Bill Gothard Ousted - IBLP/ATI scandal - Merge

[16strong]

I cant believe people are defending this evil man.

I can. A lot of people protect molesters like this because they don't want to compromise their way of life. I imagine that to many fundies, ATI came along when they were experiencing a period of great mental or emotional turmoil. A lot of people get sucked into cults this way, and because of this they will to anything to cling to it despite the parasitic nature of the relationship. They perceive it as being the only constant or stability in their lives.

[RosyDaisy]

This bastard needs to brought down. He's hurt too many young women.

[SpeakNow]

Maybe we should start a campaign a la Doug Phillips is a tool and Lori Alexander is a monster so that when people google Bill Gothard the first hits will expose him for what he truly is. Perhaps Bill Gothard is a molester?

[formergothardite]

Maybe we should start a campaign a la Doug Phillips is a tool and Lori Alexander is a monster so that when people google Bill Gothard the first hits will expose him for what he truly is. Perhaps Bill Gothard is a molester?

We would have to say accused molester or he would sue.

[nokidsmom]

I can. A lot of people protect molesters like this because they don't want to compromise their way of life. I imagine that to many fundies, ATI came along when they were experiencing a period of great mental or emotional turmoil. A lot of people get sucked into cults this way, and because of this they will to anything to cling to it despite the parasitic nature of the relationship. They perceive it as being the only constant or stability in their lives.

+1. Totally this. I saw firsthand how my cousin got sucked into fundieland while her parents were going through a divorce and life at home went to hell. At the same time, I had a number of classmates at my conservative Christian college go more fundie and all of them were going through tough times.

As far as "protecting" these evil people, denial is a powerful thing. A really powerful thing.

[nana sew dear]

I vote for "Bill Gothard, alleged pevert".

[freethemall]

"Bill Gothard has a foot fetish"

[RosyDaisy]

Bill Gothard, you are one crazy ass, sick SOB who has engaged in inappropriate conduct (and spiritual and most likely sexual abuse) with young females for decades. You have also created a vile organization that is not biblically based. Karma's a bitch you creepy old buzzard, and you have it coming.....big time. I hope you burn in hell for the damage you have done.

ETA: I'm talking about God's judgment and punishment not human.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I hope he spends the rest of his life in jail, followed by eternity in Hell.

What he is doing is wrong. He calls himself a Christian, but God will not approve of his behaviour. Jesus loved children, and he certainly wouldn't have approved of someone saying they are bringing children to God but instead supported people who beat them and hurt them in his name, and then molested some of the girls. ATI says that God looks down on people who have premarital sex (or even kissing, or hugging, or even thinking of having a crush on someone), and commit adultery and fornication, which is what Gothard does. Why is it wrong for someone to kiss another person outside of marriage, or touch them in sexual ways, but he did that to dozens of girls. If a male intern told you that he and one of the girls had been in a relationship, and had touched her breasts through her clothes, put his hand on her legs and felt all the way up, and kissed her, Gothard would fire him and her too because they are sinners who are going to hell, that they have damaged their purity forever and nobody else will want them, say they are filthy, dirty, slutty, impure and he doesn't want them at ATI HQ as they will lead others to temptation. Yet he did this to Charlotte and she is one of dozens of girls who were touched like that. He says that you meet one person, don't do anything with them and are never alone with them, until marriage where you can have sex, touch genitals and do whatever you want, and that one person is the only person you are allowed to do anything sexual with. Yet Gothard has touched over 30 girls. If one sexual encounter before marriage can make you the equivalent of used chewing gum, completely disgusting for someone else to use after the first, or a delicate rose that now has damaged petals from being handled, or a glass of water with someone elses spit in it. By this point, Gothard is the chewing gum that someone found underneath the seat of a bus, absolutely contaminated and disgusting, who would peel used chewing gum from the bottom of a bus seat and chew it, as it is probably contaminated with every germ in existence. Or the rose that has been passed round the entire class of sex ed students, but then someone dropped it on the floor and it got trampled by everyone on the way out of class-no petals left, stem all bent and flattened, covered in dirt. Or a glass of water that an entire class of teenagers spit in. No water left at all, just all spit, who would want to drink that? He doesn't practice what he preaches.

[MamaJunebug]

I apologize right off for not reading up on this, but asking a quick question: Are any media interested at this point in breaking the story?

Humblest TIA for the answer.

[apple1]

I apologize right off for not reading up on this, but asking a quick question: Are any media interested at this point in breaking the story?

Humblest TIA for the answer.

MJB, I am far from an expert, so this is JMO-

Gothard's narcissism has always rested on control and influence, and not on name recognition. I doubt mainstream media has any recognition of Gothard's name at all.

