

[Sweet Fellowship]

I think Josh will go. Anna may not leave him, but I reckon he'd leave her. It'll probably take years, but it's clear Josh isn't happy and hasn't been for quite some time.

I hope the M kids will break free. I can see some of them taking a leaf out of aunt Suze and uncle Daniel's book and make a run for it.

[FreeJesusFromFundies]

I think Josh will go. Anna may not leave him, but I reckon he'd leave her. It'll probably take years, but it's clear Josh isn't happy and hasn't been for quite some time.

I was having this conversation with someone a few days ago. I can see Josh leaving eventually. This isn't what he wants and eventually he'll get tired of this whole circus. There will probably be another child or two born into this messy cycle before he figures it out though. Such a shame.

[LogansMama]

So, what would happen if one of the Kidults just got a FB or Insta account without getting "permission"? They can use their phones for that stuff, right? At 25, is the kid proofing really stumping them? I mean, JD can fly a damned airplane across the country on his own, but not be trusted to use Twitter? Seriously?

M & JB pay the phone bills and have disabled the internet on them.

[LogansMama]

I feel sorry for the younger ones who are likely very confused. I'm sure JB&M have convinced them that the big bad non ATI meanies of the world is blowing Josh's scandals out of proportion. I'm sure they're being manipulated into thinking they're safest in the tth.

I feel so sorry for all of the kids left with JB&M. I hope that some of those kids escape. My heart goes out to all of them.

Oh yeah, totally agree. They are definitely spinning this to scare the shit out of the kids. The ebil, atheist world is to blame and the only security/safety is through Gothardism. :angry-banghead:

[FreeJesusFromFundies]

M & JB pay the phone bills and have disabled the internet on them.

Social media seems to be used to (obnoxiously) share their message. Maybe the kids that aren't as committed to towing the line, aren't as bothered about pushing for accounts. I kinda feel that some of them weren't thrilled with the show and have no interest in further performing on social media.

[tamster59]

[

Dude is entering his late 20's. He has a house and a plane. I find it hard to believe he's sleeping in jeans in a little bed next to Justin with no bedspread so his mommy and daddy can peek in and make sure he's not touching his naughty parts.

[Cleopatra7]

[

Dude is entering his late 20's. He has a house and a plane. I find it hard to believe he's sleeping in jeans in a little bed next to Justin with no bedspread so his mommy and daddy can peek in and make sure he's not touching his naughty parts.

Good one.

[JenniferJuniper]

Good one.

There are so many unbelievable aspects of the Duggars' lifestyle - having 19 kids, isolationist homeschooling, literal six day creationism, no touch courtship, women must alway put out to husbands, sexual abuse victims are to blame for their situation, men are absolute rulers of the home but are too weak to have their own Internet passwords - that I'm not sure why the idea that JD is still living in the boys' dorm will the howlers seems so strange. Don't the Ardts live like this too, even though they're mostly in their 20s and 30s now? There is no room for individuals in Duggarland, and certainly not for a single man with a house and no wife or accountability partner. JB and Michelle are probably clamping down hard on the remaining kids to make sure they don't stray. I won't believe JD has a bachelor pad unless I see some hard evidence. I don't doubt that he probably owns a house, but I can't see JB and Michelle letting him live there by himself, out from their umbrella of authority.

[theinvisiblegirl]

I'm not so sure about that line of thinking, especially with the scandals surrounding Josh right now.

Here's my working theory:

• Jim Bob dreams of a political dynasty. While a TV show brings in the money, being a politician brings real power and greater influence over others
• Josh was preparing to run for office and moved back to do so, but is unelectable now.
• Problem is, none of the other Duggar boys seem to have the desire to go into politics.
• However, marrying the pretty Jana off (to cement the alliance) to an young, still malleable politician (even one a few states away) would give Jim Bob influence. True, the guy won't be a Duggar, but seeing how JB controls Derick and Ben....

Thinking about it, that could be one of the better outcomes for Jana

Didn't JD run for Alderman that one time? I don't know how serious his campaign was, or if that was just for TLC purposes so they could show how all the Duggars went out to support him. I could speculate on a lot about how that campaign might have come about or what could have happened that kept him from running again, but I won't.

[HarleyQuinn]

I wonder about the three oldest boys' relationship with Josh too. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Josiah seemed to kind of idolize Josh when he was a kid, but then when he grew older they were never together. He's one I can see being furious at Josh because he was probably too young to understand the molesting going on and we all know none of them saw Joshleygate coming.

JD has no personality, he's hard to read. He probably just shows up at the TTH to eat, then leaves again.

Joe also doesn't have much of a personality, other than he seems to be very close with Jinger. So Maybe he's angry over the rehashing of Josh's molestation because of her? I don't know.

[quiversR4hunting]

Good one.

Are people guessing JD is living at the property in his name? The property is commercial and has storage sheds on it but if you scroll down on the parcel details there is 2311 sq ft home on the property with 2 full baths (no details on bedrooms). From the looks of the storage sheds there isn't a fence so an "on site" property manager (JD) would make sense. Plus a place to store his heavy equipment, there is a separate outbuilding on the property about 10,000 sq ft, if I am reading it right.

From public data:

http://www.arcountydata.com/parcel.asp? ... ode=BENTAX

I hope JD is out on his own and claiming his parents house as his (the tax bill goes to the TTH) for appearance sake only.

[NurseNell]

I think JD will break , he probably has a lovenest somewhere already.

I think JD is a loner. I think he'd be perfectly happy being a recluse, living in a cabin off in the woods.