Jinger Duggar Vuolo has come out with one of the strongest condemnations yet among her family members about brother Josh‘s conviction for possession of child pornography. In a powerful statement released via Instagram on December 10, Jinger said she is “thankful to God for exposing Josh’s actions,” and “fears for his soul.”
“We are saddened for the victims of horrific child abuse. We are also saddened for Josh’s family, his wife and precious children,” Jinger began. She then wrote, “We are saddened for the dishonor this has brought upon Christ’s name. Josh claims to be a Christian.”
“When a professing follower of Jesus is exposed as a hypocrite, the response of many will be to challenge the integrity of Jesus himself. They’ll question the legitimacy of a Savior whose so-called followers privately delight in the sins they publicly denounce. This is why the Apostle Paul told religious hypocrites that ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’ (Romans 2:24). For Josh, we fear for his soul,” Jinger continued.
“Yet, amidst our sadness, there is gratitude,” the former reality TV star wrote, adding, “We are grateful that God is a God of justice who cares for the innocent and the helpless. And, of all the people in this world, he especially loves children, who are among the most vulnerable. This reality makes the existence of sex trafficking and child abuse one of the most horrific evils imaginable. It is an evil God hates.”
Jinger ended her statement by noting, “We are thankful to God for exposing Josh’s actions and to a legal system committed to protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty in this case. We are grateful for justice. We are praying for further justice, vindication, protection, and healing for all those who have been wronged.”
Josh was found guilty on December 9, after a federal jury deliberated for less than seven hours before convicting him on one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The 33-year-old was immediately taken into custody and faces up to 40 years of jail time and $500,000 in fines. He’s currently being held in solitary confinement at the Washington County Correctional Facility in Arkansas for “safety reasons.” A source told In Touch, “He has his own small cell and is away from other criminals.”
The father of seven’s dad and mom, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, released a statement following his guilty verdict where they said, “As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children.” Josh’s sister and brother-in-law, Jill Duggar Dillard and Derick Dillard wrote on their blog, “Our hearts go out to the victims of child abuse or any kind of exploitation” and noted that, “nobody is above the law.” The couple added, “After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today, consistent with the truth beyond a reasonable doubt.”