Thread by @DrAaronNew

Watched #ShinyHappyPeople. It’s worth checking out, if you haven’t already.

Plenty has already been said about the authoritarianism and subjugation of people we see within that flavor of Christianity.

I would only add to the conversation that NONE OF THAT WAS SURPRISING to me, given what I know about *another* Duggar.

Do you know John W. Duggar, great uncle of Jim Bob Duggar?

Let me introduce you to him.

Before I do, let me acknowledge that I don’t know how Jim Bob and Michelle feel about John.

Guilt-by-association is unfair, especially when you can’t choose your association - as in the case of sharing a family name.

In this article, Jim Bob does seem to have some admiration for his great uncle as he tours @BMASeminary - a seminary with a deep and long-standing relationship with John.

cbs19.tv/article/news/d…

John helped launch the BMA seminary. He served as President of the seminary for 10 years. And there are areas of the seminary today that bear his name. You can find some of that history here. bmats.edu/history/

But that 2009 article is all I know of how Jim Bob feels about John. It’s possible Jim Bob disagrees with John, would disavow John’s teachings, or is otherwise embarrassed by his great uncle.

My only point is that none of the authoritarian impulses or the subjugation of others (in the name of Christ, no less) we see in Gothard & Duggar circles was surprising to me, knowing what I know about another Duggars - John W. in particular.

In 1954, John wrote a book, “God’s Answer to Segregation.”

And it is vile.

If you’re keeping score at home, 1954 is the same year that Brown vs. Topeka made segregation in public schools unconstitutional. And it’s just 3 years before the Little Rock school crisis in 1957 and the subsequent Lost Year in 1958.

John’s book was not insignificant. There were segments of very vocal and active (and sometimes violent) Christians who opposed integration in the strongest of terms. And many (if not most) were aware of, influenced by, and/or emboldened by Duggar’s book.

The book is as abhorrent as you might be able to imagine. But if you want/need a taste, here are just a few passages. Be warned. They are awful.

A few more.

I don’t really know the point of this thread that has gotten too long by now. Except maybe to say none of the show was surprising and that I think it’s healthy when we as Christians collectively confront and own our dark histories. And I think we still have more of that to do.

We are at our worst when we lead through fear-mongering and power and shame. #ShinyHappyPeople is just one more example of that.

Addendum: @scott_m_coley wrote a great article showing how authoritarian theology connects both racism & patriarchy. I think his previous website is offline while he works on a forth-coming book. But its on Wayback Machine and definitely worth a look.

web.archive.org/web/2023020105…

This is solid.

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