Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[kellylovessnark]

I just got a Yahoo News in my Facebook feed. It states he admits to having an affair on Anna.

[Sew Sumi]

I disagree.  I think this was news to them and a terrible shock.  Having had a child who has made some SERIOUS mistakes during his life, every time I learned of something new he had done wrong it was a punch in the gut.  I was almost numb with shock and I believe JB and Michelle feel the same way.  Nevertheless, I still love my child.  He has made some progress, but is far from perfect.  But I do believe in redemption.  Another close family member is a member of AA.  It was a struggle for him, but he is now a financial success and a good husband and a good person.   He still attends meetings and will continue to do so.  But he has turned his life around and so I believe that others can do the same. 

I'm happy for your family members, but as long as Josh doesn't admit the full extent of his addictions, he's not going to get the help he needs. Christian "counseling" is garbage. He obviously has deep-seated problems that stem all the way back to puberty needing to be addressed. We now know that swinging a hammer and praying for three weeks when he was 15 didn't help. We know taking him to the kiddie porn cop didn't help. Marriage and four kids didn't help. 

 

It's going to take a lot more than he's ever been willing to give to "cast out his demons." 

I just got a Yahoo News in my Facebook feed. It states he admits to having an affair on Anna.

He admitted to being "unfaithful." That can be read a thousand ways. I would be careful about this; they used that word on purpose to raise such ambiguity. 

[Tabbygirl521]

WTF was that? Seems like he is confessing in front of his church. No bub I'm not forgiving you for being a complete idiot!

I'm amused and still LMAO that SATAN made him do it.

I always find it so entertaining when Satan manages to have his way with these oh-so-godly types. Meanwhile, little old non-churchgoer me just passed my 26th wedding anniversary, having managed not to cheat on my hub without even trying. Go figure.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Tabbygirl521

[Tracy]

I'm just gonna say this.. I feel so badly for Anna. She only did everything she was supposed to do and it blows up in her face. Someone needs to bend her ear and tell that young woman to cut her ties, write a TELL ALL book and secure her own damn future.

[charmed1]

JoanArc, I've followed fundies long enough to know that they have an obsession with viewing porn on the internet as sin, and actual sexual sins are a separate category. They are BIG on 86ing porn addiction. Like I said, they made a whole movie about that (Fireproof). A movie that Josh and Anna saw while they were courting. How...ironic.

Joshie admitting to being unfaithful can be anything from "lusting in his heart" to a full-out affair. They were careful not to use the A word in his statement.

Poor, poor humiliated Anna.

There is a very popular and extremely successful gospel artist named Kirk Franklin. He's like the Sean Puffy Combs of gospel. A few years ago, there were all these rumors that he was stepping out on his wife. Lo and behold, he claimed to have a "porn addiction." And then all was forgiven by his fans because "we're all sinners."

[MichellesRobocall]

I call BS on the porn addiction. I think Josh looked at porn just like everyone does (let's be real; most of us have looked at porn) but because of the culture he grew up in, he has categorized it as an addiction. I also think the the idea that looking at porn is the same thing as cheating is stupid; it's not cheating, and in Josh's case, it's a total cop-out so that he can avoid admitting to physically cheating on Anna. 

 

That said, I've very much enjoyed his downfall as bad as that sounds. It's been like Christmas morning for me, waiting to see if he'd release a statement. Everybody loves a scandal, right?

[Defrauder]

Poor Josh he says he 'learning the hard way'.  Yeah now there's an interesting way to put it.

[randomania]

None of the direct links posted above worked for me, although this one did. If you're having trouble go straight to Michelle's blog - it's (currently) the top link.

 

There's one big word missing from that statement: "Sorry."

[Isthisok]

Not showing up on Michelle's blog for me. So... He admitted to looking at porn and that is what he's calling "unfaithful", to maintain some level of plausible deniability with their denser fan base? That'll probably work.

[Wok Chop]

I always find it so entertaining when Satan manages to have his way with these oh-so-godly types. Meanwhile, little old non-churchgoer me just passed my 26th wedding anniversary, having managed not to cheat on my hub without even trying. Go figure.

Satan is only after the best, most special, and most PURE Christians. You are obviously small potatoes, and I think you'd best purpose to get right with God.

