Jinger Duggar Vuolo has been talking about her departure from the controversial Christian group, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). Vuolo is one of the kids made famous in the reality show ‘19 Kids and Counting’ and ‘Counting On’. She’s become increasingly more vocal about her parents and her life under IBLP’s ‘harmful teachings’ and strict rules.
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In 2023, Vuolo released her memoir, ‘Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear’. The book describes how the religious teachings of Bill Gothard and the IBLP impacted her life through her parents.
Why Jinger Duggar Rejected Her Parent’s Doctrines
The IBLP had rules on most things, but especially women. The dresses and skirts only dress code was part of it. Much more controversial was the IBLP belief that women should have as many children as physically possible. This was the doctrine her parents signed up to. Jinger rejected it.
Instead, she has shared her journey about how she has worked to untangle her personal beliefs from those prescribed by IBLP. Along the way, she realized the rules she had lived under had little or nothing to do with God’s teachings. They were one man’s own interpretations.
Her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle were staunch IBLP followers, but, as Vuolo admits, even they were selective about which of his teachings they adhered to. They promoted the “dress-code” wholeheartedly and obviously embraced the large family idea, but they ignored anything that didn’t work for them or their lifestyle.
Why Jinger Didn’t Join New Docuseries ‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’
The new docuseries ‘Shiny Happy People: Dugger Family Secrets’ kicked off renewed interest in the family and the Institute. Jinger didn’t join in. She says she’ll always prefer to tell it how it was in her own words.
As for the role of the IBLP, people have found its practices fascinating. In the new series things turn considerably darker. There are allegations of child abuse and psychological manipulation. Vuolo herself touched on the subjects in discussions about her youth.
She began her departure from IBLP in her early 20s. With the help of her brother-in-law, Ben Seewald, she began a critical examination of her IBMP beliefs. Her husband, Jeremy Vuolo helped her discover that her ‘life was built on rules, not God’s Word’. The couple has two daughters, and they work hard to keep away from the public eye. Rest assured, they are enjoying a very different childhood from their mother. But, as she put it, ‘we just saw more cons than pros’ when it came to the world knowing everything about them.
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Jinger Received Backlash For Throwing Parents ‘Under The Bus’
Jinger and her siblings had years under the spotlight. She had to deal with birth control rumors when she was later getting pregnant than her sisters. Any birth control is strictly forbidden, but she says she and Jeremy are not planning on having 19 children.
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Although Jinger’s incredible bravery was widely applauded, blogger Lori Alexander, and a few others, say she threw her parents ‘under the bus’ in a very public way they didn’t deserve. ‘They were her parents, and weren’t abusive’, they point out. They should be honored, as God commands in the Bible.’
