Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar hold a number of controversial views.
In fact, the parents of 20 are almost as well-known for their eccentric worldview as for their love of procreation.
Many of the Duggars’ most hotly debated ideas have to do with their unusual take on child-rearing.
In addition to the famous Duggar courtship rules, Jim Bob and Michelle advocate a number of controversial corporal punishment techniques.
Back in 2015, Michelle was criticized for her espousal of “blanket training,” a practice in which children as young as six months old are instructed to remain seated on a blanket and struck if they refuse to comply.
Blanket training was originally devised by Michael and Debi Pearl, authors of the bestselling parenting book To Train Up a Child.
Critics of the Pearls accuse them of advocating some of the most brutal forms of child abuse and neglect.
The New York Times reports that in 2011, their book was found in the homes of three children who had died from child abuse.
The Duggars effectively distanced themselves from the Pearls following the blanket training scandal, but now it appears they’ve decided its safe to get back in their old friends’ corner.
Last week, their daughter Joy-Anna Duggar’s ties to the Pearls were revealed when she promoted a speaking engagement of theirs that’s scheduled to take place at a facility owned by her in-laws.
On Monday, Jim Bob and Michelle also promoted the appearance on their Facebook page.
“This makes me so sad,” one user wrote on the post. “The Pearls literally promote hitting babies, actual babies. They are child abusers. Why you would promote their evil and cruel practices is mind boggling
“Why are you promoting child abuse?” another remarked.
“I hope every single one of you participating in the Pearls’ abusive ways are arrested and spend significant time in prison. Those poor Duggar children.”
In an impassioned interview with Radar Online, Michael Pearl defended his views and teachings:
“The book has sold well over 1 million copies,” he told the outlet.
“A lot of families are being blessed by the content. They say it’s the best thing that ever happened to their family, including grown people who were raised with the principles in that book.
“Those adults are now training their children.”
Pearl added:
“I teach not to punish your children. It’s a whole comprehensive approach to child training. Physical discipline is a small part of it.”
It seems unlikely, of course, that anyone who believes the Pearls’ are responsible for the deaths of several small children will be persuaded by that argument.
At this time, the post promoting the Pearls’ appearance in Arkansas has not been removed from the Duggars’ Facebook page.
Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial family.
