Josh Duggar Molestation Allegations

[ladysif]

There is a reason I couldn't be a public defender and the child sexual assault cases are the entire reason. I had the experience of working on some of those cases and I will never, ever forget them. Ever. Nor could I deal with it day in and day out, emotionally, and I bow to the attorneys who can.

I would only add to aforementioned comments that statistically, it has one of the highest recidivism rates of all types of crimes and rehabilitation, even multiple attempts at it, is often unsuccessful. So I wouldn't ever trust counseling/rehabilitation alone, and law enforcement would absolutely be involved immediately. It is just all the more frustrating when that fails to accomplish anything because the risk is very, very real that the behavior will only continue.

[megd893]

Happy to discuss @kej0004

When someone in your family (or you) do something morally reprehensible, there are lots of things you should/could do. Turning to your religion is one great way people find comfort, and depending on the 'thing' thats been done sometimes its an apology, counselling, treatment, or police involvement. Varying degrees of course depending on what happened. Everyone copes differently and each action requires a different set of next steps.

For the mostpart, I think you're allowed to believe in and support what you believe in and support (that's to say I wouldn't get behind slavery, killing etc.). Just because it doesn't align with me and my beliefs doensn't make it wrong or right, it makes it your beliefs (general, not specifically you). Judging them for what they believe would make me no better. The world would be a terribly boring place if everyone agreed on everything.

However, when something as fundamentally wrong (I should hope in EVERYONE's eyes) as child abuse is glossed over and swept under the rug, how do you then get up and preach about family standards and morality? Outwardly calling other people's actions sins while living with a truth like this is hypocritical. Had they chosen to be upfront about these things, and address them head on with the MILLIONS of people who follow them, they would have had a leg to stand on. It wouldn't have changed the actions that happened, but they would have had an opportunity to become a voice for how to PROPERLY deal with child abuse in the home. Had they chosen to become the people who lived it, handled it lawfully and in the best interest of the victims first... people would likely have looked at them as the imperfect family doing the best they could. They also would have risked losing their TV deal, books etc. But it wouldn't have had to "come out"... it would have been them owning their truth.

Also, I feel I need to respectfully add, the Duggars have gone BEYOND judgement when it comes to LGBT rights if you consider Michelles robocalls and Josh's very public fight against LGBT marriage. He stands up at a podium and preaches about what's best for children in their home. You can't honestly tell me you think he has a right to do that? With his immediate resignation from the Family Research Council, it seems there are a number of people (Josh included) who feel that's no longer his place.

[megd893]

The hypocrisy is in being a sinner (in this case privately) and judging other sinners so publicly. I'm not saying they've claimed to be free from sin, but what gives anyone the right to do that? No one is free from sin, so what good does it do the world to make other people feel bad, or make efforts to take things away from them? Believe in your word, your God, your commandments. Let others believe in theirs. With the platform and ability to reach so many people... preach love, understanding and tolerance - that shit is UNIVERSAL. Those are the things I want for my sons generation.

[a5swanson]

Gosh, I'm so late to this discussion. So maybe you guys can help with a few things here that I seem to be missing:
1. How did this story come to light? It looks like the police reports were from 2006-2007 time? Did a journalist just dig them up or something?

[megd893]

Anyone want to talk politics next??

[megd893]

May 22, 2015 11:23:32 GMT -5 @hazeldublin said:

I'm a catholic and believe in god. But Christ almighty there is more in the bible about eating shellfish being an abomination then there is about homosexuality. I just don't get why these bible bashers attack LGBT but pick and choose the rest of the "terms" they wish to live by.

AAAAAMEN!!!!

[erbear]

May 22, 2015 11:15:04 GMT -5 a5swanson said:

Gosh, I'm so late to this discussion. So maybe you guys can help with a few things here that I seem to be missing:
1. How did this story come to light? It looks like the police reports were from 2006-2007 time? Did a journalist just dig them up or something?

Freedom of information act.

