Anti-gay activist Josh Duggar preached about marriage whilst using Ashley Madison
An anti-gay reality TV name, who has preached about the virtues of marriage did so whilst using websites which allow spouses to cheat.
Josh Duggar, who appeared in TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, was among those named when users of the Ashley Madison website were leaked yesterday.
The TLC show was pulled off air earlier this year when an unsealed police report revealed that Duggar was reported to have sexually assaulted girls, including some of his own sisters, years prior.
This news comes despite Duggar having been previously named as the executive director of the Family Research Council, an anti-gay organisation which seeks to preserve “traditional” marriage.
The organisation says it aims “to champion marriage and family as the foundation of civilisation, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society.”
Duggar quit his role in the FRC amid the abuse allegations.
Gawker reports that, according to data leaked from Ashley Madison, which aims to allow married people cheat on their partners, Duggar maintained a paid account.
The data released matched address details for the home of Duggar’s grandmother in Fayetteville, which was used as a billing address alongside a credit card in his name.
The account named a number of turn-ons and stipulations including “Muscular/Fit Body,” or ”Petite Figure,” “Tall Height,” or “Short Height,” and “Girl Next Door,” or “Naughty Girl,” so it appeared Duggar wasn’t fussy about who he met up with via the site
A second paid account which was registered to Duggar’s home in Oxon Hill, Maryland, which included a $250 “affair guarantee”.
The second account was paid until May 2015. Several messages saying Duggar was “open” appear to have been sent and received from the account.
One message read: “I’m looking to have a steamy affair… I want to have a good time with someone who is passionate… and see where it leads!”
Since the data was released, Duggar released a statement calling himself “the biggest hypocrite ever”.
He said: “While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife.
“I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him.
“I brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions that happened when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have re-broken their trust.”
He continued: “The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country, I was hiding my own personal failings.
“As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose to our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences. I deeply regret all hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example.
“I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time.”
The Family Research Council is listed as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre – and has repeatedly compared gay rights to the Holocaust.
