Since Josh Duggar's highly controversial sex scandals, the Duggar men have remained relatively quiet about the issues surrounding their family. During the pilot episode of their sisters' spin-off specials "Jill and Jessa: Counting On" aired Sunday night, Dec. 13, two Duggar brothers finally spoke up how Josh lost their respect after tearing the family apart.
According to them, learning that their big brother was secretly molesting young girls, their sisters included, was heart-breaking. Furthermore, Josh's admission to cheating on his wife Anna and being addicted to pornography just made it even more tragic.
"After everything started to settle down from the first release of stuff in the news about Josh, we got word of a second thing that we had no clue about. That was a little more of a shock probably than the first stuff coming out," John-David, 25, narrated. "You look at your brother and you want to think the best about him."
"I don't think there's any way any of us would have known that my brother was living such a secret life," Joseph, 20, tearfully said. "It broke my heart. Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you'd never think that that's the person who's involved in it."
John-David also said that he has always wanted to be like his big brother Josh ever since they were young. He admitted that he bravely confronted Josh about his illicit acts.
"I always wanted to be like him. But one of the toughest things I had to tell my older brother was, I don't want to be like you anymore," he said.
Josh, Jim Bob and Michelle's eldest child, has not come out in public since his shocking revelations. He is said to be in a faith-based rehab facility to work on his sexual addictions. Now, according to John-David, the burden of being the leader of his siblings rests on him.
"It's a big weight on me now. I've got a whole bunch of younger siblings looking up to me, and I've got to be an example to them," he said, "Because whatever I am, that's what they want to be. I know that's how it was for me and Josh."
"Jill and Jessa: Counting On" episode 1 also showed Jessa's scary home birth and Jill's preparation for a mission trip to Central America. The three-part special will highlight the joys and celebrations of the Duggars in the aftermath of their scandals.
"Jill and Jessa: Counting On" airs Sundays, 8 p.m. on TLC. Watch the clip below:
