Joshua Duggar’s Fall: A Teachable Moment for Christians Everywhere
Not too long ago, a few members of the Duggar family from the reality show “19 Kids and Counting” spoke out against homosexual marriage. Many gay activists attacked the show with demands for cancellation. At that time TLC didn’t budge.
On Thursday, May 21, Reality TV star Joshua Duggar issued an apology after reports surfaced that he allegedly molested girls as a teenager, saying: “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” The Duggars are known for being devout Christians who do not believe in compromising the gospel. They are all followers Jesus Christ, like the rest of us, they are not perfect, but they follow Him to the best of their ability.
TLC pulled all episodes of the show currently set to air, according to Shannon Llanes, a spokeswoman for the network. The network had already replaced several scheduled repeats of “19 Kids and Counting” with “The Little People.”
Those on CNN and some other networks who promote the secular worldview want to blow this out of proportion. Their goal is not so much reporting the news as it is to lift you up or tear you down depending on whether or not you agree with their point of view. We should not fall into their trap and we should not give them this kind of power. They sweep under the rug the sins and failures of those with whom they politically agree while magnifying the transgressions of the Christian community. They do this with a straight face and false indignation. There are gay activists who believe that the Duggars don’t deserve love, respect and grace because they claim they didn’t show love, respect and grace for the gay community when they chose not to support gay marriage.
A question we must ask In Touch Weekly is if they broke the Duggar story as a way to sell more magazines, or possibly with the motive to end the reality show, and have they treated other similar stories in the same manner.
We have all done things in life that we are not proud of, including those in the media, such as CNN. We have all done things that can and might come back to bite us. What Joshua did is despicable. I can, from personal experience, imagine what those young girls are going through. We don’t know how this could be impacting their lives at this very moment. Psychologically, this could affect all the victims who were molested by him.
I was molested by my mom’s now deceased husband and by an altar boy at the age of 13. This influenced my desire to never be in a relationship with a man. As a matter of fact, I thought all men molested women and I wanted no part of that. Those who knew me as a kid witnessed how I made most young men pay for what happened to me. I started beating up all my high school male friends; attacking them for what was done to me, because I could not hurt those men who molested me. Could these other girls (now women) be feeling the same way? Could they later have come out with a story against Joshua Duggar as many did with Mr. Bill Cosby? We are hearing of this kind of thing over and over again.
For those of us that claim to be Christians, this is a teachable moment, even for someone like me who was molested at the age of 13. I never wanted to forgive those jerks who molested me. I kept quiet until I was 21 and realized later in life that another family member was molested by the same man and never mentioned it until she was married. See, they could no longer hold inside what had been done to them at a young age. Being molested is not something you can forget, especially because I hear of this kind of thing over and over again. They say you can forgive but can’t forget, and that would be me. My heart goes out to the women that have been put in such a horrible place. It’s one thing to deal with being molested and the not knowing what to do or say, and to make matters worse (as if they could be); it is even more devastating if the one who violated you was your own brother.
I’m sure some of you are asking, how can this be a teachable moment? I was awakened last night, and this issue was all I could think about. I really believe the Lord was showing me something not only because of my own pain pertaining to being molested, but because He wanted me to remain in grace and forgiveness of those who willfully hurt me.
The Lord took my mind back to Moses when he committed murder and then fled to Midian.
Exodus 2:11-15 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
“In those days, when Moses was grown, he went out to his brothers and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. He looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, two men of the Hebrews struggled with each other; and he said to him that did the wrong, ‘Why do you strike your companion?’ He said, ‘Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known.’ Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he dwelled by a well”
But listen to the puncher Moses went on to marry Zipporah. “Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses” (Ex. 2:21).
What I’ve learned is that in spite of some of the stupid and sinful things we have done in life, we all can go on to do great things for the kingdom of God as Moses has done and as Joshua Duggar is doing. Moses for many years was nowhere to found but he resurfaced to go on and do great and mighty things. When we all think of Moses the first thing we think of is that he led the people out of Egypt in the middle of the night, not that he killed a man (Ex. 14).
When we think of Joshua Duggar, we think of him as a family man who is in one of the greatest Christian shows that embody Christian values, not as a child molester.
I’m sure some of you are saying you can’t put Moses and Joshua Duggar in the same sentence. They both sinned and fell short; however, God restored both of them and they both have and are doing great things for the kingdom of God.
Jesus was persecuted for doing what was right and true. He never sinned but died so that we could repent and be restored. No matter if we kill, steal or molest someone, Jesus died on the cross for all of it. Yes, there are consequences, however, Moses received a second chance, and you and I received forgiveness and a second chance. We need to extend the same grace to this young man, Joshua Duggar, which Jesus gave to us. We should examine the fruit in their life after repentance. It appears Joshua has passed that test.
Now I know some of you will say he doesn’t deserve a second chance for what he did. Well, you are not Jesus and you aren’t the one to decide, so get off your high horse. Quit trying to play God Junior. For those of us who understand the true gospel, let’s continue to pray for the Duggar family and hope that their show will be allowed to remain on air on TLC.
If the devil has his way, it won’t go that way for the Duggars. Don’t just lie down and do nothing, church. Look at what happened with gay marriage in our nation because we remained silent to long. Make a stand so that we can continue to see wholesome shows on our television. Aren’t you tired of the perversion that has been coming out of our televisions?
I will end with this, when Jesus was at the Temple speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He returned to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. When they had put her in the middle, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such, but what do You say?’ They said this, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear them. So when they continued asking Him, He stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Being convicted by their conscience, those who heard it went out one by one, beginning with the eldest even to the last. Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more'” (John 8:1-11).
Janet Boynes is the founder of Janet Boynes Ministries, a nondenominational outreach that ministers to individuals questioning their sexuality and those who wish to leave homosexuality. As the author of Called Out, Boynes chronicles her story of living as a lesbian for 14 years until God called her out of that lifestyle. Read more of her story here.
