Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[NextIteration]

I respectfully disagree. Most addicts don't have two nickels to rub together, because they've blown all their money on whatever they're addicted to. That's why so many of them end up living in their car or are completely homeless.

 

Not "porn addicts" they are known for having a stash saved off somewhere on an external drive of some sort just in case their internet use gets cut off or monitored.  I know this is a questionable addiction - but I'm speaking to the behavior that is associated with what is purported to be porn addiction.

 

I'm genuinely curious, how many people here consider Josh to be an addict?

 

I'm not sure but I think his behavior going back to getting caught viewing porn on that campaign strongly suggests it.

 

My opinion YMMV and all that.

Edited August 29, 2015 by NextIteration

[Cherrio]

Ok guys I'm taking one for the team and I'm going to go. I am going to hell in a hand basket because I convinced my 14 year old daughter to go with me by telling her its a "like" a makeup convention. See Michelle, I know what makes me daughter tick. I will report back.

Jessa spoke at 1 p.m. according to the website.

[cmr2014]

This is what I think, too.  They lobbed the word "addiction" to the media to try to minimize what he did.  He knew exactly what he was doing and he could have stopped at any time if he respected his wife.  If he wanted to live a bachelor lifestyle, he had no business getting married, and he should have had the gumption to tell Jim Bob he didn't want to get married so young.  Of course, heaven forbid any of JB's children having an independent thought.

 

I, personally, think it is unrealistic to have expected a 20 year old Josh to tell his parents that he didn't want to live a Gothard lifestyle. It would require Josh to have exibited a personality trait he simply doesn't have -- courage. I don't think that any of the Duggars have any of the related personality traits: courage, bravery, or fearless honesty. I also think that 1) they are, as a group, not self-reflective, and are for the most part unaware that they have any personality flaws at all and 2) they are unwilling to work on correcting or overcoming any of their own problems, except to "pray on it." I mean no disrespect to prayer in general, but I think that the Duggar version of "praying on" their problems is just a way of abandoning personal responsibility and sitting back and waiting for God to magically "cure" them of whatever "sin" they are exhibitiing.

[TaxNerd]

I, personally, think it is unrealistic to have expected a 20 year old Josh to tell his parents that he didn't want to live a Gothard lifestyle. It would require Josh to have exibited a personality trait he simply doesn't have -- courage. I don't think that any of the Duggars have any of the related personality traits: courage, bravery, or fearless honesty. I also think that 1) they are, as a group, not self-reflective, and are for the most part unaware that they have any personality flaws at all and 2) they are unwilling to work on correcting or overcoming any of their own problems, except to "pray on it." I mean no disrespect to prayer in general, but I think that the Duggar version of "praying on" their problems is just a way of abandoning personal responsibility and sitting back and waiting for God to magically "cure" them of whatever "sin" they are exhibitiing.

That is where the tiny amount of pity for Josh I have comes in. Jana, JD and the others can get away with being spinsters in their mid twenties, but the pressure on Josh to marry quickly, and on tv, must have been immense.

Edit: also, well put

Edited August 29, 2015 by TaxNerd

[bigskygirl]

In my opinion, Josh is like his father. He loves the attention, the five minutes of fame, and thinks he can get people to join him in God's Army in order to get the world to turn into what he wants the world to be. Josh thinks people will kiss his hand and tell him how great he is. He does not want to work in order to get things he wants and believes he is an expert on certain religious beliefs. I think he cares for his family but would rather not be tied to them. His ego knows no bounds, but it was his ego and his selfish needs that finally came back to haunt him and bite him in his bloated ego behind.

[sometimesy]

Well if he becomes a televangelist, he could get a nice big tax-free existence.  John Oliver spells it all out! 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1xJAVZxXg

JB probably has the list of requirements memorized better than his 19 kids names. The planes, the Dillards grifting when they don't need the money. Josh's 'addiction' is almost destined to turn into a money-maker.

[Anne Elk]

I don't think Josh is an addict either, but IMO there is a compulsive aspect to his behavior. I just don't think he knows any other way to deal with having sexual feelings except repress, repress, repress, and then when he can't repress anymore, he acts out. Since he sees women as lesser beings, he acts out on their bodies. Once he went to Washington he must have been going crazy -- tons of women around, dressed and behaving in ways that he's been taught are wanton and provocative, plus he suddenly had enough money and freedom to really indulge himself.

