By Holly Rasmussen
While many in Josh Duggar’s religious community have turned their back on the disgraced 19 Kids and Counting star following his multiple scandals, one of his family friends is speaking out in support of him and his family.
In a recent interview with People, Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame revealed that TLC was wrong for canceling ’19 Kids and Counting’ because of Josh’s scandals—which, if you’re keeping track include molesting some of his sisters and cheating on his wife.
Sadie, who is an outspoken Christian herself, said that she has been praying for the Duggar family and stated that she hopes they can all forgive Josh. She sat down with People magazine to promote her new book, “Live Original,” and criticized TLC for pulling ’19 Kids and Counting’ off the air.
“Josh Duggar, that’s not his whole family,” she said. “His whole family didn’t do that. He made a mistake.”
Sadie referenced the near-cancellation of her family’s reality show, ‘Duck Dynasty’ a few years ago.
“They almost cancelled ‘Duck Dynasty’ whenever my grandpa said the things he said, and that would have been, in my opinion, not a very good decision, because that was putting one man’s words in all of our mouths,” she said.
TLC made the decision to pull “19 Kids and Counting” not long after news broke about the molestation. However, the network will be airing a special on childhood sexual assault later this month that will feature two of Josh’s sisters, Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald.
Sadie, who is friends with some of the Duggar daughters, said she feels bad for Josh’s family.
“It honestly makes me really sad that they’re having to go through this, because it’s one thing to go through it as a family, and it would be just as hard for them if they weren’t in the limelight but….everybody is talking about it and that just adds that many more comments, that many more opinions,” Sadie said.
The 18-year-old also preached forgiveness for Josh, who just checked himself into a long-term rehab facility.
“At this point, it is what it is and they’re just going to have to make the best of it…if they can forgive him, it will all work out,” she said.
Watch Sadie’s full interview below:
14 Responses
The parents knowingly allowed and even insisted far beyond 18 that an offender known to them remain in the home with not only his victims but several minor kids. All the side hugs and the barrack style bedrooms and layering was not done because of a calling from God but their bizarre notion of safety. We don’t know if Josh was abused. We don’t know if he will reoffend. We don’t truly know how many were abused or how extreme the abuse was cause they didn’t get medical care for their daughters. The underhanded nature of the authorities knowing is suspect. The handling of CPS seems like strings pulled to. Locked doors are not amazing they are a fire hazard. The family obviously wasn’t dealing with it in a healthy way for survivors. Then they encouraged others to do the same things and got rich off it. They are apparently God to decide what happens when another child is abused outside the family.
I think the fact that his parents tried covering it up, then sending him away to a camp to help hide his feelings for little girls is wrong, and that’s why the show was cancelled. Their religion is what made them think they could hide it, because he said sorry, and God forgave him.
It’s fine to say you forgive him and hope he smartens up. But would you want to be married to him? Would you leave a child in his care? Just because it the Christian thing to forgive, does not mean you’ll risk your daughters. At least I know I wouldn’t. His own parents won’t let their little girls around him! That speaks volumes! They’ve even labeled the other boys in the family and won’t let them near the little girls. That’s just wrong.
She’s still basically a child. She has no understanding that what happened did involve the entire family. The younger children may not have had any idea what was happening but the parents did. That’s reason enough to take them off the air.
This wasn’t just some words but very real actions
She’s just another brainwashed kid that only knows what her parents and church thinks. Go live life without your parents or church and come back in a few years and see if you still believe this, little naive girl.
Their show should have gotten cancelled as well. Also there is a difference between being an idiot who is out of touch with reality (duck dynasty) and molesting your sisters (duggars).
Seriously!? The parents admitted to knowing about the molestation, even sending him away for “treatment.”
What an ignorant dumba**. Continuous sexual abuse isn’t just “a mistake”. The family got what they deserved.
Ugh. When will these people go away?
Karma has a way of coming back and biting people in their butts. The Patriarch of this family had better watch out for HIS karma….just sayin…
reply to Kaetlyn, I also feel like there is something about that too!
I think that girlfriend should just be happy that her family got to keep their crappy show.
Shut your mouth little girl.
Yeah, there’s a difference between “the actions of one” and “the parents were active in the cover-up in which none of the involved parties received proper counseling”.