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Becoming Free Indeed
Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear | Jinger Vuolo
11 posts | 27 read | 3 to read
Jinger Vuolo, the sixth child in the famous Duggar family of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, recounts how she began to question the unhealthy ideology of her youth and learned to embrace true freedom in Christ. When Jinger Duggar Vuolo was growing up, she was convinced that obeying the rules was the key to success and God's favor. She zealously promoted the Basic Life Principles of Bill Gothard, fastidiously obeying the modesty guidelines (no shorts or jeans, only dresses), eagerly submitting to the umbrella of authority (any disobedience of parents would place her outside God's protection), promoting the relationship standard of courtship, and avoiding any music with a worldly beat, among others. Jinger, along with three of her sisters, wrote a New York Times bestseller about their religious convictions. She believed this level of commitment would guarantee God's blessing, even though in private she felt constant fear that she wasn't measuring up to the high standards demanded of her. In Becoming Free Indeed, Jinger shares how in her early twenties, a new family membera brother-in-law who didn't grow up in the same tight-knit conservative circle as Jingercaused her to examine her beliefs. He was committed to the Bible, but he didn't believe many of the things Jinger had always assumed were true. His influence, along with the help of a pastor named Jeremy Vuolo, caused Jinger to see that her life was built on rules, not God's Word. Jinger committed to studying the Bibletruly understanding itfor the first time. What resulted was an earth-shaking realization: much of what she'd always believed about God, obedience to His Word, and personal holiness wasn't in-line with what the Bible teaches. Now with a renewed faith of personal conviction, Becoming Free Indeed shares what it was like living under the tenants of Bill Gothard, the Biblical truth that changed her perspective, and how she disentangled her faith with her belief in Jesus intact.
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review
Samara_Kipnis
Mehso-so

I was interested to hear the story of someone religious who made their religion their own by leaving behind someone else‘s version of it. She definitely explained this! Was a little dry and a little too preachy to me, but I‘m also not a Christian, so maybe that‘s why.

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EmmaMae
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Mehso-so

Overall this book was not surprising for me. But parts were interesting and there was a genuine critical view of reinterpreting faith as one grows into adulthood.

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britt_brooke
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Panpan

⭐️ A “personal theological memoir.” Okay, cool, but so much was Jinger debunking Gothard, yet telling us nothing about herself. He‘s the scapegoat, full on. Zero blame falls on her parents. In fact, she barely mentions her massive family at all. It‘s all very surface level. Reads like a term paper compare/contrast of the old religion (bad?) and the new (better?). So many scripture quotes. Just tell your story. Use YOUR words. Not free.

LeahBergen Well, that‘s disappointing. The other sister‘s was better, wasn‘t it? I‘ve been meaning to ask you … have you watched Escaping Twin Flames on Netflix?? Holy cult! 😮 13mo
IamIamIam I bailed on this too. I loved Jill's memoir, though!!! 13mo
britt_brooke @LeahBergen Jill‘s was much better!! More about the family and what it was like being on camera. Everything you‘d expect from a memoir. (No, I haven‘t watched that, but I will. Thanks!) 13mo
See All 13 Comments
britt_brooke @IamIamIam Jill‘s was a solid read! 13mo
MicheleinPhilly What the hell kind of name is Jinger??? @LeahBergen That group is wild! There‘s another doc series about them on Prime that I want to watch too. 13mo
LeahBergen @MicheleinPhilly I watched the Prime one, too. 😆 It‘s good and adds new stuff about those wackos. 13mo
MicheleinPhilly @LeahBergen Excellent! I never know whether to laugh at or feel sorry for the suckers who get pulled into these scams. 13mo
britt_brooke @MicheleinPhilly LOL, right?! They‘re all “J” names, and I‘m like Ginger doesn‘t start with a J, honey. Try again! 13mo
MicheleinPhilly Oh is that how it‘s pronounced? I was reading it with a hard G. It‘s possible that‘s even more stupid. 13mo
britt_brooke @MicheleinPhilly Yep! 😂😂 13mo
MicheleinPhilly @britt_brooke @LeahBergen OMG! Do ya‘ll have HBO Max?? I just started watching Love Has Won. These people might win the Fruit Loop Olympics!! 13mo
LeahBergen I just saw an ad for it today! You have me all excited now. 😆😆 @MicheleinPhilly (edited) 13mo
britt_brooke @MicheleinPhilly @LeahBergen No, dang it, I don‘t. 😩 But I just googled Love Has Won. What the actual fuck?! (edited) 13mo
61 likes13 comments
review
Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

#NonfictionNovember

Having read her sister's book first, this one was enjoyable but echoed thoughts from that one, so I couldn't help but spend my time comparing them.

