Are The Duggars In A Dangerous Christian Cult? Some Media Outlets Believe So

Many fans who watched 19 Kids and Counting and the subsequent spin-off, Counting On, believe the Duggar family is an extremely wholesome and wonderful example of Christianity. While things may appear this way from the outside, the mega-family has been plagued with scandal after scandal.

In 2015, it was brought to light that Josh Duggar, the eldest son in the family, had molested four of his sisters and one anonymous family friend. Later that year, it also became public knowledge that Josh had been having affairs with several women, including at least one prostitute.

Now, members of the Duggar family’s church are speaking up about alleged abuse they suffered during their time there, and it doesn’t look good.

Although the Duggars label themselves as Independent Baptists, they closely follow the Institute in Basic Life Principles and their ATI teachings, which Michelle Duggar’s homeschool curriculum was founded upon.

Shocking materials from the program have revealed that children are often blamed when something nefarious happens within the family, such as molestation or sexual abuse from a family member. In fact, it was revealed that the homeschool program has an entire worksheet devoted to discussing this issue and stating that it is the responsibility of children not to “tempt” their family members.

As the Inquisitr previously reported, an anonymous Reddit user recently came forward to detail his or her abuse within the church. The claims are horrific, and speak of sexual as well as physical abuse endured at the hands of both his or her parents and those who run a “re-education camp.”

The Reddit user called the church itself a “Christian cult,” which some Duggar fans may dispute, but many feel is an accurate way to describe the church itself.

Although no longer associated with the church, Bill Gothard founded the Institute. Since his tenure as the head of the church, he has been accused of sexually harassing at least 50 women. His brother has also been accused of carrying on sexual relationships with members of the church while married to his wife.

It is unclear if the church meets the definition of a cult, but it appears at least some of the Duggar children are breaking free of the confines of their upbringing, with some even sporting jeans and nose piercings.