Jinger Duggar’s cousin Amy praises Star for “using her voice” to blast the family’s “cult-like” culture in new tell-all book

JINGER Duggar’s cousin Amy has praised the former reality TV star for finding the courage to “use her voice” and speak out against her family’s “cult-like” beliefs in a new tell-all book.

Jinger, the sixth child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, will be lifting the lid on her incredibly strict upbringing in her upcoming memoir, Becoming Free Indeed, due out later this month.

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Jinger and her 18 siblings were all raised at the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), a non-denominational Christian organization accused of being a cult.

Founded in 1961 by disgraced Secretary Bill Gothard, the IBLP preaches harsh laws of modesty and ultra-conservative beliefs.

Growing up, Jinger and her siblings were forbidden from dancing, listening to pop music, and wearing clothes that didn’t cover their shoulders, chest, and legs, among other things.

Jinger was an active member of the fundamentalist organization until he finally left in 2017.

Her cousin Amy Duggar, who appeared frequently on Duggars’ TLC hit show 19 Kids and Counting, said she was “proud” of Jinger for having the courage to speak out.

“I knew she was writing a book and I’m proud of her,” Amy told the US Sun.

“She speaks, she uses her voice, and she’s fine [since leaving]. She has a huge following and that’s great.

“So I’m Team Jinger!”

FAMILY COUNTERPLAY “INEVITABLE”

Amy said she looks forward to reading what her cousin has to say when her book is published on January 31.

Though Amy grew up in a different household, one with far fewer rules, she said she saw firsthand how strict Jinger’s upbringing was and is glad she’s no longer “just going along with everything.”

Amy said, “The way she grew up was very much like, ‘Shut up, you don’t have an opinion, you’re not allowed to have an opinion.’

“And now she has them […] and it’s so important to be open and share how you actually feel, you know?

“So I support them 100%.”

Jinger hasn’t asked Amy — a long-outspoken member of the Duggar clan — for advice, she says, but her beloved cousin has reached out from time to time.

When asked if she thinks Jinger will get backlash from Jim Bob, Michelle or the rest of the family, Amy replied, “You get backlash from family no matter what you say or do.”

“It’s pretty simple,” added Amy’s husband Dillon King. “If what you say goes against what they want, you get backlash.

“It’s as simple as you can put it.”

DRIVEN BY FEAR

Jinger spoke to PEOPLE earlier this month, where she revealed fear had “played a big part” in her childhood.

“I thought I only had to wear skirts and dresses to please God,” the 29-year-old said.

“Music with drums, places I’ve gone, or the wrong friendships can all do harm.”

Jinger, who is now a mother of two, said she was “afraid” she was defying God’s will even if the family played broomball, a sport similar to hockey.

“I thought I might die in a car accident on the way because I didn’t know if God wanted me to stay home and read my Bible instead,” she said.

In her memoir, Jinger writes about how she was commanded to follow strict guidelines of modesty, always obey her parents and other authority figures, and shun virtually all aspects of pop culture.

Additionally, Gothard’s IBLP doctrine teaches women to be totally submissive to their fathers and husbands.

“[Gothard’s] In short, the teachings are based on fear and superstition and leave you in a place where you feel, ‘I don’t know what God wants me to do,'” she told the outlet.

“Fear has crippled me with fear. I was afraid of the outside world.”

A CLOSER LOOK

But in 2017 something changed in her life and she realized she needed to leave the organization and not look back.

“His teachings were so damaging, and I see more of that in the lives of my friends and people who grew up with me in this community,” Jinger said.

“There are many cult-like tendencies.”

Jinger still has strong Christian beliefs and she hopes her book will help others who may be in similar situations.

“That’s the beauty of this trip,” she said.

“The teaching I was raised under was harmful, it was harmful, and there are lasting effects.

“But I know other people are struggling and people who are still stuck. I want to share my story and maybe it will even help just one person to be set free.”

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