Although Jinger's journey to separate herself from her family takes a slightly different path than her sister's, it hits on key points from their childhood of the control used to keep the family in line.

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review
Megabooks
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Pickpick

I‘ve been on a memoir binge! Three reviews today and in the middle of another!

I think it‘s very good that people are exposing Bill Gothard and the IBLP for the harm they‘ve perpetrated against followers. Jinger‘s family (the Duggars of reality TV fame) was one of his most famous followers. As an adult, she‘s turned away from his teachings but not Christianity. She shares the story of her disentangling.

Cinfhen I never watched the Duggar‘s but I know there have been plenty of scandals over the years!! 1y
Suet624 Have you read The Sound of Gravel? 1y
Megabooks @Suet624 when I looked back, I saw I bailed, but I don‘t remember why. 1y
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Suet624 @Megabooks wow! Maybe you were infuriated by what the women and kids had to go through. I‘ll never forget the things that happened in that book. 1y
Megabooks @Suet624 it could‘ve been the audio narration because often when I bail early on the audiobook, that‘s why. Sometimes I‘m picky about that. 1y
britt_brooke Listening to this now but struggling to get through it. Waaay too much scripture quoting for me. (edited) 13mo
Megabooks @britt_brooke isn‘t it weird how they (she and Jill) pronounce Jesus??? 13mo
britt_brooke @Megabooks YES. I‘m glad you noticed too. 13mo
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review
Ericalambbrown
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Pickpick

As a exvangelical, I was really curious to hear what the author had to say about escaping IBLP. She has not left Christianity but is trying to figure out what she believes while dealing with what sounds like an at times almost crippling anxiety. This is not a tell all and she goes out of her way to praise her parents. This really is just about her faith journey and seems very sincere. I‘d like to see where she is in 10 years. ⬇️

Ericalambbrown She does have a lot to say about IBLP founder Bill Gothard, however. She is no fan of his and views him as a cult leader. Very interesting read. 1y
Suet624 Hard to imagine being part of that family. 1y
Ericalambbrown @Suet624 it really is. And IBLP has a dangerous Christian nationalist bent that she didn‘t mention. I was glad to see the Shiny Happy People doc touch on that. 1y
See All 10 Comments
TheBookHippie I thought the same. She‘s so young. I felt she was still in the middle of it, let‘s see what ten years brings. I agree about the documentary I also thought it interesting she was pretty blunt about her brother. 1y
Ericalambbrown @TheBookHippie I thought so, too. She just laid it out and moved on. I really wish the documentary had called out Hobby Lobby as being a major donor to Bill Gothard. The Green family is scary, too. 1y
SassyBookworm I enjoyed the insight and found a lot of similarities with my childhood and hers. I‘m anxiously awaiting her sister Jill‘s book set to come out next year. 1y
Ericalambbrown @SassyBookworm I set a notification on my Libby app for that book when it comes out. Very curious about that one! 1y
SassyBookworm @Ericalambbrown Yes! Me too! I love that option on Libby now! 1y
TheBookHippie @Ericalambbrown WORD. So horrific. 1y
TheBookHippie @SassyBookworm I‘m interested in that one as well. 1y
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review
alindemann
Pickpick

I watched their show growing up, so I was very curious about this book. It was a beautiful story about Jinger‘s journey to know Jesus!

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Crystal83
Pickpick

I picked up this book to read after I had seen an interview that she had did. I found the book very interesting and I am glad that she told her story. I rated this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

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Rissa1
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Pickpick

Although I did not grow up in the IBLP, I grew up in a very conservative religion, at 41 I am still learning and figuring out what I believe. This was an impressively relatable read. I underatood how she felt because I have also felt it.

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jdiehr
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Pickpick

One of the Duggar kids, Jinger grew up in a strict family that followed the teachings of Bill Gothard.

Gothard preached about many things that aren't actually in the Bible and encouraged his followers to adhere to man-made rules that caused fear and anxiety in Jinger.

Instead of leaving Christianity all together, Jinger read the Bible with fresh eyes and began to untangle the truth.

John 8:36 is the inspiration for the title of this memoir