Media Slams The Duggar Family For Controversial Religious Beliefs In Wake of Weddings And Pregnancies

The Duggar family has been in the media spotlight for the past several years, ever since their first documentary 14 Kids and Counting aired. Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar now have 20 children (including one child they have since adopted) in their brood, and have always been candid that they have had as many pregnancies as possible because of their religious beliefs.

The Duggar family belongs to the Quiverfull movement, which advocates that its members have as many children as possible. So far, all of the married Duggar children have followed suit, announcing a pregnancy roughly three months after marriage. The only child that has strayed from this model is Jinger Duggar Vuolo, who has been married close to a year and is not yet expecting.

The family has been vocal about its support for conservative politicians and its strict anti-abortion and anti-birth control stance, but recently, the Hollywood Gossip has turned to reporting on little known aspects of the Duggar’s religion. The website has criticized the family for some of their lesser known beliefs, including supposedly that they believe cancer is a curse from God.

Amongst other things, the website is highly critical of Bill Gothard, who founded the Quiverfull movement. In October of 2015, Gothard became the subject of a lawsuit from five young women who have alleged that he has harassed them and sexually abused them, a claim he denies.

The Duggar family has drawn criticism from the media in the past for homeschooling their children to an unacceptable standard. However, this has never really been measured or proven. The material in their homeschooling curriculum was claimed to be based on “Biblical Life Principles,” meaning that the Bible is used and incorporated into every subject, even those that have nothing to do with the ancient text.

Those that watching Counting On, the spin-off to 19 Kids and Counting, which shows the older Duggar children marrying and having children, are already aware that the family holds strict beliefs when it comes to sex before marriage. This is why the rumor of Joy-Anna Duggar being pregnant before marriage is such a huge deal. But according to the Hollywood Gossip, the Quiverfull movement teaches that semen causes cancer, but couples who are married are exempt from this disease.

It is also allegedly stated that their religion blames the victims for sexual abuse, which is particularly appalling to some in the wake of the Josh Duggar molestation scandal, whereby he confessed to inappropriately touching 4 of his sisters and one other unnamed girl. The media claims that a pamphlet from one of their founders states that immodest dress is one of the main reasons why sexual abuse occurs.

Fans and critics of the Duggars are anxiously awaiting one of the children to grow up and write a tell-all book about their experience. In the mean-time, they are tiding themselves over with episodes of Counting On and the latest gossip about the family, including whether or not Joy-Anna Duggar and Kendra Caldwell were pregnant on their wedding days.

Thus far, the Duggar family has not responded to the article slamming their beliefs, nor have they attempted to clarify any rumors.

[Featured Image by Duggar Family/Instagram]