Josh Duggar’s Shame and Ours: Why Did America Fall in Love with a Family of Extremists?

Sarah Jones of New York magazine writes about Americans’ fascination with the Duggars, the reality TV family from 19 Kids and Counting, in the wake of Josh Duggar’s conviction for child pornography. She writes, “With the Duggars, devout Christians all, a missionary zealotry infested their performance. The family’s faith transmitted a powerful appeal.” The family was marketed as traditional and relatable, but their beliefs and practices were far from mainstream. She writes, “While the family performed for the camera, they involved themselves ever more deeply with the Christian right. Not content to limit the freedom of their children, they sought to limit the freedom of others.”

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