What to Know
At first glance, it’s pretty obvious that the Duggars remain in their marriages in an effort to make sure they do right by God, per their strict conservative values and religion. But on Reddit, there was a discussion about whether it’s a moral issue or a financial one for the couples now. It’s no secret that Anna Duggar, for example, was 100% reliant on his and Josh Duggar before he was convicted of federal charges related to Child Sexual Abuse Material found on his work computer.
Other adult Duggar kids have remained with their own spouses, though. If one of them were to get divorced, maybe the dominoes would fall. That’s sort of what happened with the adult Duggar daughters wearing pants. But when it comes down to it, why are the Duggar wives so intent on remaining in their marriages? That’s what people are debating now..
People still don’t understand why the Duggar wives stand by their husbands.
In the thread, people debated whether the Duggar wives stay with their husbands because they are financially reliant on them or because they believe, morally, they have to stick it out. Of course, there is also the ultra-religious aspect. But people are mostly torn on why adult Duggar daughters and the daughters of the adult Duggar sons never see divorce as an option, even in extreme cases like Josh or Joseph Duggar.
“Every person in the Duggarverse dealt with extreme food insecurity and poverty as a child, the Duggars included,” someone pointed out. “I don’t believe for a second either of them are living lavish lifestyles…these women are clinging to a roof over their head and food on their plate.”
Someone else claimed that “Anna is 1000% bought into their religious beliefs. She praises her husband for sweeping cracker crumbs and keeps sweet/pregnant as much as possible.” As for Kendra Duggar, they added, “I don’t think Kendra is in a good place mentally so I’ll reserve judgement on her decisions for a little while.”
Back to Anna, though, people see her as someone who grew up with the religious beliefs and ideas about marriage drilled into her for her entire life. There’s little chance of any other way of thinking getting through with her.
“I think Anna is enough of a pragmatist to know where her bread is buttered,” a Redditor pointed out, in terms of Anna knowing that to stay with Josh means she is financially taken care of by Jim Bob Duggar. “As for Kendra, the Duggars are a lot more supportive than her family has been. I don’t think it’s an accident that the two predatory Duggar males (so far) have chosen women that would be grateful to escape their upbringing.”
The Duggar wives famously do not work.
The Duggar wives don’t work by design. Their “job” is to raise their children, take care of the home, and have as many babies as God will allow. Their words, always. And, according to some in the Reddit thread, it’s this system that makes it impossible for the women to even be able to get divorced and be financially stable on their own.
“Don’t forget they’re educationally neglected for this exact purpose: to make it nearly impossible to leave,” a user wrote in the comments. “By the time anyone would think of it, they’re saddled with more kids than they can support.”
“I think it’s both, easily,” another added, of the money vs. moral debate here. “These girls are completely brainwashed; it is very cultish behavior and difficult for non-cult members to comprehend….I mean, a lot of the Duggar women behavior is so hard for all of us to understand because we weren’t conditioned since birth to allow ourselves to be treated this way.”
Someone else wrote that the Duggar women have “a basic (at best) education.” Out in the real world, it’s daunting for anyone, much less someone who is sheltered. If, and that’s a big if, the thought occurred to a Duggar wife to seek a divorce, she would be overwhelmed and lost trying to fend for herself and her kids.
It’s Rumored that Jim Bob Duggar makes it difficult for them to have autonomy.
Jill Duggar wrote in her memoir, Counting the Cost, that dad Jim Bob would dole out necessities to the family after being paid from TLC for 19 Kids and Counting. Because of that, there is a long-standing rumor that Jim Bob controls all of the finances for the entire family, including what his adult sons earn. That way, there is a certain reliance on him, according to some.
“Jim Bob 100% chooses spouses who he thinks won’t stand up to him and speak out of line,” a Reddit user wrote in the thread. “It’s the other side of the coin of him choosing Ben and Derick for Jill and Jessa because he assumed they’d be mooching off him for life. He may have been right about Ben but he wasn’t about Derrick and that bit him hard in the a–. I bet he got even more selective after that.”
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