When you consider how long they've been famous, it's amazing how much of their lives the Duggars have been able to keep hidden from public view.
The internet age has made it more difficult than ever for them to keep their secrets, but the Counting On clan still adheres to a code of silence strict enough to rival the Five Families of the New York Mafia.
Or at least they did, until Derick Dillard threatened to publish a memoir.
That announcement seemed to open the floodgates, and these days, Jim Bob is taking legal action to ensure that his family's secrets remain secret.
Jim Bob's sons-in-law have been under especially close scrutiny in recent months.
He seems to have rocky relationships with some -- namely, Derick and Jeremy Vuolo -- while others, such as Ben Seewald and Austin Forsyth, have managed to pass muster.
Interestingly, however, the ones who have earned the Jim Bob seal of approval have exhibited some of the most questionable behavior.
Take Austin, for example.
He's rumored to have been hand-selected for Joy-Anna Duggar by her father, and it's not hard to see why.
Austin's family observes the same ultra-strict religious traditions as Jim Bob, and nowhere is their hardcore fundamentalism more evident than at the family's summer camp facility.
We've been hearing rumors about the Forsyths' camp for years, and those who have experienced it say the Bible-thumping goings-on reveal that Austin's family is even more strict in their beliefs than the Duggars.
Of course, the Forsyths are insanely strict about who gains admittance, so such firsthand accounts are hard to come by.
Fortunately, the r/duggarsnark subreddit has delivered again with a post from a woman who says she was invited to the camp several years ago, and was appalled by what she witnessed.
"So several asked for my account of the infamous family camp. I think it’s held twice a year, but my particular experience happened in October 2015," the post began.
"[My husband] was on staff at a previous church when the pastor asked if he and I would attend this camp (for free!) with a few other families so they could see if it would be a good thing to send other families to," the woman wrote.
"I was a HUGE Duggar fan. I’m embarrassed to say I’d followed them for years. My husband couldn’t stand them so he was wary, but I convinced him! But man, as soon as we pulled up, I was freaked."
From there, the anonymous camper offered an account likely to make even the most ardent Duggar believer uncomfortable, writing:
"This place is WAY out in the hills. I didn’t even think our car would make it up the driveway. I remember telling him that if we heard banjos, we were turning around quick! After settling in, we went to the first service on the schedule.
"I immediately realized I was the only one in pants... all other women wore skirts and the highly modest, neck high shirts. I had on jeans and a T-shirt but I’m sure they were judging.
"I can’t remember the message, but my husband still tells the story that he knew this place was weird when the speaker (can’t remember who it was) showed famous pieces of art that had the nudity censored.
"Mind you, we’re all adults. And even if we weren’t, who cares! We both love the arts and don’t believe in censorship so this unnerved us."
Sadly, the censored art is no surprise, as we all know how the Duggars feel about any expression of human sexuality.
But little did we know that even contemporary Christian music is unacceptable in the Forsyths' world.
"While walking around, we found pamphlets detailing the evils of CCM or Contemporary Christian Music and any music that made you want to dance. Apparently, dancing is only sexual. Defrauding, if you will. The only appropriate music to them are old hymns," the witness wrote.
"I had to endure several lectures (both in sessions and personally from other attendees at dinner) on the dangers of public school. How I should get my child out immediately before “she made friends.”
At some point during the visit, Jim Bob and Michelle gave a speech to the assembled campers.
This was shortly after news of the Josh Duggar sex scandals went public, but it seems the predator's parents were more concerned with damage control than penitence.
"[Jim Bob and Michelle] got up to speak and that was the absolute cherry on the freak cake. This was right after the crap hit the fan so they were very emotional and open about [Josh]," the witness wrote.
"[Michelle] didn’t talk. Like I don’t know if she wasn’t allowed but she barely said a word, just stared up at JB like he was gold," she added.
"Tbh they were upset about it all but it seemed to me it was more about being upset that this all came out."
The author of the post concludes by mentioning what an eye-opening experience this was:
"It’s been awhile but I realized then that this was a cult... and I was scarily close to it," she wrote.
Well, at least she realized before it was too late!