[Tabbygirl521]

Am snorting with laughter. That explains everything, WokChop!

[ShowsILoveToHate]

Now I'm getting a message saying their site is down....   Fortunately some of you were able to grab what had been posted there!

[Churchhoney]

Even if a credit card statement came to the house saying that he charged to "Ashley Madison," Anna wouldn't have had a clue what that was.  He could tell her he'd bought some clothes and she wouldn't know the difference.  (I know I'd never heard of Ashley Madison until they were hacked.)

 

A friend of mine said yesterday that "Ashley Madison" sounded like a brand of yuppified clothing sold mainly at K-Mart. Sounds about right to me.

[zoomama]

Satan is only after the best, most special, and most PURE Christians. You are obviously small potatoes, and I think you'd best purpose to get right with God.

actually, satan is after whomever he can get. it doesn't matter how big or small your celebrity status is.

[ShowsILoveToHate]

Now it's back up, but the last blog from M'chelle is from the 16th. 

[Tabbygirl521]

I bet poor Anna is being bombarded with everyone around her saying that this just God's way of testing her faith. I am sure that even THINKING of leaving will be considered some level of failure on HER part. I hope her renegade sister can get some time alone with her.

[Defrauder]

A friend of mine said yesterday that "Ashley Madison" sounded like a brand of yuppified clothing sold mainly at K-Mart. Sounds about right to me.

I agree.  Josh could have covered his tracks easily with a simple - oh you remember Anna that denim skirt I bought you for your birthday, that was from an Ashley Madison store.

[Churchhoney]

Wait wait wait....paying $1K for two separate Ashley Madison accounts held for over two years, plus an OKcupid profile, all of which solicit sex from women, and possibly having the extramarital affairs and/or sexual encounters sought through these profiles, is now reduced to "viewing pornography over the internet"?

 

"Viewing pornography over the internet" is the new "inappropriate touching."

 

Masters of understatement, the Duggars.

[Wok Chop]

Tabbygirl, I guess I'm on a higher spiritual plane than you. It is only the strong, true Christians who the devil seeks. The closer one is to God, the more at risk you are to Satan using your mortal body as real estate for his fortresses. I will pray for you.

But for real: congrats on 26 years of marriage!

Edited August 20, 2015 by Wok Chop

[Katydid]

I think that if he had "only" viewed porn and not had an actual affair(s) that he would have been sure to add a disclaimer of sorts making it clear that, while he was unfaithful in his mind, he didn't go beyond that to actually have sex with anyone else. Sort of like when he "only touched the girls over their clothes and while they were sleeping." He may not have had any luck with Ashley Madison, but that doesn't necessarily mean he didn't find some action by other means.

[Rane]

Wouldn't surprise me if the site crashed.

 

One of the things I noticed earlier today (after the statement was posted) was that it was possible to comment on the post, but that they clearly were screening/blocking the comment from then posting publicly.

 

I'm having problems posting this properly,but apparently Joshy Boy's statement was edited by someone (his parents? PR advisor?) after the fact - a kind soul on twitter got the screengrabs showing the removal of blame from Satan.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM3tpwWVEAM3K_R.png

Edited August 20, 2015 by Rane

[GreyBunny]

He says he has a porn addiction?  Maybe he's trying to gaslight his wife into thinking Ashley Madison is for porno films and not a place where he can pay to have an affair with a living, breathing woman. 

[Defrauder]

"Viewing pornography over the internet" is the new "inappropriate touching."

 

Masters of understatement, the Duggars.

You said it Churchhoney. That's exactly what's going on.

[Schmoopy]

I'm happy for your family members, but as long as Josh doesn't admit the full extent of his addictions, he's not going to get the help he needs. Christian "counseling" is garbage. He obviously has deep-seated problems that stem all the way back to puberty needing to be addressed. We now know that swinging a hammer and praying for three weeks when he was 15 didn't help. We know taking him to the kiddie porn cop didn't help. Marriage and four kids didn't help. 

 

It's going to take a lot more than he's ever been willing to give to "cast out his demons." 

He admitted to being "unfaithful." That can be read a thousand ways. I would be careful about this; they used that word on purpose to raise such ambiguity. 

To address the passage above that I bolded...

