We’re still nearly a week away from the release of Jinger Duggar’s memoir, but the book has already had quite an impact.
In published excerpts and promotional interviews, Jinger has held her own family accountable time and time again.
After growing up in an impossibly strict household, Jinger has cut ties with the church that’s responsible for her family’s ultra-conservative views.
Now, others who have been impacted by the teachings of Institute for Basic Life Principles are coming forward to share their own stories — and to applaud Jinger for leading the way.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Jinger described a moment of clarity, in which she realized that religious teachings not found in the Bible originate from man, not God.
“God’s word is sufficient,” she explained.
“It doesn’t speak about that, so I don’t need to speak about that.”
In a move that likely infuriated her family, Jinger also spoke out against her brother Josh Duggar and the crimes he committed with the protection of his church and parents.
“My heart just really breaks for the victims and their families, and all that they’ve been through,” Vuolo said.
Jinger is not the first to allege that Josh was raised in a culture of abuse that enabled his crimes.
In 2014, IBLP founder Bill Gothard was forced to step down amid widespread allegations of sexual harassment.
Now, one of Gothard’s accusers has come forward to praise Jinger for speaking so candidly about such a difficult topic.
“For Jinger to really come out against something that her parents are still actively supporting—I mean, that’s just a whole other level of bravery,” Emily Elizabeth Anderson said this week in an interview with a website called The Roys Report.
“I’m just very, very proud of her.”
Anderson went on to explain that she and Jinger had very similar experiences in the IBLP, and she applauds Jinger for using her platform to expose the organization.
“I love her usage—I feel like that is a more accurate term for my journey, and her journey, rather than deconstruction,” Anderson said.
“She clung on to her faith, and I have as well,” she continued.
“But yet, we are having to completely disentangle the true and the fear-based teachings, and separate those.”
Thus far, Jinger has not responded to all the praise she’s been receiving as a result of her press tour.
In all likelihood, she’ll have more to say once the book comes out.
And in the meantime, we’re sure that others who have experienced abuse as a result of religious extremism will continue to praise her.
Jinger Duggar: Praised By Abuse Survivors For Exposing Family’s Controversial Church was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .
