I am officially done watching the Duggars

[Whit88]

I use to LOVE the duggars. I tuned in to every episode and really felt that the family, especially Michelle, were both pure and inspirational. However, I was SHOCKED at how their true colors were shown during this miscarriage fiasco. Now I understand that broadcasting the miscarriage on the new season can provide a sense of comfort for some women who have had a miscarriage because miscarriages can be taboo, causing some to feel they cannot talk about it.

 

HOWEVER, now I feel like nothing is really authentic about this family, even Michelle. Releasing that video to Jubilee for the public to hear was a disgrace. Is anything sacred for this family....at all? That video should have been kept private between the family. Also, I could NOT believe that she re-edited the video to include Caleb (her first miscarriage)! That really proves to me that this video is not authentic. OH, so now you remember him? This video was for the public, not for the baby.

 

I also feel that it is a shame that they do not encourage their children to go to college (not even a local one)! When you go to college, you learn so much about your true self...it's a beautiful thing. Instead, they want to keep them safe and in the house to help with the children...who knows if those Duggar girls will ever get married. Had to get that out lol

 

I am not watching this season because I no longer support them or feel that they are real. By the way, I really like this forum..there's no censorship and everyone says how they feel! Pretty neat!

[NJMom]

I agree with everything that you said. I won't be watching this upcoming episode, and am hoping that the ratings bomb.

[silvia]

Well said. Welcome, Whit88!

[Aurora]

Welcome, whit88. I agree with you. I don't think I could say I ever really liked the Duggars - I started watching the show out of curiosity and then as I learned more about them, for pure snark value. But after this, I don't think I'll watch. I can't bring myself to reward them or TLC with the attention. It's now just exploitation of their kids.

[snickerz]

I agree and won't watch either. I stopped watching a season or two ago. I refuse to do anything that will give them more ratings or publicity. I just get all the snark from here. I wonder how many other families (and innocent children) have gotten into Gothardism because of them? It's depressing.

[Whit88]

Thanks for the welcome, guys! Those kids are the main ones that have to go through it....Everytime I hear them speak, I can tell that they are just repeating what their parents have told them or what their parents would want them to say...It's such a shame b/c some of them are 18 and above...they need to start thinking with their own damn head lol

[Cassia]

Considering that the 6 oldest are now 18 or older, and not a single one of them has decided to go to college tells me just how much 'choice' those kids have in their own lives. Sure, JB&M can spout off all they like about how their children want to be lawyers or doctors or scientists, but it's all just talk. Those children will never amount to anything if they don't wake the hell up and get away from that compound.

Really, what 18 year old girl wants to share her room with toddlers? No privacy for them as adults, no privacy for them as chldren. I really feel for them, but they need to make the decision to leave themselves. I wonder why none of them have? They must be so fearful of the world outside of ATI and Gothard, and that's such a sad way to live... scared of life.

[Whit88]

Wow, I had no idea that 6 of them are practically adults! That is just bananas! You are right...none of them will ever go to college. But I have to be honest, I don't think any of them would ever have the balls to leave because they would feel so guilty. They are taught to be afraid of life because everything 'out there' in the world is soo evil, right? Oh boy, I remember seeing a photo with the eldest boy (Jana's twin) sharing a room with the toddlers too! He is practically a grown man..give him his privacy. But you know what? They probably feel the less privacy the better, that way no one can do anything that is "sinful."

By the way, I saw the commercial for the new season (which I really did not want to see but I was watching the channel), the way they had the children running through the fields....come on...im sure everyone in that house all happy and dandy....not...how unreal that they get with this..such a joke.

[Witsec7]

I'm thinking if a conventional parent (nonQF) had a tv show, and allowed their 18 year olds to languish around the house playing game and guitars they'd be crucified. But if your QF its ok.

[Peas n carrots]

Welcome to the other side. I've always been fascinated with the Duggars, but never admired them. I have had a few moments where I was like "well, at least they don't carry debt" but generally I find them appalling.

I just wish more people would see them for what they are, and I think we're finally starting to see a backlash.

[Hisey]

Wow, I had no idea that 6 of them are practically adults! That is just bananas! You are right...none of them will ever go to college. But I have to be honest, I don't think any of them would ever have the balls to leave because they would feel so guilty. They are taught to be afraid of life because everything 'out there' in the world is soo evil, right? Oh boy, I remember seeing a photo with the eldest boy (Jana's twin) sharing a room with the toddlers too! He is practically a grown man..give him his privacy. But you know what? They probably feel the less privacy the better, that way no one can do anything that is "sinful."

By the way, I saw the commercial for the new season (which I really did not want to see but I was watching the channel), the way they had the children running through the fields....come on...im sure everyone in that house all happy and dandy....not...how unreal that they get with this..such a joke.

You are talking about John-David, he is 22 and definitely a man. He does share his room with his 9 brothers, the youngest of whom is about 7. He's not the oldest, though, that is Josh (23 or 24). But Josh is married and not living with toddlers anymore, except his own.

I stopped watching when I saw how they exploited Jason when he got hurt, and how they continued on with their appearances leaving him in the hallway, alone. I have an 11-year old myself, and I'd never treat her that way. I decided it was wrong to watch a show that exploits kids (sadly, I did cheat and watch one or two final shows, but then I cut myself off).

[Aurora]

I agree and won't watch either. I stopped watching a season or two ago. I refuse to do anything that will give them more ratings or publicity. I just get all the snark from here. I wonder how many other families (and innocent children) have gotten into Gothardism because of them? It's depressing.

Exactly, yeah, that is the most scary part of all. They are the public face of the cult and its advertisement. Clean, friendly, happy, "Godly" and underneath is control, repression and some very ugly extreme right-wing beliefs.

[PBrooke]

I stopped watching a few seasons ago, before Jason got hurt (never did see that one). I got rid of cable altogether, actually, but for the first season after that I did shell out the money to get the TLC season pass (for the snark). I felt so guilty literally paying them that I haven't bought any since Anna had her second baby. I did check out the World Tour eps on youtube, but again, I never really thought the Duggars were all they pretend to be.

[sassyNoz47]

i was just going to say..JD yeah he is way past the teen stage...he and Jana could of already been done with collage and on with ever jobs they choose. The oldest 3 girls are only home because they are mom's to the buddies. Id really be worried if my adult children all lived with me. I only have one that IS a adult but shes 21 married and has been on her own since she was almost 19.

[EmmieJ]

Welcome to the other side. I've always been fascinated with the Duggars, but never admired them. I have had a few moments where I was like "well, at least they don't carry debt" but generally I find them appalling.

I just wish more people would see them for what they are, and I think we're finally starting to see a backlash.

Same here. I remember watching the very first special, 14 Kids and Counting, with a sort of sick fascination. I wanted to change the channel, but somehow I watched the entire thing. I was not impressed with their matching clothing, nor the way they all sawed away at violins. Coming from a fairly large family myself, I already knew how some large families economize and stretch a dollar, and at least in my family, it didn't involve making us all dress alike. Nor did we go en masse to the grocery store - ever. We did all go to church together on Sundays, except for Mom, who was Presbyterian and stayed behind to fix breakfast. (As an adult and mom now, I am pretty sure she looked forward all week long to Sunday mornings to herself :D )

It's so obvious that Michele does little more than birth the babies. I can't feel anything but disgust for Michele and JimBob. They have purposely stunted their own children's potential in order to serve their own egos. But the real capper was when one of the boys fell into an orchestra pit (?) and broke his jaw, and there was Michelle busy filming it on her phone. Before that, I had disliked Michelle, and after that, I began to despise her.

[Aurora]

Same here. I remember watching the very first special, 14 Kids and Counting, with a sort of sick fascination. I wanted to change the channel, but somehow I watched the entire thing. I was not impressed with their matching clothing, nor the way they all sawed away at violins. Coming from a fairly large family myself, I already knew how some large families economize and stretch a dollar, and at least in my family, it didn't involve making us all dress alike. Nor did we go en masse to the grocery store - ever. We did all go to church together on Sundays, except for Mom, who was Presbyterian and stayed behind to fix breakfast. (As an adult and mom now, I am pretty sure she looked forward all week long to Sunday mornings to herself :D )

It's so obvious that Michele does little more than birth the babies. I can't feel anything but disgust for Michele and JimBob. They have purposely stunted their own children's potential in order to serve their own egos. But the real capper was when one of the boys fell into an orchestra pit (?) and broke his jaw, and there was Michelle busy filming it on her phone. Before that, I had disliked Michelle, and after that, I began to despise her.

