Still fundie royalty?

[Seren Ann]

I have been wondering the same thing... More specifically, wondering how it would affect the other kid's marriage prospects. Not that I think people should get married young to someone they barely know, but in the Duggars' world, it's the only way to become an adult and leave home, and I do think life is a bit better for them once they become an actual individual, separate from the group, and are finally allowed to make some choices for themselves.

The question is, has Josh ruined their chances of finding someone they like who will get past Jim Bob ? Because that would be so awful. Those adult kids must really resent him if it's the case...

[FundieWatcher]

The trump card the adult children hold is the media. If they are being held from doing something they are legally entitled to do or they think their minor siblings are being mistreated all they have to do is make tweet, one Facebook post, one call to TMZ and the negative spotlight is back on the Duggars. J&M don't want that for the brand.

Just look what happened to Alecia Faith Pennington when her mom wouldn't turn over any documents to verify who she was. She got Texas law changed and she wasn't even famous.

[runannarun]

never underestimate the dopeheadedness of most of america. Jessa and ben are aiming to be the next Jim and Tammy Faye and I suspect they will have their own show eventually. folks need to stop clicking on every People mag internet story so these morons will go away

[goldfishgoddess]

I don't think they are fundie royalty; more of a sort of rubbernecker's dream lately. You know how people slow down to see car crashes on the highway?

They were cranking out the courtships while they were hot-- and now I don't think anyone wants to be a part of that family.

[BlackSheep]

I don't think they are fundie royalty; more of a sort of rubbernecker's dream lately. You know how people slow down to see car crashes on the highway?

They were cranking out the courtships while they were hot-- and now I don't think anyone wants to be a part of that family.

JB&M should be wary of anyone who does show interest right now. It could be someone trying to get an inside look at the family and share the details with the media. Or a fundie guy looking for a fundie girl whose options have narrowed and thus would be easier to win - and of course easier to control due to her and her parents' gratefulness for her having been selected.

Given the Duggar-related surprises we've had this year, this sort of development wouldn't surprise me at all.

[LilahBelle]

Still fundie royalty? Maybe kinda like the Romanovs are still royalty.

[grandmadugger]

If I were going to pick a fundie family to be the poster children of my cult I would pick the Bates over the Duggars. I would think you would want to put the greatest face on the cult possible. With the Bates you have educated parents, individual children, and they are all fairly attractive. With the Duggars you have parents who appear to barely made it out of high school, 19 cookie cutter kids, and hit and miss in the looks department. They just don't seem to have as much going for them as the Bates so how did they reach the royalty status that they appeared to have prior to Joshgate 1, 2, and now 3 or is it 2.5?

[HarleyQuinn]

Did the Bates usurp the Duggars? Or do they not count because one of their kids kissed before marriage and the other wears pants?

I agree Boob isn't approving any new matches now. Unless Joe is still getting to know a Bates girl. He's hunkering down and probably giving Josiah shit.

[Cleopatra7]

JB&M should be wary of anyone who does show interest right now. It could be someone trying to get an inside look at the family and share the details with the media. Or a fundie guy looking for a fundie girl whose options have narrowed and thus would be easier to win - and of course easier to control due to her and her parents' gratefulness for her having been selected.

Given the Duggar-related surprises we've had this year, this sort of development wouldn't surprise me at all.

It seems to me like all of the Duggar spouses are/were leghumpers to some extent. Anna was a Duggar fan when the family's fame was limited to ATI circles. Derrick and Ben were both fans who literally got lucky. Marjorie's family sound like they were leghumping the Duggars for years before the failed courtship was mentioned. Were it not for leghumpers, I doubt any of the Duggar kidults would have been able to find spouses.

[Eatingintheprayercloset]

It seems to me like all of the Duggar spouses are/were leghumpers to some extent. Anna was a Duggar fan when the family's fame was limited to ATI circles. Derrick and Ben were both fans who literally got lucky. Marjorie's family sound like they were leghumping the Duggars for years before the failed courtship was mentioned. Were it not for leghumpers, I doubt any of the Duggar kidults would have been able to find spouses.

The Duggars still have a decent amount of leghumpers, so I don't think the Duggar kids will have that much trouble in the courtship department. I especially think Jana and Jinger will still have it relatively easy finding a spouse. Even after Joshgate 2.0, many middle aged women say they want their sons to marry a godly woman like Jana/Jinger. Frankly, I see fundie men more likely not to care if their potential wives' come from seedy families because once they get married he is the head of the household and essentially her leader. The only reason they aren't married is because THEY don't want be married fundie women yet but whenever they decide to take that step, they'll have a pool to choose from.

[BlackSheep]

The Duggars still have a decent amount of leghumpers, so I don't think the Duggar kids will have that much trouble in the courtship department. I especially think Jana and Jinger will still have it relatively easy finding a spouse. Even after Joshgate 2.0, many middle aged women say they want their sons to marry a godly woman like Jana/Jinger. Frankly, I see fundie men more likely not to care if their potential wives' come from seedy families because once they get married he is the head of the household and essential her leader. The only reason they aren't married is because THEY don't want be married fundie women yet but whenever they decide to take that step, they'll have a pool to choose from.

Any guy who isn't listed in the Ashley Madison data has a head start at passing stage 1 of the background check that JB will surely run.

[princessmahina]

If I were going to pick a fundie family to be the poster children of my cult I would pick the Bates over the Duggars. I would think you would want to put the greatest face on the cult possible. With the Bates you have educated parents, individual children, and they are all fairly attractive. With the Duggars you have parents who appear to barely made it out of high school, 19 cookie cutter kids, and hit and miss in the looks department. They just don't seem to have as much going for them as the Bates so how did they reach the royalty status that they appeared to have prior to Joshgate 1, 2, and now 3 or is it 2.5?