 

IMO there were people in the family who knew or suspected but were willing to look the other way as long as Josh kept it on the down low. Unfortunately for him, he isn't smart or sophisticated enough to hide it for long. I'll bet he's learning, though.

[Jellybeans]

Where is GEML?

[lookeyloo]

Based on my own personal experience of being left by a spouse in strange town with two small children, I'm going to say that Anna probably doesn't even know what she will do.  He was still in town with his girlfriend, but I was really alone.  I wasn't post partum, but my entire world did collapse and I had always envisioned that I would be "his wife" and would be a stay at home mom.  And I was sick on top of it, which, I like to say, he stepped over me on his way out.  But, like we tell our dear Wanderwoman, time has a way of putting things in perspective, although we don't think so at the time.  Anyway, it took me a long time to gather my bearings, listen to my parents telling me to "come home".  thinking I was going to move to another state to be near a girlfriend, etc.  I did have the advantage of taking myself to a counselor, crying for weeks on end and wondering if she was going to bill me for the tissues.  It took a considerable amount of time for me to enroll in college and kickstart my life.  It wasn't easy and I had no support except the ex was generous enough with the money (thought he could buy off his guilt, lucky me) so I didn't have to work.  But fast forward and I got a masters degree, met someone else, have been married to him a long time.  I never ever imagined that for myself as I was crying my eyes out over the ex.  So maybe even Anna doesn't know what will happen. She will hear all kinds of things from her parents and his, and maybe some vestige of "oomph" will show itself and she will surprise us all.  Do I think this will happen?  No.  Could it happen?  Maybe.  Let's wait and see.  

 

Where is GEML?

Good question.

 

Which I edited out of my post above.  How did it get attached to that?  Well, no telling.

What in the world?  I am a failure at this stuff.

Edited August 29, 2015 by lookeyloo

[kokapetl]

Where is GEML?

I miss her. She's be able to tell us what the women who worked with Josh, and the women he would have seen on the streets would be like.

[GeeGolly]

Kudos lookeyloo!

 

I miss GEML's perspective as well. Maybe if I yell loud enough she'll hear and come back.

 

GEEEMMMMLLLLLLLLLL

[Churchhoney]

I miss her. She's be able to tell us what the women who worked with Josh, and the women he would have seen on the streets would be like.

 

Here they are:

 

 

 

Washington: Not a fashion capital. Pants are worn and knees are not covered, however.

Washington women, including FRC women: Are college graduates, or more. Spend a lot of time talking about public policies that Josh Duggar doesn't even know exist. So do cab drivers. Not sure what Joshie would make of that, actually.

 

Dunno where GEML is. But the above is it in a nutshell.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Churchhoney

[kokapetl]

Here they are:

Washington: Not a fashion capital. Pants are worn and knees are not covered, however.

Washington women, including FRC women: Are college graduates, or more. Spend a lot of time talking about public policies that Josh Duggar doesn't even know exist. So do cab drivers. Not sure what Joshie would make of that, actually.

Dunno where GEML is. But the above is it in a nutshell.

There's a DC publication that has an annual "50 most beautiful people in DC" type thing. Honestly, there's never a looker in the bunch.

[Defrauder]

One of the Reformer's Unanimous' slogans is:  Freedom, not Sobriety, is our Goal.  

 

I'm trying to interpret that message into something that comes close to making sense but all I'm getting is - Freedom from Sobriety, no can't be that. Freedom in Sobriety? No it doesn't say that.  Freedom and Sobriety?  No it says - NOT Sobriety.  Why don't they want people to be Sober?  What do they have against Sobriety?  I can't interpret it into anything that makes any sense.  They want Freedom?  It's like doublespeak.  They had freedom, got an addiction, and then got locked up there. But Sobriety isn't their goal? Freedom is? They're doomed to fail.  

[Churchhoney]

There's a DC publication that has an annual "50 most beautiful people in DC" type thing. Honestly, there's never a looker in the bunch.

 

That's it, all right. Pretty kids who are born there generally move to NYC, LA, Europe, etc. .... No joke.

 

Power, however, is quite the aphrodisiac. (even brains, sometimes ...)

