Faith Christina Shirley

[AlexIsAwake]

Obviously isn't concerned about her safety. And he makes it sound as if this sort of thing happens frequently, so no big deal.

In that quote, Gothard DOES make it sound like this sort of thing happens all the time, but in another quote from the article he says this is the only time someone has run away that he knows of. He's such a lying sack of shit!

[CanticleoftheTurning]

Looks like Gothard and ATI/IBLP are now generating some negative press from

the “Missing Faith†story. A Chicago Now blogger wrote an interesting story titled, “Run away, Faith Shirley! IBLP and Bill Gothard are dangerousâ€.

Source:

http://www.chicagonow.com/running-with- ... dangerous/

Thanks for sharing my blog post! I really wanted to show a different side than the usual 'runaway' story. If people have any additional links they'd like me to include, please feel free! I can do a followup post, or else just update it with more evidence of the stuff she'd face if she was returned to Gothard.

[mrs]

I just read Graces story featured on Recovering Grace(recoveringgrace.org/2013/04/third-witness-sexual-harassment-at-headquarters/). I can’t imagine going through what Grace experienced at Head Quarter with Bill Gothard. She writes

“After meetings on Sunday nights, Bill began asking me to come to his office alone and talk with him while sitting next to him on his couch. Sometimes his assistant would be in the room, but often not. I remember jerking back when I felt his foot touch mine. I dismissed it again as an accident. But it kept happening. It happened more and more often. At lunch, in his office, riding in his van, sitting on his couch — his feet sought out mine whenever I was near him. When we sat on the couch in his office, he would sit very close to me and put his hand on my knee. During church he would lay his head on my shoulder and fall asleep. I would change positions, but so would he. He continued touching my feet but sometimes my leg as well. Sitting next to him was disconcerting as he wanted to sit very close. I began to feel more and more uncomfortable.

I called my parents and told them how uncomfortable I felt with Bill touching me. They assured me that Bill Gothard would never inappropriately touch anyone, but they gave me permission to be “less friendly†with him if I liked. Soon afterwards I was invited by Bill to travel with him to the Northwoods Conference Center, which at that time housed ALERT. I went, but in the van his feet began touching mine again. Only this time he had relaxed and taken off his shoes. I was disturbed and uneasy. I clearly remember him giving me a certain “look†when he would slide his foot over to touch mine, and I felt like something wasn’t right. I was nineteen by this time, but I had never been told what sex was, or what sexual behavior even looked like. I had read the encyclopedia’s entry on intercourse but that was extent of my knowledge about sexuality.â€

I sincerely hope nothing like this was happening to Faith. If it was I could see why she may have ran away. She is blond and attractive like the others who have been Gothards “favorites.†I wonder if she lived in the dorm next to his office. Apparently, according the comments on the blog, he may have had his favorites assigned to dorms close to his office. Often he would have them help him late at night.

I am praying for Faith. I hope there is a happy ending to her story.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Why is IBLP still running?? Its run by a creepy old pervert with a fetish for teenage/young adult interns (and a foot fetish, it seems), then theres the forced fasting, locking people in the prayer closet, beatings??? WTF??

I hope Faith is OK, something must have gone on to make her run away.

[alba]

I just read Graces story featured on Recovering Grace(recoveringgrace.org/2013/04/third-witness-sexual-harassment-at-headquarters/). I can’t imagine going through what Grace experienced at Head Quarter with Bill Gothard. She writes

I sincerely hope nothing like this was happening to Faith. If it was I could see why she may have ran away. She is blond and attractive like the others who have been Gothards “favorites.†I wonder if she lived in the dorm next to his office. Apparently, according the comments on the blog, he may have had his favorites assigned to dorms close to his office. Often he would have them help him late at night.

I am praying for Faith. I hope there is a happy ending to her story.

Ye gods that's creepy. I knew Gothard was an ass, but I didn't realise just how fucked up he was.

[mrs]

There are two more stories about sexual harassment at Headquarters. I have not read them yet but here are the links:

recoveringgrace.org/2012/04/exploited-innocence/

recoveringgrace.org/2012/05/another-witness-sexual-harassment-at-hq/

Edited to break link.

