be free indeed. jinger i want (née Duggar) had fans buzzing from the moment she announced her new memoir, Becoming Truly Free: My Story of Untangling Faith from Fearin which he “tells how he began to question the harmful ideology of his youth and learned to embrace true freedom in Christ.”
In the first chapter of the long-awaited book, which will hit bookstores on January 31, the Counting on alum criticized the “Free Jinger” movement — a thread on an online forum started by fans in 2005 in which they discussed their views on the family’s controversial beliefs — noting that while the movement’s name was amusing, it offended him that people wanted him to abandon his faith.
He I hope we hold The author went on to explain that while she doesn’t believe religion should dictate what someone eats or wears, the Duggar boys had notoriously strict rules growing up—specifically, the women in the family weren’t allowed to wear pants – argued that organized faith lays the foundation of sound morality.
“I have come to see that unrestrained freedom does not produce the good life. In the end, it often leads to more bondage. Because? Because it puts me in charge of my life, and I’m not the best judge of what’s best for me,” he said. Matchbox Coffee Contributor wrote. “Given unlimited options and the responsibility of figuring out what will make me truly happy, I struggle to commit to anything.”
Jinger’s memoir also discusses the nondenominational religious organization, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), founded by Bill Gothard in 1961. In become truly freeThe mother-of-two says the minister’s teachings are “wrong” and claims the religion she and her 18 siblings were raised in encourages a life “based on rules, not the Word of God.”
Plus, Jinger shares how her sister Jessa Seewaldthe husband of Ben Seewaldencouraged her to learn about the faith the way she wanted.
“I noticed that his church read the Bible in its entirety and preached the Scriptures that way,” Jinger explained. “I feel like I’m in a much better place now. I see God as amazing.”
Two months after the release of her memoir, Jinger discussed growing up under Gothard’s teachings during a March 2023 appearance on the “Cultish” podcast, saying they instilled in her an unhealthy “fear of God,” which she likened to “More of a terror.”
“I was probably one of the most sensitive people in my family, so I played by the rules,” she said. “If that was an inch in a skirt, she’d say ‘Oh no. I can’t sit in this skirt on. Because she would barely look like a quarter of my knee. He was a legalist to the extreme because that’s what Bill Gothard said would protect you.”
Jinger went on to say that despite having a “very happy childhood,” she was “struggling” internally with “so much fear and a wrong view of God.”
“I saw the outside world as something like, ‘I want to reach them. I want to share these principles with the world because this is going to help,’” added the former reality star. “I had some friends who walked with Jesus, but they thought differently. They would listen to music with drums, the women would wear pants, they would not have as many children as possible. She would look at them and think, ‘They just don’t know. … People can still be Christian outside of it, but they just won’t succeed.’ I would also look at the outside world and the influences would scare me, I would be scared to be around someone for too long that was not exactly like me and my convictions.
While some of the Duggar brothers have supported Jinger since it announced the release of become truly freesome family members have not been as eager for the book’s content, especially the parents jim bob and michelle duggarwho were “preparing” for its launch.
“Jim Bob and Michelle aren’t thrilled about the publication of Jinger’s book, but they hope for the best.” an insider said exclusively In contact in November 2022. “They are not sure about all the topics it will cover, but they have prayed about it and hope it will be honest, respectful and not bring up too many family issues.”
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