Jessa Duggar Is 21, Never Been Kissed, And Avoids ‘Sensual Thoughts’

Jessa Duggar has co-authored a new book, together with three of her sisters, which explains their somewhat unusual outlook on life in general — and sex in particular.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say “lack of sex,” since they reveal in the book Growing up Duggar that they avoid spending time with men in case they sin and have sex before marriage.

The four eldest girls of the Duggar clan, Jana, 24, Jill, 22, Jessa, 21, and Jinger, 20, say that “it’s easy to put yourself into physical and moral danger and give into those emotions or sensual thoughts that promise pleasant, but only temporary, fulfillment.”

They even extend their belief that sex is “original sin” to controlling what is in their thoughts when they are alone. “By censoring our thoughts through the filter of God’s word, we will be able to recant any wrong thoughts or temptations that try to sneak in.”

In spite of that, Jessa still insists that they “have a natural physical desire toward men” and say they thank God for making them “normal.”

Which raises the question of how to define “normal.”

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition is “usual or ordinary or not strange; mentally and physically healthy.” On that basis, the actions and attitudes of Jessa Duggar and her sisters don’t really comply with the norms of American Society — from a strictly academic viewpoint.

For example, Jessa is currently dating fellow church-goer, Ben Seewald, and insists they stick to traditional religious dating rules.

This means avoiding physical contact of any description. To greet each other, they “side hug” (?)

Kissing will be saved for their wedding day!

Jessa reveals in the book that, as a teenager she had her own issues to deal with. She became increasingly introvert because she felt really insecure about how she looked, dressed, and acted:

“I had friends who were really beautiful, and whenever we were together I compared myself to them and always came up lacking something.

I felt so ashamed and awkward that I couldn’t even talk to anyone about my feelings. I felt overwhelmed and stuck in that negative mind-set.”

The Duggar family’s first TV appearance was in 2008 on TLC’s 17 and Counting. The series followed the life of Jessa’s parents, Michelle and Jim Bob, and their then 17 — now 19 — children.

The family has strong beliefs about issues such as contraception, home-schooling, and not wasting time using the internet or watching TV.

The Duggars are the archetypal Conservative Christian family. They are followers of the Quiverfull movement which “teaches that children are God’s blessing and that husbands and wives should happily welcome every child they are given.”

There can be few more committed adherents to that philosophy. Once, Jim Bob Duggar responded to criticism of his family’s lifestyle by saying, “People think we are overpopulating the world [but] we are following our convictions.”

So, Jessa Duggar is 21 — and “never been kissed.”

Hopefully, she will not be disappointed with what life has to offer in the future.

You can check out the Duggar’s views on parenting in this video clip:

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