As she promotes the release of her tell-all book, Becoming Free Indeed, Jinger Duggar has been open about walking away from the cultish Institute in Basic Life Principles, the religious group that her parents brought her up in. But according to new intel, it doesn't look like she's the only one who has recently left the fold.
An unnamed Duggar son recently reached out to a blogger with some interesting news.
According to Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball, who often reports about the Duggars and the IBLP on Instagram and YouTube, one of Michelle and Jim Bob's sons has reached out to her to say he is in the process of leaving, just like big sisters Jinger and Jill (and, it seems, Jessa) have.
"Just saying one of Jinger Duggar’s brothers supports her speaking out and he’s apparently bee bopping and rolling his way out too," Katie Joy wrote, "his words."
She has since deleted the Instagram post with this intel, which is certainly an interesting development.
So far, the son in question has remained completely anonymous.
In the comments, some of Katie Joy's followers speculated that it might be James or Jason — both of whom have "liked" Jinger's posts about breaking free on Instagram and who don't seem to have sided with their parents in supporting their disgraced brother, Josh Duggar.
James recently moved out to what appears to be a small warehouse on Jim Bob and Michelle's property, so although he's still on the compound, he's also starting to assert some independence.
It seems as if Jim Bob's controlling ways are starting to backfire on him.
His children seem to be walking away one by one from the lifestyle they were raised in, despite Jim Bob's best efforts. Katie Joy wrote that she believes this may be because of his support and protection of Josh — both through the molestation scandal that involved Jim Bob's own daughters and through the trial that recently landed him in federal prison and serving a sentence of more than 10 years for crimes related to having and possessing child sexual assault material.
"Jim Bob’s family is officially blowing up because he picked the wrong child to protect while neglecting the care of his wife and daughters," Katie Joy speculated in another Instagram post.
She also shared a tidbit about Anna.
In a follow-up post that she shared on Tuesday night, Katie Joy revealed that while speaking with a Duggar brother — no word on whether it was the same one who contacted her about breaking free — bringing up Josh's wife Anna made things awkward.
"Let’s just say that when I suggested that a Duggar Brother help Anna get a divorce lawyer … I hit a nerve," she wrote. "He said 'Anna’s a grown woman and can make decisions for herself' then promptly changed the subject. Told ya’ll, Anna’s wearing out her welcome."
Things could get very interesting in Duggar land.
So far, Jinger seems to have been very careful to place all the blame squarely on the shoulders of IBLP leader Bill Gothard and his teachings and not her parents — but we can't imagine Jim Bob and Michelle are happy about the level of national attention her book is getting right now, especially because they're still part of the religion.
Could Jim Bob go into crisis mode? Time will tell.
