LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is a non-denominational Christian organization that has been followed by the Duggar family for decades. The founding leader of the controversial organization is Bill Gothard.
However, as per recent reports and claims made in Amazon docuseries Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar may have taken over the leadership roles. The organization was originally launched under the name Campus Teams as per InTouch. In 1974, the name was changed to Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts or IBYC, before landing on IBLP.
Who is the leader of IBLP?
In 2013, it was revealed that most of the '19 Kids and Counting' family were following the same religious beliefs after the family's sixth child Jinger Vuolo revealed it in her memoir in January 2023.
In May 2023, Amazon Prime released a trailer for their upcoming docuseries, 'Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets', which promised to expose “the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of reality tv’s favorite mega-family.”
The parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar reportedly have "essentially taken over Bill Gothars's role".
“Because Mr Gothard has been taken out of [IBLP], from what my understanding is, is that Jim Bob and Michelle are now his replacement,” Bobye Holt, a former friend of the couple said after being asked by a producer if she believed the Duggar patriarch was “trying to emulate Bill Gothard.”
She said it was because of the couple's reality TV reputation which helped them to "encourage people to come to IBLP."
However, not everyone in the Duggar family agrees with Gothard’s views. Amy Duggar King, 36 the niece of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, has slammed her uncle and aunt’s "religion" as "brainwashing" women and "breeding predators" like her cousin Josh Duggar.
Amy appeared on the hit reality TV show '19 Kids and Counting' when she was just 17 years old, but she was never a member of the IBLP and was never forced to follow any of Jim Bob's strict rules.
Josh was sentenced to prison for 12 years and seven months in prison for child pornography charges in May 2022. The Jim Bob's and Michelle's eldest child's arrest hit the TLC reality show family into headlines.
The conviction came seven years after he had admitted to inappropriately touching his sisters. It was reported that his parents knew about the issue but failed to report it.
Josh Duggar had molested four of his sisters when he was a teenager
Amy revealed to Daily Mail that she is worried about her younger cousins who are still living under the strict rules of the IBLP. She said that she has no contact with her aunt and uncle because she does not trust them to protect their own children, let alone hers.
"You know what’s crazy is that they won’t allow tampons, but they’ll allow predators in the home," Amy said, referring to the IBLP’s bizarre lifestyle regulations and the shocking revelation that Josh Duggar had molested four of his sisters when he was a teenager.
IBLP is 'unhealthy' and had 'distorted' views
Amy also claimed that the IBLP is "unhealthy" and "distorted" in its views on sex and gender roles, saying that it "kind of breeds predators, like it breeds little predators, and they’re not taught about sex in a healthy way".
Amy said that she never followed the IBLP’s teachings and never let her cousins’ upbringing "put her off" religion. She said that she is still a Christian and loves God, but does not believe in what they believe in. She said that she hopes her younger cousins will eventually break free from the IBLP and find their own happiness.
Bob Duggar's sister Deana is Amy's mother and she has had no contact with Uncle Bob and Aunt Michelle as her focus is to protect her three-year-old son Daxton.
"We're not speaking to them right now. If I cannot trust people that didn't protect their daughters from horrific abuse and being used like that... if they're not being protected, then how should I trust them to protect my own child when they can't protect their own?"
Amy said it hurts her to not e part of the family as she grew up with them. She said the fact her little one is not going to know the younger kids of the family "does hurt" but her priority is her protection which as per Amy is the "most important thing on the planet to me".
IBLP is 'brainwashing literally every wife and every daughter'
"I hope someday that they can just truly know Jesus and know freedom, the way that we know freedom. And not necessarily be tied down to all these man-made rules because that’s what IBLP is".
"It's literally someone who was like, "I think this sounds good, and we're all cookie cutter people and we can all just be the same", and that's how the world should be and that's not what makes the world go round."
Amy said IBLP is "brainwashing literally every wife and every daughter." She claimed they are told that "they are the weaker vessel".
Referring to another participant in the docuseries who revealed she was raped, Amy said, "It's just so sad that that happens, but it is prevalent in the IBLP, it happens quite often..."
"That's one thing about IBLP that really ticks me off, no one is allowed to learn self-control".
Amy is also concerned about younger Duggar children
Amy is also concerned about younger Duggar children, "I have a big question mark when it comes to how they're being raised, and I hope that they're living such a happy life and that they are protected," she said as per the publication.
"But then again, they're under the umbrella right now. So the umbrella of God, and then the husband, and then you're right there"
"As far as that's concerned, you know they're not married and they're still very young, and so they're being influenced, that's obvious." Amy and her husband Dillon King, who also features in 'Shiny Happy People', have been in a blissful marriage since September 2015.
They are open to participating in a follow-up to the docuseries if there is one.
She said: ‘I would be honored to do something like that again because if it helps one person, if it helps one mom, if it helps one daughter, if it helps a son if it helps anyone to get the truth out, then it’s worth it, it’s a hundred percent worth it."
"Because it looks so wholesome from the outside. It looks so shiny and happy, but it’s underneath of just what it really is, and so no one deserves that control, no one needs that."