[Pretzel]

I feel for all the girls who had and have to go through the ongoing creepiness at the IBLP headquarters. I don't remember who it was who suggested Jana Duggar might have experienced something comparable/similar and therefore looked depressed for months on end...

[ILoveJellybeans]

Would Gothard dare to touch a Duggar? I imagine cause theyre on TV, he knows theres more risk-if they were to tell all, theyve got a way wider audience. I really hope that isnt why Jana always looks so sad :(

One thing I dont understand, about Gothard (and also the priests who molested children), is that they preach a lot about sexual sin and that it is wrong to look at anyone in a sexual way unless youre married to them, and being alone with/touching/thinking about someone of the opposite sex is wrong and will make you go to hell, but dont they consider that if there is a hell, theyre definetly going there for what theyve done.

[Phoebe]

I wonder if Gothard knows that there's another cult that espouses total freedom as a goal?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridge ... al_Freedom

The Co$ was the first thing I thought of...icky.

[Miranda]

Would Gothard dare to touch a Duggar? I imagine cause theyre on TV, he knows theres more risk-if they were to tell all, theyve got a way wider audience. I really hope that isnt why Jana always looks so sad :(

One thing I dont understand, about Gothard (and also the priests who molested children), is that they preach a lot about sexual sin and that it is wrong to look at anyone in a sexual way unless youre married to them, and being alone with/touching/thinking about someone of the opposite sex is wrong and will make you go to hell, but dont they consider that if there is a hell, theyre definetly going there for what theyve done.

I think they either really don't believe the things they preach or they think they're exempt.

[Salamander]

Would Gothard dare to touch a Duggar? I imagine cause theyre on TV, he knows theres more risk-if they were to tell all, theyve got a way wider audience. I really hope that isnt why Jana always looks so sad :(

If this happened to Jana and she told her parents, they'd just blame her for "tempting" a man and shut her in the prayer closet.

I really hope Shirley's safe.

[jlbturtle]

I read some of the comments after the article. What do you want to bet, we know the person who made this comment?

"Robert S.

11:04 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Hey, I live here in Hinsdale on the IBLP campus and love the great people here. I'm really concerned that Faith is missing and I think we should all really keep her in our prayers."

[ILoveJellybeans]

Doesnt David have a friend called Robert who works for Gothard?

Also yeah, its likely that Gothard hasnt been arrested for sexual harassment/molestation/abuse is because in fundieland its always the womans fault if shes abused for tempting the man, so any of his victims who did tell her parents, would probably get blamed for it.

[lilith]

Doesnt David have a friend called Robert who works for Gothard?

Also yeah, its likely that Gothard hasnt been arrested for sexual harassment/molestation/abuse is because in fundieland its always the womans fault if shes abused for tempting the man, so any of his victims who did tell her parents, would probably get blamed for it.

Yep, Robert Staddon

[Lady]

Would Gothard dare to touch a Duggar? I imagine cause theyre on TV, he knows theres more risk-if they were to tell all, theyve got a way wider audience. I really hope that isnt why Jana always looks so sad :(

One thing I dont understand, about Gothard (and also the priests who molested children), is that they preach a lot about sexual sin and that it is wrong to look at anyone in a sexual way unless youre married to them, and being alone with/touching/thinking about someone of the opposite sex is wrong and will make you go to hell, but dont they consider that if there is a hell, theyre definetly going there for what theyve done.

I think Gothard would stay away from a Duggar girl because they are too high profile. The shit could really hit the fan.

[AnnieC 305]

Would Gothard dare to touch a Duggar? I imagine cause theyre on TV, he knows theres more risk-if they were to tell all, theyve got a way wider audience. I really hope that isnt why Jana always looks so sad :(

One thing I dont understand, about Gothard (and also the priests who molested children), is that they preach a lot about sexual sin and that it is wrong to look at anyone in a sexual way unless youre married to them, and being alone with/touching/thinking about someone of the opposite sex is wrong and will make you go to hell, but dont they consider that if there is a hell, theyre definetly going there for what theyve done.

I think the thinking is that if I'm doing X, which is so horrible, then someone who isn't as good/self-controlled/anointed by God must be doing something ten times worse.