[Anne Elk]

Washington: Not a fashion capital. Pants are worn and knees are not covered, however.

Washington women, including FRC women: Are college graduates, or more. Spend a lot of time talking about public policies that Josh Duggar doesn't even know exist. So do cab drivers. Not sure what Joshie would make of that, actually.

 

Dunno where GEML is. But the above is it in a nutshell.

 

Hmmmm. My armchair guess, he'd feel attracted, but also highly inadequate. Not a good set of emotions for someone who wants to feel superior to everybody, especially women, but secretly knows he's a barely educated token hire. 

 

Maybe the problem is not that Josh wanted to get out of Duggarland, but Josh wanted out of DC and couldn't think of a face-saving way to do it. Better being taken down by a sex scandal than admitting that he couldn't hack it.

 

On the "Freedom, not Sobriety" thing: They're setting themselves apart from AA. Instead of believing that an addict is an addict for life, and thus should strive to be a sober addict, RU claims that they (through Jesus) cure the addiction entirely.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Anne Elk

[Fuzzysox]

One of the Reformer's Unanimous' slogans is:  Freedom, not Sobriety, is our Goal.  

 

I'm trying to interpret that message into something that comes close to making sense but all I'm getting is - Freedom from Sobriety, no can't be that. Freedom in Sobriety? No it doesn't say that.  Freedom and Sobriety?  No it says - NOT Sobriety.  Why don't they want people to be Sober?  What do they have against Sobriety?  I can't interpret it into anything that makes any sense.  They want Freedom?  It's like doublespeak.  They had freedom, got an addiction, and then got locked up there. But Sobriety isn't their goal? Freedom is? They're doomed to fail.  

Maybe it's just a ploy to sell more of Lawson Bates' cd Freedom  Sure Isn't Free!

[Satchels of gold]

One of the Reformer's Unanimous' slogans is:  Freedom, not Sobriety, is our Goal.  

 

I'm trying to interpret that message into something that comes close to making sense but all I'm getting is - Freedom from Sobriety, no can't be that. Freedom in Sobriety? No it doesn't say that.  Freedom and Sobriety?  No it says - NOT Sobriety.  Why don't they want people to be Sober?  What do they have against Sobriety?  I can't interpret it into anything that makes any sense.  They want Freedom?  It's like doublespeak.  They had freedom, got an addiction, and then got locked up there. But Sobriety isn't their goal? Freedom is? They're doomed to fail.

I think the motto is perfect. Freedom, not sobriety is Josh's goal. Lol

[Dejana]

One of the Reformer's Unanimous' slogans is:  Freedom, not Sobriety, is our Goal.  

 

I'm trying to interpret that message into something that comes close to making sense but all I'm getting is - Freedom from Sobriety, no can't be that. Freedom in Sobriety? No it doesn't say that.  Freedom and Sobriety?  No it says - NOT Sobriety.  Why don't they want people to be Sober?  What do they have against Sobriety?  I can't interpret it into anything that makes any sense.  They want Freedom?  It's like doublespeak.  They had freedom, got an addiction, and then got locked up there. But Sobriety isn't their goal? Freedom is? They're doomed to fail.  

 

It's just different two different ways to talk about dealing with addiction. The aim with both is to stop consuming drugs/alcohol/excessive porn or whatever, but their way of looking at it is couched in terms of having freedom from the shackles of whatever compulsive behavior it is, that sent you to labor camp sermon rehab in the first place. Whereas with sobriety, there's more of a sense that a person is always an addict but does their best not to slip, going forward? And IDK, maybe that's too measured for this crowd.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Dejana

[truthtalk2014]

I give it six days before Josh walks out of that place.

 

I think we need a poll - or something of that sort to guess how many days Josh will last.  Everyone has to put in a bag of tater tots to vote.  In the end, all the losers contribute the rest of the heart killing ingredients to make tater tot casserole (plus a bottle of wine).  We all carry the winner on a parade float with a baby Jesus, donkeys, dinosaurs and everyone dressed in maxi skirts waving sweetly to the crowd.  

I'm genuinely curious, how many people here consider Josh to be an addict?

