Since 19 Kids and Counting’s Josh Duggar admitted that when he was a teenager he molested some of his sisters, many have backed away from the reality TV family—TLC execs and former Duggar-backed candidate for president Rick Santorum included. But the Duggars still have their supporters. I know this because they’ve emailed me.

In order to shed light on the psyche of those who believe that a famous family’s systematic cover-up of child molestation is none of our business, I’ve republished emails from Duggar supporters below (emphasis added). Here are the unedited thoughts of Americans who think it’s God’s duty to report on the facts of the Duggar case—not Gawker’s.

“Stop judging people your not God your not adding one thing is was a teen not an adult... maybe he made a stupid mistake people like you love to dig up dirt. By you doing this you are committing a sin not one sin is bigger then the other especially when your trying to get the world against one person just like they did to Jesus”

“Just as many, many minors have done things which have been expunged and they have been allowed to go on as adults without persecution from the public. Even Josh deserves this same respect.....I’d like to know what all you gawkers are guilty of....what’s in your closets. You people are disgusting beyond belief....at least he told his parents what was going on and went to the authorities, the situation was dealt with in 2006. Thank God none of you are pure enough to be his or anyone’s judge.”

“You are a sick person if you just pass along rumors and gossip. Take a poll and see how many men have attempted to molest their sisters. I bet you would be shocked.”

“Why you are interested in ruining people’s lives baffles me. Yes what he did was wrong!! But he was a kid he is the one admitting his wrong!! Your greatest source of information is coming from his own apology!!! Lady move on!! Why not fight for our freedoms that are constantly being taken away from us?! Or about sex trafficking?!! Why not have the Victoria secret remove their huge almost nude photos from the middle of the mall that turn small boys on to such sexuality before their time?!!! Leave this family alone!!”

“Why are you so intent in trying to bring the Duggars down ? Who does this benefit ? Very sad for you.”

“Why don’t u write a decent story. Have some compassion for all involved in this Duggar story. YES even Josh. Most do not care a wit about what happened just a feeding frenzy on the downfall!! That is what is truly sickening. Journalist are just looking for the least thing to make look nasty and suspicious! And writing stories with lines like.. diddle his sister under the craft table... that is just so sick and insensitive to the situation ..as if they truly care. Find out some facts and write something to be proud of.”

“You must enjoy making innocent victims suffer more and shaming innocent people. What about little Josie wand those of the children that weren’t born yet. Why would you destroy the life they were living?it’s sad. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android”

“***PLEASE READ***

Hi,

I know this isn’t a juicy story discriminating the duggars but I hope you finish this email. I think it might help with the next article about the duggars.

I am a girl who has been a fan the duggars for awhile and I support them 100%. It makes me sick to my stomach to think people hate them. They are good people and I know it NO ONE will tell me otherwise. There family has made few mistakes and many bad rumors have been spread about them and because they are “famous” it makes them look like the worst people on the planet. Besides why is everyone worried about them and there ;already taken care of) business? This happened 13 years ago. Everything was taken care of how the family and involved friends saw fit. It was there decision NO ONE ELSE’S. So why can’t everyone just go back to loving the duggars like they used to or better yet leave the poor family alone for a bit.

Now to my next point...(Please Read)

I don’t understand why you are doing this to the girls who where molested... They got over this along time ago and now people like you (reporters) are making them relive there horrendous past. They used to be happy girls who had forgiven josh and had gotten on with there lives some in courtships, some with fiancées/husbands, some already with children or are expecting and now they are being haunted once again with something (that I’m sure) was hard to forget. I just can’t believe everyone is harassing them now. It is sad. They deserve to live there lives like they did before unharassed, happy and not haunted with the past.

I hope you take this Into to consideration...

#Supporttheduggars

***(Also, I don’t care if you use this in your next article)***”

“OMG Josh was only a child when this happened. Why should the whole family have to suffer...?”

“What I know about Josh’s misconduct is that it is in the past, and has been dealt with by those involved, and that it is no one’s business, least of all, yours. You are seeking to report on the past, which is of no consequence. How proud your parents must be to have a daughter who is a muck-raking sensationalist out to hurt others with her so-called editorial prowess (not to be shared with The New York Times or the Washington Post, or other reputable paper)! How proud you must be of your ability to hurt others on a national level!”

“You are a sad person and I feel sorry for you having to make a living off of other people’s suffering. I will be praying for you.”

(Thanks.)

“Dear Allie, I came across your website on Google. What happened to the victims of Joshua Duggar is horrible. It is very , very sad. It is shocking. I was a huge fan of the Duggars. Their show and the Bates on UP TV were the only shows I watched with weekly regularity. I was so sad to hear of what Josh had done when he was a young boy of 14 to his sisters and other girls. I can certainly understand their show being taken off of TLC for now. Those girls were young and he was a young teen as well. I just wanted you to know that no one can forgive sin like Josh’s, or any sin except Jesus Christ. My sin and your sin Allie. I sin daily and I have to go to God and ask forgiveness. everyday. Allie, what you are doing is wrong too. Have you been in theDuggar home? Did you know that they did try to make it right in their own way? I agree, it is still wrong. I can see where you are coming from. This family had a very clean and fun show that was on TV for 10 years and brought great joy to famillies to watch. What happened was very wrong. I too was abused by a man, a much older man when I was 12. God saved my life, becaue he was doing wrong things to me and I was so naive at that age. I doubt he was ever caught, and may have died by now because I am 60. Please pray for the Duggars and for the girls that Josh did sinful things too. Allie, Jesus Christ died for Josh’s sins. Josh is forgiven by God. Everyone knows what he did. It is very sad. I was saved too, Allie. I was saved by realizing that I had not kept the ten commandments and so I was on my way to an eternity in hell because I had told lies, stolen, had disobeyed my parents... but someone shared Scripture from the Bible from me. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God loves you Allie. Do you need a Savior from your sins? Turn from them and come to Jesus and accept His death on the cross as the payment for your sins. Read the Bible, read the book of John. Go to a local Bible Church in your community. Just google Bible Church in your vicinity. The Duggars 19 kids and counting are history. Maybe you should not be trying to find out how long TLC knew and anything else you can find out about Josh What worse can happen to him? He was underage so may not have been able to have been put in jail. I just think that you are going down the wrong path trying to hurt this family. God is in control, He will take care of it. God did forgive Josh and God took him off of TV. Josh has lost his job and yes, the girls lost their innocense as well.Sin is always bad and evil.Thank you for reading this, God Bless You, ...another sinner saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ”

“Congratulations on making your life’s work the tearing down of the fiber of someone’s person so that others can gawk and stare and hate. With your sites set so low, you can only be a success.”

Well, there you have it. Lest you think that all Duggar fans think the same, however, here’s one more email from a supporter who is reconsidering the family in light of Josh’s admission:

“Not sure what to think. I looked up to them as im sure many people did. Keeping the show going would be awkward considering the honey boo boo situation. I kinda feel now we were just watching lies. I just erased all my recordings. How can anna be ok with her children knowing her husband has molested kids. So many questions.”

Indeed.

Image by Jim Cooke. Contact the author at allie@gawker.com.