Josh Duggar arrested for child sexual abuse images (CSA) involving children under the age of 12.

Over the years, it’s become apparent the Duggars entire brand is about “…Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…” (2 Timothy 3:5, KJV). The Bible says to avoid such people.

Jim Bob Duggar built an entire empire by exploiting his daughters (Jessa, Jana, Joy, and Jinger) on national television for entertainment under the guise of promoting the quiverfull movement/the gospel. It’s this idea that everything is grand when you have 500 kids for the Lord’s army and women stay home. So long as you follow these 53285902.7 rules that are not in the Bible (Matthew 15:9), the Lord will prosper you. 

Of course, there is great irony in Jim Bob exposing his family to the world for entertainment, whilst simultaneously denying any of his children access to that very same world.

To circle back, Josh Duggar was already busted for molesting his own sisters and cheating on his wife. In case anyone is unsure of God’s opinion on these matters, the Bible condemns these things (Leviticus 18:6-18, Deuteronomy 27:22, Exodus 20:14). In fact, the Bible says adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 ). Incest, which Jim Bob Duggar once said is totally common among families in his circle, is also forbidden. It’s worth nothing the state trooper, Joseph Hutchens, who did not report Josh’s crimes but rather gave him a stern scolding, was also arrested for CSA images. Twice.

It’s crazy that no one saw the irony in the Duggars promoting purity culture whilst also admitting that purity culture fails because believe it or not, incest should not be totally common among families in his circle.

I have never heard any unsaved people say, “yeah, incest is really common among atheists.” One reason Christians tolerate this sort of behavior is that in their minds, religion is a catch-all. If you believe you are going to spend eternity in hell or heaven, and that belief in Christ is what gets you into heaven, then it doesn’t matter what you do on Earth because in the end God will forgive you so long as you’re a Christian.

Objectively, it’s true God forgives even the worst sins and doesn’t hold our pasts against us. Consequently, as Christians we should do the same (up to seventy times seven times, Matthew 18: 21-22). We cannot even begin to fathom how much God loves us.

It’s also true that Jesus has the power to radically transform hearts (look at Kanye West before going off meds). That said, even a radical heart change doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle again (again, look at Kanye…). That’s why God gave us practical tools on Earth (like medicine, doctors, therapists, counseling, etc.) and spiritual disciplines/habits that help us develop character. This character, or virtue also known as the fruits of the spirit, is one way the world will know we’re Christians.

Forgiveness is tantamount to the fabric of Christianity. However, somewhere along the line, the church has brought into this notion that forgiveness means totally absolving people, especially men, from the consequences of their own actions if they say sorry, get-teary-eyed, and delete their social media accounts.

Romans 13:4 says, “For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer..” (ESV) and, “[d]o not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 ESV), and “… whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it…” (James 2:10). Forgiveness doesn’t mean skrrting past Earthly laws and therefore Earthly consequences. Josh Duggar should go to jail.

Furthermore, a person can only change if they see a problem and indeed there should be evidence that once is a Christian in their actions.

That is where the having the form of Godliness comes in, but denying it’s power comes in. However, when you grow up in a culture that preaches the only thing keeping men from sleeping with everything thing in pants is marrying at 18, never looking at a bare shoulder, and your wife putting out every day, you’re not going to see a problem when you sin because the problem isn’t you, but your wife not being joyfully available enough, or the fact you were alone with a woman who was showing her left elbow (Nike!). Error 404: personal responsibility not found.

Purity culture, and the harmful attitudes about sex it promotes, does not work. Because 1.) the focus is on purity, rather than Jesus, and primarily on women covering up rather than both men and women developing the fruits of the spirit (self-control, patience, and love) and choosing to live a life of sexual integrity.

Purity culture is sexism in disguise: this notion that a woman’s worth is tied to whether or not she’s had sex prior to marriage, rather than her worth being in the fact she is made in the image of God.

Theoretically, purity culture applies to both men and women but in most Christian circles it’s pushed exclusively on women. Just look at how many Christian men will admit they have a problem with porn as if it’s no big deal, when in fact that’s considered adultery which was punishable by death in various parts of the Bible.