I have no idea but my best bet is that he married too early and just needs to be single.  Maybe even forever.  Nothing wrong with that.  He might be really happy to go out and try to score without having to pay for it.  I'm feeling like shooting myself in the foot for even feeling a bit of empathy for Josh. I'm really beginning to think that he just did not need to marry- but couldn't man up and say so.   

 

Just a messed up situation.  I feel extreme sadness for Anna.  However, they are both young.  SO YOUNG!  People divorce and move on and find their true calling.  This might be the time for the both of them to examine their lives, wants and needs.  

[BitterApple]

Ok guys I'm taking one for the team and I'm going to go. I am going to hell in a hand basket because I convinced my 14 year old daughter to go with me by telling her its a "like" a makeup convention. See Michelle, I know what makes me daughter tick. I will report back.

Lol, I'm going to pray for your safety when your daughter finds out she isn't going to a conference to buy an Urban Decay Naked Palette and the Anastasia Contour Kit. I'm hoping you survive to give us the deets.

Edited August 29, 2015 by BitterApple

[What In The]

Maybe Josh will surprise us all, divorce Anna, go back to school, become a lawyer, get his own show, and become really good looking kind of like a Dylan McDermott type in the practice.

[JoanArc]

 

I think we need a poll - or something of that sort to guess how many days Josh will last.

We need an option for Josh getting caught boinking a female inmate, too.

[DangerousMinds]

I will add to everyone else's explanations that, once you watch that skit, from that point forward until the day you die, the only thing you will hear whenever "Don't Fear the Reaper" comes on the radio is cowbell.

But it's totally worth it.

[Cherrio]

We need an option for Josh getting caught boinking a female inmate, too.

Oh, that's a given.   I bet they are doing everything they claim they are cured of.   Then they pray and do it again and again.

 Josh is going to come out of there with some new stuff he likes too. 

[kokapetl]

We need an option for Josh getting caught boinking a female inmate, too.

I think someone who was actually addicted to something would scare him shitless

[cmr2014]

One of the Reformer's Unanimous' slogans is:  Freedom, not Sobriety, is our Goal.  

 

I'm trying to interpret that message into something that comes close to making sense but all I'm getting is - Freedom from Sobriety, no can't be that. Freedom in Sobriety? No it doesn't say that.  Freedom and Sobriety?  No it says - NOT Sobriety.  Why don't they want people to be Sober?  What do they have against Sobriety?  I can't interpret it into anything that makes any sense.  They want Freedom?  It's like doublespeak.  They had freedom, got an addiction, and then got locked up there. But Sobriety isn't their goal? Freedom is? They're doomed to fail.  

 

I think that this is fundie-speak -- another example of taking a word an re-defining it to mean almost the exact opposite. As I understand it, in fundie-land, "freedom" means complete submission to the will of God. When we have complete "freedom," we have no desires for ourselves and allow God to take control -- sobriety is a by-product, but not the goal.

 

That's why in political terms, fundies yell so much about "freedom" while aggressively trying to deny freedom to others.

 

I'm not a fundie or ex-fundie, though, and I'm sure that there is someone else on the board who can explain it more effectively.

[JoanArc]

 

Josh is going to come out of there with some new stuff he likes too.

[Cherrio]

I think someone who was actually addicted to something would scare him shitless

Nah, he is one wild and crazy Fundie.   He wasn't skeered of the wild wicked women he was warned about all his life, so some meth and a beer chaser would be no big deal.

BAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !          

[Julia]

When we have complete "freedom," we have no desires for ourselves and allow God to take control -- sobriety is a by-product, but not the goal.

 

or at least that's how Loki explained it in the first Avengers movie.

[babyhouseman]

50 shades of Josh. Who needs a rich, handsome billionaire when you can have this dumpy, balding hunk of a man?

[cheatincheetos]

I think that this is fundie-speak -- another example of taking a word an re-defining it to mean almost the exact opposite. As I understand it, in fundie-land, "freedom" means complete submission to the will of God. When we have complete "freedom," we have no desires for ourselves and allow God to take control -- sobriety is a by-product, but not the goal.

Freedom from the stress of having choices (oh, the horror!).

That's quite impressive weight loss.

[Fuzzysox]

I see Josh found the perfect outfit for when TFDW comes to pick him up and they go down to Boy's Town in Chicago, you know to minister to those sinners.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Fuzzysox

[CofCinci]

Where's GEML? If GEML watched the broadcast last night, he/she may have died of boredom.

[JayInChicago]

Josh would fit right in with that outfit in the backroom of Touché

[Marigny]

This bunch doesn't consider it a mental illness, it's a spiritual one.  And the cure is Jesus, He's like Penicillin for porn.  As far as any of us know, Josh has never received any counselling other than that provided by extreme conservative Christians like his family.  And the emphasis is on how the devil lead the sinner astray and prayer is the cure.  Nobody at the place where Josh is staying has any sort of certification in psychology, psychiatry, social work, addiction counselling or anything else.  They're all fundies, some of whom have been 'addicted' to porn or drugs or alcohol themselves, who are now spreading the Gospel of repentance and Jesus.  The website of the place he's at specifically says that the clients are forbidden to discuss their addictions with anyone there.  The schedule they provide on the website seems to indicate there is no actual counselling going on; it's all prayer sessions and manual labor.  It's sounds kinda like the way the Duggars expect all the children, especially the girls, to 'keep sweet' no matter what.  All this place seems to do is try to get the clients to bury their problems as deeply as possible under a heap of bullsh** with a little Jesus sprinkled on top.

 

Josh may have gotten some court ordered counselling as a kid when social services got involved when he molested his sisters, but his parents and the rest of the Gothardites don't believe in traditional psychiatric diagnoses or treatments.  It's all about Jesus.

 

 

I'm sure it will be less than 7 days before the lure of chick-fil-a and tiddays call Josh's name.

 

 

I'm so tempted to put these on tee shirts and sell them on Etsy. 

[3girlsforus]

 

I'm going to have nightmares!!!

[HumblePi]

Little did Josh know that the woman at the other end of his monitor with the name something like 'Hot Babe4U' was really this........

 

 

But then, the news about Josh and his account at Ashley Madison became known to Miss HotBabe4U and her reaction was...........

Edited August 30, 2015 by HumblePi

[Defrauder]

It's just different two different ways to talk about dealing with addiction. The aim with both is to stop consuming drugs/alcohol/excessive porn or whatever, but their way of looking at it is couched in terms of having freedom from the shackles of whatever compulsive behavior it is, that sent you to labor camp sermon rehab in the first place. Whereas with sobriety, there's more of a sense that a person is always an addict but does their best not to slip, going forward? And IDK, maybe that's too measured for this crowd.

Yes, in which case I purpose to advise them to change their slogan to Freedom AND Sobriety. 

I think that this is fundie-speak -- another example of taking a word an re-defining it to mean almost the exact opposite. As I understand it, in fundie-land, "freedom" means complete submission to the will of God. When we have complete "freedom," we have no desires for ourselves and allow God to take control -- sobriety is a by-product, but not the goal.

 

That's why in political terms, fundies yell so much about "freedom" while aggressively trying to deny freedom to others.

 

I'm not a fundie or ex-fundie, though, and I'm sure that there is someone else on the board who can explain it more effectively.

You are so right.  I've noticed that.  They use words that mean the opposite of what they claim they are trying to say.  Freedom is submission. It's righteous to be humble. There is a lot of double speak going on with them.

I think the motto is perfect. Freedom, not sobriety is Josh's goal. Lol

LOL!  Josh's new motto. Love it.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Defrauder

[Granny58]

Truth truth truth light light light darkness recover truth I am truth I am truth does that make sense truth light light darkness no light no light sin is no light darkness Jesus truth truth light light light

Ya know, I AM actually all into the truth, and light and overcoming darkness and Jesus and all that.....so even though it's not my kind of service, I get it.  However, one needs to WANT to get it and I just don't think that Josh really does.  I don't know...I could be wrong, but I just feel he's going through the motions.  And he will remain unsatisfied with his life if that's all he's getting from it.  Free Josh.

[farmgal4]

I can see your point. I just don't think josh was at the 'die in the gutter with a needle in his arm' zone yet. When the scandal went down he had a 6 figure job and TV money. There was definitely still some cash around. I was seeing it as akin to having an alcoholic always having a bottle under the sink, or a joint in the couch cushions kind of deal. *If* he's the type of guy to bang a porn star in secret, he might have five or ten grand stuck in a storage unit somewhere that no one else knows about. Hell, there may a blessing out there we don't know about.

