New much-correct Christian Patriarchy way is found on new brink away from collapse once a number of so-called situations, attacks, and more involving the movement’s frontrunners.
Amanda Marcotte
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have put many years and a lot of work into putting a smiling, nearly normal-seeming face on the extreme Christian right. The couple adheres to a fringe strain of fundamentalist Christianity dubbed the “Religious patriarchy” or sometimes the “Quiverfull” movement, and while there is a lot 
of internal diversity to the movement, they generally preach a combination of beliefs that run counter to mainstream America: absolute female submission, a ban on dating, homeschooling, a rejection of higher education for women, and shunning of contraception in favor of trying to have as many children as humanly possible. The movement is controversial even within Christian right circles, but the Duggars have tried to counter that with their popular reality TV show 19 Kids & Counting, where they present themselves as a wholesome everyday family that just happens to be a little more fecund and conservative than average.
The strategy has been surprisingly effective, with Michelle Duggar being able to act like she’s just like any other reality TV star, giving intercourse info and sharing solutions. Jim Bob has also been able to turn their fame into an opportunity to get political power, chumming doing having presidential candidates and speaking from the much more traditional conventional incidents. While many in the Christian right are still skeptical of Biblical patriarchy’s extremism, this charm offensive has clearly softened up resistance and is giving this fringe an ability to throw their political weight around. The fact that Republicans have started to step up the anti-contraception rhetoric lately appears, in part, to be the result of this tiny group of extremists Christians putting a smiley face on absolutist anti-contraception sentiments.
But right due to the fact Duggars are beginning so you can profit from all of this tough propaganda functions, it seems the nation they are available regarding-the tiny but expanding field of tight Biblical patriarchy-is actually actual danger of collapsing. Whenever you are adherents compared to that particular Christianity, including the Duggars, like to color an enthusiastic uber-wholesome face on their families and beliefs, unappealing facts try in the long run starting to drip away regarding your difficulties away from infidelity and alleged sexual punishment locally.
The latest scandal is a doozy. Back in , Doug Phillips, who, in his capacity as the president of Vision Forum Ministries, is probably the most important leader in the world of Biblical patriarchy, confessed to help you cheating with the his girlfriend and resigned as president of his ministry. “I engaged in a lengthy, inappropriate relationship with a woman,” he wrote. “While we did not ‘know’ each other in a Biblical sense, it was nevertheless inappropriately romantic and affectionate.” Shortly after his confession, Vision Discussion board Ministries finalized right up shop, unable to continue with the stink of sex scandal upon them.
Gender Scandal Stones the fresh new Duggars’ Christian Patriarchy Course
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of Phillips in the small world of extreme fundamentalists. His father is one of the most vital founding fathers of one’s Christian right path generally, and Doug extended his work by largely building this culture of the far Christian right as we know it, especially if you watch 19 Kids & Counting. The Duggar family are friends and acolytes of Phillips, and Vision Forum, in turn, has used Michelle Duggar in their efforts to demonize contraception, including giving her an award for “Mommy of the season” for having so many children.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that there may be more to this entire scandal than the typical minister-caught-cheating story. The woman with whom Phillips confessed to an “inappropriate” relationship, named Lourdes Torres-Manteufel, filed suit in Bexar County, Texas, accusing brand new strong Christian best frontrunner away from pressing her into a multi-year abusive relationship that allegedly featured frequent sexual assault. While the complaint never mentions sexual intercourse, it does claim that he repeatedly groped and masturbated on her while she protested. The plaintiff alleges she was basically moved into Phillips’ house with his wife and children, taken on many family vacations, and given work as a caretaker for the family, all while secretly being bullied into sexual encounters without consent. She even claims that Phillips told her that they would marry soon, as he believed that his wife was about to die.