Even Jesus said it’s better to gouge your own eyes out than look at porn, yet I have heard approximately 0 sermons encouraging men to take a spoon to their eyeballs. I have, however, heard many sermons on how women need to cover up for the sake of men (which isn’t anywhere in the Bible). To date, I’ve only heard one pastor ever preach about how it’s not okay to lust after your wife. What I do often hear is Christian pastors waxing poetic to their congregations about how hot their wives are and reducing them to sexual objects on stage.

Now, I’m not advocating men gouge their own eyes out (yet) and it’s great to find your wife hot. The Bible does tell both men and women to not commit adultery aka wait until marriage for sex, so the problem isn’t waiting until marriage but rather the burden of waiting being placed solely on women despite Jesus himself putting the burden of lust on the luster.

The Duggars themselves display how purity culture simply doesn’t work. Not only was Josh unfaithful, before and after marriage, he’s now committed one of the few sins Jesus said to just straight up kill people for (Matthew 18:6). Yet, “as a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”

Time and time again, we see men of God falling to sexual sin and the church seems shooketh each time. Ravi Zacharias, Carl Lentz, Ted Haggard, Doug Phillips, Bill Gothard. Really one can simply Google pastor and sexual abuse, and find a host of pastors caught abusing children or entangled in some sexual sin. Clearly, the church is doing something very wrong.

A good chunk of this disregard for sexual sin in men stems from the wrong belief that men inherently have more value and worth than women. For as much as fundies claim to value motherhood, it’s clear it’s not viewed in the same light as the “work” men do. Thus, it’s always more important to protect a man’s reputation or freedom, than it is to protect women and children in the world of fundies. This is not Biblical and in fact is antithetical to traditional masculinity in which men should be protectors of and providers for women and children.

Furthermore, the Bible says God shows no partiality (Romans something) when it comes to justice. Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor,” (ESV), and James 2:8-9 says, “If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders.” (AMP) Furthermore in Chronicles, after King Jehoshaphat appointed judges, he instructed them to “…[j]udge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” Showing favoritism towards men over women/children is not cool with God and not something the church should be replicating.

The good news is the church can do better and should do better. 

The church can start by regularly holding men accountable for their own lust and stop blaming women. I know many churches that will refuse to allow a LGBTQ+ individual to be in a leadership position, yet will allow men who commit adultery (which the Bible talks more about than homosexuality anyway), rape, abuse, etc. in leadership positions.

No one is going to take the church acting as some moral authority seriously if it continues cherry-picking sins like this. That doesn’t mean barring people from church – the church should be the most welcoming place for everyone. But that does mean putting the victims needs above the predators, and ensuring they feel more welcomed, loved, and heard over the one who wronged them.

The church needs to stop ignoring abuse. Actual Godliness is dealing with these issues via proper channels (aka calling the cops, confessing sins, being held accountable). If Josh’s problems had been dealt with appropriately the first time (whether that meant he can’t be around children alone forever, can’t have internet access, therapy/counseling, etc.), the Duggar family wouldn’t be dealing with this now.

Likewise, if churches dealt with these problems appropriately, they wouldn’t find themselves stumbling over themselves later as they try to explain why they allowed a youth pastor caught molesting some kid to stay in his position (after kicking the victim and her family out of the church) instead of reporting them to the authorities.

The church needs to be more transparent. 99% of the criticism American Christians gets isn’t persecution, it’s everyone seeing how hypocritical we are and pointing that out. When “sin in the camp” appears, it shouldn’t be covered up. Everything in the darkness will come to the light anyway. Better to confess and face whatever consequences arrive, than be outed later on.

Christians need to ditch purity culture and start holding men accountable for their behavior both spiritually and in terms of the law. To teach teach men and women healthy views on sexuality, sexual boundaries, and that their sexuality isn’t a bad thing.

Christians represent Christ, not ourselves, not patriarchy, not men, and not cultural gender roles. It’s well past the time we start acting like it.