[bruunk]

May 22, 2015 11:23:32 GMT -5 @hazeldublin said:

I'm a catholic and believe in god. But Christ almighty there is more in the bible about eating shellfish being an abomination then there is about homosexuality. I just don't get why these bible bashers attack LGBT but pick and choose the rest of the "terms" they wish to live by.

ETA - stupid gifs won't work.


BUT - I agree with you, and can only love tit once so - please accept this as several hundred love tits. 

[megd893]

Update: (sorry I still have a Blackberry so can't insert link)Good old fashioned copy/paste!
www.people.com/article/19-kids-counting-pulled-tlc-schedule-josh-duggar

[Deleted]

May 22, 2015 11:23:32 GMT -5 @hazeldublin said:

I'm a catholic and believe in god. But Christ almighty there is more in the bible about eating shellfish being an abomination then there is about homosexuality. I just don't get why these bible bashers attack LGBT but pick and choose the rest of the "terms" they wish to live by.

+100,000 love tits

[bruunk]

May 22, 2015 14:44:13 GMT -5 megd893 said:

Update: (sorry I still have a Blackberry so can't insert link)Good old fashioned copy/paste!
www.people.com/article/19-kids-counting-pulled-tlc-schedule-josh-duggar

Took them too long. Should have been at least suspended as soon as they knew - heck, if Oprah knew about this, this should have been pulled YEARS AGO.

[bruunk]

www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/05/22/josh_duggar_is_horrible_but_he_also_deserves_some_pity.html

Interesting article on the subject - not one hundred percent sure I agree with the author. I need to read it again I think, to really think about it (dang you work, getting in the way), but thought I'd add it to our list

[dogmama22]

May 22, 2015 16:17:32 GMT -5 bruunk said:

www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/05/22/josh_duggar_is_horrible_but_he_also_deserves_some_pity.html

Interesting article on the subject - not one hundred percent sure I agree with the author. I need to read it again I think, to really think about it (dang you work, getting in the way), but thought I'd add it to our list

I will say I've been extremely disappointed in all of this coming to light about the Duggars.  As I stated before, I really enjoyed their show and seeing their way of life.  It's hard to see a much darker side of what I thought was a pretty nice family.  One of my first impressions of the article is once again this huge focus on Josh with little mention of the victims.  I also think the same could be said of many predators - at some point most abusers were abused in some way.  This really doesn't make me feel bad for people that commit atrocious crimes.  

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around all of this - especially how Michelle and Jim Bob originally handled this.  At the same time though, and this could be because of my previous views of the family, I think the wording of the article is a bit dramatic and just part of media hype.  Yes, some of their views are extreme and I certainly don't agree with everything they say, but why does that make them a cult?  Don't most families have a certain set of beliefs and they try to shield their children from outside views to some degree?  If you home school and believe certain things, plus monitor your children's conversations with the opposite sex, does that make one a cult?  I also have to wonder if they were a different religion besides Christian, would their views be shunned as much?  That could just be me being defensive and the part of the country I live in, but it seems like it's ok to believe certain aspects of religion, as long as you're not a Christian (ex. I rarely hear of Muslims being shunned for their views on homosexuality).  I will say I definitely agree with PPs that homosexuality is far too often targeted by extreme "Christians" as a sin when it's in the old testament with all of the other laws that aren't followed.  Please don't read that as me agreeing that their views on the subject are correct, I just wanted to point out that other religions believe the same.

Short version: what Josh and his parents did are certainly unacceptable and absolutely disgusting, but I think the article was just a bit dramatic in claiming the Duggars are a cult.

[dogmama22]

May 22, 2015 17:02:49 GMT -5 @hazeldublin said:

dogmama22 I think all religions get judged just as much as the next. Muslims in particular are discriminated all over the world what with terrorism. The Catholic Church are seen as all peadofiles.

That is definitely true. Thanks for the perspective - I figured I was just feeling defensive. Now that I step back, it seems like it just goes in cycles with whatever the latest scandal is.