In the most limited sense imaginable, Josh Duggar’s prison sentence has granted Anna new freedoms.
But at the end of the day, she is now effectively a single mom with no real education or qualifications. And she has seven kids.
We have all heard so, so much about how Anna resents her in-laws. She blames them for speaking against Josh.
But misplaced blame can be a two-way street. By cult standards, all of Josh’s sex crimes are not his fault, but Anna’s.
As we touched upon in our earlier report, a former Duggar family friend is shedding light on the cult’s blame game.
To the outside world, Josh Duggar’s sexual fixation upon prepubescent girls drove him to commit crimes. Now he is in prison after receiving and possessing child sex-abuse materials (CSAM).
The causes and motivations behind this dangerous compulsion are complex. In real life. In the cult, the cause is all too simple.
Mary Murphy told The US Sun that “one aspect of the cult culture centers on the responsibility of females.”
This goes beyond not “defrauding” men by showing their arms or the shape of their bodies, the IBLP survivor noted.
Within this fringe cult, Mary explained that women face expectations “to meet the husband’s every single sexual need.”
This is not simply a wifely duty, either.
This sick ideology makes women responsible for a man’s behavior, at every level.
Women must please their man “to prevent him from having affairs, sexually abusing children, and watching pornography.”
“If the husband does any or all those things, they blame the wife in a large part,” Mary noted.
She did not mince words, characterizing these exchanges: “Like, ‘Oh, if you met his needs he wouldn’t have done this.’”
This sort of hideous mentality does arise sometimes in mainstream culture. For example, as some erroneously blame the wives of serial killers. But within this twisted cult, it’s not just commonplace — it’s the “correct” response.
“They’re going to blame Anna,” Mary stated bluntly.
“The pornography goes back to Anna,” she specified.
“The wife is not fulfilling his needs so he turned to pornography,” Mary explained the thought process, “poor him.”
She then explained IBLP teachings: “The wife needs to do what she’s supposed to do and meet his needs.”
“It’s not logical,” Mary then freely acknowledged.
But Anna, like Mary, grew up in this hellish cult environment. She likely cannot imagine any other life.
“I’m not surprised Anna is supporting him,” Mary confessed.
She explained that this is “because that’s what she is being told, it’s her responsibility.”
Mary continued: “Growing up in this culture, she’s turning that responsibility inward on herself and blaming herself.”
Outside of the cult, many have noted that Anna has options. A tell-all book from Josh’s wife could make serious money. And yet, she doesn’t seem interested … if she’s even aware that it’s an option.
“I’m not surprised she hasn’t left,” Mary then noted.
“We were taught, pressured, and brainwashed,” she wrote.
Mary noted that they had no real choice but “to believe that as women and wives, the number one purpose is to support her husband.”
“And,” she then added, “make him successful with no exceptions.”
Mary summarized this cult’s perverse teachings: “The husband is number one.”
Mary “hopes” that Anna will ditch this disgusting beast and break free of the cult. But is it likely?
“I still hope she will make the choice to leave and to protect her children,” she then expressed.
“She was in the court and heard everything herself,” Mary pointed out. “I wish she already left.”
Mary stated firmly: “She has that responsibility now that she has heard everything.”
Meanwhile, she remains “grateful and relieved” that the notorious sexual predator is “finally behind bars.” The kids are safe from him. For now.
And she expressed no surprise at Josh continuing to insist that he is innocent, both at trial and now. “Of course he would appeal.”
Duggar Family Blames Anna for Josh’s Crimes, Cult Survivor Warns was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .