You have to understand that I do not hate these people, I think they are very nice in person. I just cannot stand the fact that some people blindly see them as role models. I don't think they should be stopped from doing these things, but I think if people want to look up to them they should know what they are about.
Nothing about it is a crime. Just because something is not a crime does not make it right. I would not consider them upstanding just because they have children that are well-behaved though. That's the bare minimum that a parent should expect, isn't it? I think they seem like nice people, like I said, but there are a lot of things I dislike about the way the children are indoctrinated.
- These children are raising each other and the Duggars don't hide this. They have written several books.
- They are a part of the Quiverfull movement, which is problematic in itself. There is a good link to some information
here if you are curious about what that means because there is a lot to it.
- The parents are followers of Bill Gothard, who you can read more about
here. I recommend reading this if you don't know much about the Duggar's religion.
- When the parents talk about the children I feel that they don't know them as individuals. The parents say things like "We don't like The Beatles." I am certain the children have never been exposed to The Beatles in order to have an opinion because rock music is banned, per Gothard.
- The children must stick to rigid gender roles. The girls cook and clean and otherwise get ready to be mommies, per the Quiverfull movement. The boys get to work outside the home. They don't get a choice as to what they would like to do.
I could go on but I don't want to feel that I am attacking this family just because they have so many children. If they had 2 children I would feel the same way, and there are families like this that have 2 children. They just don't have a reality show and aren't idealized.
