What religion does the Plath family follow? How ‘Welcome to Plathville’ family’s beliefs ruined relationships
GEORGIA, WASHINGTON: The Plath family, known from the reality TV show 'Welcome to Plathville' has not officially stated their specific denomination, although it is widely believed they are Christian Fundamentalists, according to Intouch Weekly. This group generally consists of Protestants or Baptists who take the teachings of the Bible literally and follow a strict interpretation of Christian doctrine.
In their religious practice, the Plaths preferred attending smaller home churches instead of larger congregations. This choice was due to Kim and Barry Plath's issues with how bigger churches operated. Their nine children, Ethan, Hosanna, Micah, Moriah, Lydia, Amber, Isaac, Mercy, and Cassia were homeschooled and taught to avoid certain modern temptations and influences. Additionally, they were encouraged to share their faith through performances as a family Southern Gospel band.
Notably, the Plath family has a connection to the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), a controversial Christian organization. While the Plath family themselves have not confirmed their involvement with the IBLP, there were indications of their association through Ethan Plath's estranged wife, Olivia Plath. For the unversed, the IBLP has been connected to other well-known families, such as the Duggars from 19 Kids and Counting. However, within the Plath family itself, there is some debate about their connection to the IBLP.
Lydia Plath, another family member, also weighed in on the IBLP connection, clarifying that she did not follow its teachings. She addressed this after the release of the docuseries 'Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets'. Lydia emphasized that not all Bible-believing Christian homeschoolers should be lumped together with the IBLP way of thought, stating, "I see a push lately for lumping all Bible-believing Christian homeschoolers in with the IBLP way of thought, and that’s simply not the reality I grew up with (or see around me now) at all." She further clarified, "And for all of those who have messaged or commented and asked me if I was a part of that, no I’m not. I haven’t been and won’t be."
However, this extreme religious belief also led to the downfall of Olivia and Ethan Plath's marriage. Notably, the mother, Kim Plath was the main reason behind their split, as she never approved Olivia's upbringing and viewed her as a bad influence on Ethan, which clashed with the Plath family's conservative beliefs. This primarily added strain to her relationship with Ethan and his family.
Olivia, however, openly discussed the challenges she faced due to the Plath family's beliefs. She compared her strict Christian upbringing to being in a "cult" and noted the similarities to the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), which emphasizes strict adherence to biblical principles. Olivia's more progressive views and desire for a different lifestyle created a rift with the Plath family's conservative values, ultimately leading to constant rifts.
Kim Plath accused Olivia Plath of being a 'master manipulator'
In the reality TV show 'Welcome to Plathville', Kim Plath often accused her daughter-in-law, Olivia Plath, of being a "master manipulator." Kim believed that Olivia had been manipulating Ethan to distance himself from his family. She has often claimed that Olivia's influence has caused Ethan to pull away from the conservative values and close-knit family that the Plaths hold dear.
Furthermore, according to Kim, Olivia tried to control various aspects of Ethan's life, from their living arrangements to their social interactions. Kim suggested that Olivia's intention was to isolate Ethan from his family, making it difficult for him to maintain relationships with his parents and siblings.
Olivia Plath reveals strict restrictions placed due to religious beliefs on her
Olivia Plath opened up about the strict restrictions she faced growing up due to her family's religious beliefs. These restrictions, which were rooted in a conservative and legalistic interpretation of Christianity, had a profound impact on her life, which continued even after her marriage in Ethan's household.
Olivia was expected to dress modestly according to her family's strict standards. This often meant wearing long skirts and avoiding any clothing deemed too revealing. There were also severe restrictions on what she could watch, listen to, or read. Many mainstream movies, music, and books were off-limits because they were considered inappropriate or sinful. "Obviously, we’re our own family and we’re gonna do things the way we choose to do ’em and we allow a lot of different things in our home that his parents wouldn’t, and that’s just a personal choice,” Olivia said.
"When we got married and we moved in here, we had alcohol in the home — that was a big source of tension. We’d want to go out for ice cream and that would create conflict because it would be like, ‘Well, you shouldn’t be eating sugar.’ And we’d be like, ‘Well, we’re adults. We can make that decision ourselves,’” Olivia explained further.
