Over the last several years, the cracks have certainly started to show in the Duggar family‘s once perfect facade. And now, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were not the people they wanted the world to believe they were when they put their lives on display for reality TV’s 19 Kids and Counting.
Recently, Amazon Prime Video’s explosive docuseries, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets premiered, and former members of the Christian organization Institute in Basic Life Principles came forward to talk about Bill Gothard’s horrific teachings that made up the cult-like religion that the family is a part of. Even their daughter, Jill Duggar Dillard, came forward to speak about her experience now that she’s been able to make her escape.
Something tell us there are still a lot of skeletons in the Duggar closet just waiting to come out — and the producers of the show have even hinted that there could be another season around the corner — but from what we’ve learned so far, here are the biggest reveals made in the docuseries about this famous oversized family.
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Jim Bob 'Tricked' Jill Into Signing a Contract
In the series, Jill claims she was tricked into signing a contract to give more of her life away to the reality series on the morning of her wedding to Derick Dillard, while everyone was running around and trying to get things ready.
“I just saw the signature page. It was like on the end of the kitchen table — like, ‘Hey, I just needed you guys to sign these,'” she said. “We were literally running through the kitchen, and it was like whoever you could grab on the way through. I didn’t know what it was for.”
Jill Was Forced To Speak About Josh's Abuse
After news broke that Josh had allegedly molested some of his sisters years earlier, Jill and Jessa appeared on Megan Kelly’s talk show, where they both had to make sure to clear Josh’s name.
“There was an urgency in trying to figure out how the show was going to be handled in the wake of the 2015 events. As far as recovery and damage control, you just feel like a burden and the weight falls on you to help,” Jill said, while Derick called it a “suicide mission” for her to go through with it.
The Duggars Tried To Deny Josh Was Being Investigated
During the time the FBI was first investigating Josh — before his arrest and eventual imprisonment — Jim Bob and Michelle released a statement that said they weren’t aware of any investigation happening at the time, but Derick said in the documentary that they were lying.
“We know the family had knowledge that there was a child pornography investigation against Josh, and they had that knowledge on the same day that they made the statement,” he said.
Derick Received Threatening Text Messages
When Jill and Derick decided to walk away from filming forever, Derick received an anonymous, threatening text message from someone close to the family — and to this day, he still doesn’t know who it was.
“Jim Bob or Michelle have never done you wrong nor Jill. You are returning evil for the unbelievable privilege of marrying their most beautiful and intelligent daughter, who is the fruit of their lives,” the anonymous texter wrote. “The mistreatment of parents is forbidden in both the Old and New Testament, with death penalties ascribed to those violations and wrong actions to parents. And the reverse promise, that things will not go well for you.”
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Jim Bob & Michelle Used Corporal Punishment
Though they’ve been open about their controversial blanket training methods in the past, the docuseries revealed more about the physical punishments that Jim Bob and Michelle use with their children.
Amy Duggar said, “It was called encouragement. They literally said, ‘You need to come into the room and we need to give you some encouragement.’ But it was like in the sweetest tone ever, like, ‘Do you need encouragement? I think you need encouragement.'”
Jim Bob & Michelle Hid Josh's Abuse
Former family friends Jim and Bobye Holt spoke out about the way that Jim Bob and Michelle tried to downplay Josh’s molestation scandal when it first happened.
“What Jim Bob had said to us was, ‘Josh has gotten into some trouble. He’s touched his sisters inappropriately,'” Bobye said, adding that Michelle told her, “‘Don’t you say that again,'” when Bobye used the word “molestation” to describe what happened.
Jim Bob Could Be the New Bill Gothard
Since Bill Gothard, the original leader of the IBLP, had to step down in 2014 after multiple women accused him of sexual assault, some believe that Jim Bob and Michelle are being groomed to be the new leaders.
“Because Mr. Gothard has been taken out of [IBLP], from what my understanding is, is that Jim Bob and Michelle are now his replacement,” Bobye said in the docuseries, adding, “They’ve encouraged people to move to Arkansas, which is completely a cult move.”
The Duggar Grandparents Disagreed With Jim Bob & Michelle's Way of Life
Jill stated that neither her father nor her mother’s parents approved of Jim Bob and Michelle deciding to have as many children as possible.
“My grandparents, neither one on either side, agreed with my parents having a million kids. They were concerned about my mom’s health and they would always say, ‘Oh, is this your last one?'” she said.
They Disagreed With Secular Entertainment
Not only did Jim Bob and Michelle refuse to allow their children to play with Cabbage Patch Kids because they believed they were demonic, but all things Disney were off limits in their home, too. In fact, cousin Amy Duggar even said that one night, they had a bonfire where they burned all the Disney paraphernalia they could find in their house.
Jill's Nose Ring Symbolized Freedom
Fans were surprised to see Jill turn up with a nose ring a few years back, but she explained on the series that it was something she did as she was figuring out her freedom.
“If you were in ATI or IBLP, unfortunately, a lot of times you have to go through hell, because it’s not until then that you would risk everything to get out of those situations,” she said. “Eventually you start making your own decisions — like the nose ring that I got — and it’s piece by piece, little by little by little.”
Michelle's Voice Wasn't Natural
Though Michelle has always been known for being soft-spoken, that’s not just her natural personality — that’s who the IBLP trained her to be.
According to what former IBLP member Heather Heath said in the docuseries, “She infantilizes herself on purpose.”
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None of the Kids Were Paid for the Show
Jill and her siblings went many, many years without being paid for filming the show, since TLC paid the family through Jim Bob, who allegedly failed to distribute the funds among his children. At one point, he reportedly offered the older children a lump sum payout, but only if they were willing to sign another contract. Jill says she declined, wanting to get away from reality TV forever.
Jill's Feelings Were Silenced
As a child, Jill wasn’t allowed to tell the truth about how she was really feeling — and neither were her siblings.
“Having a voice about what you think and how you feel and being able to say no about things was stifled and not encouraged in the IBLP setting in my family,” she said.
She Was Forced To Film Israel's Birth
When the birth of her first child finally arrived, TLC required Jill to film it, even though she said she didn’t want to. They were able to compromise by letting Jill and Derick make their own videos for the episode to avoid camera people being in the room.
“We basically lost, and they’re gonna get what they want,” Derick said.
Jill Didn't Want To Film 'Counting On'
But at that point in her life, she hadn’t yet found the courage to be able to tell her parents the word “no.”
“I felt like, if I said no, I am not obeying my parents and bad things are gonna happen to me. IBLP and the teachings draw in people, like my dad, who want this control,” she said.
