Pregnant Jessa Duggar Reveals She Left Her Family's Cult-Like Religion
In the wake of Jill Duggar's bombshell memoir release, another member of her family is talking about breaking free of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, or IBLP, the family's cult-like religion that helped make them famous. In a new Instagram Q&A, Jessa revealed that she has also left the IBLP, shocking fans who thought she would stick with it for life to stay in dad Jim Bob's good graces. And that's not the only thing she revealed to her followers ...
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Jessa invited fans to ask their questions on her Instagram Stories.
Following the release of Jill's book last week, all eyes have been on the Duggar family, and it seems Jessa took this opportunity to clear up a few things with her Instagram followers.
They did not hold back when it came to asking her questions, especially about the IBLP and whether Jessa and Ben were still involved in it.
Jessa shared that she has left the IBLP.
Her Q&A posts have since expired, but this one was caught by The Sun before it disappeared. When one fan asked her if she and Ben follow the IBLP, Jessa kept her answer short and to the point, writing, "No, we do not."
Considering how close Jessa still seems to be with parents Jim Bob and Michelle, this is pretty surprising to hear.
There has been some speculation that she left the religion years ago.
Jessa has never confirmed nor denied her beliefs until now, but there have been a few signs that she and Ben may have decided to go their own way over the last couple of years. Not only has Jessa been wearing pants lately — a big no-no where the IBLP's strict rules are concerned — but Jinger also credited Ben for helping her change her own religious convictions in her book, Becoming Free Indeed, which was released earlier this year.
She also opened up about her plans for more babies.
It sounds like she's planning for something a little different in that department, too. Now that Jessa's pregnant with her fifth child, it may end up being her last.
"I think just about every time I've birthed a baby I've told Ben that's the last one and we're not having any more, but eventually I've had that baby fever again," she admitted in the Q&A. "Right now, 5 kids sounds like the perfect family size for us. But we've been known to change our minds, so who knows?"
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It would be interesting to know what Jim Bob thinks about all this.
As we know from Jill's book, he didn't take to Jill changing course and living life on her own terms very well, so how does he feel about Jessa? At this point, it seems she and Jim Bob are still just as close as they always were, though.
Only time will tell if more of their siblings will follow suit and leave the IBLP behind, too.
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