 

I agree with you that they purposely addressed his unfaithfulness in such a way that it could be interpreted many different ways. (If girls come out of the woodwork or pics show up online he can say he admitted it....if nothing more comes out then he will eventually start using verbiage to make it seem as though his internet porn addiction was his sin of unfaithfulness)

 

Now it is my opinion that if Josh truly did not have sexual relations with another woman then he would have DEFINITELY made that crystal clear in his public apology.  Something like...although I have never acted upon my fantasies and have never been unfaithful to my wife I know in my heart that my online behavior was inexcusable and hurtful blah blah blah.

[BitterApple]

Does Ashley Madison have porn on its site? If not, how would a porn addiction explain his address and credit card numbers being stored on a website expressly designed for the purpose of infidelity?

[Adiba]

Wow, I didn't expect Josh to admit anything-- at least not so soon. I mean, really-- he is no longer with the FRC or on TV, why say anything publicly? What he did was not illegal; he could have just confessed to his wife and/or family/ church?

I have no sympathy for Josh, but Anna and the children do have it. Anna is between a rock and a hard place and the kids did nothing to deserve this public humiliation.

[sometimesy]

"Tracy

22 minutes ago

I'm just gonna say this.. I feel so badly for Anna. She only did everything she was supposed to do and it blows up in her face. Someone needs to bend her ear and tell that young woman to cut her ties, write a TELL ALL book and secure her own damn future."

 

I fell bad for Anna as well but, I can't imagine how boring a tell-all from Anna would be. The tell-all I want is from Jinger or Josh.

[GreyBunny]

Wow, I didn't expect Josh to admit anything-- at least not so soon. I mean, really-- he is no longer with the FRC or on TV, why say anything publicly? What he did was not illegal; he could have just confessed to his wife and/or family/ church?

I have no sympathy for Josh, but Anna and the children do have it. Anna is between a rock and a hard place and the kids did nothing to deserve this public humiliation.

Anna married a man who told her he molested girls, his own sisters, one as young as five, and had children with him.  Even if she didn't get the whole story when she married him, she stayed with him with the grisly details became public and she's keeping her own girls in the line of fire of someone with an ongoing, disgusting history.  Anna deserves it.

[BitterApple]

If Boob has reached his limit and cuts the purse strings, a tell-all may be imminent. The older girls likely want nothing to do with Josh (understandably), he was never close to JD or Joe, and is an entire age division above the youngest set of kids. In other words, I don't think there's any ties holding him back, other than maybe Michelle.

JimBob must be losing his shit right now.

Edited August 20, 2015 by BitterApple

[kellylovessnark]

I'm happy for your family members, but as long as Josh doesn't admit the full extent of his addictions, he's not going to get the help he needs. Christian "counseling" is garbage. He obviously has deep-seated problems that stem all the way back to puberty needing to be addressed. We now know that swinging a hammer and praying for three weeks when he was 15 didn't help. We know taking him to the kiddie porn cop didn't help. Marriage and four kids didn't help.

It's going to take a lot more than he's ever been willing to give to "cast out his demons."

He admitted to being "unfaithful." That can be read a thousand ways. I would be careful about this; they used that word on purpose to raise such ambiguity.

True. I am glad that he at least admired instead of trying to cover it up.

[graefin]

Wow, I didn't expect Josh to admit anything-- at least not so soon. I mean, really-- he is no longer with the FRC or on TV, why say anything publicly?

Because he and his family are still holding on to the hope of a life funded by the public.

[Schmoopy]

Because he and his family are still holding on to the hope of a life funded by the public.

 

Or he knows A LOT more shit is about to come out so he is trying to get ahead of the story and spin it the best way he can.

[lulu69]

I give it 2 years before he is on the Christian circuit talking about how Jesus cured him of his problems and helped him become a godly man again.. The healing power of Jesus blah blah blah

Yup....this. I can see it now, Josh falling to his knees & crying bc God's infinite mercy has saved him!!

 

Coming soon to a town near you...snort

Edited August 20, 2015 by lulu69

[floridamom]

Well, I just want to shake my finger at Jim Bob and Michelle. I guess their flavor of "Christianity", ie Gothard Cult Crap doesn't guarantee a perfect outcome for your family, does it? I'm so tired of those two "modestly bragging" about how their way is so much better than the rest of us out here. I bet those two jerks believe that Josh's history is what it is, because they conceived him when they were still living heathen lives, using birth control, and hadn't find Gothard's cult yet...those two need counseling themselves, not GIVING it...

