Jill Duggar And Derek Dillard Disagree On This Part Of The Bible
Once known for her family adventures on TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, Jill Duggar has gone on to live her own truth. In the seven years since she left her large family to start married life with Derick Dillard, the fourth-oldest Duggar child has broken with a number of the strict traditions she grew up with. For instance, she's not above wearing pants and sleeveless tops on occasion, flouting the Duggar convention of women wearing long skirts and arm-covering shirts. (She describes herself on her Instagram bio as "Earthy Hippie-ish.") Although she and her siblings were all homeschooled, Jill and Derick send their older son, Israel, to school. She left the microscope of reality TV by parting ways with Duggar-sib spinoff Counting On (via CNN). Most significantly, Jill has broken off from her family; the couple hasn't visited her parents in two years, although they have made an appearance at certain events, such as younger brother Justin's February wedding. She and Derick are in therapy to heal from the stress that her childhood and their TV life has put on their marriage (via US Weekly).
One part of Jill's upbringing that remains firmly intact, however, is her strong Christian faith. She and Derick did missionary work in Central America for a number of months after Israel was born (via People), and they frequently reference their beliefs and religious practices on their social media. But when a fan recently asked them a question of dogma, the couple gave a surprising response.
The Dillards disagree on the age of the Earth
The Dillards have taken to posting videos on their personal webpage in which they candidly answer questions from curious fans. In their most recent appearance, they answered such questions as "Was going from side hugging to marriage awkward at first?" (Not really, says Jill.) and "Do you all ever visit the big house [her parents']?" (Not in "a couple of years," they say.) Then one fan wanted to know how old Jill and Derick think the Earth is. Many fundamentalist Christians refute the theory of evolution, believing that the Earth is only 6,000 years old and that Adam and Eve were the first-ever humans to inhabit it (via The Conversation).
Jill and Derick admitted they've discussed the topic, but that they're too busy with other matters to hash out their opinions often. "We both agree that God created the Earth in six literal days," said Jill. "We don't believe in traditional evolution, but we do believe in science." She says that she believes in a "young Earth," while Derick avoided giving a definite answer. "I don't lean 'old Earth' or 'new Earth,'" he said. "The Bible is 100 percent true, but...we also don't know everything from the Bible, if that makes sense."
Derick concluded, "Jill has a view on it...I have a view against having a view on it," to which Jill insisted, "...right now, while he doesn't have time to do research on it."
Why do we have a feeling that this isn't the end of the conversation at the Dillard house?