Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar 'Embarrassed' By Daughter Jinger's Shocking Confessions About 'Cult-Like' Upbringing In Tell-All Memoir
Jinger Vuolo (neé Duggar) opened up about the harsh realities of her strict upbringing in the "cult-like" Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) in her new book, Becoming Free Indeed, which hit shelves on Tuesday, January 31.
In the tell-all tome, the mother-of-two — she shares 4-year-old Felicity and 2-year-old Evangeline with husband Jeremy Vuolo — shared that she suffered from severe anxiety as a teenager due to the religious sect's stringent values, and according to a source, her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, are "embarrassed" by their daughter's candid revelations.
The source also noted to Radar that the heads of the Duggar family want to keep Jinger's criticism of IBLP teachings hidden from some of their younger children.
A non-denominational Christian organization founded in 1961 by Bill Gothard, IBLP emphasizes the importance of unflinching trust in the word of the Bible, chastity before marriage, wearing very modest clothing and the idea that a man should be the head of a household alongside his submissive wife. They also teach that dancing and listening to certain types of music are sins.
"[Gothard's] teachings in a nutshell are based on fear and superstition and leave you in a place where you feel like, 'I don't know what God expects of me,'" the 29-year-old explained. "The fear kept me crippled with anxiety. I was terrified of the outside world."
She further shared she was scared constantly that she might accidentally go against God's will and "be killed in a car accident" because she "didn't know if God wanted me to stay home and read my Bible" instead of going out with friends.
- Jill Duggar Tearfully Admits She Wants to Be the One to Tell Her Own 'Story' in Bombshell Trailer for Duggar Family Docuseries
- Secrets Exposed: Duggar Family Docuseries Producers Reveal the 'Culture of Abuse' and Disturbing 'Reach' of Religious Cult
- Mayim Bialik Speculates Jinger Duggar's 'Compulsive Praying' Might Be a Sign of Religious OCD
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Jinger later admitted in the book that she was surprised their hit TLC show "lasted as long as it did," specifically because of her family's strict beliefs.
"It didn't seem possible that many Americans would be interested in a family with our conservative values," she added.
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