I didn't see that episode either, but yeah, can you imagine being a mom and looking on filming that instead of rushing to your son's side to take care of him?! It makes me want to cry.

[ADoyle90815]

I quit watching right around the time that Jason fell into the orchestra pit and his own "parents" took out their iPhones and let the TLC crew film everything instead of comforting him. I've seen on other shows that there have been times when someone told the crew to turn off their cameras when they didn't want something filmed, but these people are fame whores who keep their oldest children from getting married or even going to a strict Christian college to keep them at home to raise their siblings. If they were allowed to marry, then Boob would have a legitimate excuse to be onstage at a wedding, as he would be the father, and not as a fame whore.

[Visionoyahweh]

For those of you that haven't seen it and don't want to give the Duggars ratings, here's the youtube version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixQ1XBUV3PM

The Jason drama starts at about the 3:37 mark.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Jim-Bob is a politician and his family expresses his platform. I've never though Michelle was in it for anything but the attention and the $$$. If you are new here, you may want to read the various posts I have about the Duggars on my blog http://hopewellmomschoolreborn.blogspot.com/ the Duggar posts are linked in the right sidebar. I also have another blog on all aspects of the Quiverfull Movement here: http://quiverfullmyblog.wordpress.com/

[Childless]

I never watched these yahoos. I was wise to their game from the beginning. I do not support the exploitation of children. It's why I never watched John and Kate Plus 8, Toddlers and Tiaras, or any of the other horrible reality shows out there. They need to spend more time raising their children and less time whoring for the cameras.

I'm the mom of a little boy and if he fell and got seriously injured, filming it with my phone would be the last thing I'd do. I'd be with him, trying to comfort him or I'd be on the phone calling an ambulance. Michelle is a crappy ass mom.

[simplysweet]

I stopped watching them waaaay back when FJ was first on Yuku! They disgust me and I agree with everything that you said Whit88.

I'm not going to "feed the machine" anymore!

[Anxious Girl]

What amazes me in a sick way about the Duggars (I have only watched the very first episode and clips so far on Youtube, so yay no money going to them!) is that even though people have found the man behind the curtain, they still try to make us see how "Christian" they are. Don't they realize it's backfiring on them about now? A part of me is wondering if they are going to have another ask the Duggars episode with Michelle parroting Jim Bob's opinions, and what kind of responses the "fans" will get from the Duggars if they ask about Josh's short bus comment, why Josh is anti-Catholic, and why they don't support gay marriage. I seriously hope that provide the answers other than that's what God wants them to do/ that's what the Bible says. That would be GOLDEN.

[onlyorganic]

I'm still baffled by how the Duggars can claim they are financially free. Weren't they GIVEN that house? Seriously? People spend SO much money on housing... free house, HECK YEAH! There go a bunch of my bills... I'd be as financially free and happy as a clam myself!

[hapamama]

I'm thinking if a conventional parent (nonQF) had a tv show, and allowed their 18 year olds to languish around the house playing game and guitars they'd be crucified. But if your QF its ok.

After I graduated from high school, I was expected to go to school somehow (college or vocational school), get a job, or join the military. No loafing around the house.

[formerlyfundie]

I use to LOVE the duggars. I tuned in to every episode and really felt that the family, especially Michelle, were both pure and inspirational.

I felt the same way. I got into them hardcore (they were my gateway fundies unfortunately) when I was pregnant with my first and when my second was born a preemie, I watched all the Josie episodes to keep my morale up. I had the books, had all the seasons on DVD, the whole 9 yards until the Jason incident and the Jubilee fiasco. I have a bunch of ridiculous fundie friends who still LOVE and obsess over them, especially Michelle and how ~strong and courageous she is to share this part of her life with the world. I just roll my eyes now and keep thinking how I seriously need new friends. :| Anyway I refuse to watch this new season, there is absolutely nothing genuine left about this family, my eyes were opened after the whole "right response game" thing Jill answered on one of the Q&A episodes. Those children and erm...adults...have no real unique thoughts. What a sad life.