It's the same thing as the men who preach modesty, saying that all men will turn into rapists as soon as they're aroused by the sight of a collar bone. That's because they want to rip clothing off and have at every time they see a pretty young girl, so they figure every other man must be ten times worse.

There is a psychological term for someone who thinks like this, but at the moment I can't remember.

[Patsy]

Projecting?

[Hane]

Looks like Gothard and ATI/IBLP are now generating some negative press from

the “Missing Faith†story. A Chicago Now blogger wrote an interesting story titled, “Run away, Faith Shirley! IBLP and Bill Gothard are dangerousâ€.

Source:

http://www.chicagonow.com/running-with- ... dangerous/

That article contains a link to this little open secret:

Years ago, must have been 8 or so, I belonged to a forum called CMOMB (Christian Moms Of Many Blessings). This was before the TLC show, but Michelle was already a well known figure amongst the QFers. She came and did a guest chat and one of the things she talked about was blanket training. She used flexible rulers and talked about luring the baby off of the blanket and then swatting them with the ruler when they took the bait. The purpose was so that mom could visit with friends, have a phone conversation or go visiting and baby would stay put and quiet . After that chat flexible rulers were the thing, but at that time they weren't at every office supply and warehouse store, so there were lots of posts like "I found them at XYZ for $1.25, how many do you want me to pick up?!" When the TLC specials started airing and the interest in just how exactly they blanket trained babies was heating up I went to try to find a copy of the chat. I found it, but everything about spanking/hitting kids was deleted, as was any reference to Michelle in the flexible ruler threads. They circled the wagons around Michelle pretty fast.

[IceQueen]

It makes me so sick that this is going on in basically my backyard. I really never would have expected Gothard to be in the Chicago suburbs.

[GenerationCedarchip]

It makes me so sick that this is going on in basically my backyard. I really never would have expected Gothard to be in the Chicago suburbs.

There are actually a lot of fundie/fundie lite groups in the Chicago suburbs. I know of several fundie lite missionary groups that do their training out of Downers Grove, IL. And there was a reformed fundie retreat center in that same area when I was growing up. I remember being sent there for a retreat as a teenager. It was quite strict but actually a lot of fun -except for one day when they took us into the city to a park area with a big fountain (I forget the name) and we had to pass out tracts and do a mime show.

[mrs]

Update:

Updated at 3:58 p.m. Thursday

The Hinsdale Police Department released an update on the search for missing teen Faith Shirley.

Investigators are continuing to follow-up on the missing person investigation reported earlier this week. It has been learned that Faith Shirley may have in her possession a brown Louis Vuitton clothing bag containing several pairs of shoes, and she may be wearing a red scarf. Investigators have actively been following up on opportunities for determining her whereabouts, but as of this time continue to be unsuccessful in locating Faith. As information that may be relevant to the public becomes available, updates will be disseminated.

Community members who have either seen Faith, or have information regarding her whereabouts, should contact the Hinsdale Police Department with tips at 630-789-7070.

Source:downersgrove.patch.com/articles/faith-shirley-missing-person-hinsdale-police-institute-in-basic-life-principles-bill-gothard

[formergothardite]

I really hope she is safe.

[CanticleoftheTurning]

Thanks for the update, mrs. Please let her be safe.

I wonder where the LV bag and "several pairs of shoes" came from--part of me hopes that it's someone outside the whole fundie organization helping her hide and be safe. Not much is mentioned about her family--does she have an older brother or sister who escaped and is helping her to escape?

[divadivine]

Doesn't Gothard take in troubled teens from the court system for Journeys to the Heart? I'm sure I've read about it somewhere, a local conservative Christian judge was sending kids there instead of to juvenile justice facilities. Judging by the defrauding pic of this girl I'd think she's probably one of those kids, and thus probably has at least some people in her life who support her fleeing the Christian crazy.

That happened here at the center in Indianapolis. A juvenile court judge was sending kids there instead of getting the kids and families real help. I think that is why the center here only hosts programs occasionally. I don't think the building is staffed all the time.

[mrs]

Faith has been found.

http://downersgrove.patch.com/articles/ ... in-chicago