 

I think it's worth remembering that addict does not necessarily equal down-n-out. Many, many rich and successful people are addicts, and are able to recover without losing it all. Rock bottom is subjective, though that RU meeting seems subterranian to me.

LMAO @ "...there may be a blessing out there..."! True, that!

[Jellybeans]

I think Josh wants to be free from the Duggar lifestyle.

[cheatincheetos]

I see Josh found the perfect outfit for when TFDW comes to pick him up and they go down to Boy's Town in Chicago, you know to minister to those sinners.

I'm so tempted to put these on tee shirts and sell them on Etsy. 

Was there ever a T shirt released for the ribald "Chow Down at Chikfila" song?

[Jynnan tonnix]

That article is fascinating. I am leaning more toward the theory that this is all a sham. The point is for the Duggars to be able to say that they got Josh therapy, they paid for it, they cared for Anna and the kids while he was gone, and then voila! He comes back and they can do a People magazine cover about how Jesus reformed him. And the Duggars are back to being the best parents in America!

 

Boring sermons are not going to scare Josh off, I'm sure he's heard them practically every day of his life. He's already been through work and prayer camps, so even that is nothing new. Maybe he believes, maybe he doesn't, but either way it doesn't matter. He's just expected to put up the facade, sit through it for six months or whatever, and keep from getting caught sinning after that. 

 

In the videos for RU they say that their graduates are expected to serve as kind of distance ministers for the place once they return home. So yes, Josh will probably be taking up a career in ministry. Probably not a bad choice for him -- he gets attention and social cache, and that's what motivates him. Sure he has to pretend to walk the straight and narrow, but nobody in the fundie world seems very surprised when their ministers fail to live up to what they preach. And Josh can funnel all the people with problems in his community to RU for therapy! What an amazing pyramid scam!

 

It's just lies all the way down. We're looking at it the wrong way because we're assuming that they want to be truthful and live up to their principles. But none of this is sincere at all.

Good post. Lots of truth here, I suspect. And if the pun had been just a little bit intended, I frankly think it would have even more impact :)

[leighroda]

Oh mylanta! I fell really far behind on this thread, I just graduated from nursing school on Thursday but have been studying hardcore for my exit exam, so this thread had to be put on the shelf for a bit, I made and appearance when the scandal broke, but for the most part had to keep my distance.

I can't with that church service thing. All I can say is that for all those who said justice hadn't been served for him, I think that is our karma for him. That should be the punishment for all sexua preditors. (I hope everyone knows I'm joking, I'm not trying to make light of sexual abuse... More just how bad that talk was)

As far as Anna is concerned... I would personally move in with her (or let her move in with me) and be her nanny if it meant she would leave that dillhole...unfortunately I just don't see it happening and I think it is so unfortunate. One thing that I think she said (I don't remember if it was a direct quote or paraphrase) was that anger is ungodly. That is the biggest load of BS I have ever heard. We have feelings! God made us that way, it's OK to be angry. It's not ok to act on that and murder someone, but anger is a completely normal and even healthy emotion. I know that is what their church teaches, but it just makes me furious (I know I know I'm going to hell for that emotion). Sometimes anger is the best motivator to positive change... Ugh I could go on and on.

[Featherhat]

Regarding Josh's marriage at 20, it's possible that he, like his parents, hoped it was the answer to his prayers. At last he could "righteously fulfil his desires" etc. He and Anna certainly had a lot of hand porn going on from the second they were allowed to touch. Of course that also meant the obligation to have as many babies as they could right away, which he was less enthused about, but he might have legitimately thought marriage (and subsequent partial independence was the way to go.)

I don't think Boob and Meshelle were going to let this "storyline" go without a fight either. Not only does it provide great fodder for the show in its early stages and set up years of "the next M Kid" it shows that courtship storylines are popular and also begins a new chapter for Josh after all the unpleasantness where he can have Gothard approved sex with his wife and everything will be lovely.

Also it's possible that Josh is mostly fine with being married, he's just one of those assholes who has a wife who does everything for him but he feels entitled to sex with other women, just because he can, because he's a man and they are sex workers. No intention of divorce, no intention of being faithful.

