Since getting married and moving away from her parents, Jinger Duggar has broken away from some of the harmful practices of her childhood. Fans have watched her break away from the oppressive 19 Kids and Counting family's dress code of long skirts and layers in favor of wearing pants and more revealing dresses.
More recently, she has written a memoir about "disentangling" from her upbringing and even expressed a possible interest in going back to school one day. Jinger has also condemned the practices of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, the sect of Christianity her parents and some of her siblings still practice. But some Duggar sleuths have discovered that her new church may be hiding similar secrets to the religion that she left.
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Duggar family critics are putting Jinger on blast.
In the popular subreddit DuggarsSnark, one user shared an article from The Roys Report that suggests how the church Jinger and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo are a part of, Grace Community Church, is guilty of siding with "a convicted child molester and encouraged his wife to let him return to the family home, amongst other awful responses to victims of abuse seeking help.”
Many people came forward to express their disappointment, especially considering Jinger’s family history of sexual abuse of children.
More from CafeMom: Josh Duggar Child Pornography Conviction Stands After Appeal Is Denied
Pastors at the church sided with abusers.
The article, published in November 2023, highlights how Pastor Bill Shannon at the Grace Community Church, which is based in Sun Valley, California, and run by John MacArthur, has been removed from the list of approved counselors by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. The pastor oversaw the biblical counseling ministry at GCC and over the years was reportedly counseling women to stay in abusive and dangerous relationships.
The claim about the pastor is just one of many, though; the article goes on to list similar situations, including a time when the church threw its support behind David Gray after he was convicted of child molestation.
The church stood by its decisions.
Grace Community Church issued a statement, writing, “Grace Church’s elders do not publicly discuss details arising from counseling and discipline cases — especially on social media.”
The statement added: “Nor do we litigate disputes about such matters in online forums. Grace Church deals with accusations personally and privately in accordance with biblical principles. We do not respond to attacks, lies, misrepresentations, and anonymous accusations. Our church’s history and congregation are the testimony. Myriads of Grace Church members who have sought counsel at our church will testify that the counsel they receive is biblical, charitable, supportive, and liberating.”
Many commenters aren't surprised by Jinger's behavior.
"Jinger has absolutely traded a new cult for the old one," one person commented on the Reddit share of the article. "Her husband is all in, getting advanced degrees from this nuthouse. What will they do when GCC goes belly up?"
"Jinger with her tiny voice, empty frightened eyes and skeletal frame is everything that her new cult considers an ideal woman," another person pointed out.
"It’s like a rebrand of an old product: new package looks flashier and more modern, but it’s still the same old garbage in the box," another added.
Jinger's brother is currently in prison for crimes against children.
Jinger's oldest brother Josh is currently in the process of serving time in federal prison after being convicted in 2021 on charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse materials. In 2022, he was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison and ordered to pay fines. His team tried to appeal the conviction, but the appeal was rejected in 2023.
"I will say I’m grateful for the justice system" Jinger told Page Six of Josh's conviction in 2023. "My heart just really breaks for the victims and their families, and I’m just grateful for the justice that is being served now."
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter domesticshelters.org.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
