The Seewalds are supporting the Duggars.
Jessa Duggar's father-in-law, Michael Seewald, is standing by Josh Duggar following reports that the reality star allegedly molested five girls - some reportedly his own sisters - while he was a minor.
In a lengthy post titled, "Grace Greater Than Our Sin" posted on his family's blog, Seewald, who is a father of seven, wrote that "the Seewald family stands with the Duggar family in solidarity" and "stand[s] with the unnamed victims of these incidents. Our thoughts and prayers are for you."
"We stand with the unnamed victims of these incidents," he continued. "Our thoughts and prayers are for you. I want to say to Josh, hang in there, the shame you feel is legitimate, yet Jesus took your shame as he was punished in your place...Don't be angry at the world for their hatred of you. Show them through your love for them that it is Jesus Christ that made all the difference in your life. I'm rooting for you."
Last week, In Touch Weekly reported that Duggar was named in a police report as the "alleged offender" in an underage sexual abuse probe. As a teenager, the young man allegedly fondled the breasts and genitals of the underaged girls - and several reports are claiming that one or two of the girls were one of Josh's sisters.
Seewald said the family, who are known for espousing Christian values, should be praised for "not hiding this from the appropriate parties and eventually the police, but they owed it to no one else to publicize the sins of a minor child and the court agrees with that assessment."
"As it stands criminal charges were not brought against Josh but I believe that Josh's parents acted in a way that godly parents should. They did not turn a blind eye, but earnestly sought help from the church, counselors, and eventually the police," Seewald wrote.
After the allegations against Duggar went public, he quickly resigned from his job at the Family Research Council and released a statement apologizing for his inexcusable action. He also canceled a speaking engagement at a Christian home-school convention in Sandusky, Ohio.
Despite Duggar's apology, Seewald says he understands why people are concerned.
"Maybe they didn't do it in a way that pleases everyone, but they acted decisively to confront the sin, to call a penitent son back from his errors, and to seek to aid the hurting victims," he said. "In the end, Josh sought forgiveness from those he wronged, repented of his sins and came to trust Christ as his Savior. He has to the present day attested to the reality of his repentance and faith by living above reproach. In their efforts to salvage the wreckage that these transgressions brought, and bring healing to all involved, Jim Bob and Michelle are to be commended."
Seewald also addressed Josh's victims, acknowledging that sexual abuse "is all too common" but assured the unnamed girls that they "are not the one to blame."
"We should not downplay the seriousness of these offenses particularly, nor gloss over the pain and confusion they often bring, sometimes for a lifetime." He urged any victims of sexual abuse to speak up and to deflect the shame they might feel. "Do not keep silent if you are being abused, tell someone you trust, a parent, a teacher, a friend, anyone is better than silence. You are likely not the only one who has been abused... Remember, it is never okay for someone to treat you that way even if they are a parent, a sibling, or a friend. There are many people who will help you if you just break the silence."
Seewald also explained why he decided to weigh in on the family scandal, writing "I would rather not discuss something of this nature on my blog, especially since it is dredging up past sins that have been painfully grieved over once already by all involved," he wrote. "It pains me to see that they are now having to relive the nightmare that had been laid to rest well over a decade ago with Josh's repentance and reformation, but I feel compelled to bring some context and reason to the bloodletting that many are engaging in and to come to the aid of our dear friends and family."
TLC has pulled episodes of "19 Kids" after the allegations became public.