[3girlsforus]

Also it's possible that Josh is mostly fine with being married, he's just one of those assholes who has a wife who does everything for him but he feels entitled to sex with other women, just because he can, because he's a man and they are sex workers. No intention of divorce, no intention of being faithful.

 

See - this is what a real counselor should be working on with Josh. The focus of this "addiction center" is that you won't do these things if you are right with Jesus because Jesus doesn't want you to. The problem is there is so much more to it than that. If Josh can get around caring about what Jesus thinks and can hide it so he doesn't have to hear about what Mom and Dad think he'll keep doing it because he doesn't really see past that.  I really believe he cares about Anna and his kids. He wants to be married to her. What he doesn't really grasp is that viewing porn and paying for sex is more than just sexually immoral. It is destroying to Anna as a woman and a wife. And as he's destroying his marriage it will inevitably have an affect on his kids. He isn't just being a bad Josh. He's crushing the people he claims to care about. So Josh won't see that if he wants to keep up with this behavior it would be kinder of him to divorce Anna and financially support her than to stay married to her and sneak around. There is just no focus what he's doing to those around him with the possible exception of JB and Michelle berating him for derailing the family gravy train. It's all about Josh and Jesus. Sorry but Jesus doesn't want Josh treating his family like crap. 

[TheFinalRose]

I will add to everyone else's explanations that, once you watch that skit, from that point forward until the day you die, the only thing you will hear whenever "Don't Fear the Reaper" comes on the radio is cowbell.

 

 

 

But it's totally worth it.

 

 

 

Yes. Will Ferrell's exposed beer belly is my favorite part of that skit.   I even bought the "More Cowbell" t-shirt for Mr. Final Rose, which he wears proudly.

 

As for whether or not Josh is an addict, I vote no. The only reason he is in a "treatment" facility is that Josh and MEchelle remembered that people were mad when they found out his first round of therapy was only living with a construction worker, so this time they thought if they announced that Josh was in a treatment facility, everyone would back off. Of course, once again, they didn't figure on his whereabouts being exposed so quickly, via Gawker, etc., and everyone seeing that they were parking Josh with some old friends of theirs.

 

I bet Josh loves being out of the house and getting a good night's sleep away from all those kids and the newborn. Plus, there is a Chik Fil A only 1.7 miles down the road (approx. 5 min -- I looked it up), so you know he's kewl with it. The guy has a long life in front of him, what could they possibly do to him at RU that would make a bit of difference in his psyche?  He got caught, but that doesn't mean he has self-motivation to change his ways. Maybe Anna will decide she's okay with an open marriage!!!

[Joe Jitsu913]

Yes. Will Ferrell's exposed beer belly is my favorite part of that skit. I even bought the "More Cowbell" t-shirt for Mr. Final Rose, which he wears proudly.

As for whether or not Josh is an addict, I vote no. The only reason he is in a "treatment" facility is that Josh and MEchelle remembered that people were mad when they found out his first round of therapy was only living with a construction worker, so this time they thought if they announced that Josh was in a treatment facility, everyone would back off. Of course, once again, they didn't figure on his whereabouts being exposed so quickly, via Gawker, etc., and everyone seeing that they were parking Josh with some old friends of theirs.

I bet Josh loves being out of the house and getting a good night's sleep away from all those kids and the newborn. Plus, there is a Chik Fil A only 1.7 miles down the road (approx. 5 min -- I looked it up), so you know he's kewl with it. The guy has a long life in front of him, what could they possibly do to him at RU that would make a bit of difference in his psyche? He got caught, but that doesn't mean he has self-motivation to change his ways. Maybe Anna will decide she's okay with an open marriage!!!

Plus... 6 months away from Anna = no baby making which I'm sure Josh is cool with.

[3girlsforus]

Another thing that struck me about Anna and her constant baby fever. She's been taught that a woman's worth is in her fertility. Even assuming she didn't know Josh was cheating, it seems likely to me that she knew something wasn't right with the relationship. It probably affected the way he acted toward her and affected their intimacy (not just sex - but emotional intimacy as well). If she felt that Josh was losing interest I could see that fueling the baby fever. In her warped upbringing she was taught she is most desirable to men when she's fertile. So to her getting pregnant is probably the equivalent to meeting Josh at the door wrapped in saran wrap. She's being the best woman she can be trying to get her man's attention back. So very sad for a woman to feel that way.