As is their habit, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar acknowledged oldest son Josh Duggar’s birthday on their Facebook page with a special message. Unlike their birthday wishes to their other 18 children, however, Josh’s note was paired with an acknowledgement of the “heartache” he’s caused the family. It’s unclear whether he has access to see the message, as Josh is reportedly still in a long-term treatment facility after admitting to infidelity.
“Today is our son Josh’s birthday,” they said on the Duggar Family Official Facebook page. “The heartache of the past year cannot surpass the joy 28 years ago on this day when we first became parents! We love you Josh and believe your best days can be ahead of you. We continue to pray for you every day.”
Although the Duggars are known to moderate the comments to weed out critics, Facebook’s new “like” system makes it impossible to mask the reactions: Because you can’t remove a reaction, it shows that nearly 200 people responded to the post with an “angry” face. That shows that many people aren’t ready — or interested — in forgiving Josh for his transgressions against his sisters, wife and others. Regardless, TLC is moving forward with a full season of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, which will focus on the oldest Duggar children.