[Rane]

Wow, I didn't expect Josh to admit anything-- at least not so soon. I mean, really-- he is no longer with the FRC or on TV, why say anything publicly? What he did was not illegal; he could have just confessed to his wife and/or family/ church?

Its like ripping off a band-aid - admit your sins quickly, in one pull & hope that the public moves on to the next sensation in a few hours, rather than letting the speculation fester over the weekend. My guess is he's also hoping that he's just the first small fry in a series of revelations about AM clients. Plus JimBoob likely wants this off the event horizon before the TLC special airs (assuming it does on schedule & without the Duggar involvement edited out).

[graefin]

Or he knows A LOT more shit is about to come out so he is trying to get ahead of the story and spin it the best way he can.

Still, why would they care about what the public thinks about them unless they want to maintain their fanbase?

[FakeJoshDuggar]

If you fill the search function on Facebook with joesmithsonnwa@gmail.com, it comes up with an old account with some really interesting "friends."

[yogi2014L]

Anna married a man who told her he molested girls, his own sisters, one as young as five, and had children with him.  Even if she didn't get the whole story when she married him, she stayed with him with the grisly details became public and she's keeping her own girls in the line of fire of someone with an ongoing, disgusting history.  Anna deserves it.

I personally do not believe Anna knew anything about Josh molesting his very young siblings before marriage. I think she learned about it after they had been married,  forgave him and said that to help save his image. I don't think anyone deserves what Anna is going through, other than Jboob , Me Chelle and Josh.

Edited August 20, 2015 by yogi2014L

[DoctorWhovian]

It's just another addition to the list of people who speak out vehemently against homosexuality, infidelity, and other sexual issues that turn out are doing the same or worse. 

 

I think the only thing that is shocking to me is that he actually went through with it. And lol at a "porn addiction." I bet that means "I looked at porn when I masturbated a normal amount for an adult human."

[Iguessnot]

Omg...wowz...holy guacomole.....and Jesus take the wheel!

For godsakes. If these Duggarites allowed their kids to be normal, to date, to go to school, to have friends and sports, music or dance, exposure to the world, etc, the possibilities of Ashley Madison and the sister-molestations would be greatly diminished.

 

Doesn't work that way. I'm sure that Madison site was frequented in greater numbers by folks whose childhoods had no bounds.

 

I'm happy for your family members, but as long as Josh doesn't admit the full extent of his addictions, he's not going to get the help he needs. Christian "counseling" is garbage. He obviously has deep-seated problems that stem all the way back to puberty needing to be addressed. We now know that swinging a hammer and praying for three weeks when he was 15 didn't help. We know taking him to the kiddie porn cop didn't help. Marriage and four kids didn't help. 

 

It's going to take a lot more than he's ever been willing to give to "cast out his demons." 

He admitted to being "unfaithful." That can be read a thousand ways. I would be careful about this; they used that word on purpose to raise such ambiguity. 

 The full extent of his addictions, while juicy sure ain't my business. I have all the info I need to know about his character.

[cheatincheetos]

They cast out Satan!

Nope! Satan built a fortress inside. A pillow fort, the worst kind of all!

[annzeepark914]

Plus JimBoob likely wants this off the event horizon before the TLC special airs (assuming it does on schedule & without the Duggar involvement edited out).

Good grief...TLC needs to end this show completely.  There doesn't need to be any "special" featuring the Duggar family, ever again. M/M JimBob need to invest their time now in taking care of their family issues in private.  You'd think TPTB at TLC would be worried about what (Duggar) shoe will drop next.

[leighdear]

If they had set up paying ads on their website, the traffic there for just today would have gotten new Uggs for all the girls, a crispy new perm for Michelle and a case of anti-antiperspirant for the Jim-Bob flop sweats....

 

And I think at this point, TLC is gonna pull a Subway and disavow any contact whatsoever with this bunch. 

Edited August 20, 2015 by leighdear

[Clemgo3165]

To address the passage above that I bolded...

