Home Christian News ‘We Fear for His Soul’—More Duggar Family Members React to Guilty Verdict

‘We Fear for His Soul’—More Duggar Family Members React to Guilty Verdict

josh duggar
FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2014, file photo, reality TV personality Josh Duggar speaks in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. Lawyers for Duggar say he faced "unwarranted public scrutiny" after his sisters were revealed to have told police they'd been molested by him. Arkansas officials are seeking immunity from being sued for releasing decade-old information about a sexual abuse investigation involving Josh Duggar and four of his sisters. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

In the aftermath of the guilty verdict handed to Josh Duggar on Dec. 9 for receiving and possessing child sex abuse materials (CSAM), additional members of his family have posted statements, sharing their thoughts on his trial and its conclusion.

“Over this last year, as you can imagine, there have been a lot of unanswered questions in our minds regarding Josh,” said Josh’s sister, Joy-Anna, and her husband, Austin Forsyth, on their Instagram stories. “We were able to sit through the trial to hear the evidence for ourselves. We agree with the judicial system’s verdict and we are thankful for the men and women who work tirelessly to protect children and help prevent child sexual abuse material. Our hearts break for all CSAM victims. We are praying for [Josh’s wife] Anna and her children.”

UPDATE: Josh Duggar Found Guilty of Possessing Child Pornography

Josh Duggar’s Crimes Are ‘An Evil God Hates’

Another one of Josh Duggar’s sisters, Jinger Vuolo, and her husband, Jeremy, posted a lengthy statement Sunday on each of their Instagram accounts. The couple said that as they have been “processing this week’s events,” they felt it important to share several thoughts and they began by focusing on the grief they were experiencing. They said:

We are saddened for the victims of horrific child abuse. We are also saddened for Josh’s family, his wife and precious children.

We are saddened for the dishonor this has brought upon Christ’s name. Josh claims to be a Christian. When a professing follower of Jesus is exposed as a hypocrite, the response of many will be to challenge the integrity of Jesus himself. They’ll question the legitimacy of a Savior whose so-called followers privately delight in the sins they publicly denounce. This is why the Apostle Paul told religious hypocrites that “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Romans 2:24). For Josh, we fear for his soul. 

The Vuolos continued by expressing thankfulness for the outcome of the trial and noting the special tenderness that God has for children:

Yet, amidst our sadness, there is gratitude. We are grateful that God is a God of justice who cares for the innocent and the helpless. And, of all the people in this world, he especially loves children, who are among the most vulnerable. This reality makes the existence of sex trafficking and child abuse one of the most horrific evils imaginable. It is an evil God hates.

Jesus welcomed and cared for children, seeing their helplessness as opportunity to protect, not exploit (Matthew 19:14). And his harshest indictment was reserved for those who caused them to stumble: “it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).