Gothard's control and influence has been very behind the scenes. Do some googling on "Character First" and "character cities". Keep in mind that his big followers have been taught the same. In the earlier Duggar shows, their attendance at IBLP/ATI events were called attending "homeschool conventions". The infamous "red book" was not to be shared with outsiders. His followers pastor and otherwise hold leadership positions in relatively mainstream churches without even the church leadership realizing that they are Gothard-ites. This certainly was my personal experience; you can find what I have written about this by searching if it interests you. The more I find out about Gothard's teachings - as published by Recovering Grace and others - the more I think, that's where pastor (name omitted) got that, and the more deeply I realize it was hidden. I would be totally UNsurprised if your investigations would find Gothard-ites embedded in your own beloved denomination; not the fault of the denomination, but rather indicative of the stealth with which Gothard has operated for decades. In the same direction, Gothard has political influences; check out Huckabee. (That might be the piece that could actually interest the media, but maybe not).

I said all that to say that I suspect that to mainstream media, Gothard seems insignificant. He isn't. I also suspect that mainstream media generally has little interest in what is perceived as doctrinal differences between what is seen as segments of American Christianity.

[MamaJunebug]

Ah, I see.By "blowing wide-open," you mean within his sphere of influence. That would work for me! Thank you.

[love2scrap]

Ah, I see.By "blowing wide-open," you mean within his sphere of influence. That would work for me! Thank you.

Well i honestly thought the media would pick up on this once evidence of criminal actions come to light. None of the women seem interested in pressing charges though. Which disappoints me. Gothard well and truly deserves everything to blow up in his plastic face

[doggie]

Well i honestly thought the media would pick up on this once evidence of criminal actions come to light. None of the women seem interested in pressing charges though. Which disappoints me. Gothard well and truly deserves everything to blow up in his plastic face

without legal action it is pointless they want a christian solution but that does not stop rapists.

[watchdog]

This should make Jim Bob and Michelle cringe. It probably won't, but it should.

[watchdog]

Bill Gothard is a very short man as is Doug the Tool. So is Gil Bates. I sense a pattern.

[watchdog]

There is another photo, this one of Jana when she was much younger, seated at a table with BG. I thought I saved it, but I can't find it. Does anyone remember that photo? It creeped me out at the time. I thought then he was grooming her for something.

[anjulibai]

There is another photo, this one of Jana when she was much younger, seated at a table with BG. I thought I saved it, but I can't find it. Does anyone remember that photo? It creeped me out at the time. I thought then he was grooming her for something.

I remember a picture of her kneeling in front of a table praying with Gothard laying hands on her head, praying over her. Is that the one? I thought it was pretty creepy.

[formergothardite]

The latest story is of a young lady where Gothard starts running his feet up her legs when she was under 18. She eventually called her parents and said that Gothard was making her uncomfortable(but she didn't tell them about the physical things he was doing) and they believed her and brought her home. The other story is of a guy who got sent home for speaking to this young lady twice. Gothard is one sick and twisted old man.

[watchdog]

I remember a picture of her kneeling in front of a table praying with Gothard laying hands on her head, praying over her. Is that the one? I thought it was pretty creepy.

I don't remember that one. I'm pretty sure they were seated next to each other at a dinner table.

[FJismyheadship]

I know there was a picture of just the two of them together, and I am having a very hard time finding it. It's like its been scrubbed from the internet

[Rescinded and Mended]

There was one pic I saw awhile back on FJ where one of the older Duggar daughters, it might have been Jill or Jana, was with Gothard in an outdoor setting. It looked like he was praying over or baptizing her while she knelt down, maybe in the water. I seem to recall it was at a Journey to the Heart conference, am I misremembering this?

[ILoveJellybeans]

The picture of Gothard with the Duggar girls creeps me out. If he had the chance, he would molest them, and may have done already. And Priscilla too. Shes not bright enough to know what it would mean :( She is also blonde, which is an extra bonus for him.

I hope hes left them alone :(

[BullyJBG]

I remember seeing such a picture on the Staddon blog, of Esther; the only Staddon daughter, and she's been working at HQ for a year and a half. Come to think of it, that blog has been used a lot more infrequently lately, and mainly Constitution reports from oldest brother Donald.(who, last I knew, was ministering in China) Maybe they sense what's happening and are laying low. That would mean unemployment for her and Robert at least. And that one photo in question of BG praying over Esther isn't there anymore. Can't blame them for being cautious. I'm sure they're quietly struggling over what to do next.

[feministxtian]

Interesting....

christianpost.com/news/bill-gothard-family-planning-and-homeschooling-advocate-accused-of-sexually-harassing-young-women-and-teen-girls-114544/

Looks like this is starting to grow some legs