 

I agree with you that they purposely addressed his unfaithfulness in such a way that it could be interpreted many different ways. (If girls come out of the woodwork or pics show up online he can say he admitted it....if nothing more comes out then he will eventually start using verbiage to make it seem as though his internet porn addiction was his sin of unfaithfulness)

 

Now it is my opinion that if Josh truly did not have sexual relations with another woman then he would have DEFINITELY made that crystal clear in his public apology.  Something like...although I have never acted upon my fantasies and have never been unfaithful to my wife I know in my heart that my online behavior was inexcusable and hurtful blah blah blah.

 

In my mind, signing up for hookups at Ashley Madison is the same as acting on his fantasies. He may not have actually hooked up with anyone, but he took the necessary steps to facilitate one and that's the same to me. Not acting on his fantasies would be keeping them in his own mind and not doing anything to make them happen. Or better yet, enjoying some games of pretend with his own wife. He's a pig, plain and simple.

[MonicaM]

I would feel a lot sorrier for Anna right now if she hadn't defended Josh when it became public knowledge that he molested young girls.  Of course I wouldn't expect her to condemn him, but she could have kept her mouth shut and made no comment.  Instead, she went right along with the family line that no harm was done to anyone and all was well in the world.

 

She doesn't deserve this latest scandal, but I'll have no sympathy for her if the Duggar family decides to take the stance that Josh did nothing to hurt Anna.  She certainly had no sympathy for the females Josh molested.  

[cheatincheetos]

Does Ashley Madison have porn on its site?

If you count members sending x rated selfies to each other.

"The men would join, post a picture of their dick and then call two hours later screaming "why has no one messaged me?!?!?!" The delusion was off the charts. I had to explain at least five times a day that sending women pictures of your dick is literally the WORST first impression you can make. 9 times out of 10 they still didn't get it and would just go upload MORE dick pics."

 

"it's an x-rated site and seeing penises and vaginas 500 times a day became a little unnerving after a few years."

 

www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3dy732/i_worked_at_ashley_madison_from_20082013_ama/+

[HundFan]

If you google "random guy", that pic he stole is one of the first results.

 

I think Anna should cut Josh's face out of all the family photos and instead put in shots of the "random guy." If you squint - and if you're drunk - he does have a passing resemblance to the gelatinous blob. (At least Josh thought so.) Of course "random guy" is better looking than Josh. But then most men are.

[Schmoopy]

Still, why would they care about what the public thinks about them unless they want to maintain their fanbase?

 

Oh I agree with you, I just think he knows more is coming and he figured the best way to try and keep supporters/ fans is to get out ahead of the story and not let the cover-up become worse than the crime.

[Ilovemylabs]

I'm happy for your family members, but as long as Josh doesn't admit the full extent of his addictions, he's not going to get the help he needs. Christian "counseling" is garbage. He obviously has deep-seated problems that stem all the way back to puberty needing to be addressed. We now know that swinging a hammer and praying for three weeks when he was 15 didn't help. We know taking him to the kiddie porn cop didn't help. Marriage and four kids didn't help. 

 

It's going to take a lot more than he's ever been willing to give to "cast out his demons." 

He admitted to being "unfaithful." That can be read a thousand ways. I would be careful about this; they used that word on purpose to raise such ambiguity.

As far as Josh being unfaithful, he is a fundie and in the Bible Jesus said that if you look with lust on a woman other than your wife, it is the same as adultery (You have committed adultery in your heart).   So that may be what he believes.  I would be careful calling anything an affair with these two.  My other point is that Josh confessed his molestation to his parents long ago when the first incidents occurred. He basically turned himself in.   Had they gotten him the correct help at that time, perhaps none of the rest of this would have occurred.  Still, I believe if he wants to change, with the proper help he can.  I pray that happens for all their sakes.  And I guess it has been said about 100 times before, but being raised in such a repressed household was, IMO, a huge part of all this.  This is just so sad all the way round.  I can't find it in me to rejoice over any of it.  There are too many victims. Edited August 20, 2015 by frenchtoast
fixed double post

[3 is enough]

Another disturbing element no one has mentioned- the Ashley Madison accounts date back to the mold house, when they were living off the car lot profits (and TLC money, I know).  I got the impression things were a bit tight financially for them back then, but he still wasted $$$ on his "secret life"?  

 

Puts me in mind of JB's  disgusting waste of money on the failed senate run while his wife and kids were packed like sardines in a too-small house. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.