I have to disagree with this. I'd say they're about even with each other. The girls in both families are far better looking than the boys, but about even with the girls in the other family. Same with the boys. I just don't get the rhetoric here that the Bateses are better looking.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I have to disagree with this. I'd say they're about even with each other. The girls in both families are far better looking than the boys, but about even with the girls in the other family. Same with the boys. I just don't get the rhetoric here that the Bateses are better looking.

No way. The Bates boys are MUCH more attractive than ANY of the Duggar boys. I mean, sure, some of them aren't that attractive, but I don't think any of the Duggar boys, post puberty, are at all attractive. And all of them start balding at like 18.

[Quiverless]

Honestly, I think the parents have spent so much time building themselves into a brand that they've forgotten how to be people.

[19 cats and counting]

I have to disagree with this. I'd say they're about even with each other. The girls in both families are far better looking than the boys, but about even with the girls in the other family. Same with the boys. I just don't get the rhetoric here that the Bateses are better looking.

Read some leghumper comments on Lawson's instagram. There are plenty of girls out there (fundie or not) that think he's a very attractive man. I just don't see that for any of the adult Duggar boys at all.

(Disclaimer, I find Lawson attractive. I'd have a one night stand with him but I wouldn't go into a relationship with someone who's views are way too different than mine).

[Coco]

sorry i didn't read all the replies yet but to the OP, no. They're not royalty anymore. Pitied, but talked bad about behind their backs. They failed.

the whole point of their cult is shelter to protect. If other parents can't trust the system to work then they have to admit that what they've built their lives upon is useless, so they blame the Duggar parents not the cult. idk if that makes sense. I've seen a FEW articles about the dangers of trying to run from sin that's within, but these QF families still have too much invested in believing that sheltering is the ultimate bubble wrap. They do hold Josh accountable for his own sins but wow, the things that would never have been excused in other famous non-believers have been excused for him. They don't want to admit that their culture breeds exploitation and victims. Or that Josh needed the accountability of outside authorities that he would have experienced in mainstream culture to help him and also punish him properly for being a predator. But the Duggars aren't held in high esteem anymore by fundies, well... the ones who aren't desperate or simple minded. They're looked down on as an embarrassment by the successful families, they were already for kind of exploiting and fame whoring in the name of ministry, but exploiting AND hidden skeletons, nope. Respect lost.

[Tenyari]

But first Tammy Faye ended up a gay icon.

WHO KNOWS this could happen to a Duggar! They'd have to be nice first of course, Tammy Faye had quite a conversion of heart.

Their son turned out pretty well IMO

[MatthewDuggar]

Their son turned out pretty well IMO

ITA, I met Jay Baker at a Gay Christian conference several years ago. He's very genuine and truly cares about people.

[Eternalbluepearl]

Sorry, I get a little rant-y: The Duggars need to get over themselves. No one cares anymore that jim bob and michelle don't use birth control and buy their stuff at thrift stores. I swear a throwback Jimbob and Michelle wedding picture comes up on my fb newsfeed every week. It's ridiculous how special they think they are for getting married and having kids. Like they are constantly reminiscing about it.

[tcach]

They set themselves up as royalty and began to act as if they were superior to all the other fundies. I don't recall many instances when they were charitable to others except when it was beneficial to them. Now that there has been a fall from grace I don't think there are many who will help them out (by offering employment to Josh) out of either loyalty or friendship.

[clueliss]

I think JB wants the Fundie Royalty title and associations without having to do the work. That, at least from my present perspective, was what the show was about. Hey, guys, let's set do this TV thing even though we don't believe in TV because it's evil as a ministry!

That said, the scandals, demise of the show etc are all only proving that JB is, in the end, a used car salesman no matter how hard he might try to act otherwise.

[JessaJessa]

I wonder about this too.

Also with the Kellers. They were regular ATI folks for many years and the fact that their two oldest children left made them look not so great. However, after marrying Anna to Josh, they got a real boost. Their prison ministry got a lot more attention and backing from ATI and they were able to marry Priscilla off to a fundie royal who worked directly for Gothard (who cares that he is gay).

But now that Anna's marriage turned out to be a sham, are they going to lose their elevated status?

Why do you say David Waller is gay?

Is it like a Todd Chrisley thing?

[Sundaymorning]

Why do you say David Waller is gay?

Is it like a Todd Chrisley thing?

Although I'm a lesbian, I have a horrible gaydar. But I've watched a few of his videos, and I have to say, this guy pings hard, even for me, who usually can't tell a guy is gay if he is wearing a rainbow flag.

Of course, this doesn't mean that he is gay for sure, but I would be surprised if he wasn't.

[19 cats and counting]

If anything the Bates are more fundie (ATI) royalty than the Duggars.

1) They are still on TV

2) They have no (known) skeletons in their closet.

3) Gil is on the ATI board of directors

4) They have married off 3 daughters to influential families within ATI (one to a BOD's son, one to a congressman's son, one to an ATI employee). (The Duggars only married off one kid, a son, within ATI and not into an influential family and that marriage is in shambles).

[Rubyroo]

**snip**

Although I'm a lesbian, I have a horrible gaydar. But I've watched a few of his videos, and I have to say, this guy pings hard, even for me, who usually can't tell a guy is gay if he is wearing a rainbow flag.

Of course, this doesn't mean that he is gay for sure, but I would be surprised if he wasn't.

As a fellow lesbian with a decent gaydar, I watched about three seconds of a video of him and came to the same conclusion. I can't place why, but something about him screams gay to me.